intel Q9300 or phenom 9850

[james 1]

Hello people got a problem here, i am planning on building a gaming rig but i can?t choose which quad core to use the phenom 9850 or the intel q9300. If i do build a gaming rig around a phenom 9850 these are the main parts i am going to use:

phenom 9850
Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe/Wi-Fi
Corsair 4GB DDR2 XMS2 Dominator PC2-8500C5 TwinX
Asus ATI Radeon HD 3870 XT
Western Digital Caviar SE16 500GB hardisk
Coolermaster Real Power 700w


, but if i use a q9300 these are the main parts i am going to use:

intel q9300
EVGA nForce 780i SLI nForce 780i
Corsair 4GB DDR2 XMS2 Dominator PC2-8500C5 TwinX
Gainward GeForce 9600 GT "Golden Sample" 512MB GDDR3
Western Digital Caviar SE16 500GB hardisk
Coolermaster Real Power 700w

I would like advice on which system is better for gaming also which CPU is the best. I may also do some overclocking so which CPU would be better for that task.

 

[harpoon84]

Check out http://www.extremetech.com/art.../0,1558,2282395,00.asp for a Q9300 vs Phenom 9850BE comparison.

A Q9300 is better in basically every way, its faster at stock, runs MUCH cooler, and overclocks better. Though if you are overclocking you may want to consider a Q6600 instead, it has a higher multiplier and should be easier to overclock than the Q9300.

By the way, I should mention that with gaming, higher clocked dual core CPUs are still the way to go. As you'll see in the Extremetech article, the E8500 is faster than both quad core CPUs in gaming performance.

 

[angry hampster]

Is there a reason you chose an SLI board for the intel setup?

 

[soonerproud]

Clearly the Intel rig is the better value in every way. If you can squeeze a extra $150 in your budget, do the 9600GT in SLI. Then that system will clearly kick some serious ass.

 

[lopri]

- Change the HDDs to either Samsung 501J (500GB, 2 platters) ,or Western Digital 640AAKS (640GB, 2 platters)
- Change the Intel side board to X38. You can find a few cheaper than 780i.

 

[angry hampster]

Originally posted by: lopri
- Change the HDDs to either Samsung 501J (500GB, 2 platters) ,or Western Digital 640AAKS (640GB, 2 platters)
- Change the Intel side board to X38. You can find a few cheaper than 780i.

...or something with a P35 chipset such as the P5N.

 

[v8envy]

My bit of advice: go with a P35 chipset board, upgrade to an 8800GTS for graphics, and use the rest of the money saved for a Q9450. If you feel like overclocking go with a Q6600 and save a BUNCH of money.

Also don't go with PC8500 ram with a Q6600. Ram that speed is only needed to push a 45nm CPU to over 4 ghz. You'll have far less potential pain with lower voltage PC6400 (800 mhz) ram. 800 mhz ram is enough to take a Q6600 to 3.6 ghz at factory rated spec -- more than enough.

The Intel route should be a hair cheaper than the AMD option and be about 10% faster at a minimum. In some applications 70% faster. You could save you a few $ over the long haul in power if you go the 9 series quad. Might even be comprable in winrar benchmarks and sandra memory bandwidth benchmarks (the two synthetic benchmarks where a Q9850 matches or slightly beats a Q6600).

So far there has been one and only ONE valid reason I've heard to go with a Phenom -- to financially support AMD. Performance/dollar (when considering whole system cost), performance/watt, performance/watt/dollar, overclocked performance or any other objective measurement heavily favors Intel when you are talking enthusiast level.

Also, as people have mentioned, the dual cores currently kick quad butt for most games. That may change in the future -- but if you take the $ saved and upgrade for the future IN the future you're sure to be right.

 

[daveybrat]

The E8400 3.0GHz Core2Duo is probably one of the best gaming cpu's right now and a great value if you can find it for $200.

Also, i'd go with a P35 intel chipset board as well and pair it up with a $299 EVGA Nvidia 9800GTX video card. Should be a kickass gaming system for a fair price.

 

[OLpal]

Hey james1 !!
Why not go with the Q9450 and not have to look back & wonder what if, or why didn't i !!
The Q9450 oughta spank both of these other cpu's & not really cost all that much more !!
I'd go corsair DDR2 800 Cas 4 memory of your choosing the Dominators if you like !
{the Q9450 has a 8 multi so when you set your memory to 400 you'll be running 3.2ghz, which should be no sweat for it}

Gigabyte X-38 motherboard DS4 [don't like quirks of nvidia chipsets]
500gb dual platter hard drive
Artic cooling Freezer pro 7
MS 4000 ergo keyboard
Explorer optical mouse
rest sounds okay !!

I think you'll like this setup for a longer period of time & not 2nd quess yourself !

Ol'Pal

Originally posted by: james 1
Hello people got a problem here, i am planning on building a gaming rig but i can?t choose which quad core to use the phenom 9850 or the intel q9300. If i do build a gaming rig around a phenom 9850 these are the main parts i am going to use:

phenom 9850
Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe/Wi-Fi
Corsair 4GB DDR2 XMS2 Dominator PC2-8500C5 TwinX
Asus ATI Radeon HD 3870 XT
Western Digital Caviar SE16 500GB hardisk
Coolermaster Real Power 700w


, but if i use a q9300 these are the main parts i am going to use:

intel q9300
EVGA nForce 780i SLI nForce 780i
Corsair 4GB DDR2 XMS2 Dominator PC2-8500C5 TwinX
Gainward GeForce 9600 GT "Golden Sample" 512MB GDDR3
Western Digital Caviar SE16 500GB hardisk
Coolermaster Real Power 700w

I would like advice on which system is better for gaming also which CPU is the best. I may also do some overclocking so which CPU would be better for that task.

 

[james 1]

thanks guys some real good advice helped alot, but if i go for an SLI setup am i better of going for the EVGA nForce 780i SLI nForce 780i

 

[bryanW1995]

get a Q9450/x3350 and a 790i mobo if you plan on oc'ing and budget is not an issue. if you're concerned about budget get a Q6600 and a $100 650i mobo.

 

[v8envy]

Why do you insist on SLI with Intel yet are willing to go crossfire with AMD? Crossfire is rock solid with Intel. If you want multi-GPU headaches there are plenty of great performing, problem free P35 boards to choose from.

You can post your mboard question in the motherboard forums. I expect the current recommendation is for a 750i for the least amount of data corruption and 790i for highest performance.

 

[OLpal]

Do some reading on Nvidia chipsets, memory holes & slowdowns, sli has never been that accepted, if your gonna run a raid setup [good luck] Be sure to read the post where anand & members of this forum had to fight with gigabyte & nvidia, because their chipset wouldn't work with Quads after it was advertised to !! Don't mean nutt'n to me, get what ya want, just take your time do some research & reading !!
I had a problem with early nvidia board, & haven't built one since !!

Ol'Pal

Originally posted by: james 1
thanks guys some real good advice helped alot, but if i go for an SLI setup am i better of going for the EVGA nForce 780i SLI nForce 780i

 

[corsa]

I would like advice on which system is better for gaming also which CPU is the best. I may also do some overclocking so which CPU would be better for that task.

Judging by the gear u have chosen already it seems to me u aren't in need of advice..... very typical of a single digit poster. :|
And by the way, Gaming computers usually contain high-end graphic processing....which ur rig clearly doesn't. :thumbsdown:

 

[nyker96]

Q9300 is about a full generation ahead in this contest, small wonder why it's quite a bit faster.

 

[OLpal]

Ouch that hurts !!

Another B_tch slap from intel, with amd on the ropes, they're introducing the E7300 to replace the E6750 [i think] & one of the sites showed it beating the phenoms also !! in several benchies !! now this really hurts !! but i still wanna build a 9850 Blackey !!


Ol'Pal :brokenheart:

Originally posted by: nyker96
Q9300 is about a full generation ahead in this contest, small wonder why it's quite a bit faster.

 

[bfdd]

750i would be pretty decent board, if you want nvidia chipset for SLI option and some decent overclocking. They're not much less than a 780i in terms of options, and reasonably priced.