The Big Question

[BongWizard]

with the 9550 you'll get maybe 4GHz (470 FSB needed for 4GHz) and with the 6850 4.5-5GHz could be done with a good board and sweet cooling... plus the shink doesnt optimise the performance in most apps (only really intense multi core apps take a notable hit) so with a superclocked up 6850 you'll be able to get amazing scores in 3dmark

 

[gurusan]

...as someone who has owned several 45nm quads and over 1 dozen 65nm quads, I can tell you that the 45nm does make a difference in pretty much everything.

The 45nm is about 10%-15% faster in everything, sometimes much more. Even if it's just 10%, the QX6850 would have to be clocked to 4.25ghz to match the performance of the Q9550 at only 3.25ghz

And the 6850 is not going to do anything more than 4ghz (if that) unless you go with some sort of ridiculous extreme cooling.

 

[NosBoost300]

this particular qx 6850 does 4.0ghz on less than 1.4 v... do you not believe i can get a 4.3 to 4.4 ghz run on 3dmark06 on water?!

 

[gurusan]

Even if you did a 4.44ghz run, that would barely match the q9550 at 4ghz

 

[NosBoost300]

hrmmm..... you may have saved me 100 dollars... imma get that q9550 i suppose...

first i needa make sure of its stepping

 

[gurusan]

Make sure its an E0 for sure! Otherwise keep a lookout for a cheap q9650, I got mine to 4.4ghz before I sold it (A QX6850 would have to be clocked to almost 4.9ghz to match that)

 

[NosBoost300]

Opened Q9550
SLAWQ MALAY
2.83GH/12M/1333/05A
L822B503

 

[gurusan]

That is a C1 stepping. Don't disregard it yet though...I would look at clocking results for that stepping...

 

[NosBoost300]

dangit.. now i'm at a halt.. lol

my new psu is mighty sexy.... love it.. too bad my 320gb hdd with all my friggin music and some torrents died... buh.. what am i gonna do!!!

 

[BongWizard]

C1 stepping will clock just as well if not better than an e0 (i've got no idea why tho... it seems it should be the other way around... but here you go)

highest 9550 on record -> CPU-Z Validator 2.1 <- thats with C1 stepping

fastest e0 stepping on record -> CPU-Z Validator 2.1 <- 3rd overall

EDIT: i think i'd still rather a Q6700... i know its an older 65 nano... but the highest air only OC is a whopping 5.03GHz!!! up to 5.5 on ln2!! thats pretty sweet for a multi locked quad! you can only squeeze another 200MHz outta that unlocked multi on the qx6850 anyways... now thats value!!