Wow. I'm in a VERY similar situation starting with a completely new system build purchased in bits and pieces as discounts and rebates occurred. And likewise I have absolutely everything, every fan, cable, widget and gizmo except for the processor and mobo.
I, too, have been very tempted by the recent Q6600 sale price. But I?m holding myself back and, I think, for good reasons.
The ?clock for clock? speed increase, lower power, and lower heat are some of the reasons. I?m not sure that we can figure out in advance just what impact these will have on our personal computing.
Also, I realize that most think the low multiplier is a bad thing and I?m not really smart enough to refute them. But I perceive that there might be a reason behind it. What I?m hearing is that the current crop of mobos can?t support the high fsb needed for the higher clock speeds without upgrading the bios and even then.. .. But like the DDR3 which hasn?t yet reached the capacity/latency/price point that it someday will, I think that there is some ?thinking ahead? going on here. What I?m saying, and what I?m counting on with a new build, is that getting the newest technology in a processor AND a ?matching? mobo, at least regarding technology, is going to work out pretty good. These are assumptions, I know. So if I?m totally wrong, well, .. oh well.
On the other hand, with nehlem (sp) coming out later this year or early next, with its new socket and thus new NB and mobo, well, this is the LAST of the socket 775 and DDR2 rigs that will have new technology in them for the most part. I?m not minding that at all. When the dust settles with the new socket, new MB, new CPUs, new memory, etc., well, then I?ll have to re-learn everything that I can and build my next ground up custom build. I?m looking forward to it.
But for now, I?m still holding out for the last new socket 775 processor crop.
As for the dual v. quad. . . Really . . . Sure, there does seem to be, historically, a greater capacity to OC a dual than a quad. But think about it: If you really want to future proof then you surly should go for the quad. I?ve repeated how software development has a >1 year lag, maybe >2. But that isn?t always true. I suspect that SOME creative, competitive game software company will have a breakthrough quad-core ready game that will blow socks off. But again that is pure speculation. I could likely be wrong and you are certainly free to ROTFL at anytime in my long post.
I?m holding out for the Q9450. For me it is settled. I?ve seen it somewhere (uh, keno?, ?keen on something?..) for $350. It appeared to be taking orders. I?m not familiar with the place but resellerratings.com seems about par for an online company. (More people complain when there is a problem than people who commend. I take that into account but still read the specific complaints. Sour grapes or legit?)
I tend to buy where I?ve bought before, so I?m hoping that N.E. will get it in. (Can I say the names of retail places on a forum? I?m not sure of the netettique.)
Ya, know. Overall we live in such a great time. Sure, the economy looks like it is going down the tube. But look at the technology that we have available to us! In 20 or 30 years from now you young OC-ers will be geezers like me. And technology will be Startrek in comparison. But you can tell your kids, ?I remember when..?
Life is good. (No, not an ad for LG.)
One more week.. One more week.. One more week.. .. .. ..
Edro