Is it necessary to upgrade to a quad core?
I use Sony Vegas 9 on Windows 7, I use it to make AMVs. Is it necessary to upgrade to a quad core or can I go with a dual core?
Not absolutely necessary, but for video editing & DVD encoding, you’ll definitely WANT a quad-core. You’ll spend a lot less time waiting 
For gaming, having a quad isn’t so important because clock speed matters more- a 3.0Ghz dual-core easily outperforms a 2.4Ghz quad-core in most games. But the reverse holds true when dealing with video creation and 3D design, because those applications are heavily multi-threaded, optimized to take advantage of additional cores.
Even a lowly Core 2 Quad Q8200 offers a noticeable boost over the $40 more expensive Core 2 Duo E8500 when it comes to video. And the Q9400 is much better at the same price point.
If you’re building a new system, AMD’s Phenom II CPUs offer incredible bang for the buck.
See benchmarks below:
Crysis – Celeron Dual-Core E1200 – Sapphire HD3870 – Windows 7 (build 7000) – High Settings _ Part 2
