Quad core processors

[JDArt]

Anyone using a machine with a quad core processor in it? These have come down a lot in price, so I'm wondering whether you see any speed improvement over, say, a 6750 dual core processor.

[felix.reichardt]

Yup, just upgraded to a QX6600 2.4 some days ago. It's fast like the hell.

Can't help you with comparison to 6740 Dual core. I had a Dual Core 2 820 before and the perfomance difference is like day and night for some CS3 filter.

In my portrait workflow I am using the surface blur filter (31/34 Values) in one of the steps (5D files). It took several minutes with the D820 and is almost instant with the QX6600 Quad Core. (Vista 64-Bit Edition, 4 GB RAM 5300, 8500GT Graphics).

The extreme edition of the Quad Core might be another 10 or 20 % faster but its around 1000 US$ while I paid around 300 US$.

[blumesan]

Do you need to be working with a 64 bit OS to see the benefits of quad core?

[JDArt]

Originally Posted by blumesan

Do you need to be working with a 64 bit OS to see the benefits of quad core?

No!

[archibaldimages]

I just bought a new one, Intel Core2Extreme QX6700. Its fast and I'm happy with it. I'm most surprised with its ability to run/launch multiple programs at once (photoshop, lightroom, itunes, while watching a movie).. I'm on Vista 32bit. If you read some of the reviews on Tom's Hardware, sometimes the dual cores can be faster, but you can processes more at the same time with the quad's. Most software doesn't take advantage of them yet, but eventually it will. Don't hold back on the RAM.