Upgrading

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rcr9521

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Alright guys first off thanks for any help that anyone can give me.
I haven't really been keeping up with the latest technology over the last six months so i'm not really sure wat the best options for things are.
I have all the basic stuff so all i'll be upgrading is the motherboard, porcessor and ram.
This is wat i was looking into gettin:

CPU:
Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail

RAM:
Newegg.com - G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
(is 4 gb worth it or would i be further ahead to just stick with 2??)

Motherboard:
Not real sure for this one. I will be overclocking so if anyone could recommend the "best" motherboard that would be great. And i don't need sli or crossfire if that makes a difference.

Any and all suggestions are welcome.
Thanks
 
If you want to go dual core I would recommend the e6750 and for a quad the q6600

For ram get crucial ballistix and mobo you should go with the gygabite ds3r abit ip35 pro or asus p5k deluxe.
 
4GB of RAM isn't worth looking into, unless you plan on graphic design or heavy photo/video editing. 2GB is more than you need. You also don't need that fast of a RAM. Overclocking DDR2-800 memory, are the hot choices right now. And a good kit will overclock to, or near DDR2-1200 speeds. Such as:
Newegg.com - Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

For a little more than that, you can get the quad core Q6600. It's about $260-280, depending on where you get it from. Since you're looking to overclock, I would suggest you get the OEM version of the Q6600, along with an aftermarket cooler. Such as the Tuniq or Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme(no fan included)
....Here are the links to them:
ClubIT Product - Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 Stepping Kentsfield 2.40GHz 8MB L2 LGA 775 Processor OEM HH80562PH0568M SLACR
Newegg.com - Tuniq Tower 120 P4 & K8 CPU Cooler - Retail
Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme CPU Cooler for AMD AM2, Intel LGA775

...You should also get some aftermarket thermal paste, because the stock thermal paste that is included with coolers, is no good for overclocking. So I recommend you get MX-2:
Petra's Tech Shop - Arctic Cooling MX-2

For the motherboard, I would suggest the DS3R. Fits your criteria, and suits your system very well:
Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

If you want to save more money, the IP35-E is a great overclocker too:
Newegg.com - ABIT IP35-E LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
 
For like 50.00 more you can get the Q6600, same processor you have up there but it has 4 cores and twice as much L2 cache.

Don't get 4 gigs of RAM, if you've got a 32-bit OS, it'll only recognize ~3.3-3.5 of that and plus 2 gigs is today's standard. Down the road if it isn't enough anymore, it would be a simple manner of just adding more. Consider getting crucial ballistix; I think it's somewhere below 100.00 right now on newegg.com.

Since you've said you're overclocking, you might want to consider a P35 mobo. I personally own a GA-P35-DS3R and it's a great overclocker, I'd recommend it. I got my Q6600 to 2.83 GHz on stock cooling. It's 130 right now on newegg.

Another board I've seen recommended is the abit ip35-e if you're on a budget. In the customer reviews people have said it has a few issues... although you can't always trust customer reviews; I've never owned that board but to me it looks fine on paper, and it has a very nice 90.00 price. But, if you can afford it, get the other board I recommended above. I have it and it's great.

Edit: wow I just realized b1gapl just beat me to it with everything I said lol I wish I could delete this post because it's just redundant. However that's 2 people now that have recommended these things so you know they must be good.
 
For like 50.00 more you can get the Q6600, same processor you have up there but it has 4 cores and twice as much L2 cache.

Don't get 4 gigs of RAM, if you've got a 32-bit OS, it'll only recognize ~3.3-3.5 of that and plus 2 gigs is today's standard. Down the road if it isn't enough anymore, it would be a simple manner of just adding more. Consider getting crucial ballistix; I think it's somewhere below 100.00 right now on newegg.com.

Since you've said you're overclocking, you might want to consider a P35 mobo. I personally own a GA-P35-DS3R and it's a great overclocker, I'd recommend it. I got my Q6600 to 2.83 GHz on stock cooling. It's 130 right now on newegg.

Another board I've seen recommended is the abit ip35-e if you're on a budget. In the customer reviews people have said it has a few issues... although you can't always trust customer reviews; I've never owned that board but to me it looks fine on paper, and it has a very nice 90.00 price. But, if you can afford it, get the other board I recommended above. I have it and it's great.

Edit: wow I just realized b1gapl just beat me to it with everything I said lol I wish I could delete this post because it's just redundant. However that's 2 people now that have recommended these things so you know they must be good.

cough i was first cough

haha just messin'
 
Wow guys thanks for all the quick responses.
After looking at some of your suggestions, i still have a couple questions. Would it really be worth going with the quad core, can any programs even benefit from having the four cores??? Or would i be able to get better results out of the e6750??

Here is what i have planned out now:

CPU:
Quad:
Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail
or Dual:
Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail

RAM:
Newegg.com - Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

Motherboard:
Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

And for cooling i have a custom water setup so everything should be good in that area.
 
Nice, very nice..on the watercooling.

The quad core will last you a long time. I think the upcoming games will benefit with a quad core, if you're looking into that. If you are planning to upgrade later on, I would suggest the E2180. I know it's adding another choice to the list, but it's only $90 compared to the others, and it overclocks well over 3.2, easily. And since you have watercooling, you'll go even further. And this will last you, until Intel releases their new processors, early next year.
 
Hmmm . . . are the new processors going to be using the same LGA 775 socket???
I am thinking about spending the little extra money and going for the quad core because i don't upgrade my system all that often usually once every two years or so.

Would i be able to see decent overclocking out of the q6600 (i know that it all depends on the individual processor that u get, but overall have there been good results)???
 
Nice, very nice..on the watercooling.

The quad core will last you a long time. If you are planning to upgrade later on, I would suggest the E2180. I know it's adding another choice to the list, but it's only $90 compared to the others, and it overclocks well over 3.2, easily. And since you have watercooling, you'll go even further. And this will last you, until Intel releases their new processors, early next year.

True, however I don't think it's a good idea to get the E2180 and then upgrade to Penryn next year. First of all, Penryn isn't going to be THAT big of a deal, wow 45nm vs 65 nm and a larger L2 cache, it's not going to be as much of an improvement as a Core 2 vs a Pentium 4 is. Plus, it would cost him more money in the long run if he bought a 90.00 CPU now and then spent another 200-300.00 on a better Penryn CPU, than if he got the Q6600 now, which can be overclocked just as easily as the E2180, and wait for Nehalem in 2009.

As far as the question of whether quad-core is worth it, the answer is yes. At the moment, not a lot of programs support multiple threads to truly utilize all the cores, however most of all the new games coming out, the best example being Crysis, will support multiple threads and therefor being able to utilize all 4 cores.

Would i be able to see decent overclocking out of the q6600 (i know that it all depends on the individual processor that u get, but overall have there been good results)???

I got mine to 2.83 GHz stable on stock cooling.
 
rcr9251 said:
Hmmm . . . are the new processors going to be using the same LGA 775 socket???
I am thinking about spending the little extra money and going for the quad core because i don't upgrade my system all that often usually once every two years or so.

Would i be able to see decent overclocking out of the q6600 (i know that it all depends on the individual processor that u get, but overall have there been good results)???

Yes, Intel's new processors will still use LGA775. It looks like, they're staying with it, for a while.

Good choice on the quad. You won't be disappointed. And it will last you, very well, in those two years.

If you get the Q6600 I linked you too, which is the G0 stepping (revision from the older Q6600, that consumes less power, produces less heat, and will overclock more), it will overclock to at least 3.3-3.4GHz, with your watercooling, and then some...


Blitersety said:
True, however I don't think it's a good idea to get the E2180 and then upgrade to Penryn next year. First of all, Penryn isn't going to be THAT big of a deal, wow 45nm vs 65 nm and a larger L2 cache, it's not going to be as much of an improvement as a Core 2 vs a Pentium 4 is. Plus, it would cost him more money in the long run if he bought a 90.00 CPU now and then spent another 200-300.00 on a better Penryn CPU, than if he got the Q6600 now, which can be overclocked just as easily as the E2180, and wait for Nehalem in 2009.

Very good point. I agree.
 
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