Intel® Boxed Core? 2 Quad Processor Q9550

[gibster]

Best online price still about $200+, even with tax it's not a bad deal at all.

I just snagged 2 - the ad says limit 1/household, but they don't seem to enforce it...

 

[hansmuff]

Holy crap that is nice! I just saw the Q6600 somewhere on sale for that price.

 

[Jen]

wish i was closer as i would buy this

 

[Capt Caveman]

Note, it's in-store only - http://www.microcenter.com/sin...2&ref=dynamitedata.com

 

[Insomniator]

I would buy this if I played anything on my pc besides starcraft. I think the e5200 is good enough for sc....

 

[brittlenet]

Originally posted by: Insomniator
I would buy this if I played anything on my pc besides starcraft. I think the e5200 is good enough for sc....

There's always StarCraft 2.

Sweet deal for those near Microcenter.

 

[cify1964]

Yeah this is a great deal, I picked up one on Monday. It has E0 stepping and runs real cool. I'm running it now at 3.8ghz on air with 1.375 vcore with no problems. I can't get it up any higher though no matter what I tired so far. I replaced my e8500 for this and I'm very happy with it. The games I play seem to like the extra cache and it seems faster then my e8500 that was running at 3.8 too. I have a q6600 running in my wifes PC, I'm running that at 3.6 but it runs really hot and it is not as smooth or stable as the Q9550.

I did some research on the net about this chip and most people have hit 4ghz using the following setting below:

CPU Voltage 1.375v
CPU PLL 1.50v
NB Voltage 1.44v
SB Voltage 1.50v

I'm using these setting too except my MB's SB voltage only goes up to 1.3, maybe that is the reason I can't hit 4ghz yet. Also, they say beware of setting your NB Voltage higher then 1.4 because it has been known to kill some chips.

I didn't want to go the full upgrade to I7 until the MB prices come down quite a bit more. This chip is a nice upgrade if you are running a decent e8400 - e8600 because you can sell your old chip and the q9550 will only cost you about $25 - $55 after the sale.

 

[TurtleCrusher]

Oregon FAIL.

At least I've got a Fry's.

Yeah that will make me feel better..

 

[liquidsense]

Both Chicago locations just re-up'd on their inventory of these and i7's last night.

Also, I'm going to pick up my Q9550 this evening. Can someone explain how to look for the E0 stepping model? Or will they all be E0 stepping?

Edit: figured out the E0 stepping thing here. Gotta look for SLB8V.
http://processorfinder.intel.c...m=2774&sSpec=&OrdCode=

 

[tigersty1e]

I'm thinking of picking this up with a P45-UD3P board.

How would this combo perform in games vs. a corei7 build?

 

[F1N3ST]

Just dump the 9550 in your P35, thats what I did. Running at uh 400x8.5. You'd be better off to just do the CPU I had an E6300.

(I was tricky and installed mine without removing from case I have a fairly large tower cooler too)

 

[gibster]

Originally posted by: F1N3ST
Just dump the 9550 in your P35, thats what I did. Running at uh 400x8.5. You'd be better off to just do the CPU I had an E6300.

(I was tricky and installed mine without removing from case I have a fairly large tower cooler too)

Some P35's will NOT work with the Q9550 - I found out my Abit IP35-E did not (may have worked with C1 - Abit quit updating their BIOS...), and I had to get a P45 board. Not a big loss, as the IP35-E only cost me around $60 about 1.5 years ago...

 

[Budarow]

Originally posted by: tigersty1e
I'm thinking of picking this up with a P45-UD3P board.

How would this combo perform in games vs. a corei7 build?

I picked up the UD3P when NE had the extra $10 off so I could put a Pentium D925 to use and upgrade the proc at a later date. But with the price of the Q9550 dropping, I just know I'm going to have a VERY HARD time not picking 1 up. PCs...a love/hate relationship.

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: gibster

Originally posted by: F1N3ST
Just dump the 9550 in your P35, thats what I did. Running at uh 400x8.5. You'd be better off to just do the CPU I had an E6300.

(I was tricky and installed mine without removing from case I have a fairly large tower cooler too)

Some P35's will NOT work with the Q9550 - I found out my Abit IP35-E did not (may have worked with C1 - Abit quit updating their BIOS...), and I had to get a P45 board. Not a big loss, as the IP35-E only cost me around $60 about 1.5 years ago...

Wow that sucks. I stick to Asus. I have the original P5B P965 board bought in 7/2006 and the it supports all quads including E0 Q9550 they even updated for the new R0 Q8400 stepping just recently.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Showing 65 in stock now at the Cambridge, MA location.

 

[lopri]

All 12MB L2 Yorkfields are E0's, iirc.

 

[zephyrprime]

Back in stock in Minnesota and probably a few other locations also.

 

[Beanie46]

Originally posted by: zephyrprime
Back in stock in Minnesota and probably a few other locations also.

Actually, according to MC's website, the only place with stock of the q9550's below 20 is Chicage/Westmont in IL. Every other loaction has at least 20, and almost all have over 30 or more currently in stock.

 

[NaOH]

zomg, they are back in stock where I am!!!!!

 

[Axon]

Awesome deal.

 

[imported_Lothar]

Originally posted by: gibster

Originally posted by: F1N3ST
Just dump the 9550 in your P35, thats what I did. Running at uh 400x8.5. You'd be better off to just do the CPU I had an E6300.

(I was tricky and installed mine without removing from case I have a fairly large tower cooler too)

Some P35's will NOT work with the Q9550 - I found out my Abit IP35-E did not (may have worked with C1 - Abit quit updating their BIOS...), and I had to get a P45 board. Not a big loss, as the IP35-E only cost me around $60 about 1.5 years ago...

Abit already closed up shop.

 

[yuppiejr]

Hmm, tempting... I'm even within 10 minutes of a MC store that has them in stock.. just not convinced it's worth investing in the upgrade over my e6750 versus waiting a few more months and doing a fresh board/ram/i7 combo once Windows 7 hits the streets.

Good deal for those looking to build/upgrade today on an Intel quad!

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: yuppiejr
Hmm, tempting... I'm even within 10 minutes of a MC store that has them in stock.. just not convinced it's worth investing in the upgrade over my e6750 versus waiting a few more months and doing a fresh board/ram/i7 combo once Windows 7 hits the streets.

Good deal for those looking to build/upgrade today on an Intel quad!

it's worth it. i'm going from a q9400 -> q9550 EO stepping.
more cache, higher multiplier, better OC potential.
and i can sell the q9400 for only slightly less than what i'm paying for the new chip.

 

[NaOH]

Picked mine up, it's not significantly faster than my E8400, but I seem to be able to multitask more. That's about it. For the price it's a decent upgrade considering I almost have it at the same clock speeds as my E8400.

 

[jrichrds]

Originally posted by: NaOH
Picked mine up, it's not significantly faster than my E8400, but I seem to be able to multitask more. That's about it. For the price it's a decent upgrade considering I almost have it at the same clock speeds as my E8400.

Any idea how much higher the idle power consumption is when going E8400 -> Q9550? Was contemplating the same upgrade.