Which CPU is best for me?

I want to run one dedicated server client, and still be able to use my computer as I regularly do (web browsing, gaming).
I have 200 - 300 dollars.
Would the E8500 dual-core be best, or would a quadcore be better?

Message edited by ptto911 on 09-05-2009 at 02:33:24 AM

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quad core would be better for that heavy multitasking

------------------------------ E8500 oc'd 4.5 @ 1.44 vcore with 92mm Zalman
ATI 4850 oc'd 680/1158 with aftermarket Zalman
Asus P5Q Pro mobo
2 gigs 800 Corsair ram @ 4-4-4-12
Reply to werxen

Does this 200-250 include the price of the mobo?

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Reply to bige420

Dream on boy..........what do you think you can get for 200 dollars?
Obviously a quad core will be better but what kind of connection do you have to the world?
If you're cable then don't worry about it but if you're 5Mbps or higher then maybe look at some higher speeds.

------------------------------ Intel C2D E8400 @3.0GHZ, Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3L motherboard, 4GB OCZ vista platinum DDR2-1066 , Seagate320GBsataII 16MB HDD, BFG GTS250oc 512 GDDR3...3Dvision glasses and samsung 120HZ screen.
Reply to johnnyq1233

The cheapest S775 quad core CPU that newegg has is the Q8200 at $150. A Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3L is about $90 the last time I checked.

OTOH, I know how well a Q9550 works. I have no idea if a Q8200 is powerful enough for your purposes.

Reply to jsc

bige420 wrote :

Does this 200-250 include the price of the mobo?

Motherboard? I have to buy a new motherboard too?

Reply to ptto911

Tell us what you currently have, then we can tell you if you will need a new motherboard.

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Reply to Boxa786

Boxa786 wrote :

Tell us what you currently have, then we can tell you if you will need a new motherboard.

What I have is an eMachines W3609
[url=http://www.emachines.com/support/product_support.html?cat=Desktops&subcat=W%20Series&model=W3609][/url]
upgraded with 2GB RAM and a PCIe video card.

Reply to ptto911

Well, that's a 945G chipset you got there. At least it's an LGA775 system rather than a socket 478. Anyway the chances of your motherboard accepting a modern processor are slim to none. You can check the dark corners of the internet to see if you can find a CPU support list for that thing, or you can just get a new motherboard

ASRock A780LM AM2+/AM2 AMD RS780L $54.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157153

And a 940 BE to overclock with

AMD Phenom II X4 940 $174.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103471

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megamanx00 wrote :

Well, that's a 945G chipset you got there. At least it's an LGA775 system rather than a socket 478. Anyway the chances of your motherboard accepting a modern processor are slim to none. You can check the dark corners of the internet to see if you can find a CPU support list for that thing, or you can just get a new motherboard

ASRock A780LM AM2+/AM2 AMD RS780L $54.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813157153

And a 940 BE to overclock with

AMD Phenom II X4 940 $174.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103471

I want it to work with Intel processors though.
All I want to know is what Intel processor and compatible motherboard to buy for my purposes, without spending a fortune.

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Message edited by ptto911 on 09-04-2009 at 06:04:14 AM

Reply to ptto911

ptto911 wrote :

I want it to work with Intel processors though.
All I want to know is what Intel processor and compatible motherboard to buy for my purposes, without spending a fortune.

I am curious as to why you insist on Intel CPUs. Right now, Intel is really only a better choice if you have a large budget and want the highest performance. Intel's CPUs are more expensive than AMD's and so are motherboards that fit Intel's CPUs. The least expensive Intel quad-core is the 2.33 GHz, 4 MB L2 Q8200 and costs $150. The least-expensive AMD quad is the $109 2.3 GHz Phenom X2 9650. Performance should be pretty similar and either CPU should be fine for you. The only difference is that you can easily find a motherboard compatible with the Phenom 9650 for $100 and hit your $200 target, but your budget is shot with the Q8200.

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------------------------------ Upcoming Overdue Build: Dual-socket workstation, ~32 GB DDR3, OS on a fast SSD, high-end GPU, all wrapped up in a huge tower case. Coming H2 2011.

Yes, I am actually still running the Pentium III 1.0B Coppermine in the picture.
Reply to MU_Engineer

MU_Engineer wrote :

I am curious as to why you insist on Intel CPUs. Right now, Intel is really only a better choice if you have a large budget and want the highest performance. Intel's CPUs are more expensive than AMD's and so are motherboards that fit Intel's CPUs. The least expensive Intel quad-core is the 2.33 GHz, 4 MB L2 Q8200 and costs $150. The least-expensive AMD quad is the $109 2.3 GHz Phenom X2 9650. Performance should be pretty similar and either CPU should be fine for you. The only difference is that you can easily find a motherboard compatible with the Phenom 9650 for $100 and hit your $200 target, but your budget is shot with the Q8200.

What if I said 200 - 300?

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Reply to ptto911

ptto911 wrote :

What if I said 200 - 300?

Phenom 810 / ECS 785g AM3 / 2Gb Crucial DDR3 1333: $260 ($242 after rebate)

I've done mobo replacements on eMachines without reinstalling/purchasing Windows but this was only with a similar chipset (and XP).

A copy of OEM Vista Home basic is $85.

You may stay under $300 with a Gigabyte GA-MA74GM-S2 740g, Phenom 810 and OEM Vista (assuming you can reuse your DDR2).

Going with AM3, however, gives you more room for future 'improvements'.

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Reply to wisecracker

wisecracker wrote :

Phenom 810 / ECS 785g AM3 / 2Gb Crucial DDR3 1333: $260 ($242 after rebate)

I've done mobo replacements on eMachines without reinstalling/purchasing Windows but this was only with a similar chipset (and XP).

A copy of OEM Vista Home basic is $85.

You may stay under $300 with a Gigabyte GA-MA74GM-S2 740g, Phenom 810 and OEM Vista (assuming you can reuse your DDR2).

Going with AM3, however, gives you more room for future 'improvements'.

If I got an Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 for $319 and a good motherboard for it, would I not have to reinstall any software/drivers or Windows Vista?

Message edited by ptto911 on 09-05-2009 at 05:37:19 PM

Reply to ptto911

New motherboard = reinstall everything, that means reinstall Windows, drivers and software.

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Reply to Boxa786

Boxa786 wrote :

New motherboard = reinstall everything, that means reinstall Windows, drivers and software.

That's a misleading statement. You should have little or no problems upgrading from an Intel chipset to an Intel chipset. I've done it several times and I never ran into an issue that forced me to reinstall XP, Vista, Windows Server 2008 or Windows 7. You'll have to reinstall Intel, sound and Ethernet drivers, but that's about it. Just in case, make a complete backup before the upgrade.

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Reply to GhislainG

GhislainG wrote :

That's a misleading statement. You should have little or no problems upgrading from an Intel chipset to an Intel chipset. I've done it several times and I never ran into an issue that forced me to reinstall XP, Vista, Windows Server 2008 or Windows 7. You'll have to reinstall Intel, sound and Ethernet drivers, but that's about it. Just in case, make a complete backup before the upgrade.

Ok.

Reply to ptto911

ptto911 wrote :

What if I said 200 - 300?

You could do a Q8200 build pretty easily with a budget of $300. I don't personally have much experience with current LGA775 motherboards, so somebody else will have to recommend you one. I am sure you can get a decent one for less than $150 and keep your budget.

Message quoted 1 times

------------------------------ Upcoming Overdue Build: Dual-socket workstation, ~32 GB DDR3, OS on a fast SSD, high-end GPU, all wrapped up in a huge tower case. Coming H2 2011.

Yes, I am actually still running the Pentium III 1.0B Coppermine in the picture.
Reply to MU_Engineer

MU_Engineer wrote :

You could do a Q8200 build pretty easily with a budget of $300. I don't personally have much experience with current LGA775 motherboards, so somebody else will have to recommend you one. I am sure you can get a decent one for less than $150 and keep your budget.

Ok, so I'll need an Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 processor, a compatible motherboard, and RAM. I'd better start saving up...

Reply to ptto911

Yes its possible to simply install new motherboard and not have to reinstall windows, but for a begginer its something I would recommend.

He will need to know exactly what he has atm and exactly what the new motherboard has.

ptto - If you do want to risk it, I recommend you post here what your current motherboard make and model is, and as Ghislain said, what chipset it has, as well as a link to the new motherboard you wish to purchase.

This way we can tell you if itl be the same chipset and you can try simply installing new motherboard without reinstalling windows, at this point, making sure you backup first just in case.

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by Boxa786 on 09-06-2009 at 01:44:06 AM

Reply to Boxa786

Boxa786 wrote :

If you do want to risk it, I recommend you post here what your current motherboard make and model is, and as Ghislain said, what chipset it has, as well as a link to the new motherboard you wish to purchase.
This way we can tell you if itl be the same chipset and you can try simply installing new motherboard without reinstalling windows, at this point, making sure you backup first just in case.

I don't know the exact motherboard it has, but all of the specifications are here:
http://www.emachines.com/support/p [...] odel=W3609

Reply to ptto911

It doesnt show what motherboard you have. It could be there own made motherboard, but

Luckily it states the chipset : Chipset : Intel® 945G

So look for a motherboard with that chipset... Let Ghislain confirm that, as I have always done a fresh install when installing a new motherboard.

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to Boxa786

Boxa786 wrote :

It doesnt show what motherboard you have. It could be there own made motherboard, but

Luckily it states the chipset : Chipset : Intel® 945G

So look for a motherboard with that chipset... Let Ghislain confirm that, as I have always done a fresh install when installing a new motherboard.

I don't know about the chipset, because I did a search on Intel.com and it showed that these are compatible with it:
http://processormatch.intel.com/Co [...] cNbr=Q9650

Reply to ptto911

I think the best you can do with Intel 945 s775 is e2xxx.

You are asking for big trouble with a significant motherboard upgrade. Good luck with validation.

You will have to lie.

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to wisecracker

wisecracker wrote :

I think the best you can do with Intel 945 s775 is e2xxx.

You are asking for big trouble with a significant motherboard upgrade. Good luck with validation.

You will have to lie.

Lie to who?

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by ptto911 on 09-06-2009 at 05:18:00 AM

Reply to ptto911

ptto911 wrote :

Lie to who?

Quote :

"" OEM licenses are good as long as they remain on the computer onto which they were first installed. OEM licenses are not permitted to be moved to any other computer. For the purposes of defining what a computer is, since computers are just a collection of parts, the motherboard has been established by MS as the base or defining component.

Any hardware can be changed without "losing your license." If the motherboard is to be changed it can only be changed for the purposes of replacing a defective motherboard with the same or manufacturer's equivalent motherboard. Changing the motherboard for perfomance or compatibility reasons constitutes a new computer, to which the OEM license is not permitted to be transfered. ""

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to wisecracker

wisecracker wrote :

Quote :

"" OEM licenses are good as long as they remain on the computer onto which they were first installed. OEM licenses are not permitted to be moved to any other computer. For the purposes of defining what a computer is, since computers are just a collection of parts, the motherboard has been established by MS as the base or defining component.

Any hardware can be changed without "losing your license." If the motherboard is to be changed it can only be changed for the purposes of replacing a defective motherboard with the same or manufacturer's equivalent motherboard. Changing the motherboard for perfomance or compatibility reasons constitutes a new computer, to which the OEM license is not permitted to be transfered. ""

Doesn't everyone get new motherboard's though? I'll get a tech to help me...

Reply to ptto911

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