AMD!

[Pe-Killer]

Well obviously three cores is better than two or one - but you already have a healthy quad core cpu segment. Why would I want to get tri-core as opposed to quad? More cores is always better.

If you already have quad core then you would not bother getting tri core. It's just tri-core is less expensive then quad and about the same price as a decent intel dual core and better in some cases.

Quad core is brilliant when it comes to multi-threading applications or converting videos or music or whatever and it's future proof.But when it comes to gaming quad isn't really worth the money.You will better off with a tri-core or dual and a bigger gfx card.

http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3533&p=9

When it came to actual game play experiences, our opinions still have not changed when it comes to a choice between the Phenom II or Core 2 Quad. The Phenom II processors are a better choice in Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts and Crysis Warhead due to fluidity of game play, especially with background tasks running or CPU utilization near 100%. In the four other titles, we could not tell any real differences in the quality of game play between the Phenom II X4 940, Phenom II X3 720BE, or Core 2 Quad Q9550.

 

[milomak]

If you already have quad core then you would not bother getting tri core. It's just tri-core is less expensive then quad and about the same price as a decent intel dual core and better in some cases.

Quad core is brilliant when it comes to multi-threading applications or converting videos or music or whatever and it's future proof.But when it comes to gaming quad isn't really worth the money.You will better off with a tri-core or dual and a bigger gfx card.

http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3533&p=9

but which game makers decided that while there was duo and quad available, they would make games that use three cores?

what i want to understand is what specific applications use three cores but not four. otherwise the tri-core is no more of an advantage than a quad.

 

[dirk-tooth]

I'm a bit out of touch here - why would you want three core cpus?

Price! I'm what they call a overclocker with a budged

 

[milomak]

against the comparative C2D it seems to be the man - http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/amd-phenom-ii-x3-720_5.html#sect0

what is interesting is that it seems to beat the X4 810. The naming would suggest that should be a better CPU. Is it?

 

[Chevron]

but which game makers decided that while there was duo and quad available, they would make games that use three cores?

what i want to understand is what specific applications use three cores but not four. otherwise the tri-core is no more of an advantage than a quad.

Crysis, far cry 2 and gta4 all like 3cores. It's not that quads are bad. It's that the performance increase isn't worth it. It's better to get a higher clock tri than a lower clocked quad. Check tom's hardware. They recently did an article on how many cores you really need.

Tri cores hit the sweet spot with price vs performance.