Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I did not purchase my G0 Q6600 from Amazon. Back in late October, 2007 the G0's were scarce, so I went with a vendor who guaranteed that I would get one (versus the distinct possibility of getting the older "B3" version of the processor with most other vendors, including Amazon).
For the uninitiated, the usefulness of a quad-core CPU versus the more ubiquitous (and less expensive) dual-core version is dubious for most desktop users. Most applications are not multi-threaded and therefore are not able to make use of the extra CPU cores packed onto the Q6600. Your operating system (Windows, Apple OSX, Linux, etc) can, to some extent, "balance" (sometimes) different tasks between cores, in which case a multi-core CPU can yield noticeable advantages.
However, many software developers are adding "multi-thread" capability to future versions of their applications to take advantage of the new processors. Therefore, at this moment, a quad-core CPU is the best bet for "future-proofing" your computer (if there is such a thing), and Intel is the leader of the pack -- by a wide margin (substantiated by every review on the planet).
Why the Q6600?
For starters, the price/performance ratio of the Q6600 is nothing short of remarkable. This processor has single-handedly given the average desktop user high-end, workstation-caliber performance for a price that is simply unimaginable. The Q6600's dual-core sibling, the E6600, is only a few dollars less expensive. The Q6600 is essentially TWO Intel E6600 processors, for only a few dollars more. It's a no-brainer, especially since the Q6600 will run on most of the same motherboards that support the E6600.
Second, the Q6600 (especially the newer G0 model) can be easily overclocked to a speed that rivals or exceeds Intel's latest flagship $1000+ quad-core "Extreme" processors (as-of this writing). With just 60 seconds in the motherboard BIOS, my Q6600 is running at 3.2GHz, air-cooled (ie: heatsink and fan), at all stock voltages and RAM FSB (800MHz). Only the CPU is actually overclocked (using a GA-P35-DSR3 motherboard) again, at stock Vcore (1.3v). It is rock-solid stable (Prime95 "Torture Test" for 24 hours) and the four cores never exceed 50C (SpeedFan, corrected) under load and run at 20-30C idle. I have run it at a fully-stable 3.6GHz, but prefer the cooler temps that 3.2GHz operates at. I am reasonably certain that I could get to 4GHz if I wanted to move to water cooling, though I haven't experienced any lust for more power with the current setup (a first in my computing life).
I run 8GB (4x2GB) of Patriot Extreme Performance DDR2-800 RAM (at stock Bus and VLU) and an EVGA 8800GTX-OC GPU and this is the fastest desktop computer I have ever used (Windows Vista Ultimate x64).
I am NOT a gamer. I've never played a game on this computer. I do use Photoshop CS3, Lightroom, InDesign CS3, Illustrator CS3, Dreamweaver, Premiere Pro CS3, AfterEffects CS3, and a number of other CPU-intensive (and multi-threaded) applications. I can process PARs, rip RARs, convert x264 HD video, download NNTP, and write this review all at the same time, all without ANY noticeable slow-down or system "sluggishness." This processor has single-handedly ushered in a new era of personal computing productivity I never would have believed possible.
Behold, the power of four cores!
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Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Quad-Core Processor, 2.40 GHz, 8M L2 Cache, LGA 775Product Description: Four computing cores in a single processor give multitasking users the ultimate edge in efficiency and performance-no matter what software application they are running. With a quad-core processor, multimedia experiences are faster and more responsive as video transfers, image rendering, data compression, and intense gaming applications are streamlined to process seamlessly with remarkable speed. As a result, demanding users can accomplish more in less time.
Amazon.com Product Description Four computing cores in a single processor give multitasking users the ultimate edge in efficiency and performance-no matter what software application they are running. With a quad-core processor, multimedia experiences are faster and more responsive as video transfers, image rendering, data compression, and intense gaming applications are streamlined to process seamlessly with remarkable speed. As a result, demanding users can accomplish more in less time.
Intel® Core™2 Quad-Core Processor Product Highlight By including up to 8MB of shared L2 cache and Front Side Bus speeds of up to 1066 MHz, the Intel® Core™2 Quad processor pushes the technological innovation envelope farther than ever before. For demanding users, this means the latest and most advanced software applications will open and work faster with excellent responsiveness. When used with the latest multimedia software and next-generation games, dropped frames, long waiting times and stuttering performance are history.
Intel Technology Intel® Wide Dynamic Execution. Enables the delivery of more instructions per clock cycle for shorter execution times and improved energy efficiency-accomplish more simultaneously and with greater efficiency.
Intel® Intelligent Power Capability. Turning off portions of the processor when they aren't being used improves overall energy efficiency and reduces heat production, resulting in a quieter, more energy efficient system.
Intel® Smart Memory Access. Increasing available data bandwidth means more multitasking with less slowdown-run more demanding applications simultaneously and accomplish more in less time.
Intel® Advanced Smart Cache. Placing data closer to the processing cores improves platform responsiveness and performance with a wide range of applications.
Intel® Advanced Digital Media Boost. Accelerates performance with a broad range of applications including video, speech and image, photo processing, encryption, financial, engineering and scientific applications.
Multimedia With professional-grade photo, music and HD video editing software readily available for consumers, it's becoming increasingly popular to create, edit, and share entertainment with friends and family. Unfortunately, these same applications are notoriously performance hungry. Built to handle the most demanding software, the four cores of this Intel processor help ensure that when you're working with high-resolution photos, exporting your next audio mashup, or editing HD-quality home movies, your computing platform will be able to keep pace with your creative muse.
Multitasking A computing platform featuring the Intel Core 2 Quad processor maximizes processing efficiency, allowing users to juggle multiple projects in multiple applications without experiencing the slowdown typically seen with traditional single-core processors. As a result, work and creative projects will get done sooner.
Gaming Next-generation gaming is more than just pretty environments and smooth motion. Behind the incredible visual realism of waterfalls or the unlucky ricochet of a bullet are intense, high-speed calculations of asset streaming, terrain generation, 3D rendering, and physics effects. When running select next-generation games, each of the cores in the Intel Core 2 Quad processor can be dedicated to individual processes, resulting in smoother, more lifelike graphics and further blurring the line between virtual and reality.
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