Should I do it?

[Jzabi]

Currently I have an AMD 64 X2 4400+ Socket 939 processor.
I have been thinking of upgrading it to an Intel Core 2 Duo e6850 3.0GHz and getting the xfx 680i SLI LT mother board as well. Would new intel processor be any faster than the 4400+?

My rig now:
AMD X2 4400+ (socket 939)
Asus A8N-SLI deluxe Mobo
2GB of Adata DDR PC3200
XFX 8800GTS 320MB video card

Projected new rig:
Intel Core 2 Duo e6850 3.0GHz
XFX 680i SLI LT motherboard
2GB of DDR2 800 RAM
XFX 8800GTS 320MB video card

So would my new intel cpu, be significantly faster than the older AMD CPU?
Also I am going with the faster clocked dual core, not the 6600 quad core. I just really game on my PC.

EDIT: I do not overclock

 

[Charlie_D]

Well, the proc would be faster definitely. Since you really don't have any upgrade options with the s939, I'd say it looks decent. The only suggestions I'd make would be to maybe upgrade that 8800GTS 320MB to an 8800GT 512MB, unless you're getting it a lot cheaper; the GTs are selling for ~$220 CDN. Maybe going to 4GB ram also, if you're planning on moving to a 64bit OS anytime soon... even if you're not, it'd give you an extra 1 - 1.5gb to play with.... just not the entire 4GB.

 

[Hypernova]

Unless you want to go SLI DON'T GET THE 680i. Those things have a long record of eating RAM alive even without OC. Or just crapping out when it feels like it. Get a X38 like P5E.

 

[Charlie_D]

Or, a P35 if you really wanted to. Some decent boards go for around $100 IIRC.

Only note there would be that the P35 isn't PCI-E 2.0 (no current cards are, either), and isn't 16x16 (not a problem without SLI)

 

[Erige]

If you want to compare the processors you go to this link. Toms Hardware has extensive charts comparing processors over multiple tests.

http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu_2007.html

 

[Hypernova]

Or, a P35 if you really wanted to. Some decent boards go for around $100 IIRC.

Only note there would be that the P35 isn't PCI-E 2.0 (no current cards are, either), and isn't 16x16 (not a problem without SLI)

The 38XX's are though it doesn't help performance yet.

 

[Jzabi]

Hmmm. I was looking to do SLI in the future. I guess I would need something that does x16 for both slots while in SLI mode. My current motherboard only does x8 each when switched to SLI.
The only reason I was going to go with the xfx 680i SLI LT was because it came in a bundle with the e6850 for $409 at tiger.

If I do not get the bundle at tiger, I have about $150 for a board.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131180 does that look like a good board?

(lol sorry this discussion looks to be about motherboards now in the cpu thread)

 

[Forceman]

Hmmm. I was looking to do SLI in the future. I guess I would need something that does x16 for both slots while in SLI mode. My current motherboard only does x8 each when switched to SLI.
The only reason I was going to go with the xfx 680i SLI LT was because it came in a bundle with the e6850 for $409 at tiger.

If I do not get the bundle at tiger, I have about $150 for a board.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131180 does that look like a good board?

(lol sorry this discussion looks to be about motherboards now in the cpu thread)

I don't know that you'd see an actual performance difference between two x16 slots and two x8 slots, as far as I know PCIe is not in danger of being saturated even at x8. Plus SLI still uses the direct card connector thingie, right, even though Crossfire doesn't?

 

[vict0r]

im on the same boat my friend,but i would never ever ever get a 680i mobo, yuck.....

some new dual cpu's should be out this month,in january... i am interested in the E8400,will have an msrp $183...

that dfi x38 mobo looks promising or even a p35 mobo if i wanna go cheap like the gigabyte ds3l

4 gigs of ram

a 3870 vidcard