CPU upgrade actually lowers performance?

Did you use the same OS? Did you install any new software between the upgrades? Also how high was your E8400 clocked at? I know that those software's SHOULD be multithreaded. My best guess is to use a benchmarking tool such as vantage instead of 06 and compare the results - that might give you better insight. As far as better 3d06 scores this has me baffled... theoretically you should be getting a much higher potential CPU score... Try vantage and keep us posted!

My E8400 was at 3600MHz. I used the same OS (Win7) and no new software was installed. Its like theres some invisible gap that has me stuck below 17k, but with my specs I should be getting above 17k. I'll download Vantage and see if t hat makes me feel better.

Oh and also my motherboard is very cheap. It costs like 50 bucks and has a G31 chipset with the first generation PCI-E. Do you think it's aybe because my mobo has reached it max?

Well the G31 will affect how much it will overclock but shouldnt make any difference with the performance.

Try vantage!

Before I Just "Try Vantage," does anyone else have any suggestions as to what might be happening? I have never used Vantage before so comparing results to 3dmark06 wont help me very much since their form of scoring is different. Has anyone had this problem before or know someone who went through the same thing?

I did the simplest thing. All I did was take out the old one and put in the new one. I even tried reseting the CMOS to make sure everything was at default but that didn't amount to anything. Unless I'm confusing as to how much performance boost I get from switching to a dual core CPU to a quad one...

There is atleast some good news. In Bad Company 2 I did see a slight increase in performance. I used to run in medium settings where as opposed to now where I'm running everything in high DX9 with the same performance I got when I was in medium or better. Maybe there is some glitch with these Futuremark programs on my computer, I don't know.

Let me just add as well, that when running 3dmark06 the other day I noticed my CPU score went up but my other scores droped. For example in the first benchmark where there are these troops getting dropped off from this dropship my max frames used to be in the 120s with my previous E8400. However, with the Q9550, my max frames in that same area only go up to 114. Also, I noticed that OC my GPU amounted to less performance or no improvment at all as opposed to when I had the E8400 when OCing the GPU gave me no problems. Re-installing EVGA Precision I thought would help but it didn't.

Again, I did not install any new software while upgrading the CPU or anything else. The only possibility I might find behind all this is my PSU, but its a 45amp 750W supply unit so I doubt that is it, unless maybe I;m wrong.

I really am baffled...

I think It might be the video card that got jacked up for some reason. I'm gonna see if I can get a new one soon.

3Dmark06 is mostly a benchmark for the video card. The CPU is involved in the score, but not as much as the video card.

Why don't you just friggin try Vantage like I suggested?

Some programs prefer threading, others prefer clockspeed.

what he said

what was your E8400 OC to?