Buy this CPU ?

saltydog806

Microcenter is selling Intell's 2 Quad Processor Q6600 for $200.00 (in store only). I have two questions.
1.How can I confirm that it is a GO chip while in the store?
2.Should I buy it or is there a better chip for about the same price?

Gate28

From what I hear, if your going to replace your CPU, go ahead and replace your entire mobo.

If you want it, go ahead, just make sure you mobo works with intel CPUs.

saltydog806

Gate28 wrote:

From what I hear, if your going to replace your CPU, go ahead and replace your entire mobo.

If you want it, go ahead, just make sure you mobo works with intel CPUs.

I am going to replace the MOBO though it may take me another month to save up the cash. I'm looking at:

GIGABYTE GA-X48-DQ6 LGA 775 and
GIGABYTE GA-EX38-DQ6 LGA 775
though I may have to get a less expensive board at this time.

Microcenter is a 45 minute drive for me. I'm going to be in the area of it saterday so I thought I my buy the CPU at that time.

mas0n

saltydog806 wrote:

Microcenter is selling Intell's 2 Quad Processor Q6600 for $200.00 (in store only). I have two questions.
1.How can I confirm that it is a GO chip while in the store?
2.Should I buy it or is there a better chip for about the same price?

1. When they bring the box over to the counter look closely at the Product Code. G0 product code is BX80562Q6600SLACR. B3 is BX80562Q6600SL9UM. Also, above that it will Say "requires electronically compatible board" followed by "PCG 05A" for G0 or "PCG 05B for B3"

2. For the price it's the best quad. The E8400 is about the same price and at stock speeds will actually perform better than the Q6600 in some applications, but it is a dual-core and your board may not support 45nm CPU.

saltydog806

mas0n wrote:

1. When they bring the box over to the counter look closely at the Product Code. G0 product code is BX80562Q6600SLACR. B3 is BX80562Q6600SL9UM. Also, above that it will Say "requires electronically compatible board" followed by "PCG 05A" for G0 or "PCG 05B for B3"

2. For the price it's the best quad. The E8400 is about the same price and at stock speeds will actually perform better than the Q6600 in some applications, but it is a dual-core and your board may not support 45nm CPU.

Thanks a million for the info.:bigggrin:
I will be getting a new board that will support 45nm and I plan to overclock. With that said what do you recomend?

mas0n

saltydog806 wrote:

Thanks a million for the info.:bigggrin:
I will be getting a new board that will support 45nm and I plan to overclock. With that said what do you recomend?

It really depends what you're going to do with the rig and what your upgrade cycle is. On air cooling the E8400 will OC much higher than the Q6600 and consume less power, but there is obviously something to be said for having 4 cores. I'd get the Q6600 personally (and did) but if you're just going to upgrade it again in 8 months and don't fold I'd say get the E8400.

saltydog806

mas0n wrote:

It really depends what you're going to do with the rig and what your upgrade cycle is. On air cooling the E8400 will OC much higher than the Q6600 and consume less power, but there is obviously something to be said for having 4 cores. I'd get the Q6600 personally (and did) but if you're just going to upgrade it again in 8 months and don't fold I'd say get the E8400.

I do want to play the most recent games and I do fold. My upgrade cycle will probably be every two years. I will be air cooling but will switch to liquid in the next six months to a year. Now I show my great ignorance. You state that there is obviously something to be said for having 4 cores what would that be (specifacally the Q6600 over the E8400)? I know I'm asking alot. If you have any web sites to recomend that would explain this that would be great.