Q9450 - $379

[Mehen]

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=29316&vpn=EU80569PJ067N&manufacture=Intel&promoid=1060

Probably my next CPU - can't wait to see the benchmarks/overclocking etc.

[Helevitia]

This will most likely be my next cpu as well. I'll probably wait for one price drop. Though, it would be nice to render video faster and rip DVD's faster. I am running an E6600 now @ 3.16GHz.

[Mehen]

Price drop! Well sort of...
$375.98 @ ncix now

[Helevitia]

Not quite what I had in mind

[Helevitia]

I have an AVCHD camcorder and the files are in .mts format, so the authoring software I am using has to convert the .mts files to .mpg files. It takes foreeeeeeeever with my dual core E6600. So I could cut forever in half if I had this quad core CPU. I'm thinking I could easily hit 3.4 to 3.6GHz. Or, I could just go for the next one up and be even happier But that is out of my price range unfortunately. I mean, I could sell one kidney but I'm kind of fond of it.

[Mehen]

well 3.6 is 450fsb x 8. Seems doable, might have to raise the NB and CPU voltages just slightly.

[Helevitia]

I was thinking more like 500 x 8

I am pretty sure that is doable with my setup.

[Mehen]

What motherboard and coolers you runnin? Thats startin to push it on air, but still definitely doable.

[Helevitia]

P5K with Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme.

[Mehen]

Well I've heard people getting 500fsb+ with the P35 on air, not sure about quadcore. IMO it wouldn't be worth crankin the voltage that much, but something like 475fsb might be safer (8x475= 3.8, still plenty fast).

[Mehen]

Thermalright has some really cool chipset coolers to cool that northbridge:

http://www.thermalright.com/new_a_page/product_page/product_chipset_cooler.html