Don't even think about the e8400, get the Q6600. It is short sighted to say a dual core CPU that overclocks SLIGHTLY higher is a better deal than a QUAD core processor that hits basically similar clock rates, doesn't require expensive RAM to do it, and has TWICE the cache and processing power.
GAMES run *just fine* on the Q6600 + a decent GPU, I know, I have a Q6600 + 8800GT box using cheap DDR2-800 RAM.
On any video resolution 1600x1200 with modern high performance games you will virtually certainly be limited in performance by the GPU not the CPU since typically you'll also have pretty moderate to high quality visual effects enabled etc. which really sucks up the GPU power much moreso than CPU power. There isn't a game out there that doesn't play basically maxed out in realistically useful performance on a Q6600 running at 3GHz coupled with a GPU like the 8800GT or 9600GT. If you really find yourself CPU limited you're either playing with STUPIDLY high frame rates (nobody needs 150 FPS!) or STUPIDLY low resolution (800x600 / 1024x768), or STUPIDLY low quality visual quality settings (everything on low detail, no AA, no AF). Anything higher than that visually and I can guarantee the Q6600 will have nothing but advantages to you since the GPU will limit the frame rate to something reasonable in the 15FPS -> 80FPS range, the CPU will give you smooth fast play, and everything is well balanced. Crysis, WIC, Supreme Commander, many others LOVE quad core CPUs, basically every modern high performance game is great on quad core.
Simpler less demanding games like Wow, Guild Wars, BF2, whatever will work fine on a CPU even much less than either a Q6600/E8400, so CPU speed isn't a factor as long as you have a reasonable GPU better than a X1950 or 8600GTS or so.
Getting most any Q6600 to 3GHz is trivial without any real risk / instability if you want to spend about $20 to $50 on a decent 3rd party heatsink/fan for it, something like or better than the Tuniq Tower 120 or so. It's even possible to go to 3600 MHz on most chips pretty easily, though that gets into more heat and Vcore etc. and really I don't think you'd even notice the benefit in the games you play since 3GHz quad core is MORE than ample as long as you have a decent GPU, and if you have a really under powered GPU, NO CPU model or overclock will help.
GPU? IDK if you are buying, but an 8800GT seems like a good general
area to shop in.. maybe a new 8800GTS-512, maybe a 9600GT, maybe a
3870 after the price drop happens (they just announced one like 2 days ago.. I forget if it's immediately taking effect or not). Something around $140-$240,
lifetime warranty model, XFX, BFG, EVGA brand IMHO.
OS? Well you can get Vista Home Premium Upgrade for like $84 and then go 64 bit if you think you might take advantage of cheap ram and 4 dimm slots to get 6/8GB anytime soon.
Motherboard? I'd go with the cheap $60AR ABIT IP35-E for a Q6600 overclocked to around 3GHz @ 333x9 multiplier and the RAM at 400MHz on its own multiplier or something like that. Not too much OC stress on the MB, the CPU, the RAM, very easy, very inexpensive, very solid. I bought a couple of those MBs to do just that for
family PCs.
Otherwise P5K-E or similar I guess.. I run a P5k deluxe and a P5K-E with Q6600's
and they're solid and work just fine, good stable, decent overclocking, OK BIOS.
Just a lot more expensive than the IP35-E currently is for not many more features.
Nothing really wrong with the GA-P35-DS3 or whatever their P35 / DDR2 raid (DS3R) or non-RAID value (DS3 or DS3L?) models are exactly. I just prefer ASUS and not the ABIT for a great budget board.
RAM? Don't even think about 4x1, go 2x2GB=4GB or 4x2GB=8GB --
PC2-6400 / DDR2-800 is a fine speed for a Q6600, get memory with
5-5-5-15 stock timings, or 4-4-4-12 if you feel like paying extra for not very
much more performance. Prefer strongly memory that has stock voltages of
1.8, 1.9, or 2.0V at 800MHz/5-5-5-15 to memory that takes 2.1 or 2.2V to get there.
You want to pay between $34/2GB to $50/2GB for a single 2GB DIMM at
PC2-6400/5-5-5-15 speeds, lifetime warranty, brand name like
Corsair, Mushkin, Crucial, SuperTalent, Patriot, G.Skill, GEIL, Ballistix, Kingston, etc.
Something with heatspreaders.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231148
[very fast memory for a Q6600, though you could spend less for slower RAM and be fine]
G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL4D-4GBPK - Retail
Your Price:$99.99
# Cas Latency: 4
# Heat Spreader: Yes
# Timing: 4-4-4-12
# Voltage: 2.0V - 2.1V
# Model #: F2-6400CL4D-4GBPK
# Item #: N82E16820231148
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231145
[Good match for E8400, faster than needed for Q6600 overclocking really]
G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ - Retail
Your Price:$99.99
* Cas Latency: 5
* Heat Spreader: Yes
* Timing: 5-5-5-15
* Voltage: 2.0V - 2.1V
* Model #: F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ
* Item #: N82E16820231145
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231122
[fine match for Q6600, decent speed/value tradeoff, works great, I use them]
Your Price:$79.99
G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel
Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ - Retail
* Cas Latency: 5
* Heat Spreader: Yes
* Labor: Lifetime limited
* Parts: Lifetime limited
* Model #: F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ
* Item #: N82E16820231122
http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=T8UB2GC5
[buy 2 for 2x2GB = 4GB; works fine in a Q6600, I use 12GB of this stuff, it's about the cheapest you can consistently find at the price level that is reputable brand/quality. Not at all the fastest / most overclockable, but darn near the cheapest respectable RAM at the PC2-6400 speed level, lifetime warranty AFAIK, and you don't really need more than its guaranteed 400MHz 5-5-5-15 speed for a Q6600 since 400 MHz is about all you really want to try to run the Q6600 at (400x9 = 3600 = comfortably decent overclock without insane voltage or cooling or instability risks; I don't hesitate to say this will work FINE since I use a lot of it with Q6600s but considering the other faster lower voltage RAM available from Newegg at not too much higher prices, I'd say consider spending 40-45/2GB stick for better / faster / lower voltage RAM if the cost is minor to you at that level of difference.).
Part#: T8UB2GC5
Package: RETAIL
Manufacturer: Super Talent
Manufacturer Part#: T8UB2GC5
Shipping Weight: 0.10 lbs.(0.05 kg)
T8UB2GC5 $32.96
* Mfr Part Number: T8UB2GC5
* Type: DDR2
* Capacity: 2 GB
* Speed: PC6400 800MHz
* Size & Bit: 128 x 8
* Pins: 240pin
* ECC: No
* Registered: No
* Super RIGID
Originally posted by: lurk3r
I'm not unhappy with my current system, DFI infinity SLi with an opty 170, slightly oc'd to around 2.2, but seeing the full Dell system for $675 and the Microcenter $199 deal on the q6600 got me looking to upgrade.
I mainly use my computer for WoW, but have oblivion, and nwn2
The hard question is what's the best price point for a motherboard and ram?
I was looking at the abit for $60 at newegg, but it dosent seem to support the 45nm chips.
From what I've read here I'm leaning towards the e8400. The problem gets to be the price, if I get much over $400 for the cpu, mb and ram, I might as well grab the dell q6600 with the 24" for $675.
the boards I saw in mirocenter that made the most sense were:
Asus p5k for $139 (gotta be cheaper at the egg)
Gigabyte GA P35 DL3l $115
Gigabyte EP 35c DS3R $189
They also have some 4gb corsair ddr2 800 kits for $79, but didnt seem to have stock, and some 2 Gb DDR2 800's for $29, would using 4 1gb sticks hurt performance? Is there a better deal on ram right now?
I would like the convience of picking up all the parts at microcenter, but have ordered tonnes of stuff from the egg, ewiz etc.
Any reccomendations would be greatly appreciated.
I've retired it into a CS Source server 
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