is 2.4 really that fast???

[thumper]

im thinking about getting a new imac, do you think
2.4 is fast enough???

looking at most games, they recommend 2.0
2.4 isnt that far ahead...

i dunno

 

[Jasonbot]

Yeah, 2.4 is pretty good. Most games recommend 2.0 single core. the 2.4 in the iMac's is a dual core so it works twice as fast as a single core.

 

[Eraserhead]

If you want to play PC games a lot I'd suggest building your own PC, and it'll be expensive, but the iMac will be OK for games for the time being, and will be fast enough for everyday usage for a long time to come, my Core Duo Macbook with 2GB RAM screams.

 

[zwida]

I think you'll be fine with the 2.4 duo.

You may have mid- to long-term issues with the graphics card, but I guess that you'll be just fine in the short term.

 

[Jimmdean]

The CPU is plenty fast for just about any game. It's the GPU that will be your limiting factor...

 

[flopticalcube]

Ahhh! The old Megahertz (or in this case, Gigahertz) Myth. Core and Core 2 based CPUs are much faster than the old Pentium 4 CPUs at the same frequency. A Core Solo @ 1.5GHz is about the same as a Pentium 4 at 2.25GHz. Core Duos are even faster because both processors are active. Most game manufacturers base there minimum specs on Pentium 4 numbers.

 

[AlexisV]

Ignore the gigahertz. A 2.0Ghz Core 2 Duo is much much faster than a 3.0Ghz Pentium4 for example.

 

[hox]

I have to agree that the graphics processor will be your limiting factor in games in the future, not the CPU. The GPU in the aluminum iMac seems to have been designed without games in mind; while it works well for some recent games at standard settings, anti-aliasing completely removes usability. Even on games where the anti-aliasing doesn't lower performance below usability standards there is still a dropped frame every second or two, which makes all games appear as if they are stuttering.

The GPU is my biggest complaint. I know that it's too hard to expect a fantastic GPU in what is basically a mid-range laptop in a desktop form-factor, but they did put a pretty darn good GPU in the MacBook Pros...

 

[wakerider017]

Ahhh! The old Megahertz (or in this case, Gigahertz) Myth. Core and Core 2 based CPUs are much faster than the old Pentium 4 CPUs at the same frequency. A Core Solo @ 1.5GHz is about the same as a Pentium 4 at 2.25GHz. Core Duos are even faster because both processors are active. Most game manufacturers base there minimum specs on Pentium 4 numbers.

Exactly....


And for the OP, This is NOT a cheap CPU in the iMac...

The 2.4 cost over $500 from retail stores!