How are dual cores rated for video games? (can you run it)

[PCs_ForTheWin]

(is this good for gaming? 4 gb ddr2 ram, core 2 duo 2.1 ghz, with VisionTek 900284 Radeon HD 3650 1GB 128-bit DDR2 AGP 4X/8X HDCP Ready Video Card)

when a game requires at least 2.8 ghz single core to play and i have 2.1 dual core, will can you run it say i havent meet the requierments?

how are single cores rated against dual cores?

eg. if single is 2.0 and dual is 2.0 would dual be counted as 4.0 in relation to the single?

 

[cavemangrinder]

I depends on what games you are wanting to play on your PC. Overall, you have a decent base for a gaming computer I would say, might have to upgrade a few things though. And yes, just about any mainstream dual-core CPU will outperform any single-core CPU. A dual-core @ 2.2 > a single-core @ 2.8

 

[Aastii]

yes, just about any mainstream dual-core CPU will outperform any single-core CPU. A dual-core @ 2.2 > a single-core @ 2.8

Not true. In single threaded applications, a higher clocked CPU with 1 core will beat a lower clocked CPU with more cores. There are of course exceptions, when one CPU architecture is much better than another, lower clock speeds can come out quicker.

@OP, it would depend on what games you are trying to play. With a CPU clocked so low and only dual core, in newer games, one ones coming out in the future, it will be struggling, but for older games, it will have no problems. Games which recommend a single core CPU @ 2.8 will either be single threaded, or only coded for 2 threads, so a 2.1GHz dual core, although it has an extra core, would be having issues unless you were to overclock it

The other thing that will hold you back is your graphics card. A 3650, at the time, was a low-mid range graphics card, now, it will be unable to play most games coming out soon. It is 3 generations old now, and starting to show it.

If you plan on only playing older games, or current games on low settings, it will be alright, but I would say try to go for better.

 

[PCs_ForTheWin]

ok, well then this will probably be the last thing i should need to know. where would i look on a pc games website to find out if it can utilize multiple cores?

 

[~Darkseeker~]

a dual core processor usually shows up as two processors in device manager.

a dual-core at 2.2GHz per core would total at around 4.4GHz over all.

which is why older single cores have higher clock speeds. The clock on the single core might be higher, but more cores with slightly lower speeds will total higher speed overall.

 

[Aastii]

a dual core processor usually shows up as two processors in device manager.

a dual-core at 2.2GHz per core would total at around 4.4GHz over all.

which is why older single cores have higher clock speeds. The clock on the single core might be higher, but more cores with slightly lower speeds will total higher speed overall.

You aren't understanding.

Assume there are 2 processors on the same architecture, one with a single core at 3.0GHZ, the other a dual core at 2.5GHz If a program is only coded to use a single thread, 1 single core, it is only utilising 1 core of each processor. Although the 2.5GHz CPU has extra core, it is sat there doing absolutely nothing. The single core at 3.0GHz, with 1 less core, is going to be faster because it can perform more calculations per second.

@OP, google. there isn't a definitive list of every game and what hardware it uses. As a VERY general guide: Games brought out with in the last 2 years will be using 3 cores. Games brought out ~3 years ago will be using 2 cores, games older than that (mid - pre 2006) will be using a single core. There are exceptions, for instance certain games now use 4 or more threads, there are some older games that are multithreaded because they were programmed to utilise HyperThreading, but that is a very vague guide without looking at specific games

 

[Indigo]

Assume there are 2 processors on the same architecture, one with a single core at 3.0GHZ, the other a dual core at 2.5GHz If a program is only coded to use a single thread, 1 single core, it is only utilising 1 core of each processor. Although the 2.5GHz CPU has extra core, it is sat there doing absolutely nothing. The single core at 3.0GHz, with 1 less core, is going to be faster because it can perform more calculations per second.

But only in cases where the program isn't capable of utilizing more than one core. In some cases though, even a dual core system at a slower clock speed can be faster than the single core CPU because it can balance tasks better than the single core CPU can.

Darkseeker: two cores at a given MHz or GHz cannot be "combined" into a single clock speed rating as you have suggested. They might perform like a single CPU at that speed, but due to limitations in IPC (instructions per clock) and load balancing, the two cores at a slower speed will almost certainly be faster overrall than a single core at a very high speed. (again, unless the app is only coded for single threads)

 

[Aastii]

But only in cases where the program isn't capable of utilizing more than one core. In some cases though, even a dual core system at a slower clock speed can be faster than the single core CPU because it can balance tasks better than the single core CPU can.

Darkseeker: two cores at a given MHz or GHz cannot be "combined" into a single clock speed rating as you have suggested. They might perform like a single CPU at that speed, but due to limitations in IPC (instructions per clock) and load balancing, the two cores at a slower speed will almost certainly be faster overrall than a single core at a very high speed. (again, unless the app is only coded for single threads)

I said that in the first post I made in this thread that it isn't always true and sometimes slower speed can be quicker.

You can't compare directly by number of cores or clock speed across architectures, the only way to see if one is faster than the other is benchmarks and testing and comparing the results

 

[LOLZpersonok]

(is this good for gaming? 4 gb ddr2 ram, core 2 duo 2.1 ghz, with VisionTek 900284 Radeon HD 3650 1GB 128-bit DDR2 AGP 4X/8X HDCP Ready Video Card)

when a game requires at least 2.8 ghz single core to play and i have 2.1 dual core, will can you run it say i havent meet the requierments?

how are single cores rated against dual cores?

eg. if single is 2.0 and dual is 2.0 would dual be counted as 4.0 in relation to the single?

I have played games that called for a 3.0 GHz processor on a 2.1 GHz processor. My 2.1 GHz processor can play GTA IV at high quality, and high FPS.