Q9550 for used $160 does it make sense

[Ray Charles]

My System
Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P
Intel E8400 @ 3.0GHZ
Sigma Shark 635w PSU
2gb ddr2 800mhz (I also planning to go to 4gb)
1tb WD Green 32mb cache
500gb Hitachi 16mb cache
Coolermater Centurion 590
Acer 22" 1680 x 1050 monitor
Logitech x540 5.1


I can get a used q9550 from some guy for $160 does this make sense for me to buy?
NB: I need a GPU also and I am considering the following options the 460, 5850, 470 (combo with new corsair PSU) and the 5870!
I also planning 4gb memory purchase
Please help me make this decision?

 

[iam2thecrowe]

if your using the PC mainly for games, the e8400 perfectly fast enough. What graphics card do you currently have? Onboard? I would just upgrade the video card, maybe the ram also

 

[Ray Charles]

With the e8400 which video card to go for?

 

[aznshinobi]

I would also consider the 5830, but in your case whats your total budget for the card. 160 for the CPU is just not worth it since it could cause many problems. For instance it maybe a used CPU for cheaper price. But not worth the risk of problems it might have that you wouldn't know about. Also it's not worth the hassle. You should not even spend money and wait and save. Get a better CPU cooler for now, unless yours is already aftermarket and is decent. OC that e8400, especially since it so easy to oc to 3.6. That way you could keep using that chip longer. At that point for the money you save up, you should update your mobo and cpu, then you could go DDR3 as well. Just upgrade to the 1156/1366 chipset. Tell me your opinion on this "save money go chipset change" and i'll give suggestions.

Anyway, don't buy that used chip, instead spend a bit more money and get a Q9505. it's updated, not to mention although less cache, it's the closest Q9XXX chip to the price of the 160$. If you take this though, for the price of the chip and how Intel is starting to move off of the 775 socket platform, i'd just go with the choice of upgrading chipset/mobo/cpu/memory.

 

[spentshells]

dude I would buy the chip
9550 is a killer ! look at the cpu higherarchy (spelling)
its still hugely powerfull

 

[Ray Charles]

The Save up and change socket was my original idea and I planned to drag it on as long as possible (2011 or so) because better technology would be available My budget is like $250 to $400 and no I have the stock cooler but I am keen on the CM 212!

 

[aznshinobi]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226123
Great memory, Mushkin is a great brand and although it is close to the price of Dominator ram. The stock clocks are "much" less than that of the dominator's so you'll be able to OC. And i've also heard great things about mushkin too!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.444058
"Good deal" I suppose since the money you save totals to about the cost if you bought that 9550 and a 5830.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157193&cm_re=asrock_deluxe3-_-13-157-193-_-Product
-Asrock may be a less known mobo company than say asus or msi, but i've heard of grat things about this mobo, especially since it has great overclockablity for a great value, compared to other 1156 mobos.

Suggestions for the complete memory-cpu-vga card upgrade.

 

[aznshinobi]

OK and after seeing the post bout the CM 212, it's a good cooler, just get like 2 120mm CM R4 fans, there only 9.99 plus its a high cfm for low dba. 69.9x CFM/ 19dBa They use em on the V8, i must say at 100% its quieter than any stock fan on the Antec 902 at 100%, Also, don't drag it out because as i've heard intel plans to keep the 1156 series going for awhile which is why they released the i7 875K cpu on the 1156 than the 1366, rumors are they do not plan to keep the 1366 socket running anytime longer. The 1156 also has lower temps and lower power usage. The cpu i recommended can contend with the 9550, and also if you've heard it actually for the value is much better, as well as the fact that you can OC it to 4.0 easily with Turbo

 

[aznshinobi]

Yes but probably wont come out until next year.

 

[Ray Charles]

the board seems very good
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145260
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277
Cheaper memory options
Prefer gtx 460 (just waiting for 1gb EVGA)
the i5 750 is possibly the best CPU on the entire market value wise (Hope the coming i5 760 drops its price)

 

[Ray Charles]

Buying i7 now is usless becoz by the the end of this year we will have brand new sandybridge.start saving for that.

Expain? please! I Want to know more!

 

[Ray Charles]

cool! thanks!

 

[aznshinobi]

Well, a more indepth thing is unavailable at the time since intel doesn't plan to release anymore info. They play to release i7s that are clocked at higher stock clocks. For instance put this into perspective. Like the i7 930 is clocked stock at 2.8ghz, the sandy bridge or Huron River i7s will be clocked at 3.0 or higher, the first at 3.1ghz stock. So the only difference is that, there also is what he means as the smaller die, this is a difference for overclockability. 45nm as opposed to 32nm. The only i7 currently is 980X and 970X which are VERY expensive. So these new chips plan to be cheaper and 32nm will produce less heat and use less power than the older i7s "Nehalems" HOWEVER! Although they will be updating and fixing problems the nehalems had. It doesn't mean it will come out on the 1366 socket, it most likely be for the 1156 socket. So if you do update to the i5 750 (quad instead of the stupid other i5s that are dual) it will still be good even when those new chips come out. They will make a minor difference to you in my opinion. Also the 750 would make a huge difference anyway, since your going from dual to quad. old to new socket, ddr2 to ddr3, USB 2.0 to 3.0 and sata 3 to sata 6. So... Even if the sandybridges comeout based on your budget I don't think the i7s will be below 300$ that's for sure.

The Sandy Bridge info is here, its not a lot of but its enough to fill you in. http://www.tomshardware.com/news/sandy-bridge-nehalem-core-huron-river,10863.html

 

[aznshinobi]

the board seems very good
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145260
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277
Cheaper memory options
Prefer gtx 460 (just waiting for 1gb EVGA)
the i5 750 is possibly the best CPU on the entire market value wise (Hope the coming i5 760 drops its price)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220468
Many people overlook Patriot, but i have the same model and its fantastic, it's low voltage to! It runs cool not to mention, and in my opinion it is better than the ripjaws.

 

[spentshells]

and for the next year or so fork out the 160... do it

 

[MRFS]

We have a Q9550 running with 16GB of Corsair's "matched quad"
in an ASUS P5Q Premium motherboard:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145243&Tpk=N82E16820145243

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131326&cm_re=N82E16813131326-_-13-131-326-_-Product

http://www.supremelaw.org/systems/superspeed/RamDiskPlus.Review.htm


With a very large 12MB L2 cache, the Q9550 is really fast at stock settings.

The only change we made was to tweak the Northbridge voltage up to
the maximum of the "safe range" as documented in the motherboard manual.


MRFS

 

[Ray Charles]

My favorite games are Pro Evolution Soccer, Dirt 2, COD (all), Batman... and Assassins Creed thus I think the e8400 should hold out until Christmas or my birthday (Feb 2nd)or even later! But my brother loves GTA 4 but he is not a typical gamer so 35- 50 fps may satisfy him! Don't even thing I may need to overclock the CPU!!!