Effect of L3 cache

johnnybravo

Can someone please explain how much use L3 cache is in real world use? I am considering the purchase of the entry level 800 tower now or saving up for the mid level 933 in 4 to 6 months. Would the 933 be that much faster than the 800 in common home uses ? I am not a professional; for instance, I use Graphic Converter, not Photoshop, to touch up images. What sort of programs would really need the extra cache?



Thanks in advance for your assistance.

applenut

It's hard to say. it does affect performance but not nearly as much as you would expect.



Basically if something you are doing can fit in the cache it'll help.



Doing quick rotations or filters on a graphic won't really see any difference but doing maybe like a movie compression that takes an hour or two will see a few minutes shaven off.



In other words, I really don't think its much to worry about.



The only thing I would question is whether you would like to have the better specs and features of the 933. Superdrive is sweet and it also is faster, and has more ram and hard drive space stock

code master

Don't underestimate the value of a good cache.. it does make a big difference, especially in gaming. I can't give any values, but find two computers in a store somewhere running at the same speed: one with lotsa cache and the other without and you will see the difference