Is Extreme processor worth it without water cooling?

[Thatoneguy4]

I am saving money to get one of the new Core i7's when they come out and was wondering if it would be worth getting the extreme edition if I wasn't going to have water cooling?

I have had water cooled systems in the past and I stopped using them since one sprang a leak and flushed about $2000 worth of hardware down the toilet.

That was a sad day.

 

[shadowthor]

It should be fine for air cooling, considering it has an unlocked multiplier, so no worries, unless you overclock to the extreme and require water cooling to have reasonable temps.

 

[itadakimasu]

i would spend $1000 or more on a processor if.....



it did the laundry, dishes, or both.

 

[themyrmidon]

You have your camp that swears by EE's, then you have people like me and itadakimasu who wouldn't pay $1000 for a processor even if it ran Crysis on very high with full AA.

 

[roadrunner197069]

I would never pay for an extreme either.

The current line of CPUs overclock just as good and as high as the Extreme CPUS.

Besides when you up the FSB on a locked multiplier you get a faster overall system then a extreme with a lower FSB.

 

[spuddyt]

I would, if I could afford it and not give a **** (maybe when I'm a top flight lawyer ) (hah, like that'll ever happen )

 

[helios2052]

I wouldn't bother with an Extreme Edition. Normal CPUs overclock just as well and you will have tons of money left over to upgrade GPUs, PSU, Etc...

 

[Crashman]

Look at what's on the market now: Two processors with identical cores, made on the same production technology, most likely from the same portion of the same silicon wafer. One is labeled Q9650 and cost $550, the other is labeled QX9650 and cost $1050. The differences? The QX has it's mulitiplier unlucked upwards, and it cost $500 more.

You don't need unlocked multipliers to overclock, so makes an "Extreme" processor worth so much more money? Nada.