How do processors and RAM work together?
Question by Maus: How do processors and RAM work together?
How does a dual-core processor use RAM differently than a quad-core processor? Does a quad-core processor need more RAM to work as well as a dual-core with the same amount of RAM? Or is it the other way around? Is it better to have a dual-core processor with 6 GB of RAM or a quad-core with 4 GB of RAM?
Also do you think it’s a good idea to get a quad-core processor to make my computer “future-proof”, or to spend the money on more RAM? I read somewhere that in the future there might be processors that can replace graphics cards. There also might be processors with like 32 cores. So would a quad-core really make my PC future-proof, or would it become obsolete anyway, because no one can predict what the future will bring?
Best answer:
Answer by Feux
The Random Access Memory of a Processor does not Matter. The more the better. And to answer you’re Future Question. People have moved on to 8 and 12 cores. I myself have a 12 Core Alienware. (Gaming Monster) But no matter how much you upgrade The world will always be newer. We will keep on upgrading until the world Dissolves into nothing. A Quad Octa Core 12 Core it doesent matter. In 10 or 20 years you’re computer will be the equivilent of a type writer. That goes for 1 – 2 – 4 -8 -12 cores all around
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There are a dozen Intel / AMD versions. Today’s versions for Intel are Core2Duo, Core2Quad, and i7. AMD has similar ones but they give them call signs.
32-Bit OS uses 4G RAM Max for all of them, 64-Bit OS uses 8G RAM, 16G RAM (Dual Band, and 24G RAM (Tri Band).
Wow, thats a lot of questions.
No processor (in the near future (10 yrs)) will ever be able to replace a high end video card.
There is a processor due otu in Feb 2010 the i9, 6 cores (12 hyperthreaded) using the 32 nm core. Its base price is 999 USD$ and runs faster then a stock i7 950.
However, I do not thing the performace difference will be that immense due to the overclockability of the i7′s and the 1366 chips in general.
Quad core would be a cheap way to make your computer future proof. Unless you are looking to spend at minimum 1000$ on a processor, then I would wait for the i9.
The i7 920 you can get for about 200 USD$ and easily overclock it to 4ghz.
Getting a new processor vs ram is up to you. A new processor helps more then more ram (overall). but if you do not have a x-58 motherboard then you would have to pretty much build a new pc to use the i7. Dual-cores are considered old nowadays (according to microsoft), and the core 2 quads are running on the LGA 775 which is becomming outdated as we speak.
Ram would be the cheaper option (for now) unless you plan on getting an i7 system or i9.
How does ram work with a cpu? It all depends on the motherboard. Most x-58 motherboards for the 1366 chip can utilize tri channel ram which is immensly better then regular dual channel. In this case a 4gb quad core using tri channel ram would run much faster.. assuming you have 3 sticks.. usually 6gb is the norm. So lets use 6gb tri channel vs 8gb dual channel.
A dual processor has 2 cores which send and receive information from the ram constantly at the mhz set (usually between 2ghz and 3ghz). A quad core has 4 cores sending and receiving informatino from the ram constantly at aroudn the same speeds, so you can see right there it is already more than twice as fast.
Then you bring up the tri channel ram vs the dual channel, this is when the quad cores blow the older cpu’s out of the water. The i7 uses the tri channel ram (ddr3), and the core 2 quads are on the LGA 775 which uses dual channel ram (ddr2).
I would imagine that a core i7 would last you for quite a while (at least 4 years) before it gets oldish. But on that note, they are making the faster processors on the same chipset. So for instance in 4 years the i7 does become old, you can probably get a i9 or i12 or whatever will be out multi core octa core, who knows, and will be easy to upgrade because of the x-58 motherboard.
Last but not least. The speed of yoru ram is depicted by the speed of your processor. For instance a stock i7 at 2.67 ghz will only be able to use ram at 1066 mhz. When you overclock it to 4ghz that is the perfect speed to utilize ram at 1600 mhz. So when someone says they have an i7 with 1600 mhz ram but have not overclocked their i7, then they are only using 1066 mhz.
I hope this helps.