Which CPU should I get??

[TechnicalFreak]

I'm doing a smaller upgrade of my system (money left after dentist).
What I'm looking at is a new CPU (MoBo aswell, but nevermind that).

The 2 different CPU's are:
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 2,66GHz / 4MB / 1333MHz Socket 775.

OR:

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 3,16GHz / 6MB / 1333MHz Socket 775.

Question, which CPU would be best for me? Don't game so much, however I do run Adobe Creative Suite 5 (Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, After Effects etc.). And when or if I play games, it's the ones that are installed, and they run just fine..

Thankful for any replies given.

 

[TRIPTEX_CAN]

I'd go for the Q8400. The 2 extra cores will be more useful to you than 400Mhz clock difference on the E8500.

 

[Fourstaff]

+1 on quad, only because 2 cores are not cool anymore and why would you upgrade from a 2 core to a 2 core?

 

[fusionblu]

I would go with the Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 as Adobe Creative Suite 5 and it's software requires a computer to be able to do some multi-tasking so the two extra cores will be needed.

 

[MatTheCat]

I'm doing a smaller upgrade of my system (money left after dentist).
What I'm looking at is a new CPU (MoBo aswell, but nevermind that).

The 2 different CPU's are:
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 2,66GHz / 4MB / 1333MHz Socket 775.

OR:

Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 3,16GHz / 6MB / 1333MHz Socket 775.

Question, which CPU would be best for me? Don't game so much, however I do run Adobe Creative Suite 5 (Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, After Effects etc.). And when or if I play games, it's the ones that are installed, and they run just fine..

Thankful for any replies given.

If u are having to buy a new mobo as well, both of those would be a tragic upgrade. The only way I would recommend either would be if they were to be a straight swap for your existing CPU (although I understand that perhaps you are running of a pocket money budget).

If u are set on it though, I would suggest that for the current crop of games around (if gaming is your priority), you would be better of with the e8500. That will overclock to around 4GHz easily and spank the pants of the Q8400 running at around 3GHz. There is a lot of Bull§hit around about such and such a game being 'multi-threaded'etc, but the real performance increases from the multi-threading in these games alone, is minimal, with the real Quad-Core performance improvements coming about as a result of the i7 quad core performance (i.e. more to do with more efficient, better CPU architecture than with 4 cores).

 

[yogurt_21]

hmm, how much is each costing you and how much are yo planning on spending on the mobo?

 

[[Ion]]

If you're going to get a new mobo as well, I'd strongly suggest a 785G board and then an AII X4 or even a PhII X4

Much more upgradeable than LGA775

 

[francis511]

Don`t forget the extra cache on the e8500 (per core) , but I would go q8400

 

[TechnicalFreak]

Thanks for the replies.
They are cheap, the MoBo is even free. I do not game so much anymore, and my budget is rather low after spending about 2400~$ (24000:-SEK) on the dentist.

I go to school these days, learning CS3/CS5. I even bought the CS5 for a student price.
Could have figured that it would be better with a Quad. They have one more C2Q cpu, 1333Mhz
but with 12Mb in cache. Just a bit more expensive than the other C2Q. Maybe go for that one?

 

[francis511]

They have one more C2Q cpu, 1333Mhz
but with 12Mb in cache. Just a bit more expensive than the other C2Q. Maybe go for that one?

Stop the press ! Do that instead !!

 

[Frick]

Thanks for the replies.
They are cheap, the MoBo is even free. I do not game so much anymore, and my budget is rather low after spending about 2400~$ (24000:-SEK) on the dentist.

I go to school these days, learning CS3/CS5. I even bought the CS5 for a student price.
Could have figured that it would be better with a Quad. They have one more C2Q cpu, 1333Mhz
but with 12Mb in cache. Just a bit more expensive than the other C2Q. Maybe go for that one?

Wait what 24 lakan? What did you do?

Anyway, that would be the Q9550 right? If it's just a little bit more it might be worth it, they are faster than .. any 775 quad I think.

 

[Hayder_Master]

most things going to quad now, even games starting with bad company 2 , things going to quad now not for high cpu cash