Quad-cores are just getting cheaper and many still think that four is unconditionally better than two. Well, if you talk about girls, we have to agree; but if you talk about four cores versus two cores, there are excessively many downsides to quad.

Quad-cores do have four cores, but there are only a few applications that can put all four to good use and you have much higher TDP and heat you have to disperse with an expensive cooler. The cheapest Core 2 Quad 8200 sells for around €150 and you can get 2.33GHz four cores.

If you are into overclocking, 2.33GHz Q8200 can easily become over 3GHz clocked quad-core, at least we believe it should be possible to dramatically overclock this CPU. At the same time, the same money can buy you 3.0 to 3.16GHz Core 2 Duo E8400 or even E8500. The later will cost some €10 more, but you will get 3.16GHz clocked CPU for about €162, or 3GHz Core 2 Duo 8400 for ten less, €140.

Most of the time 3GHz Core 2 duo will outperform Quad-core 2.33GHz CPU and if you are not into overclocking 2.33GHz is waste of your money, unless you are rendering or decoding massively, which very few do. Even in the eve of 2009, for most, dual-core is a wiser choice and Intel, not AMD, has planned that it will be this way.

Prices

Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33GHz in EU
Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33GHz in the USA

Core 2 Duo E8400 in 3GHz EU
Core 2 Duo E8400 3GHz in the USA