Does cache really make a difference in Core 2 Duos?

[Kjølen]

We all know that the Core 2 Duo processors are famous for overclocking. I could buy an E6600 at 2.4GHz with 4MB of L2 cache, and overclock it to 3.6GHz on air. However, I could buy an E6300 at 1.86GHz with 2MB of L2 cache, overclock it to about the same speed, and save about $125. The only real difference is the amount of cache. Does 4MB of L2 cache really make the price difference worth it? Will I notice it when I'm playing Quake 4, Doom 3, F.E.A.R, or other new high-end games? Will it help me to rip my DVD faster? Will Solitaire run smoother?

Any input would be immensely helpful.

 

[dario03]

IIRC games won't have much a difference, Video ripping will, and Solataire only runs smooth with 16mb of cache, but I could be wrong.

However the the E6320 is coming out soon and it is suppose to be the same cost as the E6300 but with the 4mb cache.

 

[Phrantic]

Solitaire will run on any Windows system in the world.

Benchmarks show that the difference with the extra cache is negligable... about a 1-3% performance boost.

 

[TriEclipse]

Yeah, the performance difference in most applications is not very notable, although some of them jumped up to 15% at times. Games don't see much of a difference though, certainly not $125 worth.

However the the E6320 is coming out soon and it is suppose to be the same cost as the E6300 but with the 4mb cache.

Where do you guys keeping getting "next week" and "out soon"? AFAIK, it isn't coming until Q2, which isn't exactly soon since it can mean as late as July.

 

[Dr DMoney]

If you can get the 6600 get it but the e6300 would be just fine.

 

[NosBoost300]

it makes a huge difference with super pi :-D

 

[dario03]

Yeah, the performance difference in most applications is not very notable, although some of them jumped up to 15% at times. Games don't see much of a difference though, certainly not $125 worth.



Where do you guys keeping getting "next week" and "out soon"? AFAIK, it isn't coming until Q2, which isn't exactly soon since it can mean as late as July.

I got it from whatever article said Q2 which to me is pretty soon since he didn't give a time frame. And it could be out as early as April.

 

[TriEclipse]

Dude...its Mid-January right now. And companies rarely, if ever, release the products at the beginning of the quarter. They pick a quarter, and then push to the farthest end of it for release. In most cases, atleast. In any case, Q2 is neither "next week," nor "soon" so stick to saying that they come out in April->June, or Q2.

Lol, second semester will "soon" be over when my first hasn't even fully ended yet. Amusing.

 

[aspire]

If you can get an e6300 to hit 3.6 stable with any kind of non exotic cooling system lmk as your are a better man than I. Although it does rest alot on the ram the system is using, seeing as e6300's are locket at 7x muti and 3600/7 = 515mhz

So, you'd need to have your ram running at upwards of ddr2-1000 or PC2-8000

Anywho, thats my take

Ive got my e6600 up to about 3.72 on a higher end w/c loop 9x415 or something

 

[TriEclipse]

Memory dividers, Aspire.