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Intel Core 2 Quads

  • 25-05-2010 2:05pm
    #1
    Shiminay
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 28,633 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hello all,

    I'm looking at upgrading from a Core 2 Socket 775 Dual core to a Quad core and was wondering if there's a massive difference performance wise between the 4MB cache and 12MB ones?

    Cheers.


Comments

  • #2
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,381 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    No huge differences really...

    Q8*00 - 45nm, lowish power draw (compared to the others here), poor for overclocking, cheapest to buy at retail but badly outclassed by Athlon2 and Phenom2 CPUs.
    Q6*00 - 65nm, highest power draw as a result, G0 stepping much improved in that regard. Decent for overclocking and much higher compatibility with old motherboards (after BIOS update) and even newer models (as you can often dodge a BIOS update a 45nm CPU would have required). Expensive at retail but good second-hand offers out there.
    Q9*00 - 45nm, lowish power draw, similar to Q8*00 but with 6MB cache, higher stock clock speeds and OCability, a little pricier than them at retail though.
    Q9*50 - 45nm, moderate power draw, a full 12MB L2 cache, highest stock speeds and performance, great for overclocking as well. Have now shot up in price and decreased in availability at retail, you might be better off foraging for a second-hand deal as many power users will have got shiny new i5/i7 rigs and may be trying to shift their old Q9550's as a result ;)


  • #3
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,381 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    Q6600 G0 - €95 here if you're quick :D


  • #4
    Shiminay
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 28,633 Mod ✭✭✭✭Shiminay


    Looks like I've missed that one, but my thanks :)

    Your advice is much appreciated sir.


  • #5
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    You intend on overclocking? What mobo, older mobo's would handle the newer quads but wouldn't overclock them as well and You may be better looking for a q6600 g0


  • #6
    Menengroth™
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 920 ✭✭✭Menengroth™


    Great site for comparing processors: http://www.cpubenchmark.net/
    Wikipedia article on CPU Cache: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CPU_cache

    Bought a QX9300 for my laptop last week off Ebay, its fantabulous, 12mb cache.


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  • #7
    Shiminay
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 28,633 Mod ✭✭✭✭Shiminay


    I'm not all that fussed about over-clocking tbh. I have an Asus P5E-VM HDMI motherboard all wrapped up in a NZXT Rogue case. I've only got a stock cooler on the Dual Core atm - I had a big 120mm Thermalright cooler which wouldn't fit the case and never got around to getting a "small case friendly" cooler (I'm happy to accept recommendation on that too btw if anyone has any).

    At this stage, I'd say I'll go for a Q9550 - will be a month or more before I get around to it - just moved house and am a bit broke, but I'm trying to get my budget organised for the next 3 months :)

    Thanks guys.


  • #8
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    That board would probably need a bios flash to take a q9550. Try get a golden e0 (SLB8V) one if You can, they appear every so often on ebay and overclock like a dream. I've mine from 2.83Ghz to 3.8Ghz undervolted (honestly), would have it at 4Ghz but I've got 8GBs ram and the board can't handle it.


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