CPU Would you buy a tri-core?

We're having an argument in the office: Would you consider buying a tri-core CPU or simply go from dual to quad?

Answers on a postcard..

 

Dual or Quad, tri cores are just industry trying to sell off the duff Quads.

However if there like the AMD 720 which can have all cores unlocked then its a bargin buy!

 

That would depend on the price, but the way things are going, I won't be upgrading for approximately 4 years. So I'll probably be buying an octocore. Or something.

 

Yes, if it fitted into the price point I was looking at.

The more cores the better.

 

Depends if it's about the same cost or not a lot more than a dual then i'd get the tri otherwise i'd probably stay dual core. Though giving i'm still running a 939 athlon i'm probably a bad example...

 

If i was building a budget computer, i'd consider triple core - the extra one cant hurt assuming the price is good.

For me however my next upgrade will be straight to quad core.

 

if i was on single core then tri could be an option if its same price as dual,

but only in the budget end really as anything higher quad makes more sense

 

Problem i see it is Tri's came after Quads, and its seems like an odd product that way.

At the moment i am running a Q6600 which is pleantly fast enough for me atm, so as soon as intels new sockets have settled and matured for a year then i shall upgrade which is about 3 years away in my view, by which point i would have finished uni and worked for two years saving me's money's for a complete system rebuild to suit my needs then.

I can see CPU's envolving soon, rather than them as gernal use cores that can do everything, i can see them becoming more specialized at encoding or decoding HD files and such.

 

Why would you discount them?

They offer great value AND can be unlocked.

 

Some can be unlocked, its all down to chance on which one you get, its like finding a good overclockable chip, mostly luck.

 

I would rather have a higher clocked dual, or lower clocked quad, myself.

 

already baught one the Phenom II 720 be to be precise, at the time i didnt have the money for a quad. Its a good chip to be honest

 

Quad for even numbered cheesecake.

 

I bought one. The 720BE+AM3 board is an absolutely awesome combo in price, performance and overclocking potential. Faster than a Wolfie in multithreaded apps and just as fast in single threaded apps when overclocked.

Before this I had a X48/QX6800 and if anything this feisty little tri-core feels faster in day to day windows use.

 

Personally, I don't see the point in them.

If I was looking to upgrade from a single core then I'd either go dual core and overclock the nads of it, or go quad core and overclock the nads off it.
To me, the tri core's costs aren't close enough to the dual cores' to stop me going dual core and they don't outperform a dual core enough to make them attractive against a quad core.

An overclocked dual is adequate for many gaming rigs. If I wanted more, I'd save up the extra for a quad core. I certainly wouldn't buy a tri-core in the hope that I can unlock it.

 

quad-core all the way, it's not like there really that expensive anymore

 

What? No way.

 

I don't game or Over Clock so I buy off the shelf. My 6600 works. I'll keep it until it goes to CPU heaven. It compiles Linux tool chains, surfs teh web, keeps me on BT and gmail.
I endure.

john

 

Yeah way!

 

Yes, it's cheap(compared to the 940 it's bloody $60 cheaper over the pond), it's got a good speed, and it has 3 cores not 2.

Of course you're missing out compared to quads, but for that price it's unbeatable.

Now if you were asking about the Toilman Tri-cores...I'd stay away from them with a 8m pole.