Bottleneck on a Core 2 Quad

[tuberolector]

I currently have, in an old system, a Core 2 Quad Q6600 and I am considering putting my GTX 760 into this system (once I get a new GPU for my main rig). How much would the Q6600 bottleneck the 760, and if its a lot, is it even worth putting the card into the system at all?

Thanks for your help.

[flibberdipper]

In some games it might start to bottleneck, but in most it should be fine.

[Giddyguy]

With a solid overclock on the CPU, i don't think there should be too much of a bottleneck.

[Ryan Leech]

As long as you get it to 3GHz you shouldn't see any bottlenecking outside of ARMA.

[isteelsolz]

Here is an Old vid linus Did on a Old core 2 duo extreme with a 670. Because you have a quad core ZI would expect some better results but I think it will be in about that ballpark.

 

I currently have, in an old system, a Core 2 Quad Q6600 and I am considering putting my GTX 760 into this system (once I get a new GPU for my main rig). How much would the Q6600 bottleneck the 760, and if its a lot, is it even worth putting the card into the system at all?

Thanks for your help.

[tuberolector]

With a solid overclock on the CPU, i don't think there should be too much of a bottleneck.

But at stock it would bottleneck? The system still has the stock cooler on it and I didn't really want to spend a lot on this system, so its currently not overclocked. I have noticed that this cooler is actually a bit bigger than the current stock Intel cooler, so could I overclock with the stock lga 775 cooler?

[terrytek]

Why hello, fellow Q6600 owner. I actually think it won't be affected, as long as it can reach 3GHz. Then you are in the safe zone. I think you can get 3GHz on stock voltage. 

[tuberolector]

Why hello, fellow Q6600 owner. I actually think it won't be affected, as long as it can reach 3GHz. Then you are in the safe zone. I think you can get 3GHz on stock voltage. 

But as I said above, I'm currently using the stock lga 775 cooler, and, if current standards apply to these CPUs, you can't overclock using a stock cooler.

[NInety]

You can overclock, it will just have higher temps, just buy an aftermarket cooler.

@tuberolector

[terrytek]

You can overclock, it will just have higher temps, just buy an aftermarket cooler.

@tuberolector

Damn it, you beat me.

 

Anyway, like what @Raining_Pixel said, it can be overclocked, just with higher temps. It does put out 100 watts of heat, so it does get quite toasty. I would expect maybe 110-130F max on a stock. I managed to get 80F on a Thermalright tower cooler.

[Giddyguy]

as @terrytek and @Raining_Pixel have said, buy a decent (doesn't have to be very expensive <$30) tower cooler and that should suffice to reach about 3ghz. I have a 70mm tower cooler salvaged from some hp computer and i have a C2D overclocked from 2.8 to 3.5ghz.

[tuberolector]

You can overclock, it will just have higher temps, just buy an aftermarket cooler.

@tuberolector

 

 

Damn it, you beat me.

 

Anyway, like what @Raining_Pixel said, it can be overclocked, just with higher temps. It does put out 100 watts of heat, so it does get quite toasty. I would expect maybe 110-130F max on a stock. I managed to get 80F on a Thermalright tower cooler.

Would a Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus or EVO be enough for that overclock?

[terrytek]

Would a Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus or EVO be enough for that overclock?

I think it's more than enough. Bigger heatsink=more airflow=cooler CPU. Easy logic there.

[The_Strict_Nein]

I run my Q6700 at 3GHz with a 212 Evo. It can even do 3.50GHz with relatively good temps

[That Norwegian Guy]

But as I said above, I'm currently using the stock lga 775 cooler, and, if current standards apply to these CPUs, you can't overclock using a stock cooler.

 

I ran a Core2Duo E8400 at 4Ghz for a full year with the stock cooler. (Insanity wolf)

 

No problems except throttled once during Fallout 3 in a scene with hundreds of AI running around. Well throttled would be the wrong word. More like, went completely unresponsive with 2-3 FPS and had to hard reboot.

 

You can overclock with the stock cooler, just don't go overboard. (Like me  ) Also make sure the case is well ventilated.

[nj4ck]

Not all Q6600s are overclockable, you need the one with B0 stepping, if I remember that correctly.

[qwertywarrior]

OC it to 3.2 ghz its really easy just change the FSB and leave everything else at default

 

the CPU will not be a bottle neck in MOST games

[qwertywarrior]

Not all Q6600s are overclockable, you need the one with B0 stepping, if I remember that correctly.

ALL of them are overclockable

G0 has less heat and you would want it because of that

B3 had more heat but they stopped making them  after G0 was out

[terrytek]

ALL of them are overclockable

G0 has less heat and you would want it because of that

B3 had more heat but they stopped making them  after G0 was out

Well, shit. I have G0.

[qwertywarrior]

Well, shit. I have G0.

That's a good thing

[terrytek]

That's a good thing

Whoops, I meant B3. Shit shit shit. I don't want more heat.

[tuberolector]

ALL of them are overclockable

G0 has less heat and you would want it because of that

B3 had more heat but they stopped making them  after G0 was out

How can I tell if it is a G0 or B3? I didn't buy the system (it was give to me), so I can't look at the order.

[i_build_nanosuits]

A G0 Q6600 will overclock to 3.4ghz easily on an hyper 212 for example and have good temps...but even then it will bottleneck a 760 in CPU intensive games, online multiplayer (BF4 for example) and online MMO/RPG/strategy games...it will pretty much be fine for single player compaign (BF4 single player, metro LL etc.) with know significant bottleneck...i know this for a fact i played a Q6600 G0 @ 3.6ghz for months with a radeon HD7950 (wich is now known as the r9 280 and almost equivalent to a GTX760 if i'm not mistaken) and in any multiplayer or CPU intensive scenario my FPS where dropping in the 40ish in BF4 ultra for example, i then replace the Q6600 for an FX-8320 @ 4ghz and the card was performing A LOT better...i was able to ALMOST max out BF4 multiplayer @60FPS...with no anti-alisaing...as you guess, ALMOST is not good enough for me so i swapped to a GTX 780.

But yeah, it all depends on the games you intend to play on that rig, cpu intensive? multiplayer?...it is still worth putting a good GPU with that CPU because it will allow you to use high quality texture settings, higher anti-aliasing and more eye candy really, so the experience WILL be better even if the card will be badly bottlenecked in many scenarios.

 

Now, i would add this: If you are not planning on a CPU upgrade in the next year to come or so, i would not go with such a powerful GPU...a GTX 660 will cost you a lot less and give you about the same performance when paired with this CPU. If you plan on upgrading the CPU soon enough then go balls out and get the best GPU you can afford and use it until you upgrade the CPU.

 

EDIT: To see wich version q6600 you hold download CPUz and execute it will tell you. prey for a G0

[D3MON]

I currently have, in an old system, a Core 2 Quad Q6600 and I am considering putting my GTX 760 into this system (once I get a new GPU for my main rig). How much would the Q6600 bottleneck the 760, and if its a lot, is it even worth putting the card into the system at all?

Thanks for your help.

depends on the game, if its evenly threaded like crysis, bf3, bf4, arma, wot etc you wont be limtied because the game engine equally distributes across cores.

in pos games like wow or dota 2 which only use 1 thread then you will be (every cpu would be) but if your getting 140fps in that game then who cares.

oc to 3ghz and call it a day.

built a pc 2 months ago with a q6600, they're still ok

[qwertywarrior]

How can I tell if it is a G0 or B3? I didn't buy the system (it was give to me), so I can't look at the order.

use CPUZ but it doesnt matter both are good