Processor choice

[imamartian]

okay which is the best, a,b,c or d?

a. Intel® Pentium Dual Core Processor T2330 (1.60GHz, 1 MB L2 cache, 533 MHz FSB)
b. Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T5550 (1.83 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB)
c. Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7250 (2.00 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB)
d. Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7500 Processor (2.2GHz,800MHz,4MB L2 cache)

 

[MarkBarl]

The most expensive one. Which from those specs should be D

 

[roboughton]

As already said if you have the cash go with (D) it will be faster.

 

[imamartian]

On reflection i didn't really ask the right question. I think the speed and size are a bit of a giveaway as to which is the best. I guess what i was trying to understand is what's the difference between dual core and duo, and whats a pentium, and what does celeron mean etc etc

I suppose i should go on a course or something
Thanks

 

[Deluks]

Intel make the Celeron, Core and Pentium processors. Core is the new branding for Pentium, they still use the Pentium terminology on some of their products though.

Duo means there's 2 processors squeezed onto 1 chip, so can do faster processing as it's like "opening a second checkout at Tesco's when there's a queue"

Avoid Celerons, they are only really worth getting if you are a company and have to buy in 100's of machines. Always worth spending a little extra to get a faster chip.

Celerons are basically cut-down versions of faster Intel chips, using less Level 2 Cache. (Level 2 Cache, or L2, is expensive to make but makes the CPU much 'zippier')
Celerons are also single core chips.


Core 2 Duo is the evolution of the standard Core Duo, hence is slightly faster and more efficient. Looking at the specs you give, 2MB cache is perfectly adequate for most needs, 4MB cache will only be noticable in extreme applications, like video editing and advanced photoshop use. Don't feel obliged to go for the T7500 if it will end up costing loads more than the 2ghz model.

Clear as mud eh?