Which is the best among Intel Core2 Quad CPUs

[taruncharles]

Hi guys,

I am planning on building a new gaming PC for around $900, which would run games for another 3-4 years.

I have decided to use a Intel Core 2 Quad processor that costs around $200 to $240. Can you please tell me which one to use guys.

I have bought a Radeon 4850 512 MB graphic card (I intend to use it in crossfire with another Radeon 4850 in future).

Also can you recommend some good motherboard to use with my processor.. Should I use some motherboard which supports DDR3 or should I go with DDR2..

Thank you,
Tarun

 

[Peaks]

if it is a system only for gaming I would probably go for a dual core. the e7*** series are good but the e8*** series are even better. They overclock better than most quad cores (excluding maybe the q6600 - G0 stepping or the q9650) and even though these days more games are able use all for cores, the e8*** series perform better in games than most of the quad cores.

But if you want to go quad though then get a q6600 45nm with a G0 stepping as its a better overclocker than the original q6600's. Alternately you could go for the more expensive q9650. IMO all other quads aren't that great performers for what they should be.

hmm in terms of MoBo I would go for something like the Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P. Not really sure there is any point in getting DDR3, it is still quite pricey, all DDR2 is really quite cheap. If you were going to go with DDR3 I would say you might as well go the whole way and use triple channel with a core i7 and x58 motherboard.

 

[gkay09]

Hi...If you are not intel specific, I would suggest you take a look at this article...
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3533

So going with the X3 720, would save you money, and mayb you will be able to add another 4850 now itself...

 

[gkay09]

But if you are not willing to go with AMD, then the intel Q9400 is the option...

And mobo to go with
GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P

Has the best reviews, is crossfir capable and has very high ratings...

 

[Reynod]

That was quite a good article too.

The point about having money left over to get a second 4850 is a good one.

 

[taruncharles]

Hi...If you are not intel specific, I would suggest you take a look at this article...
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3533

So going with the X3 720, would save you money, and mayb you will be able to add another 4850 now itself...

In the article, they were testing using two HD 4870 1GB in crossfire. But, I have already bought a HD 4850 512 MB.
Do you think, that if I add another HD 4850 512MB in crossfire with X3 720BE, I might still be able to achieve better performance than intel core 2 quads?..

 

[gkay09]

In the article, they were testing using two HD 4870 1GB in crossfire. But, I have already bought a HD 4850 512 MB.
Do you think, that if I add another HD 4850 512MB in crossfire with X3 720BE, I might still be able to achieve better performance than intel core 2 quads?..

Yes the article states the the X3 platform is good for Crossfire...so it doesnt matter which card...
Well the point of the article was to say that the X3 is very competitive with the other CPUs such as the P II X4 and the core2Q specially in gaming...

 

[gkay09]

So go ahead and get the X3 720...It is also very good in multithreaded applications (though not as good as a quad core...but is still very competitive)

 

[gamerk316]

You know, $900 is right at the i7 cost line, depending on the GPU/RAM used...it might be worth trying to build a i7 rig for future upgradeability.

 

[gkay09]

You know, $900 is right at the i7 cost line, depending on the GPU/RAM used...it might be worth trying to build a i7 rig for future upgradeability.

Well yes if the parts were to be bought from United States...
In other places, would cost considerably more...

 

[taruncharles]

I am confident that the i7 will surely run games that will be developed 3-4 years from now.
I read in a blog that future games will be made keeping in mind the quad-core technology which both AMD and Intel has. Not to leave out the i7 and Core 2 Duo Extreme.

While processors like X3 can current games, will it run games for another 3-4 years?..

Also, if I go for some other rig without the i7, will I not be able to upgrade much in future?..

 

[gkay09]

I am confident that the i7 will surely run games that will be developed 3-4 years from now.
I read in a blog that future games will be made keeping in mind the quad-core technology which both AMD and Intel has. Not to leave out the i7 and Core 2 Duo Extreme.

While processors like X3 can current games, will it run games for another 3-4 years?..

Also, if I go for some other rig without the i7, will I not be able to upgrade much in future?..

Well are you getting the parts from US...If yes, then you can build an i7 rig within $900 without the graphics card as you have a 4850 now...

And as for your comparison of the i7 and the X3 720, you should keep in mind that the total cost of an i7 platform(CPU+Mobo+RAM) would be double or even more than that of a X3 720 platform(CPU+Mobo+RAM)

And the X3 platform also is highly upgradeable as the newer Phenoms are AM3, which can also be used in any AM2+ motherboard with a simple BIOS upgrade...

But if you are living in US, then for $900 you can get an i7 setup...

 

[badge]

But if you want to go quad though then get a q6600 45nm with a G0 stepping

No such thing as a 45nm Q6600.

I have decided to use a Intel Core 2 Quad processor that costs around $200 to $240. Can you please tell me which one to use guys.

Q9550 is the current sweet spot for the 45nm quads. Much better OCing ability and with less heat than the Q6600 65nm.

 

[B-Unit]

+1 badge, said everything I was going to.

 

[badge]

Currently have running:

Q9450
PII 940
Q6600
E8400
E6600

Quad 9550 is surely decent at 3.2GHz. 😱

 

[taruncharles]

Well are you getting the parts from US...If yes, then you can build an i7 rig within $900 without the graphics card as you have a 4850 now...

And as for your comparison of the i7 and the X3 720, you should keep in mind that the total cost of an i7 platform(CPU+Mobo+RAM) would be double or even more than that of a X3 720 platform(CPU+Mobo+RAM)

And the X3 platform also is highly upgradeable as the newer Phenoms are AM3, which can also be used in any AM2+ motherboard with a simple BIOS upgrade...

But if you are living in US, then for $900 you can get an i7 setup...

I started out to search for the best core 2 quad processor and suddenly I find myself exploring options for the X3 720.
Its really cool that such performance is available at a low price..

I am really not that good at choosing parts. Can you recommend some good motherboard for X3 720. If you can give me 2 or 3 options, then I can choose among them.

Thank u.

 

[jsc]

Once you get CPU speed up to about 3.2 GHz., the graphics system pretty much becomes the limiting factor of game performance.

 

[gkay09]

I started out to search for the best core 2 quad processor and suddenly I find myself exploring options for the X3 720.
Its really cool that such performance is available at a low price..

I am really not that good at choosing parts. Can you recommend some good motherboard for X3 720. If you can give me 2 or 3 options, then I can choose among them.

Thank u.

Best -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131339
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131339

Overall Good -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131368
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128384

Comparitively the cheapest -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128387

Choose any one of these and dont get the DDR3 mobo, Get the DDR2 ones...All the mobos listed here are DDR2...

 

[taruncharles]

Best -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131339
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131339

Overall Good -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131368
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128384

Comparitively the cheapest -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128387

Choose any one of these and dont get the DDR3 mobo, Get the DDR2 ones...All the mobos listed here are DDR2...

Just one more clarification...
If I get the DDR2 ones, will there not be any necessity for me to move to DDR3 in future..Will DDR2 last for another 3-4 years?..
And will there be any difference between the two in future, except for the price..

 

[gkay09]

Well you are getting 4GB kit, which should be enough for the apps for easy 3 years...So moving from DDR2 to DDR3 will be required only if you change the whole CPU + MOBO platform...

 

[gkay09]

And even if you want to upgrade your RAM then, am sure you will get DDR2 RAMs as you are getting DDR and even SDRAMS now...