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I'm shopping for a laptop for my son to use for school, so it doesn't need to be a gaming machine. I've put together PC's from scratch before, but it's been a while.
I've noticed that a number of the available entry-level machines are equipped either with a dual-core or a single-core CPU. I understand that all other things being equal the dual-core CPU will probably perform better. However, what if the single core had a lot bigger L2 cache (say 3 MB for the single core vs. 1 MB for the dual core)? I know this can also significantly affect performance.
I understand that other system components, e.g. the memory speed and graphics hardware, will also affect system performance. My question is, if I have to choose between an extra CPU core or more cache, what should I pick?
@Synetech, Well, of course he meant typical apps of this year + 3 years. Old apps don't matter. – Pacerier – 2017-09-19T06:52:11.067
2It also depends n your use-case scenario. What software you are using (what they do and how they’re programmed) can have a big impact on which will give better performance. For example, in the past, faster Celerons were often better for web-browsing and casual games while slower P4s were better for compression and 3D gaming. – Synetech – 2011-08-15T03:51:53.323