CPU upgrade to goodwill find

[Throckmorton]

A faster 3+ GHz core 2 duo might be better than a slower quad (6600 = 2.4 GHz), since older games are less heavily threaded.

But older games don't need that much power. Games that are a few years old are the ones that need power and can take advantage of quads. Dragon Age Origins for example

 

[Kougar]

Not a bad system, used to run a nearly identical system with an E6300... makes me wonder what on earth the builder was thinking putting a Pentium D 965 in a 965P motherboard though.

It should easily be capable of a mild 3Ghz OC on a Q6600 if the cooling is aftermarket, which would offset the frequency advantage of the E8300. But I wouldn't recommend over 3Ghz as those chips will start to get hot and suck power beyond that point.

That's a fairly old, midrange PSU so I'd suggest keeping an eye on it. If the machine begins exhibiting issues it's probably going to be that PSU.

 

[mfenn]

But older games don't need that much power. Games that are a few years old are the ones that need power and can take advantage of quads. Dragon Age Origins for example

I think you may have listed the one 4 year old game that can take advantage of a quad core. Exceptions do not the rule make. By your own admission, even an old game that can use a quad core doesn't need one.

The E8400 will also be much more responsive in day-to-day tasks that aren't heavily threaded like Javascript and Flash.

 

[fixbsod]

Still on an old E8400 on my work system...doable but aching for an upgrade...