Processors: general question...

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yummay
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2010/11/10 11:37:11 (permalink)

Processors: general question...

Hello there!

I'm trying to evaluate the different processors (intel) available and I am trying to "come up" with the best solution possible for DAWS...

Do I really need the highest number of CORES (even if some models offers core speeds for a higher core-count) or should I try to balance things out? What about CACHE? And so on...

Considering the little I know about DAWS, I know that it's not all the softwares and plugins that are optimized for multi-cores. AND... it takes only one fully-loaded CORE to cause dropouts or other problems...

So, for instance, I would think that a I7 (8 cores) at 1.66 ghz (6mb cache) might not be better than another I7 (4 cores) about 2.66 ghz each core and 4 Mb of cache...

Also, we can have access t so much RAM now... even on laptops... that I am not looking for the highest CACHE now... but I might be dead wrong about that!  



Thanks for your thoughts...


Yummay,
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    fsr76
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    Re:Processors: general question... 2010/11/10 12:32:44 (permalink)
    As a simple rule to determine CPU speed, multiply the speed of the CPU by the number of cores.  However, when working in a DAW environment, throw that out the window because certain plugins, like NI Reaktor, aren't multicore aware and so they just run on one of the cores.  CPU cache and RAM are different things.  RAM is primarily used for loading up samples.  CPU cache is really part of the overall CPU performance.  Higher cache is better.

    Fred
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    yummay
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    Re:Processors: general question... 2010/11/10 12:54:18 (permalink)
    Thanks for your answer, Fred!

    So, if I understand correctly, I should look for the processor with the best CACHE possible, and I might be happier with a 4 cores 2.4 ghz CPU than with an 8 cores 1.6 ghz... (for DAWs, of course...) ??

    I know that kind of question must have been asked frequently before, but I think that the picture changes as time goes by...

    Yummay,
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    Guitarhacker
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    Re:Processors: general question... 2010/11/11 13:16:05 (permalink)
    I decided to build a DAW.... and the more I researched the more confusing it all became.

    Cores, RAM, Cache, and more.... compatibility issues and so on....

    I looked at other DAW's that were being sold "ready to go", figured out the specs and started looking and building from that point of view. I didn't feel I needed to have the "best" DAW out there... it was a decision based on DAW specs and price of the parts.

    I settled on a quad core i5 750 chip, an ASUS  MB and 4GB RAM. The DAW is one sweet, fast running, piece of kit.

    I barely use 20% of CPU with several Ozone plugs, and a couple of CPU heavy synths running in the project. I use XP as the OS and to this point no crashes, no BSOD, no glitches. Just one fast running DAW.

    I keep it off the internet so it doesn't have AV or FW on it, and it doesn't get the creeping craps from the online world....... and it still boots in about 30 seconds...ready to start work.

    total estimated cost to build my DAW minus the monitor  $800 +/-
    post edited by Guitarhacker - 2010/11/11 13:17:18

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