Core 2 Quads - Who still using them?

[subbytna]

I can't justify the upgrade from my q9550 to the new SandyE or Ivy chips. My chip is now some 4-5 years old and still mixes it up with the "big boys" along with my graphics card.

Any others still happily running their 9550/9560 cards and not thinking about upgrading?

What will it take to make you upgrade?

 

[subbytna]

lo mate, hang on and I'll get you the info for 3.8 Need to go dig it out

 

[subbytna]

Try reading this lot - I think a 9450 has a lower multiplier so should be similar settings for you


http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18159678

then

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17858986&highlight=official+q9450

OC settings are a plenty in there

 

[subbytna]

3.8Ghz

8.5x448 (3800mhz)
Vcore - 1.2500v
CPU GTL Ref - Auto
CPU PLL - 1.50v
FSB Termination voltage - 1.20v
NB Voltage - 1.20v
SB voltage 1.10v
PCI-e Sata voltage 1.50v (mimimum)

4Ghz

8.5x471 (4000mhz)
Vcore - 1.28750
CPU PLL - 1.56v
FSB termination voltage - 1.26v
NB voltage - 1.26v
SB voltage - 1.10v
PCI-e sata voltage 1.50v

4.13Ghz

8.5x486 (4130mhz)
Vcore - 1.325v
CPU PLL - 1.58v
FSB termination voltage - 1.28v
NB voltage - 1.30v
SB voltage - 1.10v
PCI-e sata voltage 1.50v.

You will probably have to make a tweak here and there but they have been good for other people. I do not leave any voltages on Auto as Asus boards have a tendency to overvolt things.

 

[subbytna]

Hmmm, had an enforced holiday there but back now :/

Anyway I can still play decent frames in all games I play, Skyrim, BOPS, etc...I was going to go Ivy as an upgrade but can't justify it yet...maybe Haswell will change that though. I'll wait and see.

 

[subbytna]

Had a mate over today and I told him I'd popped in an i5 2500k and asked him to have a go with it (He also has an i5 2500k) He was raving about it saying that it was much better than my q9550 chip and how much faster the gaming was now I'd "got into the 21st century"

...the face on him when I told him it was still the 9550 lol Just goes to show real life difference is minimal still...

 

[subbytna]

The only problem is with core 2 quads is that you guys are limited to DDR2 ram

no they aren't mate, DDR3 mobo's are out there

 

[subbytna]

Yeah getting an SSD has really made my setup much more nippier too

Good investment for those still running C2Q setups, a SSD is defo worthy of a buy

 

[subbytna]

I'm running a Q9650 @ 4Ghz and I'm sure it doesn't need updating yet. I keep hankering after something newer but I spent the cash on a new GPU and SSD instead and now I KNOW it doesn't need swapping out yet.

That is what I found when I put in a SSD into my system, a great speed improvement which pushed the upgrade itch further away still

 

[subbytna]

Using the rig I have in my sig...Given the money I could get from a sale...what realistically should I be looking at, money wise, to upgrade to a sandy chip with mobo and ram?

CPU
MOBO
RAM
COOLER

all to be sold to fund a sandy rig...Would it be : money from current rig + say....£200 = for a new sandyB setup?

Is it even worth it going for Sandybridge now? I used to game a lot but not so much these days (I'm now 36 with family)

 

[subbytna]

I've never tried it on DDR3...just DDR2.

A SSD with any of the older C2Q cpus REALLY makes a difference. Slotting in a ssd would give you at least another 6 months before you look to upgrade. Adding a decent graphics card and SSD will give you another year at least.