CPU Upgrade

[Jono8]

Hi guys

Thinking of doing an upgrade to my pc now (well maybe in a few months time at least)

Ive got a p35c-dsr3 motherboard (ddr2 and ddr3 slots).

The cpu i'm running currently is a e6320 currently running at 2.8ghz.

What cpu's can my motherboard take? I've heard the E8400's are highly recommended around here but i don't know whether my mobo can take it and whether it will overclock well? I'm also struggling to decide whether i should go quad or just stick with dual core.

Also, am I really going to see much difference?At the moment I'm mainly using my PC for Cubase (audio/music composition using large sets of VST'S) and playing Empire Total war and a few other strategy games.

Cheers for any advice

JT

 

[95thrifles]

Yes it will support any new chip, though you'll prob have to flash your BIOS, link
If you went to a Q9550 or abovew you'd prob notice the difference, due to the much higher cache, the quad should help your composition a fair amount, and it should clock to 3.6 easier enough for games
the e8 series chips are great but I doubt the difference you'd see would be too big tbh

 

[pastymuncher]

See my thread here for comparing Intel dual cores. All test's done using the same components so are all directly comparable. Going from a E6000 to a E8000 series cpu is a bit of a mixed bag. Some things have small increases while other's have quite large increases. The extra cache will be coming into play there along with the improvements in design.

 

[Jono8]

See my thread here for comparing Intel dual cores. All test's done using the same components so are all directly comparable. Going from a E6000 to a E8000 series cpu is a bit of a mixed bag. Some things have small increases while other's have quite large increases. The extra cache will be coming into play there along with the improvements in design.

Cheers for that

Seems the E8400 clocked near 4ghz really brings the minium fps up a lot in games!

Is the q9550 the same architechture (cache size e.t.c.) as the e8400 just with 4 cores instead of 2?

 

[pastymuncher]

Cheers for that

Seems the E8400 clocked near 4ghz really brings the minium fps up a lot in games!

Is the q9550 the same architechture (cache size e.t.c.) as the e8400 just with 4 cores instead of 2?

Once past 3.6Ghz though the gains get smaller and smaller. The cache helps the E8000 series as well. Have'nt a clue about the new quads as i have'nt had a play with one. Don't have any need for a quad at the moment or the foreseeable future unless they become mainstream for gaming. Can't see that happening anytime soon.

 

[Jono8]

Yeh i may just go for an e8400 if i can get one for about £100 in a months time

Saying that i need to look into the gains a quad has in Cubase 4. Doesnt seem to be much use for quads in gaming at the moment, as you said.

Hopefully this and a new gtx 275 will tide me over until a big overhaul in a year or so's time when the I7's and DDR3 become more mainstream and more affordable.