What's a logical upgrade from a QX6700?

[rootaxs]

Can anyone please point me to a chart that shows which processor would be a logical upgrade from a QX6700?

I'll just be upgrading the processor, keeping the mobo/mem intact.

Thank you.

 

[CarpeDiem99]

Best processors you can get would be : Q9650 or Q9550 E0 stepping. Make sure your motherboard can support it.

 

[Jd007]

If you OC'd that QX6700 (which should be easy being an Extreme chip) to the range of 3.5Ghz or above, there isn't really any logical upgrade for your LGA 775 platform.

Why do you want to upgrade that CPU? If you want significantly better video editing and media encoding performance, you need to step it up to a Nehalem. If it's for gaming, spending the money on a new graphics card is a wiser move.

But yeah, if you want to upgrade for the sake of upgrading, I agree with CarpeDiem99.

 

[taltamir]

step 1: sell CPU, mobo, ram
step 2: buy an i7, mobo, and ram.

there is no logical upgrade from an extreme C2Q in the age of nehalem.

 

[JMapleton]

You would probably need to straight to i7 for it to be worth it, IMO.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Any upgrade to a 45nm Core2 Quad would be a good idea, so long as you aren't losing cache or clockspeed (after overclocking). I have to agree with CarpeDiem on his suggestions.

 

[rootaxs]

Thank you for the replies!

A designer, by trade, i do a lot of layouts/photo editing (files are as large as 1gb at times) and to some extent video. I rarely play games.

There's still a lot of life left on this machine, so i figured a chip upgrade by itself would be cost-effective, but i'll look into the complete mobo/ram/chip route -- just can't afford the downtime right now.

 

[faxon]

I wouldn't go to anything short of a gulftown if you have that chip. If it isn't OCed yet just do that if you didn't already, otherwise go all in as soon as gulftowns hit retail

 

[taltamir]

if you buy a mobo+CPU+ram, you can just extract your current mobo+cpu+ram together. And if for some reason the new one doesn't work, put the old setup right back in. That way you are less likely to have downtime.
For absolute max safety, make a whole new computer (new case, new HDD, etc) and make sure it works before taking apart the old one.

 

[aigomorla]

Thank you for the replies!

A designer, by trade, i do a lot of layouts/photo editing (files are as large as 1gb at times) and to some extent video. I rarely play games.

There's still a lot of life left on this machine, so i figured a chip upgrade by itself would be cost-effective, but i'll look into the complete mobo/ram/chip route -- just can't afford the downtime right now.

hold onto the machine.

If your a true XE owner, then your next upgrade will be a complete package because im fairly sure all your hardware is outdated.

The only possibly things left to recycle in your system is the Hard drives (now which are fairly cheap compared to when you bought the processor)
And your case + PSU + GPU.

However were probably talking 2007 circa if its a QX6700. So you might want a new GPU as well.

So in essense you will be building an entirely new machine.
And this is the ONLY processor you should be looking for in March 2010:

Say Hello to Hexcore. ()
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2045083

 

[rootaxs]

Thanks, all. The HD's/GPU is all-new (Around Oct/Nov of last year). I recently upgraded from a dual-core Athlon. I got the QX/mobo/mem/psu/case second hand. I've been getting a bit more "heavy" projects and could certainly benefit from a speed boost. I have not OC'd the system, just can't deal with any possible instabilities at this time, ditto on downtime.

6-core huh? Sounds... umm... yummy.

 

[zuffy]

You don't have to OC too much. I OC my QX6700 to 3.2ghz as you can see in my sig. As many pointed out, your next CPU should be an i7.

 

[rootaxs]

Okay, i'll give it a shot. It's still on the OEM cooler, what are you using on yours to keep the temps down? Any suggestions on a good quiet fan/cooler setup?

Thank you.

 

[zuffy]

I am using the Xigmatek Dark Knight. Pretty quiet and keep the CPU pretty cool. The processor is running @ 1.35 vcore @ 3.2ghz and under idle, it's running between 21-24c. under load, it gets to the mid-40c