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Best gaming CPU for $220:
Core 2 Quad Q9550
| Core 2 Quad Q9550 | |
|---|---|
| Codename: | Yorkfield |
| Process: | 45nm |
| CPU Cores: | 4 |
| Clock Speed: | 2.83 GHz |
| Socket: | LGA 775 |
| L2 Cache: | 2 x 6MB |
| Front Side Bus: | 1,333 MHz |
| Thermal Envelope: | 95W |
Intel brings home the $220 price point with its Core 2 Quad Q9550 CPU. Armed with four cores, a whopping 12MB of L2 cache, and a respectable 2.833 GHz clock speed, the Core 2 Quad Q9550 is a powerful contender.
- Core 2 Q9550 Quad Core...
Best gaming CPU for $280:
Core i7-920 (Check Prices)
| Core i7 920 | |
|---|---|
| Codename: | Nehalem |
| Process: | 45nm |
| CPU Cores: | 4 |
| Clock Speed: | 2.66 GHz |
| Socket: | LGA 1366 |
| L2 Cache: | 4 x 256KB |
| L3 Cache: | 8MB |
| QuickPath Interconnect (QPI): | 4.8 GT/s |
| Thermal Envelope: | 130W |
Intel's Core i7 has proven itself to be the most powerful gaming CPU option available based on the data we have gathered. The Core i7-920 is a great choice for systems coupled with multiple graphics cards in an SLI or CrossFire configuration. The motherboards and DDR3 RAM that the i7 architecture requires will bring the total platform cost higher than other systems, but the resulting performance should be worth the purchase price.
Past the Point of Reason:
With rapidly-increasing prices over $300 offering smaller and smaller performance boosts in games, we have a hard time recommending anything more expensive than the Core i7-920. This is especially the case since the Core i7-920 can be overclocked to great effect if more performance is desired, easily surpassing the stock speed of the $1,000 Core i7-975 Extreme.
Then again, while we recommend against purchasing any CPU that retails for more than $300 from a value point of view, there are those of you for whom money might not be much of an object and who require the best possible performance money can buy. If you're using dual Radeon HD 4870 X2s or a trio of Nvidia's fastest cards in SLI, we recommend the following CPUs:
Best gaming CPU for $1,000:
Core i7-975 Extreme (Check Prices)
| Core i7 975 Extreme | |
|---|---|
| Codename: | Nehalem |
| Process: | 45nm |
| CPU Cores: | 4 |
| Clock Speed: | 3.33 GHz |
| Socket: | LGA 1366 |
| L2 Cache: | 4 x 256KB |
| L3 Cache: | 8MB |
| QPI: | 6.4 GT/s |
| Thermal Envelope: | 130W |
This is the big kahuna, the fastest gaming CPU currently available for purchase, as our game tests show. Is it worth $1,000? If you have money growing on trees, are afraid to try to overclock the Core i7-920, want the overclocking headroom that the Extreme Edition's unlocked multiplier provides, and are willing to pay for the bragging rights, then it just might be. Otherwise, the Core i7-975 Extreme is a hard sell from a value standpoint.
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I thought the flames might have scared you off.
Correction: you have E6300 in the gray area of the table for the E5300.
Heheh. Nah, I don't frighten easy.
Thanks, I'll look into that.
I fail to see the point of a gaming CPU. Beyond a certain point the difference in performance is under 1 frame.
I like that the E8500 made a showing. I wonder how this picture will change once the LGA1156 CPUs are widely available. It's too bad that AMD can't really compete in the +$200 market right now.
I fail to see the point of a gaming CPU. Beyond a certain point the difference in performance is under 1 frame.
Not true at all. Depends on the game, and wether or not that game is bottlenecked by the graphics card or CPU.
Frankly, I've been seeing a *lot* more CPU-limited games during my benchmarking over the past year.
Man I wish the Core 2 Quad prices were just a little lower
great review! much better than the first one IMO.
i liked that you thought about us OCers this time
Yup, great review, good job.
So, not quite sure why they have i7 920 for ~$280. I just bought mine @ Microcenter last week for $199.99 plus tax, $210 total. So, ok I had driven there so $5 for the gas, $215 total. They have loads of them in stock, and they will get you the D0 stepping if asked (First one they tried to sell me was a C0, but I asked them for D0 and they got me one no questions asked). I can see how some people may not have a Microcenter nearby, but hey, for a lot of people there is! I thought that should've been reflected in the article somehow, that's all...
Nice review, need i thought phenom 2 965 could be compared to Core 2 Quad Q9650 but seems i was wrong.
I like the fact that you mention LGA775 chips, and perhaps that would be the last time they're up on the list as they are getting phased out.
Too bad Core 2 Quads are still rather expensive for the performance. I guess my E7200 will just have to live on for another two years.
Good article, by the way!
The results are far better than the first one. Taking overclock-ability into consideration is good especially for the enthusiasts. Kudos!
"The motherboards and DDR3 RAM that the i7 architecture requires will bring the total platform cost higher than other systems, but the resulting performance should be worth the purchase price."
Agree.
I was hoping the author will focus a little more on the total system cost than just the CPU cost. This is the main reason why I got the q9550 and not the i7. But that was 6 months ago, maybe now the motherboard and DDR3 isn't as big a factor anymore. I'm also guessing min specs of games and apps in 4 years won't specify C2Q and i7 - just something like Min specs: Intel or AMD Quad/Hex/Oct core - 2.5+ Ghz.
my
Some people think every one lives next to a Microcenter.
Even though theese processors have been tested thoroughly before, but not necessarily against each other with latest drives, patches and whatnot, so some charts with a few game tests would make the article much more informative.
prices do not account for the fact that AMD mobos usually cost 30-60$ less than their intel equivalent.
The monthly update of the same thing is getting bored. Thanks god next gen is just around the corner and we'll see some big performance gain.
Can you believe what computer gaming would be like if that that crack from id's opinion is real; graphic hardware hit a wall and future improvement is on console.
Why did you guys not wait for the Lynnfield NDA to lift when it is being released in < 1 week?
Why did you guys not wait for the Lynnfield NDA to lift when it is being released in < 1 week?
Because we like to party every end of the month!