Hi. Ive had my current computer for about 4 years, and it still works, but has a few probs, so I was gonna have my bf buy me a new one for xmas. Ive been looking around, and I dont really understand some of the specifications and what they mean. Such as -my current computer is an HP a832n. These are the listed specs:
Pentium4 540 (P) HT 3.2 GHz:
800 MHz Front side bus
Socket 775
Chipset
Intel 915G
Motherboard
Manufacturer: Asus
Motherboard Name: PTGD1-LA
HP motherboard name: Grouper-GL8E
Memory
Component Attributes
Memory Installed 1 GB (2 x 512)
Maximum allowed 4.0 GB* (4 X 1 GB) requires the replacement of the installed 512 MB DIMMs

*Actual available memory may be less
Speed supported PC3200 MB/sec
Type 184 pin, DDR SDRAM
DIMM slots Four
Open DIMM slots Two

Hard drive
250 GB SATA
7200 rpm


Any how, most of the new computers Ive been looking at have the dual core processors, but it says they are 2.3 or 2.6 Ghz
Isnt that slower than a 3.2 ghz?
I usually use my computer for internet, email, and some games. (I love the sims 2 games, and theyre expansion packs and all the downloads take up a lot of room) .But I am very impatient, so I would like a fast processor, I think....isnt that what makes the computer load programs and web pages fast? Can anyone tell me what specifications I should have when I buy new?
Any help would be appreciated.

as the name says Dual Core and Core 2 Duo are different technology than Hyper Threading.........
so 2.3GHz and 2.6GHz is faster than HT 3.2GHz