Processors (Confused)

Hi, im buying a new computer and I am confused about something.The dualprocessor INTEL?PENTIUM?D 945 (2 X 3.4GHz) 800MHz FSB/2 x 2MB L2 Cache is cheaper than the core duo 2.66 ghz processor, yet it seems faster because it has a larger ghz. I understand that probablay the core duo is better, but how. It has lower ghz and it's ?00 more epensive?Processors (Confused)
[QUOTE=''Neobrio''] Hi, im buying a new computer and I am confused about something.The dualprocessor INTEL?PENTIUM?D 945 (2 X 3.4GHz) 800MHz FSB/2 x 2MB L2 Cache is cheaper than the core duo 2.66 ghz processor, yet it seems faster because it has a larger ghz. I understand that probablay the core duo is better, but how. It has lower ghz and it's ?00 more epensive?[/QUOTE] Ghz are totally irrelevent when comparing processors of different microarchitecturesProcessors (Confused)
Yeah but when a game says the required or recommended specifications, it states the ghz only!
[QUOTE=''353535355353535''][QUOTE=''Neobrio''] Hi, im buying a new computer and I am confused about something.The dualprocessor INTEL?PENTIUM?D 945 (2 X 3.4GHz) 800MHz FSB/2 x 2MB L2 Cache is cheaper than the core duo 2.66 ghz processor, yet it seems faster because it has a larger ghz. I understand that probablay the core duo is better, but how. It has lower ghz and it's ?00 more epensive?[/QUOTE] Ghz are totally irrelevent when comparing processors of different microarchitectures[/QUOTE]Nailed it.The microarchitecture (shortened to uarch) of the Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, Core Duo, Celeron L and Pentium E (aka Dual-Core, not just 'D') are able to execute more instructions per clock cycle and this allows them to either: run at a slower GHz rating, saving power, reducing heat and maintaining performance, or running at a faster GHz rating, to create a further performance gap.NetBurst relied on fast clock speeds to maintain decent levels of performance, because it was poor in the number of instuction it could execute per clock cycle. To give an idea of how pathetic NetBurst is, a 1.8GHz Core based CPU is relative to that of a 3.8GHz NetBurst based CPU.
[QUOTE=''Neobrio'']Yeah but when a game says the required or recommended specifications, it states the ghz only![/QUOTE]Ignore that. Besides, that'll change soon once the majority of gamers move from Pentium 4s/Athlon 64s to Core 2 and Athlon X2/X4 (Barcelona/K10).Also, ANY Core based CPU can fulfill the needs of a game, even a lowly Celeron L at 1.8GHz. Granted there are some stressful games that require a bleeding edge CPU (quad core) to run at decent frame rates, but those are few and far in between.
Yeah, I can't even think of one game that would need a quad core to maintain decent frame rates.

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