Does quad-core improve the PC performance? Depends on the software you use.

While the performance under a lot of programs automatically increase when you use dual-core CPUs, the same isn’t true with quad-core. The program must be able to recognize more CPUs in order to make the system run faster.

If the programs you use aren’t optimized for quad-core, Core 2 Extreme X6800 is a better CPU, as it runs at a higher clock rate (2.93 GHz). As we’ve seen on our review, on such programs having a higher clock rate makes more difference than having more CPU cores.

Intel provided us a short list of applications that can, today, recognize more than two CPU cores:

• Adobe Photoshop CS2
• Adobe After Effects 7/8 
• Adobe Encore DVD 2.+ 
• Adobe Premiere Pro 2/3.0 
• Autodesk 3DSMAX 8 and 3DSMAX 9
• Cubase v4.5  
• DVD Shrink 3.2
• Maxon Cinema 4D
• Pinnacle Studio dv 10 
• Pov Ray 3.7 Beta
• Quicktime Pro 7.1
• Sony Vegas 7.0 
• TMPGEnc 2.524
• XMPEG with DIVX 6.2

As for games, this list was provided:

• Alan Wake
• Half-Life 2: Episode 2
• Splinter Cell: Double Agent
• Supreme Commander 
• Unreal Engine 3

As you can see, audio and video editing and 3D rendering are the kind of applications that can take advantage of quad-core technology right now. Of course the list of programs supporting more than two cores should increase from now on, especially with Intel releasing (and pushing) quad-core CPUs for the average user – called Core 2 Quad – in 2007.

In summary, Core 2 Extreme QX6700 is a great CPU if you run applications that can use more than two cores, especially audio and video editing and 3D rendering. If this isn’t the  kind of application you run the most, Core 2 Extreme X6800 continues to be the fastest CPU around.