Processor prices

[Hotrod]

Well, I am looking to upgrade my computer and I was just looking around for processors. I found a Intel Core 2 Quad E6600 at 2.4Ghz for $329.99 Canadian (about $313.46 American). I'm just wondering if it's a good price for that processor or not. Also, I'm wondering if it's a 32 bit or a 64 bit processor.

[SL1CK1337]

I'm pretty sure the dual and quad cores are 64-bit

[Xetsuei]

All processors coming out are 64bit, and compared to the newegg price ($290) that's not that bad.

[jahrain]

Thats a pretty good price at this time since the prices just recently dropped on the intel chips about a month ago. It happens to be the one I ordered for my new system. That same one used to be about ~$400 or ~$500.

[Hotrod]

Ok, thanks. I'm also considering getting a AMD Athalon64 X2 5200+ for $159.99 Canadian ($151.91 US). Which one is the better deal for the price?

[Woovie]

Either or is good. Athlons are HOT. Get a Zalman 9700CPS and you will be set though =)

[Xetsuei]

Either or is good. Athlons are HOT. Get a Zalman 9700CPS and you will be set though =)

No.

[mR_r0b0to]

the Q6600 is just under 300 dollars.. 280 us dollars or something on newegg

[Atty]

Get a Q6600. Get a Ultra-120 Extreme. Get some other good parts. Enjoy a good PC.

[Hotrod]

Get a Q6600. Get a Ultra-120 Extreme. Get some other good parts. Enjoy a good PC.

Ya, except I don't have a lot of money, so I don't want to use it all on a computer. Would the Athalon be enough to run newer games well?

[Warsaw]

AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Socket AM2 would be pretty decent, and can actually manage to run neck and neck with some of the the higher end Intel chips, at the cost of power and heat (not much of an issue on a desktop). There is also the new AMD FX-74 CPU, which costs $319. These have the advantage of being able to run alongside another Socket L CPU, but the motherboards are quite expensive for Socket L at the moment.

[paladin]

Look at my avatar. Go with it. You won't regret it.

[Warsaw]

True. But if you buy an AMD ($157 for the 6000+), you will have more money to spend in the long run when you really need to upgrade to a quad core.

[Kybo_Ren]

Buy a quad-core. Now. Don't even think about AMD. They're years behind in the processor market.

[Warsaw]

Ok, so you drop $350 on an Intel CPU, and then a few months later they release something that makes yours look old. Now what? You just dropped your money on that other one, and you need this new one to stay on top. These Intels have actually been out for a relatively long tim compared to the Socket L AMD, which is just warming up with the FX-74. Soon, it will support dual quad-cores, and eventually dual octi-cores.

[Atty]

Ok Warsaw, you buy anything in the PC market and in a few months something comes along and makes it seem old, that is a universal truth of computers. The only big thing coming out of Intel is Peryn, which I believe is Q1/2 2008 for Desktop. He really can't go wrong with a Q6600 and a decent set up.

[Hotrod]

Yes, I think I will go for the Quad Core, but I need to convince my parents to let me get it first... also, I'd have to spend money on RAM and on a new motherboard, and perhaps on a new Power Supply. It could be quite expensive in the end. My only problem in getting it right now is money, and my parents.

[Atty]

Save until you can afford it. Don't get low end parts and cut a lot of corners just to have something, wait until you can actually buy a decent PC.

[Hotrod]

Save until you can afford it. Don't get low end parts and cut a lot of corners just to have something, wait until you can actually buy a decent PC.

Ok then, I'll do that. I could also upgrade it a bit at a time, right? The reason I want to do that is because I have an old computer right now (2Ghz Athalon XP, 512 Mb of RAM and a Radeon 9600PRO. How would I check if the RAM that I have right now is compatible with the new processor?

[Warsaw]

Almost anything is an upgrade from that setup. If I were you, I'd wait until after nVidia releases the 9800 series (don't worry about Direct X 10.1, nVidia said they weren't going to rewrite for it until demand is high).

Also, I'm a tad bit of an AMD fan, despite Intel's superior performance. I haven't used an Intel CPU since the original Pentium, so I'm not fully up with the times on them.

[Patrickssj6]

I think it's a bad time buying a PC right now. We are in the middle of everything and nothing.

-New GeForce Series coming up

-Quad Mobo's pretty much suck and there is not much variety so they can control the prices

-Quad Technology is not being used...except multi treating of course...but only if you want to run Halo and render something in 3ds max and watching the end of 300 on a DvD at the same time...then yeah get Quadcore and enough screens to do everything at once :D

[Kybo_Ren]

-Quad Technology is not being used...except multi treating of course...but only if you want to run Halo and render something in 3ds max and watching the end of 300 on a DvD at the same time...then yeah get Quadcore and enough screens to do everything at once :D
I do a lot of brute forcing and time-consuming computations. I also have a really easily extendable threading class I wrote a while ago. To me, 2 more cores just takes a recompilation and I get twice the speed (the things I do are typically easily parallelized).
Quad core CPUs are just God's gift.

[Warsaw]

Then you'll be elated when AMD releases their Quad Cores and you can have two of them on one motherboard.

[KntTader]

Yes I would recommend going with a Quad core. I just got that new Q6850 like 2 weeks a go.

Ya I know Im Tech Whore :lol:

[Warsaw]

Also a money whore...but that's a good thing.

[paladin]

I got my Q6600 for $266.66. My whole set up for like ~$850.00. Its expensive but like atty said, dont cut corners on primary hardware. Spend money on your motherboard, cpu, and ram. gpus are pretty easy to replace, plus i got 8600gt (512 on board, 1278 shared) for $119.99 and it is preforming 1000x beyond my expectations.

[Hotrod]

Quad Technology is not being used...except multi treating of course...but only if you want to run Halo and render something in 3ds max and watching the end of 300 on a DvD at the same time...then yeah get Quadcore and enough screens to do everything at once :D

Ya, and I will only be doing one of those thing any time soon, and that's playing Halo. Would it be smart to wait for the prices to drop, or upgrade now?

[Warsaw]

Silly nubs, single core 3200+ and 7800GT right here...:awesome:.

Seeing that there are new things to come out real soon, I'd wait for the next price drop.

[Patrickssj6]

I do a lot of brute forcing and time-consuming computations...
what are the odds...get a Nvidia Server for that...16GB of Ram should be enough and what about 8 CPUs running at the same time? Is that in the frame of the budget? :p

You are basically right....if you get something right now get a Quad but if you can rely on patience...do that. :D



Ya, and I will only be doing one of those thing any time soon, and that's playing Halo. Would it be smart to wait for the prices to drop, or upgrade now?
If you run Halo alone you won't notice that much of a difference...Halo and Fraps is a whole another story. :)

[Hotrod]

...Halo and Fraps is a whole another story. :)

Not really, I can run both at the same time with no problems what so ever. My frame rate stays about the same too.

[Mr Buckshot]

While Intel's dual and quad core CPUs currently outstrip many of AMD's processors, AMD is the better choice for budget-minded users (the Pentium Ds produce too much heat). Go with the Athlon X2s if you want to save money.

A processor like the Q6600 or the Core 2 Extreme X6800 is pure ownage, but the ownage brings a high price tag with it. AMD's consumer-level Athlon X2s pale in comparison but have significantly lower price tags in many cases.

anyway, quad core is not worth it unless you really have that many apps at the same time, or if you're trying to render the next CGI movie from Pixar. Two cores are adequate for the typical gamer - one for the game, one for those virus scanners, FRAPS, IM programs, etc.

I won't bother with buying another desktop computer anytime soon so I'm essentially stuck with my AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+, which is plenty fine for modern games and costs only $65-$80. I might get another notebook with a mobile C2D though.

[Patrickssj6]

Not really, I can run both at the same time with no problems what so ever. My frame rate stays about the same too.
Recording at 100fps and a very high resolution?

I think there should be your difference :D

[Hotrod]

Ok, I'll stick with the Athalon64 X2 5200+ seeing as it's more than good enough, and it's half the price. All I'm doing right now is playing games, and maybe running a virus check and the internet at the same time, so I don't need something as powerful as a Quad-Core right now. Thank you for all the help.

[paladin]

:(

[paladin]

:(

[Hotrod]

:(

I don't want to spend all my money on a processor...


:(

Yes, I get the point, now :gtfo:, you don't have to post that twice.

[X3RO SHIF7]

why not get a 6000 there not too much $$

[Hotrod]

why not get a 6000 there not too much $$

Because there aren't any where I get my computer Hardware.

EDIT : Nevermind, there are some, but they cost $219.99 CAD ($208.25 US). The 6000+ runs at 3Ghz while the 5200+ runs at 2.6 Ghz. So the 5200+ is $159.99 CAD ($151.43 US) and the 6000+ is the price showed above, now I want to know which one is the better deal.

[paladin]

I don't want to spend all my money on a processor...



Yes, I get the point, now :gtfo:, you don't have to post that twice.

That was an accident. You don't have to be an asshole about it.

[Hotrod]

That was an accident. You don't have to be an asshole about it.

Sorry, I thought that you did that on purpose, I take it back. Also, I'm still asking to see which price is better in between the 5200+ and the 6000+.

[paladin]

6000 would probably be better. I'd spent the extra $40.

[X3RO SHIF7]

6000 is the best am2 processor to date, so seeing as its only 40 bucks more i'd get it lol

[Xetsuei]

6000 is the best am2 processor to date, so seeing as its only 40 bucks more i'd get it lol

Negative. AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103191)

[X3RO SHIF7]

0_o never heard of that one, guess im wrong lol


Its New I'm assuming?
guess thats what I'll be upgrading to next

[Warsaw]

That one is fairly recent. I checked Newegg early last month, and that CPU was not on the list.

[Texrat]

Ya, except I don't have a lot of money, so I don't want to use it all on a computer. Would the Athalon be enough to run newer games well?

Sure.

Note that quad core is not fully supported across the board just yet. Heck, even dual core is wasted on most applications currently. AMD gives you the best bang for the buck IMO.

[paladin]

Sure.

Note that quad core is not fully supported across the board just yet. Heck, even dual core is wasted on most applications currently. AMD gives you the best bang for the buck IMO.

100% agreed. But I love my Intel Q6600.

[Hotrod]

Ok, thank you guys, I'll go with the 6000+. I appreciate all the help I got.