New CPU - getting the itch

[marmasatt]

Sorry, I know this type of question is asked almost every day but this is slightly different

First, I do have a bit of cash. But like everyone else, I'm cheap.

I've reviewed some of the Toms Charts but they don't take OC into consideration really. If I'm on an e4300 currently at 3.0ghz, is there any real world difference at running an e6600 at 3.0 (or a bit higher as they go a bit higher it seems)? There seems to be a ton of those second hand right now. If I could upgrade for no cost is it even worth it?

I'm thinking about a Q6600 if I can get it one around $200, or a 6750 or something if I'm actually going to put some cash up....My board is an Asus P5W-DH.

CPU use consists of gaming and video editing, maybe a bit of encoding via DVD Shrink or what have you. LMK, CPU gurus. Thanks.

 

[Mustanggt]

If you can get a Q6600 for $200 i would get that, I am waiting for them to drop to that price range,

 

[VirtualLarry]

skip the E6600, go for the Q6600.

 

[imported_Scoop]

If you already have a C2D there's no point of buying another one. You don't gain much in reality with higher clocks after the 3Ghz. If you want to buy something, get the Q6600.

 

[Tullphan]

Or the Q6700!

 

[bunnyfubbles]

yeah, you'd need to get a C2D that could do around ~3.5GHz to see a real difference, otherwise it's quadcore or nothing if you want to see significant increase in processing power and not just something you could brag about a little more than what you have yet not really see a huge difference.

Granted, if you're not that adept at maximizing use out of multiple processors I'd say you're probably better off upgrading your ram (and/or OS) to start breaching the 4GB level as you seem pretty set everywhere else.

 

[SerpentRoyal]

No need to upgrade at this time. I'd wait for Nehalem...new board and new CPU in about two years.

I'm currently running 1M SP in 16.2 seconds with E4300 @ 3.49GHz. Don't plan to upgrade until I can run this test in 8 seconds...Either AMD or INTC CPU around 5GHz.

 

[GundamF91]

No need to upgrade, Penryn would be your earliest upgrade, and personally I'd wait for Nehalem in 2009. In the mean time, upgrade your GPU if your games demand it.

 

[Simply]

Cheapest you can get q6600 I seen so far is 289 bucks but only on sale for one more day.

 

[corsa]

I say ur logical upgrade is..... 8800GTS >>>8800GT

 

[Denithor]

You're in the same boat as me. I have a 2MB cache e6400 @ 3GHz and use it for the same kind of stuff. I'm sort of considering a Penryn dual (e8200/e8400) just for the cooler temps and bigger cache but I probably wouldn't see any difference in performance. I won't make this move unless I can sell my e6400 to someone to offset the cost of a Penryn.

My next upgrade is probably going to be one of the next generation video cards (come on, launch em already, nVidia!) as I already have plenty of cpu power and RAM for my current needs but my GPU is feeling pretty slow in a lot of games.

Then sometime in 2009 I will move to Nehalem (not going to be an early adopter like with C2D however, I will wait for the pricing to settle down--I paid $265 for my e6400 in July 2006).