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upgrade from E6550

GreatWaves

GreatWaves

GreatWaves

Associate
Joined
9 Dec 2008
Posts
387
Hi,
I'm not so familiar these days with the detailed comparative specs of Intel cpu's from over the past few years. I have a comp with a E6550 Core 2 Duo 2.33Ghz. I was considering getting a used Q6600 Core 2 Quad 2.4Ghz. That would also have twice the L2 cache at 8MB. That particular model happens to also be nicely compatible with the mobo and installed BIOS version.

That looks to me like a significant upgrade for this comp. By doubling the number of cores and L2 cache, it should be more than twice as fast.

BUT I know Intel has had CPU releases before where the CPU doesn't perform near at what it looks like it should and then they improve on it with a later model. So I'm just wondering if this upgrade would actually be as it looks to be in terms of performance upgrade:

E6550 Core 2 Duo 2.33Ghz, L2 4MB
to
Q6600 Core 2 Quad 2.4Ghz, L2 8MB

Thanks
 
Thanks for help. The board is Asus P5K. I'm a little squeamish about getting into bios flashing even though I used to do that stuff, so choosing the Q6600 is also influenced by it being one of the higher end cpu's that are compatible with bios 0603.

But what you say about the CPU sounds great. Not sure yet if I'll overclock. Again I used to do that a lot, but I'll see if I do that with this one. But if it oc's well that's a good indication of it overall. I did read about it being a cool runner, which I like as I'll part of the time do distributed computing with it... for team ocuk of course :)

From what you say, sounds like I should buy it. I'll have to bid on it, so this info gives me a good idea on where to draw the line.

Cheers
 
Yep it's the GO stepping one. And I did not know until now about the P5K's street cred. That's good to know.

The cooler that I have on order is a scythe partly chosen because of space in the case and for silence. The case by the way has an intake tunnel that extends down to the CPU fan.

Edit: oops sorry, I forgot that that link was a Web store, not just a spec page. Removed it.

It's a shuriken rev B

Cheers
 
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Good info, thanks. I've been using only laptops and been away from building desktops for some time now, so I'm now choosing things like this cooler just on a review or two and instinct. Glad that it was a good choice. Along with the intake tunnel in the case it should be an excellent cooler then :)

Cheers
 
j.col said:
You should have access to the MM, a G0 Q6600 used goes for around £50. Also it would be a shame to not overclock that chip. You have a good mobo and cooler so just go for it ;-). Its really easy, just raise the FSB to 333 and leave the multi at 9, so 333 x 9 = 3.0GHz. Most G0's will do this on stock voltage, or if not, just raise the vcore a couple of levels. That's really it. Then just stress test it with intel burn test for 20 passes on high settings
Click to expand...
I like the sound of that :) and you're right it should be overclocked with potential like that. I'll definitely raise it up to the vcore point and probably raise that a notch if necessary.

I haven't heard of intel burn test, but I'll look into that. I've noticed that people still use Prime95 as a tester as well.

So this is a worthy cpu apparently. Thanks both for great info on this. I'll be getting it then :)

Cheers
 
I haven't heard of realtemp or coretemp... I'll have to check those out. I used to use motherboard monitor :)

So 80 C is considered a good maximum load temp for this when pushing it with something like IBT?

But yeah I'll overclock it. Like skyjawa I won't get extreme, but I will "take it where it wants to go" and I guess this CPU doesn't want to sit still.

By the way, the last time that I installed a cooler with arctic silver 5 was on a P4HT. The conventional wisdom with those was to put a bead of AS5 in the center of the heat spreader that would spread to about 4 or 5 mm short of the edges (something like that).

Is it roughly the same with these quad cores or is it better to just spread the AS5 thinly and evenly over the whole heat spreader?

Cheers
 
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Ok thanks guys. I was asking in case it might make a difference when there is 4 cores around the center instead of one core at the center. I don't know how widely the four cores are distributed around the center point.

I remember that the logic of putting only just enough AS5 was that the core and AS5 conduct heat most effectively if a high concentration of heat conduction is forced to go directly up through the heat spreader. I recall also that the silver particles in the AS5 align themselves somehow in reaction to the heat.

Does everyone store their AS5 tip-down? I remember that that was recommended so that the particles gradually settle toward the tip instead of to one side of the tube.

Cheers
 
By the way, I just remembered that my current E6550 (2.33Ghz) is GO stepping as well (B stepping). So is that similarly renowned for how easily it overclocks? So it would as easily OC to 3.0Ghz and above?

If so, then after upgrading this comp to the Q6600, I could make an extra effort to get another P5K mobo (or similarly good mobo), decent 775 cooler and run the E6550 as a no-case 24/7 cruncher. I think I might have an extra license for WinXP kicking around that I could use for it.

Cheers
 
I had a ZX81. I loved messing around programming on it :)

So I didn't end up getting a Q6600 through auction, but I found a private seller with a Q6600 G0. We reached a deal and I will be getting it beginning of the week.

I'm stilling waiting on delivery of the Scythe cooler. I'll upgrade the CPU after getting that.
 
Hi,
After upgrading the E6550 to Q6600, I'll be looking at getting the E6550 set up separately as a cruncher. I'm looking at RAM options for that. In my currently operating E6550, I have Kingston PC2-6400 sticks (2x1GB, 1x2GB). I was thinking of getting a Corsair 4GB dual channel kit which is also PC2-6400 speed. That would go with the Q6600, and the old RAM in the current rig would go with the E6550.

Before I make that purchase, is there any really compelling reason to get faster than PC2-6400 considering that I will overclock (I'll oc both cpu's)?

Thanks
 
Thanks for help. I was thinking that there might be a gaming reason to want to run 1:1 fsb:ram even at overclocked fsb. I'm not a huge gamer tho, but I'll be making good use of the quad core for crunching DC. That and who knows, maybe "Portal 3" will require a quad core... btw I have not yet bought Portal 2 (I will very soon), so NO spoilers please! :)
 
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FatRakoon said:
No spoilers?
Other than, just like Portal 2... Its just like the word HIT with an S in front of it.
Click to expand...
Yeah I've heard ppl weren't that impressed with it. But then I'll be paying less than half of what all those guys paid when it first came out :) I just noticed that it's come down in price significantly recently so I'll buy Portal 2 soon.
 
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