Core Duo vs Pentium D?

Question

I just want to run a single computer simulation programme and not interested in the enhanced performance of the duo processor of multitasking. I just want to know which of the two is faster?

Intel® Viiv™ Pentium® D 925 Dual Core Processor (3.00GHz,800MHz,2x2MB cache) with 2048MB 533MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x1024]
or
Intel® Viiv™ Core™ 2 Duo E6320 Processor (1.86GHz,1066MHz,4MB cache) with 2048MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x1024]

On the surface, the Pentium D processor is faster, i.e. more processing power but limited by the FSB speed compare to Core Duo, which also has a faster Memory. In the end, which one is faster?

Answer 1

Even though you're only looking at handling a single task here, the Core 2 Duo E6320 has far better performance.

The Pentium-D architecture was inefficient for it's clockspeed compared to AMD's X2 line (for example, the Athlon 3200+ has an actual clockspeed of 2.0Ghz performs slightly better than a Pentium-D running at 3.2Ghz) The X2 4000+ processors from AMD are equivalent to a Pentium-D running at 4.0Ghz.

Because AMD chips were much more efficient at lower clockspeeds, they beat Intel on benchmarks across the board for years. Now, fast forward to 2007- The Core 2 Duo is significantly faster than the X2 series, let alone the Pentium-D. So don't let the actual 1.86Ghz on the E6320 fool ya- it's a much faster beast, and consumes over 30% less power too. The gains from the FSB speed are just gravy.

The reviewers have been unanimous about this since it's introduction. While some arguments might be made for AMD on the basis of price/performance (after some massive price cuts in recent months), there's almost no way to justify Pentium-D that I can think of- well, unless it's almost free.

If Core 2 Duo is too expensive, AMD X2 still smokes Pentium-D at the lower price point.

Answer 2

The better processor depends on the nature of the simulation. However, most simulation programs are floating point intensive, the Core 2 Duo is probably the best bet. I am a developer at a simulation software company I use a Core Duo (earlier generation than the Core 2 Duo) and it is faster than comparable Pentium D computers that we have so I would expect that there would be even better performance for the Core 2 Duo. Athon 64 based computers also have very good floating point performce, but from what I have read (see the review sites referenced in the other posts), the Core 2 Duo will have better performance.

For our the larger models that we run, the CPU cache appears to be an important factor. The Core 2 Duo processors have two different cache sizes, 2MB and 4MB. I would recommend that you spring for one of the processors that has a 4MB cache. The Intel web site has a good comparision page where you can see the cache sizes for all of their processors.

Dave Krahl

www.imaginethatinc.com

Answer 3

The FSB and memory speed differences are insignificant compared to difference between the IPC (instructions-per-cycle) that the Pentium D and Core 2 Duo generally achieve.

That Core 2 Duo E6320 with a 1.86GHz clock could match a Pentium D running at more-or-less double its clock speed due to its much more efficient design, a Pentium D at about 3.7GHz in this case. That makes it somewhat (roughly 25% on average but it depends on what you are running) faster than the Pentium D 925.

It should be noted that both the processors you mentioned are dual-core, the Pentium D will gain a similar speed advantage as the Core 2 Duo if the application you are running is multi-threaded.

Answer 4

The Core 2 Duo is faster in everything verses a Pentium D. I know, I've had both.

Answer 5

core 2 duo, as the name might suggest, it's 2 cores 2 times. so thats 4 CPU cores!

Answer 6

Pentium D isn't good, and dual cores are great.