i3-370 or i5-2430m - Which is best?

Message boards : Number crunching : i3-370 or i5-2430m - Which is best?
Message board moderation

To post messages, you must log in.

AuthorMessage
Profile jim
Volunteer tester

Send message
Joined: 6 Jan 08
Posts: 55
Credit: 1,341,262
RAC: 0
United Kingdom
Message 1179211 - Posted: 19 Dec 2011, 9:24:30 UTC

Hello all,

I am buying a new laptop soon, and am looking at two, one with an i3-370 processor and one with i5-2430m processor.

Can anyone advise me which would be better for crunching seti? Or would a dual core be the better option?

It may sound like an obvious question, but I'm not into my computers.

Many thanks in advance.
Join Paranormal Seti looking into the unknown
ID: 1179211 · Report as offensive
Grant (SSSF)
Volunteer tester

Send message
Joined: 19 Aug 99
Posts: 13722
Credit: 208,696,464
RAC: 304
Australia
Message 1179221 - Posted: 19 Dec 2011, 11:52:13 UTC - in response to Message 1179211.  


The i3 & i5 have the same base clock speed, but the i5 supports Turbo Boost- it will run the cores at a higher clock speed, up to the chips maximum thermal rating. The i5 also has the better inbuilt graphics.
Grant
Darwin NT
ID: 1179221 · Report as offensive
Profile Convergence
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 23 Jun 08
Posts: 117
Credit: 2,928,788
RAC: 0
United States
Message 1179223 - Posted: 19 Dec 2011, 12:04:04 UTC

The i5-2430m is Sandy Bridge while the i3-370m is Arrandale. Sandy Bridge is a bit newer and faster clock for clock, and supports turbo. The i5-2430m should be your choice between the two.
ID: 1179223 · Report as offensive
Profile jim
Volunteer tester

Send message
Joined: 6 Jan 08
Posts: 55
Credit: 1,341,262
RAC: 0
United Kingdom
Message 1179224 - Posted: 19 Dec 2011, 12:15:50 UTC - in response to Message 1179223.  

many thanks for the advice:) I think I may go for the I5
Join Paranormal Seti looking into the unknown
ID: 1179224 · Report as offensive
Profile shizaru
Volunteer tester
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 14 Jun 04
Posts: 1130
Credit: 1,967,904
RAC: 0
Greece
Message 1179228 - Posted: 19 Dec 2011, 12:26:25 UTC - in response to Message 1179224.  

Do you know about GPU crunching?
(Using a graphics card)
ID: 1179228 · Report as offensive
Profile jim
Volunteer tester

Send message
Joined: 6 Jan 08
Posts: 55
Credit: 1,341,262
RAC: 0
United Kingdom
Message 1179229 - Posted: 19 Dec 2011, 12:27:14 UTC - in response to Message 1179228.  

i have no idea...... please do tell!
Join Paranormal Seti looking into the unknown
ID: 1179229 · Report as offensive
Profile shizaru
Volunteer tester
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 14 Jun 04
Posts: 1130
Credit: 1,967,904
RAC: 0
Greece
Message 1179238 - Posted: 19 Dec 2011, 13:35:22 UTC

Sorry Jim, had to pop out...

The quick answer is that you use your graphic card just like you would that Intel processor you are looking at. This "technique" has been around for a couple of years and it's not voodoo:) Watt for watt (on my laptop) the GPU is more efficent at crunching Seti. Let me work on finding you a couple of links to get you started, and meanwhile someone more knowledgable than I will hopefully jump in for more help...
ID: 1179238 · Report as offensive
Profile jim
Volunteer tester

Send message
Joined: 6 Jan 08
Posts: 55
Credit: 1,341,262
RAC: 0
United Kingdom
Message 1179239 - Posted: 19 Dec 2011, 13:40:47 UTC - in response to Message 1179238.  

Many thanks. . . But does the GPU have to be NVIDIA? I think my graphics card is intel something or other . . .
Join Paranormal Seti looking into the unknown
ID: 1179239 · Report as offensive
Profile shizaru
Volunteer tester
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 14 Jun 04
Posts: 1130
Credit: 1,967,904
RAC: 0
Greece
Message 1179244 - Posted: 19 Dec 2011, 13:49:37 UTC - in response to Message 1179239.  

Have you already purchased the laptop?

(Intel GPUs won't crunch Boinc atm)

http://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/GPU_computing
ID: 1179244 · Report as offensive
Profile jim
Volunteer tester

Send message
Joined: 6 Jan 08
Posts: 55
Credit: 1,341,262
RAC: 0
United Kingdom
Message 1179245 - Posted: 19 Dec 2011, 13:51:21 UTC - in response to Message 1179244.  

Ive not bought it yet, just thinking about getting one this week . . .Thanks for the link. Maybe I should look for a NVIDIA graphics as well as the processor
Join Paranormal Seti looking into the unknown
ID: 1179245 · Report as offensive
Profile shizaru
Volunteer tester
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 14 Jun 04
Posts: 1130
Credit: 1,967,904
RAC: 0
Greece
Message 1179249 - Posted: 19 Dec 2011, 14:14:00 UTC - in response to Message 1179245.  

Maybe I should look for a NVIDIA graphics as well as the processor


Highly recommended:) All the top (desktop) computers here at Seti are using them.
http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/top_hosts.php
If you look at the GPU column the number in brackets is the amount of GPUs each computer has inside. As you can see the top host has 8!

If crunching Seti is high on your laptop purchasing wishlist I highly recommend creating a new thread here in Number Crunching titled something like "help me chose a laptop for Seti". You'll get a ton of good advice! Just be sure to describe your other needs (besides Seti) as clearly as possible. For example: "the laptop is for my girlfriend and it's gotta be pink", or "the screen size can't be over 14in", or "I can only spend up to £xxx", etc.
ID: 1179249 · Report as offensive

Message boards : Number crunching : i3-370 or i5-2430m - Which is best?


 
©2024 University of California
 
SETI@home and Astropulse are funded by grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA, and donations from SETI@home volunteers. AstroPulse is funded in part by the NSF through grant AST-0307956.