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Thoughts on the INTEL Core 2 Quad 8400
Can I have some opinions on this processor please? I desprately need a new and powerful one as the one I have is really outdated. I have considered this over the Core i5-750 simply over the price and the fact that I'd have to buy a more expensive motherboard, BUT i still may stray towards he i5-750.
Overall I would like to know what stats I need in order play games like Aion and the upcoming Blade & Soul at max setting or even just a little below max.
I know that most likely need a new motherboard, WITHOUT A DOUBT a processor, 4gigs of ram and a graphics card so I would like help on that aswell.
What i've chosen so far >
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/intel-core-2-quad-processor-q8400-04906518-pdt.html
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/asus-p5p41d-g41-atx-motherboard-775-socket-04133626-pdt.html
Will this equal good enough stats or is more needed?
Graphics card can wait, but suggestions will be appreciated.
I don't want to be multi-tasking. I don't want to be watching 2/3 screens. I won't be having and other programs on while I play. I don't want to play on super duper ulra high settings.
I just want to play the games that come out this year and next year with constantly good or decent FPS and high visuals.
This also the first time I'm trying high end MMORPGS (or should I just say P2P MMORPGS, rather than high end?)
I also think I just went beyond asking for a simple opinion on a processor x.X
"We got rid of the trinity." How'd you do that? "Now everyone can heal." Sounds like you just took the mechanic and spread it thin. "Well no, there's one class that can do it better than others." I see, so they're healers. "No. They're.." -mind asplode-
Comments
as far as gaming goes, dual cores are still very strong contendors.
I still use my E8400 with a GTX 275 and Im able to play pretty much every MMO at max settings. I have WoW maxed out and in dalaran I get above 30fps, and in Age of Conan with DX10 and everything maxed out I get 60-80fps. Ive not encountered an MMO or single player game that I havnt been able to max out at 1680x1050 (although I dont play many FPS, Dragon Age purrs)
My motherboard is an Asus P5Q Pro and I have 3 gigs of DDR2 vs. the 4 gig you're purchasing
You'll be fine with what you've chosen
When it comes to making things look pretty, the graphics card is first place to look. And given $100 to spare, I'd almost certainly push it towards the graphics card, rather than the CPU or motherboard.
But that aside, you'd find the i5 processor noticeably faster than the Q8400 at equivalent clock speeds, but in lieu of above, it probably wouldn't change your gameplay experience much at all. So the stuff you listed will work fine for general gaming. In fact, there are very few games that can even use a third core properly, so if there was some good money to be saved, a dual-core might be a valid option for you as well.
Where future-proofing is concerned, the i5 has the edge in multiple respects, but I suspect it'll be some time before even the Q8400 reaches the "obsolete" stage. By which point, cheap upgrades will almost certainly be available.
A Modest Proposal for MMORPGs:
That the means of progression would not be mutually exclusive from the means of enjoyment.
If you can hold off for a couple of months there is a price reduction coming which will effect some current chips: http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/282162/Intel-CPU-price-reduction.html
How about getting the AMD phenom II x4 955.
It's about the same price as the quad core and almost as good as the i7 920 (only if not oc and only in games).
Here they are compared: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/phenom-versus-i7,2360.html
IMO you have no idea about whats an FPS too. You should also ask others "whats an FPS" ?
FPS sands for (F)irst (P)erson (P)erspective and has nothing to do with a game is sandbox or not.
Credits to DarthRaiden
I got my E8400 wolfy pumped up to 3.6, I hear they can get to 3.9 with good cooling but I'm not sure about the newer sepping (mine's old)
I just put together a Mitx using a I5 650. Gotta say it's a good chip and runs way cooler than the E8400.
Velika: City of Wheels: Among the mortal races, the humans were the only one that never built cities or great empires; a curse laid upon them by their creator, Gidd, forced them to wander as nomads for twenty centuries...
i think you should really start of looking at cheaper sellers, it may not be huge difference but if you can save few pounds here and there...
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/index.php - best graphic card deals (IMO)
http://www.tekheads.co.uk/ - great prices
IDK if you got any good computer stores over in the UK area, but I bought my processor and motherboard pretty cheap. My i7 930 only costed me $200 american dollars and motherboard was roughly $150-$200 cant really remember. They were dropping the prices way below average. But like some other people said, its better to spend your money on an updated graphics card.
And here is the website...
http://www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.phtml?N=4294966995
Since you're building new and not trying to reuse mobo/ram that you already have I would definitely try to find a way to get onto a DDR3 platform so you don't waste money on DDR2 RAM that won't be viable on your next upgrade. Either Phenom II 955 or i5-750. A Core 2 platform will run games fine right now but it's a dead platform, no chance of new CPU's for the socket.