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Will Quad be utilized for Gaming?

E

eryx24

Member
Title says it all, from what I hear quad is more for multi tasking or editing and stuff like that, I want to know if I should get an 8400/8500 or a q6600/9400. The computer is mainly for gaming, I don't do any editing or use any other big software. Also I'm not planning on upgrading anything for a long long time, maybe like 4-5 years.
 
Originally posted by: eryx24
Title says it all, from what I hear quad is more for multi tasking or editing and stuff like that, I want to know if I should get an 8400/8500 or a q6600/9400. The computer is mainly for gaming, I don't do any editing or use any other big software. Also I'm not planning on upgrading anything for a long long time, maybe like 4-5 years.
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Quad is being used for gaming. Check out some recent reviews, man!
 
oh I'm going intel btw, but what I mean is if I'm getting a computer only for gaming is it worth getting a q9400 which is $230 or should I just get a 8400 which is $170.

I'm not planning on overclocking since I've never done it.
 
Originally posted by: eryx24
oh I'm going intel btw, but what I mean is if I'm getting a computer only for gaming is it worth getting a q9400 which is $230 or should I just get a 8400 which is $170.

I'm not planning on overclocking since I've never done it.
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I'm not mentioning that article to sell you on Phenom II. If you look thru it and check out the benchmarks, a lot of dual-core and quad-cores are compared.

Here's a quick example for you: I replaced my AMD X2 @ 3 Ghz with a Phenom X4 @ 2.75 Ghz. My Far Cry 2 benchmark went from ~ 38 fps to ~ 53 fps.
 
Looking at the benchmarks it seems like the 8500 does really well compared to everything else, but 2 or 3 years from now won't games utilize quad even more?
 
Originally posted by: eryx24
Looking at the benchmarks it seems like the 8500 does really well compared to everything else, but 2 or 3 years from now won't games utilize quad even more?
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Heck, within the year games will take more advantage of quad. Far Cry 2 and Bioshock already benefit from quad.
 
Yes, definitely consider a quad if you can afford it. If I had a big budget, I'd rather have a quad than a faster dual-core. Otherwise, may as well go for a lower-budget dual core and overclock.

Remember, a couple years ago people said that duals were luxury items and weren't necessary for gaming, and now look.
 
Look at GTA 4, its extremely quad happy. I know someone with a Q6600 that's messed around with it, claims the game runs better with his Q6600 down clocked to 2.0Ghz than it does with it overclocked to 3.0Ghz and affinity set to utilize only 2 cores.

I also know that Left 4 Dead runs better with a quad than a duel, although its difference isn't nearly as great and even a good single core is still capable of running that game. The Unreal 3 Engine and games based off of it also make some use and show improved performance on a Quad vs a Duel.

Currently a good duel core will run any game, but its only a matter of time until the majority of new games are quad threaded.
 
Originally posted by: LoneNinja
Look at GTA 4, its extremely quad happy. I know someone with a Q6600 that's messed around with it, claims the game runs better with his Q6600 down clocked to 2.0Ghz than it does with it overclocked to 3.0Ghz and affinity set to utilize only 2 cores.

I also know that Left 4 Dead runs better with a quad than a duel, although its difference isn't nearly as great and even a good single core is still capable of running that game. The Unreal 3 Engine and games based off of it also make some use and show improved performance on a Quad vs a Duel.

Currently a good duel core will run any game, but its only a matter of time until the majority of new games are quad threaded.
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I dont really understand what that means though, will dual cores run like complete crap or the quad will just be better?
 
If you EVER intend on properly play GTAIV, you need a quad core. I just helped us3rnotfound go from a E8400 at 3.2GHz to a Q6700 at 3.0GHz, and GTAIV went from a messy, stuttering 34 fps (using auto configure settings) to a good and smooth 58 fps (with higher graphics settings) while not changing a single other component in the computer. We just took out the CPU, swapped it, put on a heatsink, booted it up, shut it down and OCed the thing. Ran Linpack for 5 minutes, was perfectly stable on stock volts and tested the mess in GTAIV. That is likely the best upgrade you'll make in terms of gaming nowadays.

EDIT: Oh yeah, no Windows reinstall either.
 
Originally posted by: eryx24
Originally posted by: LoneNinja
Look at GTA 4, its extremely quad happy. I know someone with a Q6600 that's messed around with it, claims the game runs better with his Q6600 down clocked to 2.0Ghz than it does with it overclocked to 3.0Ghz and affinity set to utilize only 2 cores.

I also know that Left 4 Dead runs better with a quad than a duel, although its difference isn't nearly as great and even a good single core is still capable of running that game. The Unreal 3 Engine and games based off of it also make some use and show improved performance on a Quad vs a Duel.

Currently a good duel core will run any game, but its only a matter of time until the majority of new games are quad threaded.
Click to expand...

I dont really understand what that means though, will dual cores run like complete crap or the quad will just be better?
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Yes.

If you want your build to last as long as you indicated in your OP, why would you even consider dual?

In a couple years, quad will be to dual as dual is to single currently.
 
Originally posted by: Flipped Gazelle
Originally posted by: eryx24
Originally posted by: LoneNinja
Look at GTA 4, its extremely quad happy. I know someone with a Q6600 that's messed around with it, claims the game runs better with his Q6600 down clocked to 2.0Ghz than it does with it overclocked to 3.0Ghz and affinity set to utilize only 2 cores.

I also know that Left 4 Dead runs better with a quad than a duel, although its difference isn't nearly as great and even a good single core is still capable of running that game. The Unreal 3 Engine and games based off of it also make some use and show improved performance on a Quad vs a Duel.

Currently a good duel core will run any game, but its only a matter of time until the majority of new games are quad threaded.
Click to expand...

I dont really understand what that means though, will dual cores run like complete crap or the quad will just be better?
Click to expand...

Yes.

If you want your build to last as long as you indicated in your OP, why would you even consider dual?

In a couple years, quad will be to dual as dual is to single currently.
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Alright I guess it comes down to q6600 or q9400, is the q9400 worth the money?
 
Originally posted by: Flipped Gazelle
Originally posted by: RallyMaster
I believe you should get in on the Q6700 deal that is currently found in Hot Deals right now:
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2247028&enterthread=y

IMO no other chip has as much bang for buck as that. Oh yeah, that thing will do 3GHz on stock voltage without issue so even if you don't overclock, a few simple settings will get you a massively fast chip.
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OP would also have to buy a HSF.
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The heatsink is a good...30 bucks? IMO it's worth it even if the Q6700 only performs at the level of a Q9400. The 30 dollar heatsink will sure as hell do a ton better job in cooling than the stock Intel sink will.
 
Originally posted by: eryx24
What's an HSF? Heatsink?
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Yep.

Originally posted by: RallyMaster
Originally posted by: Flipped Gazelle
Originally posted by: RallyMaster
I believe you should get in on the Q6700 deal that is currently found in Hot Deals right now:
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2247028&enterthread=y

IMO no other chip has as much bang for buck as that. Oh yeah, that thing will do 3GHz on stock voltage without issue so even if you don't overclock, a few simple settings will get you a massively fast chip.
Click to expand...

OP would also have to buy a HSF.
Click to expand...

The heatsink is a good...30 bucks? IMO it's worth it even if the Q6700 only performs at the level of a Q9400. The 30 dollar heatsink will sure as hell do a ton better job in cooling than the stock Intel sink will.
Click to expand...

Extrapolating from the gaming benchies in AT's PhII review, the Q9400 has a slight edge over the Q6700 in games, and the gap is more likely to grow than not.
 
Originally posted by: RallyMaster
Originally posted by: Flipped Gazelle
Originally posted by: RallyMaster
I believe you should get in on the Q6700 deal that is currently found in Hot Deals right now:
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2247028&enterthread=y

IMO no other chip has as much bang for buck as that. Oh yeah, that thing will do 3GHz on stock voltage without issue so even if you don't overclock, a few simple settings will get you a massively fast chip.
Click to expand...

OP would also have to buy a HSF.
Click to expand...

The heatsink is a good...30 bucks? IMO it's worth it even if the Q6700 only performs at the level of a Q9400. The 30 dollar heatsink will sure as hell do a ton better job in cooling than the stock Intel sink will.
Click to expand...

Well if it's 30 bucks then why not get the 9400 it'll be the same price, and the 9400 has a faster FSB.
 
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