[PLUG] Do I want a quad-core Core-2 system?

[Scott Garman]

m0gely wrote:
> If I build a machine for someone in your position, I always recommend 
> getting the current generation of processor, which here would mean an 
> i7/socket 1366 platform. This means you will spend more though. Having 
> said that, if you're computing needs are not specific, or demanding in a 
> particular area, any modern Core2 Duo or Quad system will last 5 years. 
> Just make sure that the system you buy supports the fastest FSB speeds 
> for the processor you buy. This way, you can buy an inexpensive dual 
> core today to save money, and a more powerful quad core in a couple 
> years for a quick and easy upgrade. In a couple years, all the quad 
> core's of today will be on eBay cheap.

+1 to this advice. I will also say that we're finally reaching the point 
where solid state disk drives are dropping in price quickly and offering 
a substantial performance boost. I'd say make sure your system supports 
the fastest SATA standard available today, as soon you'll be able to 
make good use of that bandwidth for disk I/O (the real bottleneck of 
nearly every desktop/workstation).

Scott

-- 
Scott Garman
sgarman at zenlinux dot com