Best Core 2 Series Desktops-Results and Specs

[sunburst79]

Drop me a email, I have a brand new Zalman North-Bridge cooler sitting in my parts box that I am never going to use. Yours for postage.

Little girly heat-sink EH?

The Zalman will pump you up....

[imagin]

Hello all

I'm new to this forum, thanks already for all the great info youve supplied!

Ive been toying with the idea of a new machine for my 002r, the Q6600 or Q6700 is looking like a good option!

Ive posted next door a question that should probably be better placed here, can anyone explain the difference I can expect betxeen a Q6xxx system and an Xeon quad core or double duo? othar than the price.

I'm strugalling to mix with the waves plugins on my current p4 set up so either way i'm hoping for a big improvement!

has any one done any tests with convolution reverbs?

Cheers!

[sunburst79]

Well imagin, none of the Intel desktop Core series processors support using more than 1 processor at a time

All of the dual Xeon boards are crippled by slow expensive registered server memory and expensive server motherboards. You really don't need 2 Processors to run LE. Build a Quad and put the money you save into a new interface some plugs or outboard gear. Something that will make you smile

I had a 3.4 P4 which was the fastest non "Extreme Edition" socket 478 chip and it would give me 37-39 Dverbs, My current quad gives me 288+ dverbs with the WiFi on.....more than enough power! Something like a 700% increase

[imagin]

Thanks sunburst79!

My local supplier has specked me a P5WDH Deluxe, as its the closest he has to my request,
Ive been looking at the P5E3 as an option that would leave me space for evolution of the machine.
Has the X38 chipset been tested by anybody yet? Do you think its a good idea to try?

Or should I stick to the stable P35.

Hummm soooo many choices, I'm not one to shy away from trying a new config.

Thanks again!

[NJ Soul]

We basically have the same quad. I am putting mine together tonight. Can you give me a link for the bios upgrade and tell me what settings exactly you changed from default. I'm not sure how2 set it up. please assist

Quad build by Jamtime

Mbox2 Factory LE 7.3.1cs4

************************************************** ************************************************
Antec Sonata III 500 W Earthwatts
Asus P5B Deluxe WiFi rev 1.04G BIOS 1101
Intel Q6600 2,4 GHz Boxed (original fan)
2 x 1GB Kingston HyperX PC8500 1066
2 x Seagate Barraquda 250 GB 16 MB cache 7200.10
Samsung Writemaster DVD
Asus x1650 512 MB graphic Silence
Windows XP Home
************************************************** *************************************************

System runs perfect! I use the WiFi without problem. I had 4 stops at high buffersize in early days, but since I turned of Speedstep in BIOS there have been none. (You also have to disable C1E in BIOS to kill speedstep) I have runed it since 18 jun 2007 and if I experience some problems I will post it here.

I wont use the network options in Windows Professional and I think the fewer services etc, the better, and it saved me a couple of bucks.

The Antec case is good value for the money. It comes with a 500W PSU and silicon HD mounting. It is quiet but not drop dead quiet. The finish is ok and looks discrete. Minus for the chassifan that cant be connected to the mobo for smart controlling. A switch allows you to choose between 3 settings. I use the slowest and the systems never get close to hot so i gues it could run even slower.

It handles lots of Virtual Instruments and effects without bouncing. Audiotracks is like a drop in the ocean. It does 250 Dverbs and 254 with WiFi disabled.

A system i will gladly recommend. Lian Li PC-V1100 PLUS II would be a nice upgrade if you have got the money.

EDIT july 29 Upgrade to BIOS 1215 supporting FSB 1333 and now running Q6600 at 3.0 GHz and the HyperX at 1111 MHz. 325 DVERBS (2.0) Screenshot

Please feel free to ask me about my Quad.

/Micke

[sunburst79]

Thanks sunburst79!

My local supplier has specked me a P5WDH Deluxe, as its the closest he has to my request,
Ive been looking at the P5E3 as an option that would leave me space for evolution of the machine.
Has the X38 chipset been tested by anybody yet? Do you think its a good idea to try?

Or should I stick to the stable P35.

Hummm soooo many choices, I'm not one to shy away from trying a new config.

Thanks again!

The P35 was been pretty stable.

The X38 is a new board I have know idea if it will work or not. Digi has always had pretty good Intel support so I would not be surprised to see it supported in the future.....Probably a year out though.

Most of the big draws for the X38, SLI?....true PCIe x8 support for Crossfire and SLI, PCIe 2.0 will have little if any positive effect on PTLE. I would tend to say stick with what we know is working. Also let them work the bugs out first. X38 has been revised once already and I doubt that it will offer much improvement over a P35 board running the faster and more expensive DDR3.

If you were going to build a Penryn based board then I would say go P35 and find some DDR3 that will run at 1333 along with the FSB.

Some one needs to build a a X38 board eventually though.

It won't be me! I'm happy with my P35 thank you

If you run into problems with a x38 board there is not a whole lot I can do to help other than offer some tried and true tips.

At the moment I would stick with the DDR2, By the time DDR3 drops in price and is offering low latency the newer CPU's Nehelam will be right around the corner Which will require a whole new board and socket.

Though call! but at least you got choices!

I wouldn't be to interested in the P5WDH as that a 975X chipset, Which is older then the P965 chipset. Which is older than the P35 chipset.

So thats what 3 generations back from a X38?

The exception would be if you planning on running a some ATI 2900HDs in Crossfire.

A plain old P35 P5K with a Q6600 is hard to beat from a price to performance ratio.

BTW I think you meant P5KE3? The P5K E with DDR3? I may have the code wrong but think we're talking about the same board.

[sunburst79]

I am putting mine together tonight. Can you give me a link for the bios upgrade and tell me what settings exactly you changed from default. I'm not sure how2 set it up. please assist

NJ you have a P5K WiFi right.? You can leave it at the defaults for the Windows install. you might want to disable the onboard sound chip. Advanced>Onboard Devices>High Definition Audio> Disabled

You will need to make sure your OS drive is plugged into the primary SATA port, plug the optical drive in and you should be good to go.

The default boot order should be floppy, CDROM, HDD. Only plug in the one hard drive during the Windows install. Your other HDD drive can be installed at any time.

If you have BIOS 404 your fine. check the post screen for the BIOS version number. If its not 404 I'm not sure I would worry about it just yet. Unless your comfortable flashing a new BIOS.

After Windows is installed you can install the ASUS drivers. Don't use the "Install All" option you will only need the LAN drivers, The Chipset INF Driver and the WiFi Drivers. I prefer to install the drivers by using the "Update Driver" function from the Hardware tab of "Device Manager" or you can install them from the CD ROM. You don't need the ASUS USB driver or Sound card driver.

You will need to authorize Windows at some point and its a VERY GOOD IDEA to make some back up images of the base windows install and again after you have installed the MoBo drivers and again after you have installed all of the Windows updates.

Download CPUZ (check a page or so back for the links or google it)

The only thing you really need to do in BIOS is the double check that the memory is configured correctly at 1067 and with the timings are 5-5-5-15 and you should be all set. Set the timings, REBOOT and double check using CPUZ that you processor speed and memory timings are right.

From the PDF...... I AM NOT in front of my computer right now so use these as a guidelines.

Advanced> JumperFree Configuration>DRAM Frequency>1067

Advanced>Jumperfree Configuration>Dram Timing Control >Auto

Note you want to temporarily change this from Auto to Manual so that you can check the the first 4 settings under the Manual properties list are 5-5-5-15. if not change them to 5-5-5-15 and the set the Dram Timing Control back to AUTO.

Exit saving changes and run CPUZ and you should see the following

Processor 2.4 GHz

FSB 1066

Memory speed 1066 and timings of 5-5-5-15

There are some other BIOS tweaks that can be done later but all you need to worry about now is the memory timing.

It wouldn't hurt to to sit there and run through all os the BIOS property pages BEFORE your start your Windows install to familiarize yourself with the various tables. Reset it to the fail safe defaults and install Windows.

After windows is installed and booting properly you can go back and set/check the timing.

I unfortunately have to work tonight or I would be here for you. I am sure that some of the Quad Squad will be here to help.

Hopefully that will answer your most basic questions.

S79

[unclemonkey]

Sunburst,
Did you ever put in that 2nd video card? I swaped out the Dominator ram for 4 gigs xms, set the bios to default. Everything seems to be running fine. Dverb around 230.

[sunburst79]

Well I am slowly reinstalling and Imaging my system after I got my motherboard back. I did install the 2nd video card last weekend with Catalyst 7.9 and all seemed to be fine.

I haven't drug in the third monitor to test it yet.

What I'm trying to say is simply installing a second card didn't seem to cause any problems but I need to do some more testing.

Didn't have to install the drivers either.

So far so good!

No obvious problems BSODs or freezes or anything like that. No crossfire option though either? Both the card and the board say they are support CrossFire so I'm wondering if I need to know some secret password or join the Masons. ATI hasn't updated the CrossFire pages since 2006.... Not that I care but I thought it should work.

I will be working through the weekend but will be back Sunday/Monday to attend the BIG 7.4 Preview at my local Holiday Inn.

[unclemonkey]

I havent had any problems with my 4 video monitor setup. I am planing to yank one card an compare tests. I dont know anything about crossfire, so I'm going to do a little research. I'll let you know what I find out. Let us know what you descover at the 7.4 preview.