Dead man walking

[Timo]

Don't mind the thread name, I can imagine you guys getting a lot of these threads with the new Processors coming up. You must get more of these threads ofcourse. But this one is an easy one, I'd like some opinions on which one to take from the following two:

Q9450 (maybe OC it to about 2.8)
Asus P5N-D (for possible SLI in the future)
8800GT (1)
Corsair CL4 PC6400
And ofcourse all of the rest of the computer (Scythe Infinity and a Accelero S1 Rev. 2 for cooling).

Or…

Q6600 (most likely up to around 2.8)
XFX 680i LT SLI
Two 8800GT’s
Corsair CL4 PC6400
And again the rest of the computer (plus the same coolers).

Now I want an opinion non which system to take, take in mind I am going for future proof and good frames for practically everything you throw at it. Ofcourse I want a normal working PC for work etc. but I am sure if it can give a good Framerate then it’ll do fine in normal surroundings (seeing it has 4 cores).

Both systems cost practically the same (the price difference is less then 1%).

And before someone stars: yes I can put the Accelero's on when the cards are in SLI, I can either bend 2 fins on the Accelero in between both so the standard SLI bridge will fit through (or hope it does standard) or I can get myself a flexible SLI bridge (for not much, the Q6600 system will be higher max 1.5% then the Q9450 system).

I myself am leaning towards the Q6600 seeing it will get me more bang for less bucks up against the Q9450 system. And both are about the same to overclock (although the Q9450 will be a bit less of a hothead, but that's no problem if you have 2 fans sticked on your Scythe Infinity where one has 110CFM on max).

I'm pushing towards that Q6600 seeing it OC's good and works on a 680i chipset (XFX 680i LT). Not that the Q9450 doesn't OC good, but it won't work on that same 680i board. And seeing the 780i/790i is out of my budget I'd have to get a 750i for future SLI... And I prefer two PCI-e 16x slots over one x16 PCI-e v2.0 slot and one x8 PCI-e (v2.0 ?) slot... The V2.0 hardly brings anything more seeing the 8800GT's wont use the total bandwith of the genereal x16 slots anyway.


I thank you in advance


Gr.
Timo


(PS, about the PCI-e V2.0, I mean that it won't use up the total bandwith of the x16 V1.0 slot when you play at 1600*1200 with some AA and AF on. Perhaps at 2560×1600 you might use up the max and then v2.0 might bring a tiny little bit extra... But the screen I am getting only does max 1680*1050, not much need for it then)

 

[Cleric7x9]

i would definitely go for the q6600 SLI machine

 

[Timo]

Oh, and I want to add this:

I hope that I can assume that a OCZ StealthXstream (600Watt) will run either systems? I counted in 35% aging, 95% TDP and 95% load and it gave me that I should pick a 580watt (keep in mind that it will then use up the amounts of watts any PSU will be most likely the most efficient at which is about 50% load). So 600 watt's should keep me right on the money?

(I used eXtreme Powersupply Calculator Lite v2.5)

It will be Q6600 G0 at 2800
SLI 8800GT
2 sticks of DDR2
1 DVDr/rw CDr/rw writer/reader etc. (reads/burns).
1 HD (maybe another one in the future but I am not counting on that at all).
1 usb in use
4 casefans (not running at top)
2 CPU fans (most likely not running top either)
2 VGA coolers that don't use any power at all (seeing the Accelero lives of the Airflow in the case).

 

[morris14cc]

yeah and definitely the second one

 

[oscaryu1]

Why not just get a single 9800/GTS G92?

 

[Timo]

Are you joking me? Give me a substantial difference in fps between a 9800GTS G92, and a 8800GTS G92 card. There is hardly any, perhaps the 9800GTS will score a little bit higher on a 3dmark and half a frame more on average but it comes nowhere near to actually beating the 8800GTS G92...

Seeing the 8800GTS G92 won't beat two 8800GT's in SLI I'd rather stick with the 8800GT's in SLI (and no... 9800GX2 is not an option, I'd blow my budget with more then 200 euro's.)

If you meant in the Q9450 system that would be even worse seeing I would blow my budget with 100 euro's at least without getting more then 0.5 frames more on average.

 

[oscaryu1]

No I am not. 2x GTS G92s would blow away 2x GT's. The GTS G92 beats the GT (one on one)... And there's just a $20 price difference.

 

[Timo]

It thought you meant single GTS G92 instead of SLI 8800GT's

And not over here they are; I can buy the cheapest 8800GT at 130,- euros: Clicky

And the cheapest 8800GTS here costs: Clicky

That's a difference of roughly 65,- ...So in total that would be 130,- euros... 130 euro's I would spend more wise on a different processor (such as a Q6700, which only differs in price from the Q6600 with 70 euro's) instead of 2 overkill cards

But I won't change the cards, nor will I change the processor seeing if I spend another 130,- euro's I'd blow the budget with 100,- ... And I think that 1200,- euro's for a computer is more then enough. (and the Q6700 might OC better... But I'm not pushing further then 2.8 or 3.0 anyway so really there is no use)

 

[Kornowski]

Definitely the second one, with the GTS' in SLI!

They OC like champs, the GT's can OC, but nothing like the GTS' due to the single slot cooler.
Also, the Q6600 can reach 3.2GHz EASILY!

 

[Timo]

I know that the Q6600 can get 3.2... But I don't need it

And the 8800GTS's in SLI will cost me 130,- more, for like instead of 30 frames in crysis I will get 35 frames... I am not a superhuman so I won't see the difference

 

[Kornowski]

I know that the Q6600 can get 3.2... But I don't need it

And the 8800GTS's in SLI will cost me 130,- more, for like instead of 30 frames in crysis I will get 35 frames... I am not a superhuman so I won't see the difference

You may regret it when they bring out proper drivers for it...
Your call though.

 

[Timo]

i won't regret not spending 130 euro's seeing I won't see the difference between 30 frames or 40/50 either

 

[headcrabCAKE]

Timo plz let me know how your build turns out (im guessing u don't have it yet form your sig)

i will ahve one the exact same as yours (close enough maybe diff brands)
once i get my quad core Q6600 in a few weeks

Mobo: XFX 680i LT Sli
CPU: Q6600
Vcard: 2x 8800GT Sli
RAM: DDR2 800Mhz CL4 (OCZ)
CPU Cooler: Scythe Infinity (with added 120mm 110CFM fan pulling, and the standard one pushing)
Vcard Cooler(s): Arctic Cooling Accelero S1 Rev2


mind giving me the link to your cpu cooler? i like the sound of having 2 fans on it(one pulling and one pushing air away)

 

[oscaryu1]

Timo plz let me know how your build turns out (im guessing u don't have it yet form your sig)

i will ahve one the exact same as yours (close enough maybe diff brands)
once i get my quad core Q6600 in a few weeks

Mobo: XFX 680i LT Sli
CPU: Q6600
Vcard: 2x 8800GT Sli
RAM: DDR2 800Mhz CL4 (OCZ)
CPU Cooler: Scythe Infinity (with added 120mm 110CFM fan pulling, and the standard one pushing)
Vcard Cooler(s): Arctic Cooling Accelero S1 Rev2


mind giving me the link to your cpu cooler? i like the sound of having 2 fans on it(one pulling and one pushing air away)

Make your own thread. We'll help you out from there.

And the 680i... horrible and outdated mobo.

 

[Cleric7x9]

Make your own thread. We'll help you out from there.

And the 680i... horrible and outdated mobo.

lmao, horrible and outdated? if you want to use a core 2 duo, SLI, and ddr2 RAM (none of which are "outdated"), what mobo do you suggest?

what makes the 680i horrible and outdated?

 

[Timo]

680i chipset, it's one version back from 780i. Really, it will do fine for cheap money. Q6600 isn't new, 8800GT isn't that new, so what's your problem with the chipset?

EDIT: @headcrabCAKE

I'll leave you a notice in here when I get it, but I have to wait untill the company gets the VGA coolers seeing they don't know when they will get them in.

And the CPU cooler is just a regular Scythe Infinity (available at almost every shop that has a computer in it somewhere). If you want to add another 120mm fan on it, you order the Scythe Fan Clips as well as a 120mm fan of your likings (I chose; Scythe Slip Stream 1900RPM)

 

[oscaryu1]

For the price might as well get a X38. Advantages over it:

Newer
45nm compatibility
PCI-E 2.0
Probably better overclocking abilities.

 

[headcrabCAKE]

lol if i get a new mobo and cpu ill have the same build as your making timo lol


thanks alot for the help i think i will upgrade my cpu and mobo and leave the sli for another time (for the people who helped me on my another 8800gt in sli worth it thread

 

[MosIncredible]

I know that the Q6600 can get 3.2... But I don't need it

And the 8800GTS's in SLI will cost me 130,- more, for like instead of 30 frames in crysis I will get 35 frames... I am not a superhuman so I won't see the difference

Go ahead and do 3.2GHz. It's ridiculously easy. I OCed mine to 3.2 the first day I owned it and it passed 24hrs of prime with a small voltage bump over stock.