cpu - Quad cores have lower processor speed, are they still better?

So, I am looking at building a new laptop.

Two examples of the processors I am looking at are:

Intel® Core™ i7-740QM Quad Core 1.73GHz 6MB

Intel® Core™ i5-520M Dual Core 2.40GHz 3MB

Now I realize that one has more cache that the other, but that is a significant difference in clock speed. If I take the cache out of it the equation, which is faster?

For example: If I am running a non-multithreaded app, is it going to run slower on the Quad core (1.73 GHz) than on the Dual Core (2.40Ghz)?

Answer

There is no one answer fits all.

If you are running a lot of other programs, the more cores the better. If not, having a higher base speed may be better.

As for raw benchmarks, The i7 740QM @ 1.73GHz is rated at 3634 Whilst the i5 520M @ 2.40GHzis rated at 2341

So, the I7 as you would expect is a higher performance processor. There are other factors such as FSB/DMI/cache to look at which can dramatically affect the speed of the processor.

Comments

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