Upgrade Q6600 or Buy New i7 920?

[kufan64]

I find myself in a crappy situation. I am currently using the follwing PC for home use: (mostly for video games with a lot of internet browsing and some music listening thrown in)

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4GHz Q6600 (no overclocking)
Mobo: Intel DP35DP
RAM: 2x2GB OCZ Platinum DDR2 800
HDD's: 1x WD Caviar Blue 500GB (for OS) and 2x WD Caviar Black 500GB (Raid 0, for applications/storage)
PSU: NSpire PSH650V
Video Card: EVGA 8800GT
Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS
OS: Windows Vista x64 (eventually I want to dual boot with XP)
Case: Antec P182


Not a terrible system, except for the PSU, which I plan to replace with a Corsair 850TX as soon as I have the $$$. The RAM, HDD's, and the case are all new. (I upgraded a few months ago)

I was planning to overclock it to bring out it's inner beast, and to keep me happy until i7's dropped in price, or until they released something better... but then I made a frustrating discovery. My motherboard isn't capable of overclocking... (sigh)

So now I have a choice to make, I can either purchase a new motherboard and a CPU cooler (the stock cooler probably won't be enough after I overclock it) for my current setup, or I can upgrade to an i7 920.


I'd already picked out the parts for this new PC below:

CPU: Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz
Mobo: ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 X58
RAM: 3x2GB Corsair XMS3 DDR3 1333


Basically, I want to know what you think. Is it worth getting a new motherboard/CPU cooler for my current setup, or should I just count my losses and spring for the i7 gear?

PS: Please forgive me if I should have posted this in another forum. I didn't really know where it should go; seeing as how it mostly has to do with CPU's, I chose here.

 

[one-shot]

That is the same issue I'm facing. My system is aging with multithreaded apps and i7 sounds great. My friend has a Q6600 at stock speeds and my E6750 @ 3.7Ghz is usually faster than his in most applications. The CPU, Board and RAM all look great. That is also the same setup I'm looking at. I just have to sell my current CPU/Mobo/RAM first. Go for the i7 and sell your current CPU/Mobo/RAM.

 

[kufan64]

It's nice to hear that someone's in the same boat as me. Hahaha.

I was leaning toward the i7 myself... I have been looking into new video cards too, but there's SOOOO friggin many that everytime I try to look up reviews and find the ones I want, I just get overwhelmed and quit. I'm interested in SLI or Multi-GPU configurations, but like I said, I don't know where to begin.

 

[alvine]

@kufan64
your psu is fine, you dont need bigger psu for your components when you get the $$$ buy an aftermarket heatsink and overclock your q6600.

they are very overclockable I got mine to 3.4ghz easily and it works like a charm
I can help you with overclocking and give you settings that I use

Now I will quote a review from newegg
"Basically, if you already own a Quad Core Q6600 or a higher end Dual Core CPU, upgrading to this won't improve your performance by a great degree. Also factoring in $200+ for a motherboard and 3 sticks of DDR3 memory, this setup could cost more than it's worth. If your an advanced user who runs software that utilizes the multiple cores of your CPU, such as VMware or other, you will notice the performance enhancements to a greater degree. In my opinion, most regular users and gamers would be better served buying a Q6600 and a bargain motherboard which will produce similar results at half the cost. Wait until next year when prices come down substantially."

As for myself I will not upgrade till 32nm processors will come out to get nice improvement for my money haha

@one-shot
in benchmarks core i7 shines when you use multiple graphic cars/1680x1050+ resolution. I would check my motherboard and see if its compatible with lga 775 quads and would get the q9550 and overclock it. In game benchmarks the 920 and q9550 run equally when you use single gpu. Save the money and get the q9550 dont change the whole system and wait for 32nm cpus to come out

/myfivecents

 

[kufan64]

@alvine
I've been trying to keep on top of upcoming and new technology, but I have to admit, I don't know what a 32nm cpu is...

As for my PSU... I know my voltages are good, but to be honest I don't trust the brand when it comes to overclocking. It has held up well for a couple of years, but with the added stress of overclocking, I fear it could fail and take my whole system with it. That was my logic for dropping over $100 on a new one before upgrading to either the i7, or overclocking my Q6600.

Another reason I am reluctant to buy a new motherboard AND a new heatsink for my Q6600, is mainly the fact that the Q6600 will become outdated sooner, will never be as fast, and I'll have to drop another couple hundred dollers into it.

 

[alvine]

@kufan64

I have to agree when you overclock you need a good powersupply, if you dont trust it then get a better one. I was running raidmax 530w with exact same specs. It was funny because when i had my quad overclocked to 3.4ghz i coudnt have my card stable at overclocked settings and when i backed off overclock on the cpu the card was stable haha then I knew I just needed more juice

To answer your question there will be 32nm cpus coming out, what is 32nm you ask? Its the size of transistors that make up the processor. Q6600 uses 64nm transistors making it run hot, need a lot of power. q9450/q9550/e8400/intel core 7 use 45nm transistors meaning they are smaller and they need less energy making them run cooler and allowing you hit higher overlocks. So when 32nm intels come out (q4 2009 / q1 2010) they will simply rn cooler and give us higher speeds so from my analogy its not worth to upgrade from 64nm to 45nm but to skip it and wait for 32nm and see the difference

And no you cannot stay on top of technology there is always something new coming out around the corner, just think about what do you use your computer for and get the parts that will suit your needs and dont go for the bleeding edge best since you are paying premium (intel 965 costs grand) when you can back of a little and get a 920 for less then 300 bucks.

hope that helps and clears things out a little

 

[megamanx00]

If you have the money for the i7 system then I would go with that and use the old Q6600 in a backup system. If the expense is gonna be painful for you though, then just a get a good motherboard and heatsink. You'll spend like 120 on a good P45 board and 30 on decent heatsink. Hey $150 is alot easier to swallow ^_^. You'll definitely see a big improvement by overclocking that CPU and it should help you hold out till the next line of i7s come out.

 

[kufan64]

@alvine
Thanks for the info. Do you happen to have any more info about intel's next line of chips? I had heard about the core i5's, but from what I was able to gather, they will just be less powerful, more affordable versions of the i7's.

@megamanx00
Thanks for the opinion. I'm not exactly rolling in money, but I can afford it if it will guarentee no major upgrades for another few years. I know it's impossible to get hardware that will be top-of-the-line for more than a couple months... but I like making large jumps and spending quite a bit in a short amount of time as opposed to taking little steps and spending money constantly to keep it up to date... So I'm still not sure what to do

 

[htoonthura]

I recently upgraded from Q 6600 3.3 to core i7 920 (3.8). I7 does run faster and it is easy to oc. But, if you can, i would suggest you to hold off core i7. Instead oc your q6600 to 3.3 or 3.6. Day to day applications such as word, browsing and windows loading time are about the same. I can tell the difference in applications such as cs4, encoding and ripping. core i7 runs faster. Unless you are looking for a bragging right, just stick with q 6600 and oc it. If you like, upgrade your psu. Buy a cooler that is compatible with both socket 775 and 1366. That way, you will ready for core i7 system in the future.

In short, upgrade psu and cooler. Oc the bad boy to 3.3 or higher. I know how fast q6600 is at 3.3. you will not regret it.

 

[jennyh]

I would agree with the last poster.

If you do nothing except benchmark or video work all day then sure you will see a performance increase by going to an i7. Otherwise, just overclock your Q6600 a little bit more.

For the average user, upgrading from a Q6600 to an i7 will leave you wondering if you actually did upgrade at all.

 

[mlcloud]

htoonthura, if you read his post, you'll learn that his motherboard is apparently incapable of overclocking. Talk about impotent, rofl.

@kufan64
Let's see, do you pay ~$250 for a new motherboard, power supply, and heatsink for an approximate 1ghz boost in performance, or do you pay .... what, $700? For a new x58 motherboard, i7 920, heatsink, PSU, and RAM for a substantial boost in multi-threaded applications and a minor boost in games and other common apps?

I'd honestly sit tight with the new motherboard (and new PSU, if you insist that your current one is incompetent) and overclock the Q6600 and just sit tight and watch how the computing world unfolds.

 

[kufan64]

@htoonthura
I was looking for both 775 and 1336 compatible CPU coolers, but was having trouble finding a good one. Do you know of any in particular that you'd recommend?

@jennyh
Thank you for the input. I've done a little research, and from what I can tell, the i7 isn't exactly a giant leap forward as far as game performance is concerned.

@mlcloud
I have to admit I lol'd at that impotent joke.
I may just take your advice and try sticking with the Q6600 for another year or so and see what awesome stuff comes out for me to buy...

Thank you everyone for the great feedback, I'd still like to hear other's opinions as to what you would do we're you in my situation, but now I find myself leaning toward the side of biting the bullet and buying a new mobo and cpu cooler for my current hardware.

 

[htoonthura]

If your motherboard can not oc, then i would try to sell the parts that you can not reuse it. In my opinion, it is not a wise move at all to spend more money on old platform.

 

[kufan64]

@htoonthura
Really? That's an interesting change of opinion. That's what I originally was thinking, but since i7 isn't too much better than current core 2 quads, I was thinking it might be a smarter move to get a little bit more life out of my current harware and wait for the next-gen processors to come out before getting any major upgrades.

Can you elaborate a little bit more on that?

 

[mlcloud]

Remember, it's always up to you though, because apparently you're forced to spend money either way. Just trying to take the weight of the decision off of my shoulders here

The Mugen 2 is a cooler compatible with both LGA 775 and 1366, and it really is a monster of a cooler. Ever heard of the TRUE 120 (ThermalRight Ultra Extreme 120), the kickass HSF that pretty much destroyed everything until stuff like the IFX-14 and V10 came out? Mugen 2 matches TRUE in terms of performance, and its very cheap.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185093

Question is, will it fit in your case? Your P182 comes out as 8.1inches deep while my NZXT Zero 2 comes out as 8.3 inches deep... however, I do have an inch (deep fan in the inside of the side of my case and the mugen 2 *still* fits. I think it may fit in your case!

Just my two cents.

 

[htoonthura]

@htoonthura
Really? That's an interesting change of opinion. That's what I originally was thinking, but since i7 isn't too much better than current core 2 quads, I was thinking it might be a smarter move to get a little bit more life out of my current harware and wait for the next-gen processors to come out before getting any major upgrades.

Can you elaborate a little bit more on that?

i7 does run faster. it all depends on the type of apps and your needs. stock i7 runs faster than overclocked q6600 at 3.3.

if you do not oc, you can stick with stock cooler.

If i were you, i will either

1. stick with what you have or
2. sell the old parts and jump to i7.

I just do not want to spend at all on dead socket. The money you spend on 775 socket will be a waste. If you have a tight budget or you can wait a little longer, just stick with what you have. Your system is not that bad actually.

But, if you have to upgrade now and have a tight budget, then buy at least a good psu, cooler and p 35 chipset board. make sure you buy the parts (psu and cooler) that can be reused in i7 system.

 

[apache_lives]

hold out till the i5's arive me thinks - thats what im going to do

i too have a Q6600 rig (@3.5ghz) - dont worry, were up with the Phenom II's and what not and can beat an i7 in some benches - the rigs are fine for now

 

[kufan64]

@mlcloud
lol... relax, I'm not going to flat out ask you to do this for me... I just like to hear others opinions so I know I'm not doing anything stupid.
I have seen the TRUE 120... a true behemoth of a HSF if ever I've seen one... I'll need to check to make sure I've got the clearance, but that mugen 2 looks great, and it's compatible with both 775 and 1336... nice find.

@htoonthura
I will be using my computer almost exclusively for gaming, with alot of internet surfing and some music listening thrown in. Me and you seem to think alike. Like I said, I originally didn't want to invest any more money on an outdated system. I bought the new HDD's and the case, and was going to buy a new PSU because they could all be used later when I upgraded. I bought the RAM because I only had 2x1GB Kingston economy RAM, it was cheap, and at the time, I thought I would be able to overclock my Q6600...

 

[kufan64]

@apache_lives
Do you happen to know anything in particular regarding the i5's?
Like I said earlier, I only know a little bit about them.

 

[htoonthura]

@mlcloud
lol... relax, I'm not going to flat out ask you to do this for me... I just like to hear others opinions so I know I'm not doing anything stupid.
I have seen the TRUE 120... a true behemoth of a HSF if ever I've seen one... I'll need to check to make sure I've got the clearance, but that mugen 2 looks great, and it's compatible with both 775 and 1336... nice find.

@htoonthura
I will be using my computer almost exclusively for gaming, with alot of internet surfing and some music listening thrown in. Me and you seem to think alike. Like I said, I originally didn't want to invest any more money on an outdated system. I bought the new HDD's and the case, and was going to buy a new PSU because they could all be used later when I upgraded. I bought the RAM because I only had 2x1GB Kingston economy RAM, it was cheap, and at the time, I thought I would be able to overclock my Q6600...

Only buy stuff that you need now. computer parts are cheaper and better. It will also be a waste when you buy stuff that you do not really need right now.

In your case, you do not need to buy psu and cooler if you stick to the current rig. Since you can not oc now, there is no need for a new psu or cooler. If you plan to change motherboard ( another 775) , then you would want to buy psu and cooler that can be reused in i7 rig. It is your call.

 

[one-shot]

If you sell your old parts for ~$200-$250, then an i7 system will be much cheaper. As it stands now, an i7 system with Motherboard/CPU/RAM is about ~$600-$700. It makes it that much cheaper.

A decent P45 motherboard is ~$140 for a Gigabyte UD3P. It's all what you want to spend. 775 is buy now keep for a few years. Socket 1366 will be here for a year or more so it is a better option if you upgrade frequently.

So basically, if you don't plan to upgrade for a few years you may be better off buying a new motherboard for $140 and upgrade when the REAL CPU comes out...."Sandy Bridge" or even "Ivy Bridge" in Q4 2010-Q4 2011. Google them if you are unsure about those name.

//Edited to make it easier to read

 

[kufan64]

Wow you guys, just wow. I can't thank you enough for all the information... I only posted this a few hours ago, and I've just been bombarded with great opinions and suggestions and information that have helped me to understand the situation so much better.

The possible root of my misunderstandings may come from the fact that I didn't fully understand modern chip manufacturing. I went from a Pentium 4 to my Q6600, which was a massive improvement, but that's because it was completely new technology. From what I was able to gather, Core i7 isn't so much new tech, as it is an upgrade/redesign of current Core 2 Quad processors, and an evolutionary stepping stone. (triple channeled DDR3, integrated memory controller, no FSB, etc.) It's better, sure, but it isn't the massive leap forward like I got from my jump from the Pentium 4. The massive leap forward that I am looking for will most likely be from the "Sandy Bridge" processor that apparently will use all new technology.

Have I at least grasped the general idea?
(God I hope so...)

If this is in fact the case, then I think I will upgrade and overclock my current rig and it should serve me well through 2010, about the time when "Sandy Bridge" should be headed to retail.

Here's what I plan to buy: (assuming I have correctly understood what I have learned)

Mobo: ??? (see below)
CPU HSF: ??? (see below)
PSU: Corsair 850TX

I could use some suggestions on good mobos and HSF's that are compatible with the rest of my hardware.

I looked into these, but I'd like some more suggestions:
Mobo:
Gigabyte UD3P (I think several posters have suggested this one... and it looks like it is probably the best value for the price of any 775 board on newegg...)
CPU HSF:
Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro (this thing has over 3,000 reviews... it has to be good by my logic. lol)
Mugen 2 (compatible with both 775 and 1336... also apparently a very nice cooler)

 

[gkay09]

I find myself in a crappy situation. I am currently using the follwing PC for home use: (mostly for video games with a lot of internet browsing and some music listening thrown in)

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4GHz Q6600 (no overclocking)
Mobo: Intel DP35DP
RAM: 2x2GB OCZ Platinum DDR2 800
HDD's: 1x WD Caviar Blue 500GB (for OS) and 2x WD Caviar Black 500GB (Raid 0, for applications/storage)
PSU: NSpire PSH650V
Video Card: EVGA 8800GT
Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS
OS: Windows Vista x64 (eventually I want to dual boot with XP)
Case: Antec P182


Not a terrible system, except for the PSU, which I plan to replace with a Corsair 850TX as soon as I have the $$$. The RAM, HDD's, and the case are all new. (I upgraded a few months ago)

I was planning to overclock it to bring out it's inner beast, and to keep me happy until i7's dropped in price, or until they released something better... but then I made a frustrating discovery. My motherboard isn't capable of overclocking... (sigh)

So now I have a choice to make, I can either purchase a new motherboard and a CPU cooler (the stock cooler probably won't be enough after I overclock it) for my current setup, or I can upgrade to an i7 920.


I'd already picked out the parts for this new PC below:

CPU: Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHz
Mobo: ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 X58
RAM: 3x2GB Corsair XMS3 DDR3 1333


Basically, I want to know what you think. Is it worth getting a new motherboard/CPU cooler for my current setup, or should I just count my losses and spring for the i7 gear?

PS: Please forgive me if I should have posted this in another forum. I didn't really know where it should go; seeing as how it mostly has to do with CPU's, I chose here.

Well the most logical option would be the new mobo + CPU Cooler...
If you are able to spend around $100, then get the CPU Cooler option, which was given by mcloud
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185093

Adn instead of spending $140 on LGA 775, get this mobo with a single pcie slot...
Reason :
1. The $140 mobo does have 2 pcie slots but you have 8800GT and you cant SLI on that mobo...
2. This $80 mobo has very good OC options in BIOS and you can get the Q6600 to hit 3.2 to 3.4 with that CPU cooler...
3. This mobo and you graphics card can hold up until end of year, by which intel would launch new CPU(Mayb even AMD) and both nvidia and ATI would launch their new GPUs...So then upgrade the whole PC... "Resist the Temptation "
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128380

And for your setup theoretically your PSU should do fine even after you OC your CPU...But like you said the quality is not so good and it can cause stability issues...
So if you buy a new high quality PSU, it can be used for the future setup too...

 

[one-shot]

If you want high overclocks, then the Gigabyte P45 UD3P is a no brainer. However, you also needs a new CPU cooler if you plan to overclock.

Here is the motherboard. The Gigabyte P45 UD3P

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358

Here is the CPU cooler, which I personally own and any people will agree it is very good. It is a Xigmatek HDT-S1283

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003

and the highly recommended retention bracket and it will also work for Socket 1366 which is what Core i7 uses.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233027

All of this comes out to $181.97 and is much cheaper than spending $600+ for marginal gains.

 

[gkay09]

^ Nice CPU cooler...

But I would again say spending $140 over that mobo when a $80 mobo can do the job, is not a good option...
Am not saying that the mobo is bad ...actually it is one of the best P45 out there...but as you want a temporary solution, then you should get a good cheap stable component that could do the job...
And I have given the reason for the same on my previous post...