Best Quad Core Solution?

[Burnt_Ram]

i think its time i started looking into a quad core setup. it's been awhile since i have upgraded and im not sure what route to take.

i used to be a AMD fan exclusively, but you know how that went after Intel came out with the core2duo. so this time im wondering what the best bang for the buck is? including a good mobo, intel mobos are way overpriced in comparison to amd. PhenomII, AthlonII, C2Q, or I7. if i had the money i think i would go for an I7 setup but it's so expensive in canada!

So please educate me as i have been out of the loop a LONG time

 

[Brutal-Force]

Well no doubt AMD has cornered the market on dare I say it..... cheap.

But if your looking to get into Intel, they do have a lower Platform than the i7 1366. Take a look at the 1156 Platform. I wouldn't necessarily call it cheaper than AMD but its not nearly as expensive as the 1366. I think in terms of overclocking, it has AMD beat by a little bit.

The biggest problem your presented with is that you have to change the CPU, Motherboard and RAM. (If you are building a whole new computer then this isn't so much of a problem). If you don't mind going with "older tech" the C2Q series can still be had for a decent price. Not that long ago the Q9550 went on sale for $169.00 (Which is dirt cheap). Unfortunately, you can pick up the i7 860 or the i7 920 for $200 dollars at Microcenter on a regular basis.

If your looking for exclusively inexpensive parts, then I think AMD would still be the winner, that and the addition that their AM2 and AM3 series are interchangeable on the motherboards unlike Intel. So there are still pros and cons to each.

 

[DocClock aka MadClocker]

Some people have had some luck opening up the 4th core on the triple core AMD cpu (it is actually a quad core that has a core crippled) but you have the luck of the draw on that one.
For a budget system, you can go AMD, but I am really impressed with the performance of my q6600 system. I get annoyed at other peoples single core computers because they are so slow...and mine is not as fast as it can be because I only have pata hdds at the time and am only running ddr2 mem.
I tend to think the real performance (that I see) is in the amount of L2 cache on the cpu die...in my case 2x4mb
I guess I am saying that you can't do wrong with any quadcore setup, but while you are shopping, pay attention to how much cache each have and go for the one that has the biggest cache that is within your budget.
I just checked pricewatch and there is a Q8200 for $133.00 U.S. and a Q8400 for $144.14. the caveat is that they only have 4mb cache.

 

[Neuromancer]

Core2 was not good enough for me to dump AMD as my main rig. X58 TOTALLY is, (I can't comment on P55.. I would assume it is good but...) only problem is the power requirements as enormous as well, so I am back to running AMD again.

If energy is not an issue I would recommend a 920 i7 setup hands down. It has all the "snappiness" of an AMD rig, but twice the horsepower for straight number crunching multithreaded things as well.

Speedstep can reduce the power requirements of the core i7 processors, and do not know if it has any effect on the 30-40W the mobo supplies to the CPU though...

I would pick up a used EVGA X58 for cheap on ebay, a used 920, and a low latency low speed triple channel kit of ram. thinking 1333 7-7-7 should be plenty. Depending on your card... 600-800W PSU should be plenty of juice for you as well.

No comments on P55 because I have no experience with it.

For AMD, a 955, socket AM3 790FX motherboard (or wait for the new chipsets coming out next month i think) and some low voltage DDR3. Again no real point in going nutty for uber fast ram, unless you are building a benching rig... in which case I would suggest looking at intel so you can participate in 3D benchmarks.

 

[Burnt_Ram]

thanks for all the info guys, you have givin me alot to think about! i'm pretty sure i should start putting money away for an i7/Fermi build! but in the meantime i think i need to find a used C2Q or any 775 quad that overclocks decently for cheap. no luck sofar ...