Pc upgrading help

[anagh.k1]

want to upgrade ram,processor,motherboard,graphic card{all should be ddr3 & compatible}
required for playing latest games
budget:16 k
thinking about following:
1.PROCESSOR- Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.5GHz
(or)
Phenom II X4 925 2.8GHz

2.intel dg41 motherboard
3. 2 gb ddr3 ram
4.graphic card - 1gb

p.s what is the difference between 2mb,4mb,6mb L2 caches

[Piyush]

Originally Posted by anagh.k1

want to upgrade ram,processor,motherboard,graphic card{all should be ddr3 & compatible}
budget:16 k
thinking about following:
1.PROCESSOR- Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.5GHz
(or)
Phenom II X4 925 2.8GHz

2.intel dg41 motherboard
3. 2 gb ddr3 ram


p.s what is the difference between 2mb,4mb,6mb l2 caches

The use of cache stems from the fact that your main system RAM runs much slower than the core. If the CPU had to wait for the slow main RAM for every new byte of instructions or data, it would be ridiculously slow. Ideally, you would have all your main RAM on the CPU chip itself, running at the same speed as the CPU's core, but that would be ridiculously expensive.
Since RAM tends to be accessed as chunks of instructions/data from adjacent addresses rather than individual bits scattered all over the place, designers add a relatively small amount of fast RAM as a "cache" to the CPU chip. Although the first time the CPU needs data, it has to wait for the slow main RAM, when that data finally arrives, a copy is saved in the cache. If the CPU next needs data from a nearby address, there is a high chance (~90%) that the data is in the cache, which means no delay in reading it into the CPU.
The bigger the cache, the more it can hold but the more expensive it is. Normally, current CPUs have a small primary "L1" cache which runs at full CPU core speed with low latency and a secondary "L2" cache with longer (slower) latency or slower speed, or both.
L1 cache sizes are typically on the order of 8-64K, while L2 cache sizes range from around 128K to 6MB or more. Today's mainstream CPUs have at least 2MB of L2 cache.
The bottom line is that L2 cache pretty much just acts as a buffer for the slow main RAM; as long as you have "enough", more doesn't make a big difference. A few MB is about "enough" these days.

---------- Post added at 12:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:23 PM ----------

and u didnt mention ur requirement

[anagh.k1]

thanks for enlightening me about caches

[Sam]

Originally Posted by anagh.k1

want to upgrade ram,processor,motherboard,graphic card{all should be ddr3 & compatible}
budget:16 k
thinking about following:
1.PROCESSOR- Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.5GHz
(or)
Phenom II X4 925 2.8GHz

2.intel dg41 motherboard
3. 2 gb ddr3 ram


p.s what is the difference between 2mb,4mb,6mb l2 caches

don't look at Core2 series now. its old & gone.

Processor: Athlon II X4 630 2.8Ghz @ 4.6k
Motherboard: Biostar TA785G3 HD @ 4.3k
Ram: A-Data 2Gb DDR3 1333Mhz @ 2.7k
Graphics Card: Sapphire HD4670 512Mb @ 4.5k

however you not mentioned about the PSU. a cheap PSU will be able run the system, still suggestion is get a cheap yet descent one. for 2k, lots of good PSU available.

L2 cache stores info. however nowadays L3 cache is the more important one. a L3 cache less proccy will be slower than its L3 counterpart. X4 630 don't have L3 cache so its price is low & performance is below X4 925. still VFM.

---------- Post added at 12:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 PM ----------

Originally Posted by piyush120290

The use of cache stems from the fact that your main system RAM runs much slower than the core. If the CPU had to wait for the slow main RAM for every new byte of instructions or data, it would be ridiculously slow. Ideally, you would have all your main RAM on the CPU chip itself, running at the same speed as the CPU's core, but that would be ridiculously expensive.
Since RAM tends to be accessed as chunks of instructions/data from adjacent addresses rather than individual bits scattered all over the place, designers add a relatively small amount of fast RAM as a "cache" to the CPU chip. Although the first time the CPU needs data, it has to wait for the slow main RAM, when that data finally arrives, a copy is saved in the cache. If the CPU next needs data from a nearby address, there is a high chance (~90%) that the data is in the cache, which means no delay in reading it into the CPU.
The bigger the cache, the more it can hold but the more expensive it is. Normally, current CPUs have a small primary "L1" cache which runs at full CPU core speed with low latency and a secondary "L2" cache with longer (slower) latency or slower speed, or both.
L1 cache sizes are typically on the order of 8-64K, while L2 cache sizes range from around 128K to 6MB or more. Today's mainstream CPUs have at least 2MB of L2 cache.
The bottom line is that L2 cache pretty much just acts as a buffer for the slow main RAM; as long as you have "enough", more doesn't make a big difference. A few MB is about "enough" these days.

nice explanation buddy. however the amount of cache also should depend on the use. getting a proccy with 6Mb L2/L3 cache will only consume more power & will be useless if the work doesn't demand. for gaming, the cache is as important as the core speed. for threaded apps, more cores + more cache important. for normal use, more cores + a little cache enough, making it cheaper too.

[altecmayank]

I learnt all this explaination about l1,l2,l3 cashes in college days ..lol.. have forgotten all bout it...eeeks days of gaming and opening boooks midnight before exam ... nice one piyush n sam . wil 2gb ram suffice him even though ddr3.. if he were to play battlefield company, d latest one, i guess his alt+tab won't work .. bt m nt sure on this, just a query since as u know, i have ordered a 6GB ddr3 in tripple channel fr my system.whats the point then if 2 gb or say 3 gb wud suffice.. why do ENTHUSIAsts go for 12 gb ram ddr3... food fr thought fr me