Upgrade from AMD 4200 X2 to Q9550?

[Totality]

Looking to upgrade as the old girl is struggling now in the newer games! Works fine otherwise. Would a Q9550 be a nice upgrade? Looking at new mobo and RAM too obviously as the rest is DDR and a socket 939 old school setup!!

 

[cpatain-chaos]

It would be a huge step up, definitely something you would notice in both real world and synthetic terms.

 

[OzZie]

I moved from a x2 3800+ at 2.4ghz, to a Q6600. Even at stock, the quad just blazed through every game and application i had. Encoding movies was more than twice as fast. Then i got myself a Q9550 and overclocked this to 3.8ghz, and my lord its faster still! Of course, it wasn't anywhere near a big leap in gaming, but i do a lot of audio/video work, which you can never have enough CPU power.

Also going from 2gb 200mhz RAM to 8gb 533mhz RAM was a massive jump too.

I'd most defiantly recommend doing it (and overclock it!)

 

[djdarkforces]

my first post so hi all q9550 is my next upgrade its a beast of a cpu and ovclocks very well to if ur not o.cing its still a very good cpu at the mo i now a shop that sells them for £170 eo stepping 1s

 

[Fahim]

You can also get a phenom II and overclock it up to 3.8GHz, and it still costs cheaper than Q9550...

 

[gamesaregood]

The best value CPU at the moment for gaming is the AMD Phenom II X2 550 which runs at 3.1GHz with the added benefit of most being easily overclockable to 3.8GHz+ which just an easy multiplier change & if your lucky and pair it with the right board you might be able to unlock the disabled cores to turn it into a quad core CPU!

With the added benefit of being able to upgrade to future AM3 CPUS whereas the 775 socket has seen its day and its only a matter of time until its no longer available and no more CPUs will be released on it, high end ones at least.

If you would perfer not to take the risk then you could always look at a Phenom II X4... which are also great value after the recent price drops, or even the Tri Core 720 is great value and a good clocker.

 

[Totality]

Well I ended up buying the Q9550 this weekend. Just finishing installing Windows and now on to installing the demo of Armed Assault 2 to see what sort of difference has been made!

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Not only is it a great chip stock, but it is really easily overclocked. From what I hear Armed Assault 2 is only using about 50% of the Q9550.

 

[Clark the White]

Well I ended up buying the Q9550 this weekend. Just finishing installing Windows and now on to installing the demo of Armed Assault 2 to see what sort of difference has been made!

please post your thoughts after you've given it a blast, as I have a 4200X2 939 too and also are considering upgrading to the Q9550 or phenom X4 955 and would like to know just how awesome the difference is!

 

[Jimmy23]

please post your thoughts after you've given it a blast, as I have a 4200X2 939 too and also are considering upgrading to the Q9550 or phenom X4 955 and would like to know just how awesome the difference is!

Go for the Q9550 its a very good cpu, im sure you wont regret it ive used it before

 

[CaptainRAVE]

please post your thoughts after you've given it a blast, as I have a 4200X2 939 too and also are considering upgrading to the Q9550 or phenom X4 955 and would like to know just how awesome the difference is!

LOL. I went from a 4200X2 939 overclocked to about 2.8Ghz from what I remember. Not even a comparison. The 9550 is way way faster. It really is an amazing chip. The Q9650 is pretty cheap now also.

 

[gamesaregood]

please post your thoughts after you've given it a blast, as I have a 4200X2 939 too and also are considering upgrading to the Q9550 or phenom X4 955 and would like to know just how awesome the difference is!

Go for the Q9550 its a very good cpu, im sure you wont regret it ive used it before

Or you could upgrade to AM3 / i7 and a socket which has not already been discontinued and finished its life...

AM3 is the best comparison for Price and performance...

Why replace old tech with old tech

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Or you could upgrade to AM3 / i7 and a socket which has not already been discontinued and finished its life...

AM3 is the best comparison for Price and performance...

Why replace old tech with old tech

Because its cheap and will last quite a while. Certainly if you overclock it. My Q9550 at 4Ghz is barely used by anything.

Of course a newer socket should still be a serious consideration.

 

[setter]

Also on a q9550 here, "upgraded" from a 3.8ghz q6600, got it at 3.6ghz at the minute on little over stock volts, runs nice and cool compared to the old chip, hoping to eek 4ghz ono from it.

 

[Jimmy23]

Erm comparing a 4200x2 to a q9550 and saying they are both old tech is a little silly the q9550 is old in the technology world as in their are a few more cpu's etc that have come out since its release, your chip will be old soon following that logic. But in usage id say its currently one of the best performers on the market and certainly not past it so to speak. Especially when comparing cost to performance and if its overclocked

Am3/I7 are good no doubt but they are used by the minority of people still. But yeah i wouldnt discount looking at Am3 for upgrading a gaming rig from AMD 4200X2 either

 

[Clark the White]

excellent! I can't wait to see the difference first hand when I upgrade