Best Overclockable cheap Intel CPU?

[bushwickbill]

I am wondering if someone can help clear up this issue for me.

I have been out of the loop as to all the different great Overclockable Intel CPU's that have been launched since the first big wave of C2D starting with the E6400-E6600 Era.

Now I am faced with a very Tuff decision, Which CPU to get. I am only after the Gaming Performance so I don't need to worry about the other Benchmarks.

I have read a few reviews of the E8400 and E8500 but what about the other Budget C2D's.

Where is the E6400 of the new CPU's. From what I remember, The E6400 was the best Overclocker for the Price/Performance Ratio. When Overclocked on air the E6400 was able to complete with a CPU worth 1000 the X6800!! Here is a link to the article:

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets...spx?i=2802&p=9

So I would like to know which Budget CPU does now does what the E6400 Did to the X6800

Please feel free to provide some links to support any claims. Also please keep in mind that I am on a ASUS P5B with G-skill DDR2 800Mhz Ram.
Thanx!!
_

 

[myocardia]

The E7200 & E7300 are the $$/performance champs these days, if you don't mind overclocking. The E8400 and E8500 are close behind in $$/performance, now that their prices have been lowered.

 

[Lonyo]

E5200?

 

[rogue1979]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
E5200?

Yes. It is cheaper and can use a cheaper motherboard to get close to or up to 4GHz.

2MB cache vs 3MB will be a very small difference.

 

[Phew]

E8400 can be had for $159, and the new E0 revision can overclock 50%+ on air. Mine is @ 4 GHz at pretty low voltage.

 

[error8]

E5200 or for a couple of bucks more, E7200. You just can't beat these two in price/performance.

 

[soccerballtux]

My e2180 at 3.4Ghz beats the X6800. Xbitlabs did an OC'ing article on these e21x0's, got a e2160 up to 3.4Ghz and benched it, beat the x6800.

 

[RussianSensation]

With your E6400 @ 3.2ghz, there isn't too much reason to upgrade really. I say you save for a graphics card upgrade next. If you want to upgrade your cpu, I'd consider getting a 45nm Quad instead in a year or so.

 

[bushwickbill]

Thanx guys, I think you guys are right. How much more FPS am I going to see by getting a C2D up to 4.0Ghz? What like 3-4 FPS in Crysis? At 1920*1200 Is that a accurate estimate of what kind of FPS I might gain by making the jump to a C2D that can hit 4.0Ghz over my E6400 @ 3.2Ghz.

 

[RussianSensation]

Originally posted by: bushwickbill
Thanx guys, I think you guys are right. How much more FPS am I going to see by getting a C2D up to 4.0Ghz? What like 3-4 FPS in Crysis? At 1920*1200 Is that a accurate estimate of what kind of FPS I might gain by making the jump to a C2D that can hit 4.0Ghz over my E6400 @ 3.2Ghz.

Crysis is just a poorly coded engine. No matter what you throw at it, cpu or gpu power, it still runs like crap.

Crysis cpu scaling
But you can see that even at 1600x1200, a 3.0ghz provides negligible gain over a 2.4ghz C2D with 8800GTS. To extrapolate, your 9800GTX won't get much boost from a 4.0ghz C2D.

Crysis gpu scaling
...except that the game doesnt really scale with faster GPUs at 1920x1200 either.

But for most other games, you are better off upgrading to a faster GPU with your setup. 9800GTX is still good though and you might hold off until GF11.

 

[scheibler1]

I'de say an intel e2140, e2160, or e2180. Mine is @ 3ghz on stock voltage. i can't get it to go any higher then 3ghz though!

I plan on picking up a quad core in 2009 along with a 4870x2 or whatever outperforms it. Any of the e21** chips at atleast 3ghz is equivalent to a e6700 stock...so your overclocked e6400 is even faster clock for clock b/c of the cache. Just wait until nahelm is released so you can get a fast quad core on the cheap

 

[Tempered81]

e2140, e2160, e5200, e7200, e7300, e8400, q6600