Q9550 or Q9650?

[johnyeah]

I'm upgrading from my current E6550 to either a Q9550 or Q9650 for encoding applications. My motherboard prevents me from doing any overclocking (it's an reliable ECS board, but just can't overclock for ....). I'm not planning to upgrade to an i7 because that means I pretty much have to switch out my system paying an additional $400 for minor differences.

My question is that I can get the Q9550 at $275 or the Q9650 at $330, which should I get?

Performance difference between the Q9550 is small compared with the Q9650, but the Q9650 currently sells at $500 but I found a deal for $330.

 

[blackpanther26]

I would get the $330 Q9650. But I would like to know where are they seling Q9650's at $330? Also you are garentied an EO stepping with the Q9650.

 

[johnyeah]

It's from mwave.com.
I've ordered from them before and they're pretty reliable.

 

[blackpanther26]

i wish I had money. Should not have paid for the case or any of the stuf first. O well.

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

Get the Q9550 and a cheap motherboard and OVERCLOCK!!!!

 

[jsc]

I have an ECS motherboard. It came free with a Q6600 that I bought from Fry's. If yours is like mine, it is more accurate to say "very limited overclocking abilities".

I put my old E6600 in it. Defaulted to 2.4 GHz with whatever factory vcore it selected. I can select FSB speeds of 266, 333, and 400 MHz. I selected 333 MHz. FSB. So my E6600 is running quite nicely (successful 24 hour Orthos test) at 3.0 GHz at factory vcore.

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

I bought a board once for a build that was shipped back the same day working. Instead of being able to choose voltage settings I got to choose between a 10%, 20%, and 30% boost in voltage... absolutely terrible. Atleast the FSB was manually settable.

 

[snarfies]

I've ordered from mwave in the past. No problems there.

I'd just get the 9550. The speed difference will be VERY minor, probably not noticible, and probably not worth the extra $55. Especially when you can overclock (if that's how you like to roll).

 

[runmymouth]

intel dropped prices, thats why he paid 330.... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115130 for new egg too.