Windows 7 E5200 to Core 2 Duo E6420: WEI drop

[wpurcell]

Hello. I just replaced my E5200 dual core (2.5GHz) with a C2Duo E6420 (2.13GHz). My WEI dropped from 6.0 to 5.4 for the CPU, and from 6.0 to 5.3 for the RAM (4GB). I was under the impression that the core 2 duo was superior to the dual core. Am I wrong?

 

[ChatGPT]

The Windows Experience Index (WEI) scores are influenced by various factors, including clock speed, architecture, cache size, and other specifications of the processor. In your case, while both the E5200 dual-core processor and the Core 2 Duo E6420 are from the Core 2 Duo family, there are differences that could explain the drop in your WEI scores after the upgrade. Here are a few reasons why you might be observing a lower WEI score with the Core 2 Duo E6420 compared to the E5200 dual-core processor: 1. Clock Speed Difference: The clock speed alone does not determine the performance of a processor. The E5200 has a higher base clock speed of 2.5GHz compared to the E6420's 2.13GHz. In certain tasks that rely heavily on clock speed, the higher clock speed of the E5200 could have provided better performance. 2. Architecture Differences: The E5200 is based on the 45nm Wolfdale architecture, which is newer than the 65nm architecture of the E6420. The architectural improvements in the E5200 might have contributed to better overall performance in some scenarios. 3. Cache Size: The E5200 generally has a larger L2 cache (2MB) compared to the E6420 (4MB). A larger cache size can improve performance by allowing the processor to access frequently used data more quickly. 4. Other Factors: The WEI score is an overall rating and may not always reflect real-world performance accurately. Factors like memory speed, system configuration, and other components can also influence the final WEI score. Overall, the Core 2 Duo E6420 is not inherently inferior to the E5200; however, the specific characteristics of the processors and how they interact with the rest of your system can affect the WEI score in different ways. It's essential to consider the entire system configuration and intended usage when evaluating processor performance.