[Mihai]

Looks like Intel pushed their roadmap ahead and are releasing the quad core Kentsfield in 2006 instead of 2007. It will be compatible with 775 socket and cost around $1000.

So if you plan on getting a new dual Xeon machine, better wait and get a 775 socket motherboard with the 975x chipset and a Core 2 Duo now, then in a few months replace the CPU.

There was one post on CGtalk with Cinebench and a Kentsfield overclocked to 4.4ghz. Benchmark was 2433....

Not sure if it's real, wonder what kind of cooling that would require.

[Mihai]

Default clock speed:




At 2.7:




Cinebench 9.5 @ 3ghz:

[JDHill]

So if you plan on getting a new [insert name] machine, better wait and get a [insert number] socket motherboard with the [insert number] chipset and a [insert name] now, then in a few months replace the CPU.

...story of my life.

[Mihai]

Yeah but this is different A dual Xeon machine will cost you 3000+ right now. Seeing how well this Kentsfield overclocks, it's worth the wait.

[Joedex]

….just to stir the pot… so to speak http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060817-7535.html

[Mihai]

Interesting...any more details on how amd's 4x4 system works? Can you buy 2 X2's and fit them on one motherboard?

[Eric Lagman]

Uggh I cant keep all this stuff straight. I never wanted brute force cpu power until I started using Maxwell. I am starting to look at buying a new machine. What is the best bang for the buck right now? Is it the core 2 duo E6600? Like you say Mihai if I got the board you refer to it could just pop in a quadcore when it comes out? Everything else will work like the cooling etc? I am a newb when it comes to this stuff. I have been a dell customer for years, but the pricing for this cutting edge stuff from them seems very high compared to if you just source your own components and assemble it yourself.

What other components that are good for the price would I need with the Motherboard and cpu? I am familiar with the basics like graphics card, soundcard etc. The stuff I am not so sure of is power supply cooling. Stuff like that.

[Mihai]

What is the best bang for the buck right now? Is it the core 2 duo E6600?

That's the one Plus the core 2 duos have great overclocking potential.

If you get a motherboard with the 975X chipset, you can buy the E6600 now, perhaps also overclock it, and wait until hopefully Nov-Dec and get a Kentsfield quadcore.

Another good thing is you can buy cheaper ddr2 ram for this platform. If you want to buy the new Xeons now (51xx series) you have to get an expensive motherboard ($400) and expensive fully buffered ram (about $800 for 4 gigs). The ddr2 ram is about $400 for 4 gigs.

Plus if you want to see the kind of performance shown here by the Kentsfield, you will have to get two Xeon 2.66ghz, at $700 a piece. The Kentsfield will be $1000.

The cooling I saw in the pics that guy posted is this one:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article251-page1.html

The Scythe Ninja. It looks like a great cooler. Get a case which can fit large fans so they will also help cool the cpu cooler as well. They can run at lower rpms so less noise.

PSU is very important, get a good one, like Enermax, Tagan, Coolermaster, about 500w.

[Eric Lagman]

Thanks for the info. I am going to start saving my money now. Anyone who has a new system with the E6600 have a round about cost I need to be aiming for? I don't want to get ripped off. By cost I mean the whole machine not just the processor.

[rivoli]

Can you buy 2 X2's and fit them on one motherboard?

edit:
re-reading the quote. that would be interesting to know, it's basically what they are: two fx dual core and 4 GPUs (4x4), aren't they?

[JDHill]

Hey Eric...for a PSU, take a look at the 550w Sparkle. It ain't pretty, but it's cheap (around $100), and mine's been rock-solid...and with dual 3.8GHz Xeons, that's saying a mouthful. Especially considering it's something I couldn't say about the 2 (shiny & expensive) Thermaltake "680w" PSUs I burned up previously - and that was using 2.8GHz chips.

[b-kandor]

Hey Eric...for a PSU, take a look at the 550w Sparkle. It ain't pretty, but it's cheap (around $100), and mine's been rock-solid...and with dual 3.8GHz Xeons, that's saying a mouthful. Especially considering it's something I couldn't say about the 2 (shiny & expensive) Thermaltake "680w" PSUs I burned up previously - and that was using 2.8GHz chips.

Hi JD, I'm using an enermax 600w 'noisetaker' (haha) but it has also been rock solid running an oc'd x2 3800 24x7 since about last october!!!

In any case it's good to advise people to spend money on their psu - lot's of system instability comes out of those 40$ 'case with psu' deals...

Kandor

[Thomas An.]

In any case it's good to advise people to spend money on their psu - lot's of system instability comes out of those 40$ 'case with psu' deals...

Kandor

That is true and that is why I pay my PSU's weight in gold ! ... being loyal to the "PC power and cooling" units.

I have one running for 4 years now on a system that never shuts-off 24/7 year round.

[Mihai]

It looks like this mb: Asustek P5WDG2 WS Professional
would be a good one for the upcoming Kentsfield. A bit pricey but great power, overclocking and cooling features. Just a suggestion......

http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?mode ... =82&l3=249

[b-kandor]

I've had trouble in the past getting asus's professional boards in Canada. I need to put together a system list - which is getting harder to do these days with any clarity - last year it was easy!

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v381/ ... I_1173.flv