Core 2 Quad & Gaming

[kindlestone]

I currently have a core 2 Duo in my prebuilt PC and I just want to know if buying a Core 2 Quad Q8400 is going to make a noticeable difference in performance. I do know that it is only $20 on eBay but, I don't want to put money in a computer that is old if i can save for a better computer later on. and i was also thinking about the E.V.G.A GTX 960 SSC to toss into the same PC for now until I get to build my custom PC just as a place holder. I'm not sure as to what im getting at here but is any of this a good idea or even relevant anymore. 

 

Current specs!

Core 2 Quad CPU

6Gb ram

Nvidia nvs 290 GPU

[Energycore]

1 minute ago, kindlestone said:

I currently have a core 2 Duo in my prebuilt PC and I just want to know if buying a Core 2 Quad Q8400 is going to make a noticeable difference in performance. I do know that it is only $20 on eBay but, I don't want to put money in a computer that is old if i can save for a better computer later on. and i was also thinking about the E.V.G.A GTX 960 SSC to toss into the same PC for now until I get to build my custom PC just as a place holder. I'm not sure as to what im getting at here but is any of this a good idea or even relevant anymore. 

 

Current specs of my PC should be down below!

Hi! A Q8400 is still a fine CPU for some gaming, and with some games tanking performance hard on logical cores, it may be worth your time.

 

That said a GTX 960 might not be a great value right now if it costs more than $140

[GreezyJeezy]

save up and get a good pc, dont buy that cpu or gpu, especially if you have that GPU, bottleneck 

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

If it'll take you a while save up for a new rig, go for the 8400 or 6600 and overclock to prolong the PC for now if it'll only cost you 20 bucks.

[kindlestone]

1 minute ago, Energycore said:

Hi! A Q8400 is still a fine CPU for some gaming, and with some games tanking performance hard on logical cores, it may be worth your time.

 

That said a GTX 960 might not be a great value right now if it costs more than $140

 

1 minute ago, GreezyJeezy said:

save up and get a good pc, dont buy that cpu or gpu, especially if you have that GPU, bottleneck 

What is a good entry level GPU at least under or just over $200?

[Energycore]

Just now, kindlestone said:

 

What is a good entry level GPU at least under or just over $200?

Probably a better idea to keep saving up until you can put a good system together for, say, $600

[LabRat]

if i had a 290 i wouldn't touch a 960.

either way, you're way cpu bound. ( they r )

[aisle9]

Looks like a prebuilt system, got a link to its manufacturer page, perhaps?

 

I'd get the Q8400, but I'd be a little worried about your PSU with a 960 on it. You've got a stock, presumably very old 375W PSU. The Q8400 has a TDP of 95W and the 960 SSC is, I believe, 120W. Factor in, say, 75W for everything else (I overestimate when calculating PSU load) and you're within the 100W margin of error that I don't like to touch. You might think about one of the low power GTX 950's instead. The 750 Ti is also an old reliable standby for low-power cards, but the 950 is better.

[Energycore]

Just now, LabRat said:

if i had a 290 i wouldn't touch a 960.

either way, you're way cpu bound. ( they r )

That's not an R9 290

 

It's a Quadro

[GreezyJeezy]

4 minutes ago, kindlestone said:

 

What is a good entry level GPU at least under or just over $200?

750 TI but you need a better CPU to use any GPU really unless its like a 240  

[kindlestone]

4 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

Looks like a prebuilt system, got a link to its manufacturer page, perhaps?

 

I'd get the Q8400, but I'd be a little worried about your PSU with a 960 on it. You've got a stock, presumably very old 375W PSU. The Q8400 has a TDP of 95W and the 960 SSC is, I believe, 120W. Factor in, say, 75W for everything else (I overestimate when calculating PSU load) and you're within the 100W margin of error that I don't like to touch. You might think about one of the low power GTX 950's instead. The 750 Ti is also an old reliable standby for low-power cards, but the 950 is better.

http://www.dell.com/us/dfb/p/precision-t3400/pd ram is 6Gb now everything else is stock

[kindlestone]

5 minutes ago, Energycore said:

That's not an R9 290

 

It's a Quadro

yes its a Quadro

[kindlestone]

15 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

Looks like a prebuilt system, got a link to its manufacturer page, perhaps?

 

I'd get the Q8400, but I'd be a little worried about your PSU with a 960 on it. You've got a stock, presumably very old 375W PSU. The Q8400 has a TDP of 95W and the 960 SSC is, I believe, 120W. Factor in, say, 75W for everything else (I overestimate when calculating PSU load) and you're within the 100W margin of error that I don't like to touch. You might think about one of the low power GTX 950's instead. The 750 Ti is also an old reliable standby for low-power cards, but the 950 is better.

Also I did take in account the PSU issue but i may be able to get my hands on a 500W PSU for free but it might be a bit dated but by getting a lower power card like the 750 ti or even the 950 assuming I get the Q8400 Core 2 Quad would I be able to record at at least 30fps not using a capture card? On decent settings in games.

[glitchmaster0001]

16 minutes ago, kindlestone said:

yes its a Quadro

buy a q9300 they are cheaper and its a drop in upgrade, unless you want to buy an X5460 and modify the motherboard

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=q8400&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR6.TRC2.A0.H0.Xq9300.TRS0&_nkw=q9300&_sacat=0

[glitchmaster0001]

1 minute ago, kindlestone said:

Also I did take in account the PSU issue but i may be able to get my hands on a 500W PSU for free but it might be a bit dated but by getting a lower power card like the 750 ti or even the 950 assuming I get the Q8400 Core 2 Quad would I be able to record at at least 30fps not using a capture card? On decent settings in games.

750ti is a great card to pair it with, one of my builds that im going to sell has an X5460 with a 750ti

and it runs any game out there on medium to high settings at 1080p and even better at 720p 

[kindlestone]

5 minutes ago, glitchmaster0001 said:

750ti is a great card to pair it with, one of my builds that im going to sell has an X5460 with a 750ti

and it runs any game out there on medium to high settings at 1080p and even better at 720p 

 

 

8 minutes ago, glitchmaster0001 said:

buy a q9300 they are cheaper and its a drop in upgrade, unless you want to buy an X5460 and modify the motherboard

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=q8400&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR6.TRC2.A0.H0.Xq9300.TRS0&_nkw=q9300&_sacat=0

Good point with the Q9300 but for the 750TI should I spend the extra $60 and get the 960 if i get a better PSU?

 

960:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SL2TQ2C/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2L77EE7U53NWQ

 

750TI:https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-750Ti-Graphics-02G-P4-3753-KR/dp/B00IDG3IDO/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1469242567&sr=1-1&keywords=750ti

[glitchmaster0001]

2 minutes ago, kindlestone said:

 

 

Good point with the Q9300 but for the 750TI should I spend the extra $60 and get the 960 if i get a better PSU?

 

960:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SL2TQ2C/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2L77EE7U53NWQ

 

750TI:https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-750Ti-Graphics-02G-P4-3753-KR/dp/B00IDG3IDO/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1469242567&sr=1-1&keywords=750ti

finding a used graphics card is cheaper. find a gtx 760 it has power of a 950 a great entry level card 

[kindlestone]

6 minutes ago, glitchmaster0001 said:

finding a used graphics card is cheaper. find a gtx 760 it has power of a 950 a great entry level card 

something like this but is it a better idea go get newer 960 with 2Gb vram or the similar performance on the 760 with 4Gb vram?

This is my lats question I will leave you alone after this!

 

For Reference:

760: https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-Super-Clocked-Graphics/dp/B00DHW4HXY/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1469243020&sr=1-1&keywords=760

[glitchmaster0001]

2 minutes ago, kindlestone said:

something like this but is it a better idea go get newer 960 with 2Gb vram or the similar performance on the 760 with 4Gb vram?

This is my lats question I will leave you alone after this!

 

For Reference:

760: https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-Super-Clocked-Graphics/dp/B00DHW4HXY/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1469243020&sr=1-1&keywords=760

go on ebay you can find the 760s for cheaper there perhaps. max id pay for a 760 is $70 to $80 max as of now new 960s are not worth it anymore after the new card releases 

[kindlestone]

Just now, glitchmaster0001 said:

go on ebay you can find the 760s for cheaper there perhaps. max id pay for a 760 is $70 to $80 max as of now 

Ok Thanks!

[Tylerr]

will be fine for most games.

 

i was using a q6600 and 750ti until a few months ago

[kindlestone]

1 minute ago, Tylerr said:

will be fine for most games.

 

i was using a q6600 and 750ti until a few months ago

Did you sell your 750ti?

[LabRat]

1 hour ago, Energycore said:

That's not an R9 290

 

It's a Quadro

missed that...... buy a 6950 or 6970. don't waste any more money on that platform.

[Tylerr]

On 7/22/2016 at 11:22 PM, kindlestone said:

Did you sell your 750ti?

 

na i'm still using it.

 

might buy a rx480 or 1060 whenever the aftermarket ones actually come out.