Pick a CPU, any CPU

[sactogw]

Now that I've been pointed down a clearer path as far as mobos go, a new dilemma arises. You make the choice for me: E6400 for $240 (after tax), or E6600 for $297 out the door? Which one, and why? (using for DVD authoring/video editing, casual music recording/creation, maybe a tiny bit of gaming, and general use + 2Gb XMS2pro 5-5-5-12 RAM, X1600pro graphics, and a pair of DVD multi-drives)

 

[The_Abyss]

If you're overclocking, the 6400. If not, the 6600.

 

[YO_KID37]

The E6600 For only 50$ more isn't a bad trade, you get X2 the L2 Cache and 270Mhz more and a higher multiplier. Good trade

 

[sactogw]

Planning to overclock to around 2.8-3.0 (first-timer here, trying not to make rookie choices/mistakes). How's the OC on the E6600 (sorry, haven't researched that particular CPU much). Will the cache really make 50 bucks worth of difference? [Yes, I'm a penny pincher on a school teacher's budget]

 

[cisco]

If your not going to overclock and even if you are, the best bet would be the 6600 it has more cache and will always outperform the 6400 at the same clock speed.
You might check newegg.com for the 6400, they have it for around 220.00 shipped.
I have the 6400 and love it, however if I had it to do over again I would have spent the extra $ and got the 6600 because of the larger L2 cache. However the price for performance is tough to beat with the 6400.



E6400
Evga 680i SLI
2gigs Corsair 6400C4
XFX 8800 GTS
2x74gig raptors
SeaSonic S12 Energy Plus PSU

 

[epsilon84]

At those prices the E6600 is the better buy. It is an incredibly low price for the E6600 but the E6400 price is inflated somewhat.

 

[cisco]

They both OC well. But I think you can get to around 3.3-3.4ghz with the 6600 and 3.0-3.1 with the 6400. Maybe higher if you have enough cooling.

 

[jkflipflop98]

You want the 6600. The extra cache will help you out for video editing.

 

[sactogw]

Awesome responses! Looks like I'll go the 6600 route (with a Gigabyte 965P-S3 and the Corsair XMS2pro 6400). If the extra cache will help with the video, the extra 50 bucks will have been well spent.
Fry's has the 6600 at $297 with free shipping, and it is not listed as a sale price. There are no sale dates, so I hope that means that they have dropped the price down there for good -- until further reductions. The 6400 is 220 before tax, and I did see it on Newegg with free shipping. I can wait no longer than the middle of February, so we'll see what happens between now and then -- although, supposedly, the 6600 will be dropping to the 230-240 range in the spring [this may be just a rumor]. Thanks for the heads up, and keep your eyes on those price drops!
edit: Cali pays sales tax through Fry's. Booooo! I should have remembered this, because I got the hardrive for this system from them (300gb SATA Maxtor). If Newegg has no tax for CA orders of this CPU, the prices are almost exactly the same.

 

[mrbuzz]

Yep spend the extra $50 and grab the 6600.

 

[gOJDO]

If the difference is $57, take the E6600. It is 20% more expencive, but it performs 20% faster also.