gaming cpu upgrade dilemma :/

[Rofflay]

Well ive been using by current system for gaming for a while now and was looking at an upgrade and was annoyed at how my cpu choices are not good.

currently running

E6300 1.8 Dualcore at 2.8 400x7
4GB DDR2 800 and a 8800 GTX
600w ocz psu

Im not fond of splashing big bucks on quads for games as i dont believe they are a massive benefit so im not sure how to upgrade my rig.

option 1 is Q6600 and overclock to 400fsb 3.6ghz

option 2 is wait for i7 prices to drop along with motherboard and ddr3

option 3 is ignore the cpu and assume its good enough if paired with another high end gpu from the new range from nvidia that will replace the gtx 280.

i7 prices are really off putting at the minute so i dont think buying now is a good option but im not happy with my pc with new games around the corner and harsh requirements as well.(alan wake/empire totalwar/crysis/cod6.

From what i know fps wise cpu is not really important(6fps between Q6600 and core i7) and is more gpu based when gaming at 1080p so do u guys reckon if i dropped in a Q6600 and overclocked it it could last until the time when i7 sucessor is mainstream and affordable and run the latest and greatest games with a Q6600 and relying on keeping the graphics card up to date?

Also whats the FPS difference in most games with Q6600 V i7 at same clocks?

Q6600 is still quite pricey tho £150 atm on ocuk site i was hoping in january when they get discontinued i might get one for £100

 

[jak731]

what MB have you got?

considered a e5200? its still a dual core, but generally 45nm chips are faster clock per clock and the e5200 overclocks quite well

 

[Cairnsey]

Well the obvious option is to just clock your e6300 to ~3.4Ghz and spend the £150 towards a 4870 1Gb but I presume your motherboard is holding you back?

 

[Rofflay]

yep motherboard is gigabyte ds3 its 965p chipset and wont go further than 400fsb with 4gb of ram so its holding me back from going near 45nm chips :/

 

[Greenboi]

yep motherboard is gigabyte ds3 its 965p chipset and wont go further than 400fsb with 4gb of ram so its holding me back from going near 45nm chips :/

Im on the same board with the same chip and run my cpu at 3.2 - 3.3ghz (460fsb)... You tried pushing voltages up? Might be worth a shot, i had to and it works wonders.

 

[Rofflay]

nah mate i cant go above default volts on the cpu as my temps are crazy.

the guy who installed the cpu was a plank and covered it in paste so i idle at 56c!

 

[w311zy]

i have had that board with a e6300 also and reached 3.2ghz easily, i say push your overclock and put the money towards a better GPU

 

[Greenboi]

nah mate i cant go above default volts on the cpu as my temps are crazy.

the guy who installed the cpu was a plank and covered it in paste so i idle at 56c!

Get yourself an after-market cooler and clean off the paste. apply some new AS5 or something and temps will come right down.

 

[pastymuncher]

Get yourself an after-market cooler and clean off the paste. apply some new AS5 or something and temps will come right down.

Totally agree. It's not hard to do. All you need is a very thin coating. If you go for something like a Akasa 965 or Freezer 7 Pro it will be already applied.

I had that board and got a E4300 to 3.4Ghz prime stable.

 

[Jimbo Mahoney]

yep motherboard is gigabyte ds3 its 965p chipset and wont go further than 400fsb with 4gb of ram so its holding me back from going near 45nm chips :/

E5200 has a 12.5 multi, so 400 FSB is more than enough.

 

[Cairnsey]

they won't hit 400fsb jimbo, more like ~330...

 

[Shash]

Have a go at overclocking what you've got, as suggested switch the cooler and even if it doesnt work out too well you can keep the cooler and use it on another cpu (get a second hand q6600 perhaps). If you can overclock your own then you have money towards gfx!

 

[PhoenixUK]

1. Stay with what you have
2. Get second hand E8400+HD4870+some decent mobo.
3. Save some cash and get brand new i7 setup // or wait for Deneb.
4. Cheapo upgrade will be some cheap p45 chipset + E5200 + AF7P + 4gb pc6400 c4 + HD4850 - second hand together shouldnt cost you more than 180-200quid and that will serv you for a while yet while you can save for either deneb or i7 when they go down or whatever comes in the incoming year.