Intel Quad Core Q6600 (2.6Ghz x 4 CPU’s) - ~$299
This thing OC’s pretty well too.
nice… does anyone know if directx and the kernal in vista takes advantage of multiple core processors?
for instance, if an application wasn’t designed to run on multiple cores, would vista compensate for it and apply the workload to other cores?
at 299, that seems like a bargain, but I wonder how useful having 4 cores would be over 2
The kernel can take advantage of multiple cores but what your looking for is impossible.
well, then I guess my question is… what is the real advantage besides multitasking?
having 4 cores for something like 3dsmax sounds very tempting especially to greatly reduce rendering times, but if it can only utilize one core, then it’s really no better than having a dual or even a single. Correct me if I’m wrong
If the program is multi threaded then it can take advantage of multiple cores. 3dsmax is mutli threaded.
ahhhh, gotcha.
thanks for the clarification
Software is getting designed now (with “encouragement” from AMD and Intel) with multiple threads in mind. The new DX10 games (Crysis comes to mind) are multi-threaded as well so this purchase is not going to be wasted if gaming is your thing.
Just think of how much porn you can download with that baby
I would say “think of how much porn you can simultaneously play with that baby…” is more appropriate but we get the idea. 
The same as any other computer?
I saw that price drop the other day. My issue is, I’d have to upgrade EVERYTHING in my machine as I still have an AGP card in my current box. That means a new proc, mobo, p/s, ram, video card, and hdd’s. That’s what’s holding me back. :\
Yea, i heard about them doing this last month. Looks like it hit now… Makes me want to build a freeking fast comp. Run one of these phase change cooled to around 3.2-3.6 a core… BWHAAH! 14Ghz yo!
yeah, no shit… hahaha same here
I tried looking for a mobo that supported both agp and pci-e but didn’t really find anything.
oh well… my current rig still gets the job done… slowly lol
The q6600 had been on sale at newegg for 299 for a while, then prices went up along with demand. mwave used to have them for 273 also, but that went up a bit too. either way, its a beast of a processor.
That may be true but Intel just recently released a new version of this CPU. The G0 stepping is what you want which will yield greater OC results.
True, the new version is better for ocing but not everyone is ocing. The q6600 alone is powerful enough.