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[Solved] What CPU is better..

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Best answer from Twoboxer.

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Alright, these two CPU's are the exact same price ($256) Australian.


They are:

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
https://www.instantpcshop.com.au/pc [...] uctID=2366

Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400
https://www.instantpcshop.com.au/pc [...] uctID=2368



I'm making a new build.
It will be mainly used for...
Burning DVD's, General Operations (Moving files to drives), Gaming.


What are your thoughts everyone?
Which one should I go with.

Assuming you run them stock, sometimes the E8400 will be better, sometimes the Q8400 will be better. If you use your PC for mostly one intensive, non-multithreaded activity at a time, the E8400 will be better more often.

But the i5 750 will be a lot better than either. Check the prices in your area. This is a new socket, and the beginning of a new line of cpus, not an old line from either manufacturer. In the US, the price difference would be small.

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Q8400. However 775 is a dying socket. you better buy amds AM3 and pII

Reply to szymek

Personally I would rather have the Q8400, 2 more cores to me is a better deal than a faster clock speed. However like szymek said, there will be no new processors for socket 775, you'll be replacing your whold system if you decide to upgrade again. Which is actually another reason to choose the quad vs dual since the future is leading towards multithreaded applications.

However if you went AMD, their socket AM3 is current, and they have plans for an X6 series later next year, and who knows what else will be compatible with it.

Reply to loneninja

An i5 is going to take out both of those for just a little bit more and your still on Socket 775 at this price range? DDR3 can't be that expensive...

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by threednonsense on 09-11-2009 at 10:08:43 AM
Reply to threednonsense

775 is dead. Get an I5

------------------------------ Core I7 920 D0 @ 4.2Ghz
MSI X58 Pro-E
32GB SSD, WD Blacks In R0
Sapphire HD 5870's In XFire
Reply to PsychoSaysDie
Best answer

Assuming you run them stock, sometimes the E8400 will be better, sometimes the Q8400 will be better. If you use your PC for mostly one intensive, non-multithreaded activity at a time, the E8400 will be better more often.

But the i5 750 will be a lot better than either. Check the prices in your area. This is a new socket, and the beginning of a new line of cpus, not an old line from either manufacturer. In the US, the price difference would be small.

Reply to Twoboxer

i5's i7's are out of my budget, thats something you got to take into account.
If I go one of those, I would have to go DDR3 ect...
The snowball will just get better, costing more money.

Reply to Shappo

Shappo wrote :

i5's i7's are out of my budget, thats something you got to take into account.
If I go one of those, I would have to go DDR3 ect...
The snowball will just get better, costing more money.




Go with amd then. Buying a 775 chip is like burning money

------------------------------ Core I7 920 D0 @ 4.2Ghz
MSI X58 Pro-E
32GB SSD, WD Blacks In R0
Sapphire HD 5870's In XFire
Reply to PsychoSaysDie

If I was to go AMD..

I would go this motherboard
https://www.instantpcshop.com.au/pc [...] ductID=335

Then maybe with the Phenom ii X3 Triple Core.

Reply to Shappo

get Pentium 4, their cheap and will do very good, make sure u get the ones that support hyper threading.

nah, get the Quad Core, more cores same price, better performance, less clock speed, but right now everything is about multi tasking and all games are (will mostly) support 4 cores and up, which will give you better performance than the Core 2 duo.

Reply to surda

Uhgh, well if I was to go Intel.. I would go 775.

But if AMD would be better in the future.. AMD would be the choice.

What do you guy's think about this motherboard:
https://www.instantpcshop.com.au/pc [...] ductID=335

Would it be good for a AMD build?

Reply to Shappo

what? no intel is better, in fact their core i5 processor is faster than their latest phenom and at a cheaper price.

but thats up to you.

Reply to surda

i5's and i7's are out of the equation.

I got a budget.

It's either the Intel E8400, Q8400.

Or

AMD
PHENOM II X4 Quad Core 810
PHENOM II X3 Triple Core 720

Reply to Shappo

surda wrote :

what? no intel is better, in fact their core i5 processor is faster than their latest phenom and at a cheaper price.

but thats up to you.



The overall cost of an i5 platform would still be higher than amd, for his needs a phenom ll x3 720be coupled with either an am3 or am2+ mobo would give him great multi tasking ability and gaming performance as well as good over clocking head room. That's the problem with the forums at tom's people will always reccomend the latest and greatest even for the most trivial tasks. Moving files to drives, burning dvd's and gaming do not require the latest quad core from intel. go with the 720BE and a cheap am3 mobo or am2+ if you want cheaper ddr 2 ram and you will be good to go as far as performance goes, 2 extra frames per second and 45 seconds less in did burning do not warrant an extra 50-100 dollars.

Reply to rooseveltdon

Yuck!!!

Let's just suggest him get a prebuilt. LOL!

Okay, on a serious note and to the op. Are you going to overclock?

Reply to threednonsense

rooseveltdon wrote :

The overall cost of an i5 platform would still be higher than amd, for his needs a phenom ll x3 720be coupled with either an am3 or am2+ mobo would give him great multi tasking ability and gaming performance as well as good over clocking head room. That's the problem with the forums at tom's people will always reccomend the latest and greatest even for the most trivial tasks. Moving files to drives, burning dvd's and gaming do not require the latest quad core from intel. go with the 720BE and a cheap am3 mobo or am2+ if you want cheaper ddr 2 ram and you will be good to go as far as performance goes, 2 extra frames per second and 45 seconds less in did burning do not warrant an extra 50-100 dollars.




Hey thanks for your imput.

So CPU: https://www.instantpcshop.com.au/pc [...] uctID=2328
Motherboard: https://www.instantpcshop.com.au/pc [...] ductID=335

There both very reasonable prices.

My GPU I'll be running with it will be a GTX260.
Here is the one i'm going for: https://www.instantpcshop.com.au/pc [...] uctID=1348


what you's think?

Reply to Shappo

rooseveltdon wrote :

The overall cost of an i5 platform would still be higher than amd, for his needs a phenom ll x3 720be coupled with either an am3 or am2+ mobo would give him great multi tasking ability and gaming performance as well as good over clocking head room. That's the problem with the forums at tom's people will always reccomend the latest and greatest even for the most trivial tasks. Moving files to drives, burning dvd's and gaming do not require the latest quad core from intel. go with the 720BE and a cheap am3 mobo or am2+ if you want cheaper ddr 2 ram and you will be good to go as far as performance goes, 2 extra frames per second and 45 seconds less in did burning do not warrant an extra 50-100 dollars.




See the thing is, ddr3 is becoming a standard as of now. So, recommending ddr2 is already like saying "Get socket 775". With the high speeds available but not necessarily needed in most motherboards, this is the perfect oppurtunity to take the advantage of new technology. i7 wasn't that good, sorry to say...

Also, If you can't afford ram like this then idk... ddr3 1600

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231277

It's not like you have to have ddr3 2000 but it ain't that expensive considering the speed.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231282

If he really wanted to save a lot of money, he'd get a budget Intel dual core cpu and overclock it.

@Shappo

You want to step up to the price range of an e8400 and q8400 and then you say you can't spend an extra 90 dollars? And I'm suggesting quality parts too. You could go with 1066 ddr3 and there's only really about a 50 dollar difference or less. Unless there's no availability for you then I see no reason not to get the i5 platform. The best possible scenario is a 30 dollar difference. Again, availability might be an issue.

That's like saying, I want to step up and pay the price for a mercedes but I can't afford any of the optional features.... That's ridiculous.


Message edited by threednonsense on 09-11-2009 at 11:21:15 AM
Reply to threednonsense

Grgh, well... I got problem, the site i'm using for parts is:
http://www.interwebcomputers.com.au/

I don't think they sell i5's.

Reply to Shappo

The AMD phenom II 720 x3 was actually the best option mentioned so far for the price. I'd go with that and a decent motherboard under 100 dollars. Although, I must mention that I'm assuming that your not overclocking since you didn't really mention or take notice to it.


Message edited by threednonsense on 09-11-2009 at 11:55:09 AM
Reply to threednonsense

Alright, well I took into account about the i5.
And understand where the old sockets are leading.

I am also supprised that i5's are only a bit more.

I supose it is worth it in the long run.

So you suggest a socket 1156 build for me?

Reply to Shappo

threednonsense wrote :

An i5 is going to take out both of those for just a little bit more and your still on Socket 775 at this price range? DDR3 can't be that expensive...




Fail.

------------------------------ Phenom II 955@3,808GHz HT-2380MHz, NB-2380MHz|6GB OCZ Gold DDR3 1600Mhz|Powercolor Ati HD4890|1TB WD Black Caviar|M4A78T-E
Reply to Cryslayer80

rooseveltdon wrote :

The overall cost of an i5 platform would still be higher than amd, for his needs a phenom ll x3 720be coupled with either an am3 or am2+ mobo would give him great multi tasking ability and gaming performance as well as good over clocking head room. That's the problem with the forums at tom's people will always reccomend the latest and greatest even for the most trivial tasks. Moving files to drives, burning dvd's and gaming do not require the latest quad core from intel. go with the 720BE and a cheap am3 mobo or am2+ if you want cheaper ddr 2 ram and you will be good to go as far as performance goes, 2 extra frames per second and 45 seconds less in did burning do not warrant an extra 50-100 dollars.




A miracle, a miracle. Another non ignorant Tom's person. Great. For the topic, get the AMD Phenom 810 and a motherboard that supports ACC, because it is a similar price and it is much more likely that you can unlock more cache on 810 than another core on 720.

------------------------------ Phenom II 955@3,808GHz HT-2380MHz, NB-2380MHz|6GB OCZ Gold DDR3 1600Mhz|Powercolor Ati HD4890|1TB WD Black Caviar|M4A78T-E
Reply to Cryslayer80

AMD PHENOM II X4 Quad Core 810 CPU, 2.6GHz (95W), 6MB Cache, Sockets AM3/AM2+/AM2*

That what you talking about?
Seems good in my budget though.

But i'm starting to consider i5.

Not sure, :S

Reply to Shappo

Then consider it and buy it, I don't care, I'm trying to help only with AMD here as I5 is a fail. Also a good mobo for unlocking would be M4A78T-E or M4A79T Deluxe.

------------------------------ Phenom II 955@3,808GHz HT-2380MHz, NB-2380MHz|6GB OCZ Gold DDR3 1600Mhz|Powercolor Ati HD4890|1TB WD Black Caviar|M4A78T-E
Reply to Cryslayer80

775 is a dead socket ?! if he has 775 board, the q8400 will do the job. if he wanted the best, he wouldnt ask for advice.
wait for a few weeks, see if the prices drop. if so, get q9550, if not, go with the q8400. gettin i5 config will cost u hell lot more.

Reply to jimishtar

Fail, if he must get Intel's LGA1156 or LGA775 then chose LGA1156 along with an I5. I5 is cheaper, faster and has IMC which helps greatly in gaming. I'd recommend I7 if you had the money of course... But I'd still pick Phenom II 955 or 965 over it any day.

------------------------------ Phenom II 955@3,808GHz HT-2380MHz, NB-2380MHz|6GB OCZ Gold DDR3 1600Mhz|Powercolor Ati HD4890|1TB WD Black Caviar|M4A78T-E
Reply to Cryslayer80

people, do the math. i5 is cheaper, but it needs more expensive hardware with it.

Reply to jimishtar

Check this, and see where the recommendations above sit vs each other, and vs your budget at Aussie prices:

http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] 398-4.html

Then check the prices of an i5 750. Here, the i5 is quite comparable in price to the E/Q8400s you originally selected. We have no idea what price you must pay for any of this.

The AMD parts suggested above provide good performance value for your investment. There's two kinds of futureproofing . . . if any really exists . . . the future of your platform to accept upgrades and more important IMO, how long you can go needing no upgrade at all.

Keep in mind that early published reviews show the 750 and its new platform to be a superior performer running stock to anything in the current AMD line. Whether you need, want, or can afford this are the only questions.

Reviews and tests:
http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] ,2410.html
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipse [...] spx?i=3634

Once you create the three configurations - cpu, mobo, and memory - you should have your answer.


Message edited by Twoboxer on 09-11-2009 at 07:24:25 PM
Reply to Twoboxer

szymek wrote :

Q8400. However 775 is a dying socket. you better buy amds AM3 and pII



For upgradability purposes, I would take a look at i5, but it is more expensive. If you still want to stay in that price range you may want to look at a PII X3 or X4.

------------------------------ jennyh wrote: AMD break-even Q4 2009. *Gauranteed*

RabidFanboysSpreadingFalse.Info
Reply to TechnologyCoordinator

OP - Both companies make good products, which will serve you perfectly well for your intended purpose. Since you apparently have an LGA775 motherboard and haven't said anything about overclocking, the better bet would be the Q8400. Update the Bios, make the swap, and all done.


The alternatives (AMD, or the newer Intel offerings) will also serve you perfectly well for your intended purpose. The problem is you will have to rebuild your computer - replace the motherboard (at a minimum), reinstall the operating system, reinstall your applications, etc etc etc... Much more expensive and much more hassle no matter what you choose.


BTW: The only thing 'fail' around here are the fanbois. Insisting on a complete rebuild for a question involving a simple chip swap = Fail.

------------------------------ Which Chip? Well, it depends on which set of thieving b@stardz you choose to support: The ones who use insider trading to enrich themselves while running their company into the ground, or the ones who illegally pay vendors to not support the first group.
Reply to Scotteq

Complete rebuild? Does he already have the mobo?

------------------------------ Phenom II 955@3,808GHz HT-2380MHz, NB-2380MHz|6GB OCZ Gold DDR3 1600Mhz|Powercolor Ati HD4890|1TB WD Black Caviar|M4A78T-E
Reply to Cryslayer80

Nope - unless "new build" in Aussie means something different than in American.

Reply to Twoboxer

wait wait wait.

i didnt know you had a mobo and such, so if you already have a 775 socket, then go with the Q8400, other wise if you wanna go with i5 its gonna cost you alot more becaouse then, you are going to buy:

DDR3, becaouse u cant use DDR2 on P55 motherboard
New motherboard, because you gonna need P55 for Core i5
and the Core i5 cpu

thats alot of money, so if you already have ddr2 ram with 775 socket, go with the Q8400 or better yet Q9550.

Reply to surda

I do not have any motherboard, this is a new build.
During the start of this topic I was going to go with the Q8400 or the E8400.

But now, i'm starting to think again...
i5 or an AMD Build.

Reply to Shappo

You can prolly configure an AMD that will do a satisfactory job on what's around today for less money. IE, the typical "price/performance" argument.

Or

For the additional cost - and only you can tell what that is for an Aussie - you get a prcoessor that can outperform *anything* AMD has to offer today. One would think that would last you longer, so a different kind of "price/performance".

For me, if it was ~$75 on a $750 system (+10%/15%), its a no-brainer. For you, the answer might be different.

Reply to Twoboxer

Well an i7 at it's lowest is AUD $439.00

 

Here's the site for the info on it.
https://www.instantpcshop.com.au/pc [...] uctID=2377

 

I would consider i5 or AM3 Build.

 

But at the end of the day, people say 775 is a dead socket.
1156 seems dead too, see since there've made a new socket already (1366)


Message edited by Shappo on 09-12-2009 at 03:12:34 AM
Reply to Shappo

I guess buying a dead cpu worries me a lot more than buying a dead socket.

As for dead socket, each socket is "new" and has only 3-5 announced cpus to date. New & dead? I don't think so.


Message edited by Twoboxer on 09-12-2009 at 03:31:52 AM
Reply to Twoboxer

Alright, so a socket 1156 build would be good?

Reply to Shappo

Gooder and more expensive than the others you've considered. Yes.

Reply to Twoboxer

Alright, thanks for help. Just that about gets me where i needed to.

Reply to Shappo
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