Upgrade from C2D to i3/i5 worth it?

Scougar · 17 Aug 2010 at 14:37

I have the spec in my sig at present, with the exception of forever changing graphics cards. As I need to get a new battery for my motherboard, the default settings for the e4300 came back, and even on low settings, it was playing pretty awful last night with a 260 216. When I bump it up to 2.8-3Ghz it plays lovely on high settings.

I've also been just having banter at work about graphics cards, games and hardware etc, and colleague suggested I try to go i3 route, and I said I couldn't really see the benefit from changing my current rig from 775 with say an e8400 if I got one and clocking to 3.6Ghz - 4Ghz.

So, that got me thinking. Is there any real benefit for games from going from a 775 rig running an overclocked e8400 (for example), or a 775 wolfdale quad, and changing all that to an i3, or even an i5?

I'm thinking it's not really that much value for money to change everything, especially given the cost of DDR3 still.

Thoughts or real world examples?

stulid · 17 Aug 2010 at 14:45

buy a Q6600 second hand for £80, overclock it to 3ghz+, done.

mp260767 · 17 Aug 2010 at 14:46

i wouldnt move up to i3/i5 dual core from yours/e8400, i just don't think the upgrade is worth the money.

and as stulid mentioned a q6600 clocked to 3ghz+ should be enough for most things.

Scougar · 17 Aug 2010 at 15:04

I'm not convinced getting a q6600 would be that much of an upgrade. I'm thinking q5500 territory or e8400. That's why I'm asking mainly, is there 'that' much benefit from going i3/i5 to warrant the cost?

Thanks for the two answers so far btw :-)

stulid · 17 Aug 2010 at 15:32

a Q6600 has loads of cache on chip, stock speeds they are ok, but overclocked they become beastly.