the choice of cpu and cpu cooler

[EVAN CHEN]

I need some suggestions from you. pls help!!

I wanna choice the level of cpu and cpu cooler

there are two choices now

A) An expensive cpu with high performance + common cpu cooler
B) A cheaper cpu(but overclocking to the same high performance) +
expensive cpu cooler with superior performance

and the budgets are the same
should I choice A or B

pls give me any comments , thanks

 

[ther00kie16]

Depends on what you want to do. Also, you could overclock the expensive cpu to get even more performance than the overclocked cheaper cpu. So another question is what you are after: performance or performance/dollar?
If you want an expensive, high performing cpu, then a qx9650 overclocked to 4.2ghz will do the trick. If you want to save some cash, you could get a q9450 or q6600 and overclock it to 3.6ghz.
If you want performance/dollar, then something like a e2160 overclocked to 3.2ghz will do.
Somewhere in between would be a 4ghz+ e8400 and some e7200s will get as high as 4ghz as well.

 

[mpilchfamily]

If your not going to OC then get the better CPU and stick with the stockl cooler. Besides the stock cooler Intel provides is pretty good and will allow you to oc the CPU a bit.

 

[Quiksilver]

I like option c.

C) Mid-range cpu overclocked, with a mid-range price cooler than does very well. (example below but it depends on what you consider expensive)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835233017

IMO for coolers:
Cheap : <$30
Middle: $31-$50
Expensive; $51+

 

[EVAN CHEN]

Thank for your comments.here's really a cheerful place

my question is an assumption for intel cpu

but it's hard to find the same budget

A) QX9650 up to 4.2G($1,025) + XIGMATEK HDT-S1284($44) => $1069
cpu performance better and more more expensive
but...is it better enough for its price??

B) Q6600 up to 3.6G ($230.99) + ZALMAN Reserator($419.99) =>$649.1
i believe Q6600 a value choice.
the ZALMAN Reserator i can still use when i upgrade next time

i think the money isn't a problem. but i hope that it's worthy of each dallor i spend

which one do you recommend ?

thanks:sun🙂

 

[chinaman1472]

That's because you can't equate the two like that. The more expensive CPU will always give more performance because it inherits more power to begin with.

It's like saying:
A) Buy a Porsche 911 GT2 at ~$200,000
B) Buy a Evo Lancer ~$30,000 and pour ~$100,000 to fix it up.
The Porsche is inherently faster than the Evo, no matter what you do, its top speed will likely never match the 911. On the other hand, you're still getting similar performance on the whole such as acceleration times, braking distances, etc. The same as the CPU, as your CPU likely never at 100% load 24/7.

If you get a very expensive CPU and a cheaper cooler, you'll probably get more performance regardless but you're getting less for your dollar.
If you get a cost effective CPU and a more expensive cooler, you'll get less performance, but you're getting more for the dollar.

The Q6600 can hit really good speeds even on "cheap" cooling solutions, like the Xigmatek mentioned earlier. In all reality, a budget/mainsteam CPU with an air cooler will give you the most out of your money, regardless whether money is a problem or not. Tom's Hardware showed that an E2160 clocked at 3.0GHz can almost keep up with a Q6600 clocked at 3.2GHz, and the E2160 only costs around $70USD, nearly 1/3 of the cost of the Q6600.

The Zalman Reserator costs $420 and you can it for future upgrades right? An air cooler at the 1/10th of the price gives 90%+ of the performance. At $420, you could buy air coolers for the next 5 CPUs and still have cash left over while retaining 90% of the performance and a lot less maintenance.