Best LGA 775 processor?

Well maxing it out would be a QX9770. Best CPU but also at a price of over $1K. Not really worth it.

For you there is the Q9650. Its like the QX9650 thats near $1K but with a locked multiplier. It comes stock at 3GHz and from what I have heard it can OC to 4GHz on a decent after market air cooling system without much trouble.

In fact I plan on that CPU just to push my system a bit more since I have a nice air cooler and will be able to push it to 4GHz.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

If thats too much there is the Q9550 thats a bit less and clocked at 2.83GHz. Same chip just cheaper and clocked a bit lower:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Or the Q9550S which is the same as above BUT has a 65w TDP instead of a 95w TDP like the Q9550 but also more expensive (means it will run cooler):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Dual core wise though its the Wolfdale based Core 2 Duo E8600. Stock is 3.33GHz:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

or the E8500 thats 3.16GHz stock and about $80 bucks cheaper:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Thats the top of the line though. I suggest either the Q9550/Q9550S or Q9650. A quad is a good investment right now and either of those will last you for a while. Also, what is your mobo exactally? Make sure the CPU support list has those CPUs listed.

Hope all that helps.

I'll have to check the CPU support list (its an ASUS P5Q Pro Turbo by the way), anyway thank you so much for that information it will for surely be a huge help when I go processor shopping in the next few months.

q9650, q9550, q9400

the Asus P5Q will easily support all of the listed CPUs since it has a P45 Intel based chipset. The only reason I know is because my mobo is a Asus P5K-E WiFi/AP and it has a P35 (designed for 65nm C2Q) which is older than the P45 (designed for 45nm C2Q) and mine has support for every LGA775 CPU.

Plus Asus is great when it comes to CPU support for their mobos. They even have a P945 chipset (as old as Core 2) that supports most every LGA775 CPU.

Awesome awesome... Well thank you for the great help you have given me...

I award top post to Jimmy ... mods ... make it so.

Pickard

I would recommend the following as it seems to be the most cost effective.
Dual cores are not futureproof.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

+1 on Jimmy's post, I copy pasted his links  

If you live by a microcenter, be sure to look at their prices. I know they were giving out i7-920's for $199.99 for a few months and Q9550's for around $150 ($100 less than newegg). But keep in mind that you will have to pay for tax if you buy at microcenter.