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    Core i7, 2 Cores (faster clock) vs 4 Cores (slower clock)

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by hendra, Jan 20, 2010.

  1. hendra

    hendra Notebook Virtuoso

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    hendra, Jan 20, 2010
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  2. notyou

    notyou Notebook Deity

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    For applications only able to use up to 4 threads, the dual-core i7 should be a little bit faster (maybe 1-2 turbo boost speed bins).

    When you get to heavily loaded apps, the 4-core i7 will be faster.

    The two are not interchangeable.
     
    notyou, Jan 20, 2010
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  3. Amnesiac

    Amnesiac 404

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    I would say the Core i7 820QM is faster. It can Turbo Boost to the speed of the 2.6Ghz one for apps that will only need two cores for use, and the Core i7 820QM will be especially better for apps that will use more than two cores, like GTA IV.

    Not to mention that the 820QM has 8MB of L3 cache vs the 4MB of the other one.
     
    Amnesiac, Jan 20, 2010
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  4. notyou

    notyou Notebook Deity

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    You're not taking into account the turbo boost feature of the i7-620m. Apparently, it can boost the clock speed up to 3.33GHz.
     
    notyou, Jan 20, 2010
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  5. Amnesiac

    Amnesiac 404

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    Ah yes, I forgot about that. I just went and checked on Google and it indeed does. So as said, the Core i7-820QM would really only be better in 4 threaded and above applications.

    See this:

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5762679&postcount=19

    I know that compares the 720QM and the 620M, but it still applies, only the difference is lessened.
     
    Amnesiac, Jan 20, 2010
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  6. Judicator

    Judicator Judged and found wanting.

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    Actually, depending on the motherboard in question (as well as which specific 2.6 GHz dual-core Arrandale), they could be interchangeable. As long as we're dealing with the Micro-FCPGA dual-core, that will fit just fine in the same socket as the current Clarksfield. Now, again, depending on the motherboard in question, if you're going from a Clarksfield to an Arrandale, you probably won't be able to take advantage of the integrated GPU, and if you go the other way, you'll obviously lose the integrated GPU, but apart from that, they should, in fact, actually be interchangeable. In fact, I think a lot of the early Arrandale releases (like the M15x) might not even use the integrated GPU at all...
     
    Judicator, Jan 20, 2010
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