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The best CPU for a SLI 8800GTX system

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bloodandsoil   03-21-2007 at 04:07:01 AM

Hi I'm helping a friend build a PC with a budget of $4000. He wants the ultimate gaming PC. I have suggested an Asus Stryker motherboard with dual 8800GTX. My question is which CPU would be the best to power this setup? From what I can tell it would be either the Core 2 Extreme QX6700 2.66GHz or the Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz. Any suggestions? Thanks.

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ajfink   03-21-2007 at 04:14:12 AM
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Quote :

Hi I'm helping a friend build a PC with a budget of $4000. He wants the ultimate gaming PC. I have suggested an Asus Stryker motherboard with dual 8800GTX. My question is which CPU would be the best to power this setup? From what I can tell it would be either the Core 2 Extreme QX6700 2.66GHz or the Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz. Any suggestions? Thanks.



QX6700 or X6800.

I'd go with the former.

Reply to ajfink
bloodandsoil   03-21-2007 at 04:17:03 AM
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Don't see EX6800 on Newegg...

Reply to bloodandsoil
dasickninja   03-21-2007 at 04:18:05 AM
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Wait till April 22 when Intel drops the prices to ungodly low levels and get the Q6600 at around $500.

Reply to dasickninja
bloodandsoil   03-21-2007 at 04:21:17 AM
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DaSickNinja: My friend does not want to wait. He has the money now and wants to buy now. So, what is currently (within budget of $4000) THE BEST CPU to power a SLI 8800GTX system? Thanks.

Reply to bloodandsoil
bloodandsoil   03-21-2007 at 04:24:07 AM
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Quote :

EX6800.



Did you mean the X6800? What's the EX6800?

Reply to bloodandsoil
Heyyou27   03-21-2007 at 04:27:16 AM
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Get the QX6700 and overclock it a bit; both the X6800 and QX6700 are $970 on newegg, but no one in the right mind would choose a dual core over a quad core.

Reply to Heyyou27
dasickninja   03-21-2007 at 04:27:32 AM
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X6800 is the best gaming CPU. Hands down. But the QX6700 is a quad core, which is better for the future... go figure.

Reply to dasickninja
ajfink   03-21-2007 at 04:29:03 AM
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Quote :

EX6800.



Did you mean the X6800? What's the EX6800?

Yup, I added an extra "E." Will fix.

Reply to ajfink
dragonsprayer   03-21-2007 at 04:30:22 AM
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e6600 3.2ghz, to 3.5 with 1.45-1.5v
or qx6700 its unlocked for $100 more the q6600 3.4-3.6ghz

amd2 or amd 5200+ you can get 3ghz

at 1.4-1.45 v


i would not spend the money for x6800 even though i have one, the x6800 is not the best gamming chip. the qx6700 is better for some games. and as time goes it will be better.

Quote :

X6800 is the best gaming CPU. Hands down. But the QX6700 is a quad core, which is better for the future... go figure.


this is true for majority of games but not all

Reply to dragonsprayer
nightscope   03-21-2007 at 04:32:22 AM
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qx6700. Has four cores which insures that it will last for a reasonable time. The only advantage the x6800 has over the qx6700 is the higher mhz, but you can EASILY overclock the qx6700 to the same speeds and still have the advantage of having four cores. Not long from now, many games will be released that will take advantage of all the cores. Ex. Crysis.

Reply to nightscope
Luminaris   03-21-2007 at 04:38:57 AM
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Quote :

Hi I'm helping a friend build a PC with a budget of $4000. He wants the ultimate gaming PC. I have suggested an Asus Stryker motherboard with dual 8800GTX. My question is which CPU would be the best to power this setup? From what I can tell it would be either the Core 2 Extreme QX6700 2.66GHz or the Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz. Any suggestions? Thanks.



Me personally, I would go with the Q6600. Make sure he's got triple phase electric run to his house and he's near a nuclear power plant. :wink: just kidding

Reply to Luminaris
ajfink   03-21-2007 at 04:47:20 AM
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Quote :

An SLI GTX system will be bottlenecked even by an X6800 at resolutions upt to 1600x1200. You will want to overclock your CPU.

The QX6700 is a good option, it will OC to about 3.3 GHz without much problem, gives you future power when multicore games come on line, and should drive the GTX SLI setup very well.

Personally, I was thinking SLI myself on this GPU, but after playing with a single card.... SLI would be way overkill at this point. I would suggest going single GTX for now, and when games demand it get another card (likely be cheaper by then).

Jack



I'm with JJ on this one. SLI is rarely a good choice.

Your friend's impatience is going to bite him. R600 and price cuts on the way, and all that...

Reply to ajfink
markish   03-21-2007 at 07:02:39 AM
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2bad your friend is so bent on buying it now because im planning to spend just as much as he is but waiting until i see what ATI's new dx10 card has to offer and the drastic intel price cuts.

Reply to markish
shinigamiX   03-21-2007 at 10:15:13 AM
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A straight answer to your question would be the QX6700.
If you ask me, however, I'd recommend your friend wait about 2 months, since by then prices will have gone down and ATI will possibly have released its R600.

Reply to shinigamiX
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