Choosing Between Core 2 Duo Processors

I am purchasing a new HP dv6000t laptop, and I'm deciding on which Core 2 Due processor to select. The two options they give are:

Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor T5600 (1.83 GHz)

or

Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor T7200 (2.00 GHz)

The difference in price is $100...Will there be much of a difference in performance between these two processors? I'm not a big gamer at all, but use a lot of music, video, photo software, as well as all MS Office Apps (Word, Excel, Powerpoint).

Let me know what you think. Thanks!

 

For your uses it is a waste of money.

Had the difference been less then maybe. Even for someone who might make use of the extra speed $100 is too much.

Intel's official pricing is only ~$50 more for the T7200 compared to the T5600.

BUT NOTE, the T7200 comes with twice the cache, 4MB vs. 2MB for the T5600.

 

You won't see a difference between those two processors, go for the T5600.

 

the double cache issue is quite real. It will make many smaller programs go much faster. Anything that can be completely stored in cache will see a hefty boost from the extra 2MB of memory. That's why I'm waiting for the T7400. On the up side, I think the T5600's are the ones that are being shipped right now to manufacturers, and the rest are being shipped at the end of the month, so you might get a machine sooner if you go with the T5600.

 

I doubt that there is going to be a signifigant difference between a Core 2 Duo with 2MB and 4MB doing those apps.

 

what about playing games?

would the 2mb difference enhance gaming performace?

if so by how much?

 

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2795&p=4

The extra cache shows as much as a 10% improvement in certain applications so since the the T7200 is also clocked faster as well then i would say it is worth the extra $100 if CPU performance is important to you.

 

Clock speeds dont matter anymore. My 1.83Ghz CD has the same capability as the 2.0 version. Unless you really, really need the power, save some cash and go with either the medium speed processor and more RAM.

 

Clock speeds will always matter. It just depends on the IPC and architecture of the design of the processor as to how much increase in performance you get from smaller increases in clock speed. Your 1.83 may have the same capability of the 2Ghz Core Duo but the 2Ghz model is still slightly faster. That's the reason it costs more.

http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=288&type=expert&pid=7

You can look at the performance difference between the T7600 and an ES T7400 in that review. They both have 4MB L2 cache in this instance so the only difference is the clock speed.

 

10% isn't a whole lot, and that was the max. Average of all of the tests with 2MB vs. 4MB was 3.5%.

If you're still within your budget for buying a notebook, and you can afford to tack on another one hundred dollars for the 4MB chip, then go for it - I simply don't think you are going to see a difference, or much of one. Depends on how you use those apps.

 

Around 10% on average or a little more is what you're going to see with going with a Core 2 Duo processor over a Core Duo so going with the model that has the 4MB L2 is going to in a certain sense give you twice the upgrade in specific applications that benefit more from extra cache. Down the road applications should to start to be optimized more to make use of the extra cache and the performance difference is likely to get better. A T7200 will hold it's value better then a T5600 will as well when you go to sell it.