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Cores

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by wesley.chin

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How much life does the single core machine have in the workplace? Dual core machines are fairly widespread now, and quad core is in testing. Most of the machines here are single core. Whenever more speed is needed, more RAM is often the end solution.

4 replies

by tig2

Mostly because it will get difficult if not impossible to buy a machine that isn't at least dual core.

In your business environment, you have to consider what the machine does all day. When you want to look at a speed shift, you have to consider RAM but you also have to consider L2 Cache. And you have to consider what the machine is really expected to produce.

When I calculate ROI for a machine, I am banking on 3 years functional with 2 years "working" as obsolete. So far, I am not seeing a shift in that thinking.

At the end of the day, the real question is "what do I want to do, and what is the best path there."

I wish I had a definitive answer.

by wesley.chin

The workplace uses Microstation and AutoCAD extensively, analysis software such as Synchro, as well as run of the mill MS software like Excel and Word.

The first two are graphics software more or less, with 3D capabilities (though the 3D part is not used as much). By nature, those two are CPU intensive.

Most of the machines here have 1 GB.

by the scummy one

then keep a single core system. If multiple apps are being used at the same time, even if the machines speed is slower, it will likely perform better on a dual core system.

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