CPU advice/decision

[quiksilva]

Currently building a new system but i am a bit stuck with the decision for the CPU, and have had mixed answers thus far, and probably will here too.

The decision is between:
INTEL CORE 2 DUO E8500 3.16GHz 2X3MB $369.00 / CPU INTEL CORE 2 DUO E8400 3.00GHz 2X3MB $279.00

OR

CPU INTEL CORE 2 QUAD Q6600 2.4GHz 4X2MB $339.00

These prices are AUD, and i would be looking more so between the E8400 and the Q600.

What this computer would be used for ?
General day to day things, playing the odd game here and there, no image editting. Pretty much just your average all round computer that i would hope wouldnt need updating for 5ish years.

Am i going to notice any great difference between the Q6600 and the E8400 ?

I would be looking for opinions based on results with no over clocking.

Thanks in advance

[Raizy]

Sounds like you don't even need the extra cache. I was going to suggest a cheaper E4500 or something since that will get the job done with games if you have an 8800 GT/GTS/GTX/Ultra. Even at stock, IMO it will get the job done. But I'm a computer newb so my opinion probably doesn't matter unless someone else agrees.

In 5 years time, let's hope 200 Ghz DNA-based processors are out

I'm currently playing Call of Duty 4 in DX9. Everything is maxed out with 4x AA and 16x AS, the frames are capped at 75 and most of the time stays around 75, almost rarely goes below 40 frames (multiplayer nade / smoke spammers ). But I play in 1024 x 768. My processor is an E2180 @ 2.5 Ghz, and an XFX 8800 GT 512MB

[quiksilva]

Probably a fair comment. Although i was looking to just go with the current best, whether that be the top end duo or bottom end quad. Don't want to be kicking myself in a year, when the cheaper E4500 doesn't quite cut it for me.

[Darren]

I haven't seen any benchmarks of the two yet but the E8500 should appear slightly faster due to the fact that dual core has more software support than quad core. However the Q6600 would last you longer and would sustain performance for a few more extra months because quad core processors will soon become the norm meaning programmers would be able to stretch it's performance.

Choice: Q6600

[tigger]

By the sound of it,you dont particularly need a quad yet,so i'd say E8500/8400.

[Darren]

quiksilva, fill in your current specifications.

Also the idea of not upgrading for five years is pretty far fetched. Two-three years maximum, and during the second year onwards expect to be just browsing the internet or running Microsoft Office and forget about running the newer games at full details. If you want this system to stretch your going to need 8GBs of ram. 4 GB's is becoming normal these days, so in two years time 8GB may be the norm, prepare yourself now. PC6400 2GBx4

[JrRacinFan]

Will e4700 ever be available? My vote goes in for that!

Q6600 for latest and greatest

e8400 for little performance difference for a tad less.

Be forwarned must have a high FSB overclockable board for these to get there true abilties:

e4700/e2200/e1200......

[Wile E]

If you were planning on only lasting 2yrs or so, I'd say a dual is more than enough, but since you want to try to stretch to 5yrs, the quad is the way to go. More apps will be quad capable in the future, lending the quad longer legs than the dual in a couple years.

[Darren]

JrRacinFan, he said he wasn't interested in overclocking. Any cheap mobo should do

[quiksilva]

Looking at a complete new system Darren, with keeping my current Hard drives/DVD burner.

CASE: ANTEC SONATA 3 PIANO BLACK 500W $169.00
MBRD: GIGABYTE GA-X38-DQ6 DESKTOP BOARD $379.00
CPU : INTEL CORE 2 DUO E8500 3.16GHz 2X3MB $369.00 / CPU INTEL CORE 2 DUO E8400 3.00GHz 2X3MB $279.00 / INTEL CORE 2 QUAD Q6600 2.4GHz 4X2MB $339.00
VC : VC XFX 8600GTS xXx 730M PCIe/256MB/DUAL-DVI $249.00
MEM : KINGSTON PC5300 2GB DDR2 667MHZ DIMM $59.00
HSF : ASUS SILENT KNIGHT II HEATSINK COOLER $79.00

Possibly upgrade the VC to 8800. All advice welcome.

[JrRacinFan]

Oh no overclocking for budget?
Go AMD Phenom then paired with a K9A2 Platinum.

These prices are in AUD eh?

[Darren]

Get PC6400 memory as it has a higher bus and doesn't cost much more than PC5300.

Ditch the 8600GTS, costs too much and is dirt slow. The slowest acceptable midrange card is either ATI's 3850 or Nvida's 8800GS. For high end cards, either get ATI's 3870 X2, or wait for Nvidia's 9000 series.

Edit: ATI's 3870 (non X2 version) may become midrange soon pushing the 3850's and 8800 GS out the market into the low end.

[Nitro-Max]

Q6600 without hessitation more games and applications will take advantage of quad cores and higher within the next 5 years without a doubt 4 cores has to be better than 2.

[quiksilva]

Will take the advice on the memory.

Prices are AUD - VC selection from: http://ple.com.au/?p=products&category_id=281

Decisions, decisions

[Darren]

Surely that can't be the cheapest component store in your area? I thought Newegg was the cheapest for the states? help this dude find a cheap component site, I'm from the UK so I can't help in the slightest. Tell us your overall budget, these guys will be able to help you better if they know everything.

Edit: be back in a few hours, bed time.

[quiksilva]

Appears to be the cheapest in Perth.

Budget would be somewhere between $1300-$1500 AUD.

Cheers so far

[fullinfusion]

Amd... Amd AMD 6400- x2 black hahhahah
i'd rather shoot myself then go intel...
Sorry guy's

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by fullinfusion

Amd... Amd AMD 6400- x2 black hahhahah
i'd rather shoot myself then go intel...
Sorry guy's

No, we're sorry. lol. This Q6600 just took the place of my 6400+ as my main rig (the AMD still serves as my 2nd machine), and the difference is night and day. I'll go back to AMD when they take the performance lead back.

[JrRacinFan]

I would only go back to AMD if their X3 chips WHENEVER THEY GET RELEASED would be cheaper than a mainstream C2D at the same time.

I basically switched from a Socket A rig to this celeron and it surely is about 15-20% better even though I have one of the cheapest chips.

[candle_86]

AMD doesnt intend to retake the cake, they are targeting the mainstream user with there products.

The Sempron X2 will replace the current Semprons, the Phenom X2 will take the place of the sub 100 Athlon X2's and the Phenom X3 will replace the 100-200 dollar X2 Athlon CPU's


In the days of multithreaded AMD is giving a good deal, just wish the X3 would arrive soon. Also its a common misconception that the X4 sucks, the Q6600 is faster only when the patch for the Phenoms to get around the problems in the core are applied, I expect that patch to be removed just as soon as the B3 ships, as early Phenom tests before that patch showed they could keep up clock for clock with intel.

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by candle_86

AMD doesnt intend to retake the cake, they are targeting the mainstream user with there products.

The Sempron X2 will replace the current Semprons, the Phenom X2 will take the place of the sub 100 Athlon X2's and the Phenom X3 will replace the 100-200 dollar X2 Athlon CPU's


In the days of multithreaded AMD is giving a good deal, just wish the X3 would arrive soon. Also its a common misconception that the X4 sucks, the Q6600 is faster only when the patch for the Phenoms to get around the problems in the core are applied, I expect that patch to be removed just as soon as the B3 ships, as early Phenom tests before that patch showed they could keep up clock for clock with intel.

No, even pre-patch the intels were out pacing the Phenom X4s clock for clock.

[candle_86]

not on any reviews ive read actully. Just wait for B3 and watch all those intels cry.

[Darren]

Originally Posted by candle_86

not on any reviews ive read actully. Just wait for B3 and watch all those intels cry.

I hope so, I'm an AMD boy myself, but if they dont get their act together soon, I'm considering a Q-series Intel. But hopefully the hardware fixed B3 revisions fix their problems because their software patch actually reduced performance further

[trog100]

trying to think for five years is silly.. what u do dosnt require much horse power..

buy for now and buy cheap then think again after two years..

trog

[quiksilva]

Yeah 5 is prob a bit far.

Still