Author Topic: Can anyone please tell me what is 'Dual Core processor' mean? (Read 7097 times)

Yuet_Lee · « **on:** July 17, 2009, 23:26:29 »

I'm thinking getting a laptop because my PC was old and running very slow!

And I found this seen
http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.200-3481.aspx
is very good deal :o

But what is Intel Pentium Dual Core processor?

Please help?

Slug_killer · « **Reply #1 on:** July 18, 2009, 00:45:49 »

Unless you want to be a computer geek, i wouldn't get hung up on the words and what they mean.

'Dual Core' is the current standard processor type.

'Quad Core' is for those that need xtra grunt - ie high graphics processing/ multi media/ multi tasking.

Note 'Core 2 Duo' is effectively the same as 'Dual Core'

'Centrino' processors are designed for laptops, ie low power,designed for wireless networking.

Just look at the processor speed, memory/ and hard disk, and remember that what you buy today will be out of date in three months so buy what you MUST have today, and worry about tomorrow when it occurs.

for geek type info poke around the Intel site

BarriedaleNick · « **Reply #2 on:** July 18, 2009, 07:46:24 »

It really just means that you PC has two processing units on one device. The processing bit is the number crunching part of your PC. In the past you just got one now you generally get two or sometimes four for top end devices...

BAK · « **Reply #3 on:** July 18, 2009, 08:22:02 »

in case you want a marginally more technical response Yuet_Lee, processors (CPUs) on a computer used to come on individual chips. Two processors meant that you needed two chips, four processors four chips, and so on.

As the technology has moved on so they have managed to get more stuff (circuits) onto a single chip. This eventually led to the ability to get two processors (CPUs) onto a single chip - which is what a dual core is. As Slug_killer mentioned there are now quad cores (4 processors on a chip) and in the wider world of IT there are chips with even more processors on.

It would be possible to make a case that the majority of PC users only need a single processor on their laptop/desktop/netbook but multiple cores are the way that the manufacturers are going.

What does it mean for you? A dual core is fine - this is what most people who have bought a PC in the last 4-5 years will have. Outside the business world quad cores are probably only needed by serious game players or people who run websites on their PCs.

Memory is arguably more important than processor on a PC. I see that the machine which you are looking at has 3GB which is fine for running Windows Vista which comes with it.

Yuet_Lee · « **Reply #4 on:** July 19, 2009, 21:13:17 »

Than you very much guys!

Why I am asking because a friend told me that I've be careful some of them were quad cores or more which are confess me ???
Thank you very much to all of you!

nilly71 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 19, 2009, 21:37:20 »

Just remember, the more powerful the laptop - the more power it uses and sometimes they get hotter or the battery does not last as long.

Acer are not the best built, but for that price/specs you won't go wrong. If they have an extended warranty that is not to much then it would be best to take it out. I know a few people with Acer's that died at about 14months old.

Neil

Yuet_Lee · « **Reply #6 on:** July 19, 2009, 22:21:39 »

Do you have any good in your mind,Nilly?

Larkshall · « **Reply #7 on:** July 21, 2009, 00:17:50 »

The Acer Laptop that I am using, I bought a couple of years ago from PC World. It was a refurbished laptop (AMD Turion64 bit) with XP. I clean installed Linux/Ubuntu OS and it's been no trouble at all. I also have an Acer desktop which is three years old with Linux/Mint OS.

lewic · « **Reply #8 on:** July 21, 2009, 08:05:33 »

I wouldnt touch a Vista Home Basic laptop. It wont be much faster than a 5 year old one with XP on it! If you particularly want the Vista-style interface I would wait until October when Microsoft brings out Windows 7, which is a lot faster.

You can still get XP laptops if you shop around, and most are upgradeable to 4gb RAM.

I'd go for something like this.
http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Toshiba_Satellite_Pro_L300-1FN_-_C_585_2.16_GHz_-_15.4_Inch__TFT_A1-PSLB9E-/version.asp

Comes with Vista Business but has an XP downgrade CD, is very easy to install. They are also offering an option to upgrade to Windows 7 for free in October. Not as much RAM as your Tesco laptop, but you can buy 2GB for about £20 on Amazon (and TBH you probably wouldnt need it if it was running XP)

Bought a netbook from Laptops Direct and found them very helpful.

nilly71 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 21, 2009, 08:41:35 »

I like Dell and HP/Compaq for build quality, but have know idea what models are about at the moment.

I personaly would not bother paying more than £300ish, this should get you plenty of power/features for you money.

Try these:
http://www.bigpockets.co.uk/cat.php?search=Laptops&nav=227

Some things to think about:

You will never use 4gb of Ram so don't bother paying extra. Only pay extra fo a large hard drive if you plan on making movies or downloading films, 60gb is enough if only doing text documents and pictures. A dvd recorder is recomended for backing up everything.

Have a look on the main manufacturers sites for re-furbed laptops. Like Larkshall has mentioned, you could get a very good one and they still have 12months warranty.

Some manufactures or outlets have different warranty's. Some will only replace the screen if more than 10 dead pixels are within an inch, others are less.

If you plan to leave the powerlead plugged in, take the battery out as some laptops batteries die after a while if left in while using the power, and use the laptop at a desk. If it's on your lap, don't leave the powerlead in as aventualy the connector will keep moving and damage the motherboard. This would cost just as much to get fixed as the laptop cost.

I hope the above help's and doesn't put you off ;D

Neil

james_Harvey · « **Reply #10 on:** July 21, 2009, 13:14:12 »

I have this actual laptop and have not had any prooblems with it at all

James

Yuet_Lee · « **Reply #11 on:** July 21, 2009, 15:36:34 »

Thank you very much for all them good tips ;)

Now then what sort of the anit virus you used ???

BarriedaleNick · « **Reply #12 on:** July 21, 2009, 15:51:25 »

AVG...
http://free.avg.com

I would say Sophos are they are excellent but they only do corporate..

Pesky Wabbit · « **Reply #13 on:** July 21, 2009, 16:23:09 »

I installed AVG a few months ago, the quickly uninstalled it.

Despite telling the softwarenot to, and scheduling for overnight, when ever I switched the PC on it would start a virus scan, which would last around 14 hours and would consume 80-90% of the CPU.

It made the machine completely useless - virus free maybe but useless.

BarriedaleNick · « **Reply #14 on:** July 21, 2009, 17:34:04 »

Quote from: Pesky Wabbit on July 21, 2009, 16:23:09

I installed AVG a few months ago, the quickly uninstalled it.

Despite telling the softwarenot to, and scheduling for overnight, when ever I switched the PC on it would start a virus scan, which would last around 14 hours and would consume 80-90% of the CPU.

It made the machine completely useless - virus free maybe but useless.

Mmmm although I don't have any problems with AVG and have installed it on a few PCs it does seem you are not alone it finding it a resource hog. 8.5 seems to be better but Avast and AntiVir are free alternatives.

nilly71 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 21, 2009, 21:52:48 »

Quote from: BarriedaleNick on July 21, 2009, 15:51:25

AVG...
http://free.avg.com

I use this on all pc's i do for people and have not had any virus's in all the years i have been using it.

Quote from: Pesky Wabbit on July 21, 2009, 16:23:09

scheduling for overnight, when ever I switched the PC on it would start a virus scan,

The scan won't start while the pc is swiched off, but will automatically start when you turn it on because that is the closes time to the schedule.
I leave mine on 24h and the scan is set to about 4am, i have never had a problem with the scan being out of date or running when it feels like it.

Neil

dtw · « **Reply #16 on:** July 21, 2009, 23:13:48 »

Why are laptop descriptions written by people who think adding more memory will make it go faster?

Yuet_Lee · « **Reply #17 on:** July 22, 2009, 00:33:17 »

the AVG I had a not very good went little funny ???
I did try uninstalled then re-installed again still not right? how come?

nilly71 · « **Reply #18 on:** July 22, 2009, 08:23:30 »

What do you mean by "a little funny"?

Neil

BarriedaleNick · « **Reply #19 on:** July 22, 2009, 08:37:44 »

Quote from: dtw on July 21, 2009, 23:13:48

Why are laptop descriptions written by people who think adding more memory will make it go faster?

Because up to a point they are right. A machine with 256Mb will always be outperformed by the same machine with 2Gb as the extra ram minimises the need to use the HD for active memory. All that shuffling of data to and from memory/disk takes time.
It would be more accurate to say that addding memory allows a PC to perform to the best of it's ability and only up to a point.
However it does depend on what you are doing and what you have loaded. I have 2Gb and I currently am using 1.1 gb so adding more memory wont help me. However if I only had .5gb then I could improve my performance by adding memory.
My servers have 32 gb and that definitely helps!!

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Author Topic: Can anyone please tell me what is 'Dual Core processor' mean? (Read 7097 times)