Experiance with E6600 vs E6400? Recommended System

MonkeyManX

Member
Nov 10, 2001
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I just placed an order from buy.com last night for the E6600 which could or could not make it to me before the end of the month. I am leaving for work on the road the first week of September and want a new system to bring with me for gaming and music recording. I am currently using a X2 4400+ system which is pretty good, but isn't that great for games since I have an old s939 motherboard with an AGP video card.

Looking at the price and availability between the E6400 and E6600, it seems like the E6400 would be a better shot. I am tempted to cancel my E6600 and just order a E6400 and a DS3 mobo from ZZF today. I was also looking at the Antec True 550W PSU which seems like it would be a nice solid PSU. I probably would get a 7900GT 256MB video card. After reading about the common overclocking results, I would like to overclock this time around. I didn't with my X2 chip.

So, if you were in my position, what you would you do? Go with the DS3 and the E6400 or just hold out of the E6600?

Also, anybody that is reaching high clock speeds with the E6400, what PSU and motherboard are you using?

Thanks in advance.
 

LW07

Golden Member
Feb 16, 2006
1,537
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Originally posted by: MonkeyManX
I just placed an order from buy.com last night for the E6600 which could or could not make it to me before the end of the month. I am leaving for work on the road the first week of September and want a new system to bring with me for gaming and music recording. I am currently using a X2 4400+ system which is pretty good, but isn't that great for games since I have an old s939 motherboard with an AGP video card.

Looking at the price and availability between the E6400 and E6600, it seems like the E6400 would be a better shot. I am tempted to cancel my E6600 and just order a E6400 and a DS3 mobo from ZZF today. I was also looking at the Antec True 550W PSU which seems like it would be a nice solid PSU. I probably would get a 7900GT 256MB video card. After reading about the common overclocking results, I would like to overclock this time around. I didn't with my X2 chip.

So, if you were in my position, what you would you do? Go with the DS3 and the E6400 or just hold out of the E6600?

Also, anybody that is reaching high clock speeds with the E6400, what PSU and motherboard are you using?

Thanks in advance.

I would just keep the E6600.
 

MonkeyManX

Member
Nov 10, 2001
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Well, I don't have it yet. My main concern is that it won't come in before I leave for work. I would like to get it all set up while I'm at home and get all my necessary software installed, which is quite a bit.

Looking at the benchmarks, it doesn't seem like the 4MB Cache has much of an advantage over the 2MB chips. It seems like mainly, clock speed seems to be winning the benchmarks more than anything else.

Then again, how stable and reliable has everyone's overclocks been with the E6400... Stability is something I really need for music production.
 

thilanliyan

Lifer
Jun 21, 2005
11,978
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I'd drop the E6600 and go with the E6400 if you're willing to do a bit of light overclocking. I have my 6400 at 3.2GHz at only 1.35v (stock 1.325v). Of course your results will vary though.

I was in the same dilemma, I preordered a 6600 but found out the 6400s were in stock and there was no ETA for the E6600 so I cancelled and got the 6400 and DS3 combo. Saved about a hundred bucks which can be put to something else.
 

MonkeyManX

Member
Nov 10, 2001
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Are you using an aftermarket HS and Fan or the retail? Also, what kind of thermal compound are you using? That $100 saved could maybe get me the 512MB videocard instead of the 256MB card...
 

MonkeyManX

Member
Nov 10, 2001
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Also, what are you using for a PSU? Will that Antec Tru Power 550W do the job? I'll have 2 Sata HDDs, a DVD drive, and the 7900GT... A couple of USB devices and such, nothing to taxing...
 

Mogadon

Senior member
Aug 30, 2004
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From what ive read the retail HSF is crap, an aftermarket solution is required to overclock.
 

Pabster

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
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Originally posted by: MonkeyManX
Can anybody else confirm the retail HS + Fan being garbage for overclocking?

I wouldn't call it "garbage" but it certainly isn't enough for heavy overclocking.

If you're just going to go as far as possible on stock volts, it would suffice.

Otherwise, get an aftermarket cooling solution.
 

Henny

Senior member
Nov 22, 2001
674
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Originally posted by: MonkeyManX
Can anybody else confirm the retail HS + Fan being garbage for overclocking?



It's far from garbage but if you want the best possible OC then you need a premium cooler.

I played around with the stock HSF on my E6600. It would get to about 45-46 degrees under a torture test. With my Scythe Infinity, AS5 and a lapped CPU/IHS it never exceeds 35 degrees. (ambient = 19)

The factory HSF was also louder because you should really disable Q-fan when you OC.

However Conroe can get by just fine with the factory HSF for normal use.
 

MonkeyManX

Member
Nov 10, 2001
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Alot of folks seem to have the Scythe Ninja HS + Fan combo. Looks like it is around 50 dollars over at newegg. I'll also take a look at the Infinity. Thanks for the advice.