Some guy is selling a computer for $225 with this processor, 1GB Corsair RAM, DVD burner, and some other brand parts in a used Xion case. All hardware are new, and the hardrive will have Windows XP Home and some other useful softwares. I'm tempted but don't know if this "economically priced" dual core processor is a good buy. It's that or keep looking for a Pentium 4 2.8Ghz or higher.

I need a new computer.

What do you use it for. If you are into gaming or heavy graphics, you'll probably be disappointed but otherwise it'll be fine. You don't need the latest greatest processor to surf the web.

__________________
1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

Thats Hyperthreading, where it virtualizes a second core, not quite dual processor.

__________________
-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

Are you sure? As far as i know the Pentium D's are dual core processors. There is a long line of them though, maybe the low end ones don't have dual cores. I know the regular P4 is not dual core.

__________________
1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

He said Pentium 4D....


Im assuming its a Pentium 4... Is its a Pentium D, then its dual core.


Hyperthread appears as two cores when running windows.

__________________
-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

There isn't a lot (or any) software out there that really takes advantage of what dual-core can provide. I don't know if you run XP or Vista, but I doubt either of them really can provide a CPU workout...for that matter, I don't believe XP uses RAM beyond 500MB.

My wife and daughter both have 2.66 GHz Pentium 4 machines with XP, and they cruise just fine. My 1.6G box works as well, but I have to be a bit more efficient with resources.

__________________
2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

Okay, now I'm thoroughly confused. Pentium 4D and Pentium D are two different processors? The guy told me the P4D is a dual core but not the newer Duo2Core or something.

Yes, I do want to play Doom 3, which not even my Dell i8500 P4 2.0 can handle (based on what I've read of the game system requirements. This computer I'm interested in buying has a 156(?) video card and 160GB SATA Western Digital hardrive.

I do tend to use multiple programs on my current P3 desktop. I want to get this computer this weekend.

Is that a legal copy of Windows? If so, then it's a hell of a deal. If not, I'd recommend putting a legal copy on it, which would somewhat sour the deal.

Nonsense, dual cores help all the time, especially if you are multitasking. Burning a cd, listening to music, surfing the web etc. Lots of games take advantage of dual cores now too.

__________________
1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

Note XP CAN use 3Gig of RAM, more if you run the 64bit version.

I have 4 gig in my standard XP Pro workstation and it uses 3 quite well.


As stated, there is not a lot of consumer software that needs or uses more than a single processor. XP will dole some work out onto multiple cores, but it really doesn't do much for the average joe.
90 % of the time your processor is sitting there doing little or nothing waiting for you to do something.

Not sure why everybody is hyped up about Quad Cores etc.

__________________
KLK, MCSE

1990 500SL

I was always taught to respect my elders.
I don't have to respect too many people anymore.

I use every horse under the hood for GIS analysis -- huge graphical files and multi-layered, geographically linked data sets on several 500-800 gb Firewire 800 drives. Also, orthorectification of multispectral imagery tasks the crap out of my dual core and 4gb of RAM.

Smokin'!

I am still on windows 2000 pro...good ol standby..

I never moved ahead to XP....no need for me.

All corporate web apps and site date on Linux/Apache server.

__________________
Showing up every day isn't enough. There are a lot of guys who show up every day who shouldn't have showed up at all. - James Caan

Darn! It got sold! I dunno, looks like my computer budget for a new system is just going up because I keep seeing something better.