I would go with the Core 2 Duo. Make sure it is the new one that has the 4MB cache on the processor. I have the older Core Duo (6300) and it just blazes with Photoshop and Capture NX.
Easily the Core 2 Duo. I believe Intel doubled their processing duty cycle when they started issuing timing figures on the Core processors, so the 1.8(3?) GHz Core 2 Duo is approximately 3.6(6?) GHz in Pentium equivalent speeds. The Core 2s have other significant speedups in addition to the speed bump.
Irrespective of the technical details, the Dell Core 2 Duos I've played with so far are blazing fast. I'd uninstall the Google Desktop if you want good speed, though.
I've got a 1.8 GHz Core 2 Duo with 2 GB RAM, and I've got to say it makes CS3 fly. Totally agree with Les
in that the Core 2 Duo should outperform the other CPU.
Oh yeah, Core 2 all the way. I have a Core 2 Duo E6300 and it is smoking fast for the kinds of processing that Photoshop requires. Much fast than the Pentium 4 chips I've used.
I just got a computer with a Core 2 Duo processor (2.66 GHz) and 4 Gig of RAM. It is fast. I'm using a 32 bit version of XP and, probably as a result, the computer only shows 3.25 meg of RAM. I don't kow whther I'm getting any benefit from having the extra .75 meg of RAM.
That is the issue with the 32bit OS versions. They can't address the memory above 3.25GB. However, if you go to a 64bit version of XP or Vista you would have access to that memory.
I use PSE3 and I have noticed that there are some processing errors with my Core2 machine that I would not have when I was using the Pentium 4 system. I might have to finally plunk down the cash for CS3 if this continues.
Discussion
7 repliesDavid Staggs
Irrespective of the technical details, the Dell Core 2 Duos I've played with so far are blazing fast. I'd uninstall the Google Desktop if you want good speed, though.
in that the Core 2 Duo should outperform the other CPU.
That is the issue with the 32bit OS versions. They can't address the memory above 3.25GB. However, if you go to a 64bit version of XP or Vista you would have access to that memory.
I use PSE3 and I have noticed that there are some processing errors with my Core2 machine that I would not have when I was using the Pentium 4 system. I might have to finally plunk down the cash for CS3 if this continues.
Mel-