New CPU...?? Q9550 vs. Q9550

[Jsunn]

Hello All,

I am beginning to think of getting a new CPU for my computer. I have a E8500 and I have just been frustrated with its O/C ability. I am also starting to see some degridation (I think) with the chip...??

I was getting random BSOD and crashes during boot and I had to lower my O/C to 3.825GHz from the 4GHz it was sitting at for about ~5 months?!?

I also had to raise my volts to 1.35V core to maintain stability.

So I am looking at Q9650 or the Q9550. There is a $100 dollar difference between the two on the egg.

Is the $100 justified for the Q9650??

Thanks for your inputs. Expect to see a thread looking for help with my degrading chip....

My system is in my sig...

-sigh-


-Jason

[RoadconeTuning]

you deff put Q9550 in the title twice and then did it again in the post and said 9650 at the end... so are you asking 9550 vs 9650?

[i found nemo]

stick with the q9550

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115130

[YMAA]

Q9550 and Q9550 should OC about the same.

[Jsunn]

you deff put Q9550 in the title twice and then did it again in the post and said 9650 at the end... so are you asking 9550 vs 9650?

Oops... Thanks for the catch....I meant the Q9650 and the Q9550.

-Jsunn

[Jsunn]

Q9550 and Q9550 should OC about the same.

:rofl::rofl::D

Thanks!

-Jsunn

[tool_462]

Might want to check your RAM extensively with Memtest. OC degredation is often a result of a flaky ram stick or motherboard.

[monza1412]

9550 :up: Especially if you have that motherboard. 4000/4250mhz should be attainable with a good batch.

[YMAA]

Depends on how far you want to OC. Some of the best Q9650s are able to clock past 4.5GHz for 24/7 use on water with a good board (like your UD3P). Q9550s can usually hit 4GHz on good boards like yours. 4.2GHz is a more realistic estimate for Q9650s.

It all comes down to how much you're willing to spend. IMO the Q9650 isn't worth the premium over the Q9550.

[Jsunn]

Thanks for the tip on the RAM test. I will run it tonight. I ran it for 24hours without error when I first established my O/C.

I am a little concerned about my MoBo, but I am not sure how to eliminate it as a potential problem.

When I orgionally purchased my E8500 I was running an EVGA 680i mobo. On that board I was only able to get a stable O/C at 3.4GHz, that is what prompted me to purchase the Gigabyte board listed in my signature.

Another interesting piece of information...a good friend of mine has the essentially the exact same setup as I do, except his CPU was "only" o/ced to 3.8GHz and he was scoring a 5.9 in WEI while I was O/C to 4GHz and only scoring a 5.8??

Bad chip?

Thanks for the feedback.
-Jsunn

[tool_462]

Windows Experience Index is a joke.

My rig is Q9650 @ 4.68, 8GB of DDR2 @ 1100mhz, OCZ Vertex, Windows 7 x64, and an OCed GTX275 and I get low scores on some parts :p:

[LennyRhys]

Get the Q9550 only if you aren't interested in the magic 4, otherwise steer clear of it. My Q9550 E0 was suckage and I'm gonna try to prevent other people from making the same mistake as me, where possible. :)

[YMAA]

Lots of people run 4GHz Q9550s. One bum chip doesn't mean the others will suck.

[zsamz_]

before you go gettin another chip test your cpu in another board
if it is degraded wait till the q9650 price drops n just pump more volts in it
if i got a quad i couldnt live with it if it was below 4.2ghz

[Jsunn]

Does anyone know how I can make sure I am getting the latest "Stepping" for an Q9550 when I order? Is the most recent the "E0"?

Thanks,
J

[YMAA]

SLB8V is the code you're looking for. That's an E0 stepping.

[Jsunn]

Besides having the chip in my hands...is there any way to tell I am getting a "SLB8V"?:confused:

[ViViD]

Q9650+Giga P45 Awesome OC About 500*9=4500 Easy To OC And Rock Stable

[OC Nub]

Besides having the chip in my hands...is there any way to tell I am getting a "SLB8V"?:confused:

I think most places are selling EO's now. I doubt you would receive anything but an EO. On your UD3P q9550/4.0ghz is very doable. If you want to go much higher than that get the q9650.

[Rayce185]

How about the Q9550S? 65W TDP...

[Jsunn]

Well, I guess I'll have to decide which route to take. Unfortunatly I don't have another board that I can drop in my current chip. we'll see how much more I have to keep tweeking my current setup before I take the plunge.

Anyone have $300 they could give me? :D

-J

[Jsunn]

From my origional issues:

Hello All,

I have been running at 4 GHz for a couple of months now with out any issues.

Recently when powering on from a cold boot, the system will crash at the loading windows screen and then load the default BIOS settings.

When I go into the BIOS the red dialog box will be there stating that the BIOS isn't stable.

Can you please help me figure out these issues?

My systems specs are in my signature.

I have posted my Template below.



Robust Graphics Booster.........................[ Auto ]
CPU Clock Ratio.................................[ 8 x ]
Fine CPU Clock Ratio............................[ + .5 ]
CPU Frequency 4.003GHz..........................[ 471x 8.5 ] <-----+++++ Had to lower this

******Clock Chip Control******

CPU Host Clock Control..........................[ Enabled ]
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz)........................[ 471 ]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz).....................[ 100 ]
C.I.A 2 [Disabled]


******Advanced Clock Control******
CPU Clock Drive.........................[800mV]
PCI Express Clock Drive.................[900mV]
CPU Clock Skew..........................[ 0ps]
MCH Clock Skew..........................[ 0ps]
******DRAM Performance Control******

Performance Enhance.............................[ Standard ]
MCH Frequency Latch.............................[ 333 ]
System Memory Multipler.........................[ 2.40B ]
Memory Frequency 1066...........................[ 1130 ]
DRAM Timing Selectable..........................[ Manual ]

CAS Latency Time................................[ 5 ]
tRCD............................................[ 5 ]
tRP.............................................[ 5 ]
tRAS............................................[ 15 ]

******Motherboard Voltage Control******

Load-Line Calibration...........................[ Enabled ]
CPU Vcore [ 1.25 ]......................[ 1.325v ] <-------+++++ had to increase this
CPU Termination [ 1.20 ]...................[ 1.32v ]
CPU PLL [ 1.50 ]...................[ 1.63v ]
CPU Reference [ 0.760 ]...................[ 0.836v ]

MCH Core [ 1.100 ]...................[ 1.360v ]
MCH Reference [ 0.760 ]...................[ 0.776v ]
MCH/DRAM Reference [ 0.900 ]..................[ 1.16v ]
ICH I/O [ 1.500 ]...................[ 1.5v ]
ICH Core [ 1.100 ]...................[ 1.1v ]
DRAM Voltage [ 1.800v]...................[2.000v] <-------+++++ had to increase this
DRAM Termination [0.900v]....................[auto]
Channel A Reference [0.900v].................[auto]
Channel B Reference [0.900v].................[auto]

[cincyrob]

i myself have just gotten the Q9550(EO) only paid $169.99 for it. if you have a microcenter close snatch you one up. if not they will ship it to you. here is a link for it. and yes they are EO stepping.

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0299412

just got mine tonight alont with a OCZ Vendetta 2 cooler and some OCZ freeze
my batch #L846B715.

not trying to hijack the thread here. just have the same type of setup as the original poster.
i have the gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3R. peace of crap in my eyes but it was the first P45 board they had and i got it..lol i now havea E8400 on it. and ialso got BSOD on it and after replaceing the mobo once cause of a faulty NB controler. i had the same BSOD. i had a bad stick of mem(crucial ballistix ddr2 800) replaced them with some mushkin dr2 800 4-5-4-11- 2t and have no problems. i was also woried about the degragation of the chip also but after replaceing the mem i have had no issues for the past 4 months.

[Semicycle]

I too decided on the Q9550 for my current project. You can put the $100 bucks saved to many other things.

[Jsunn]

OK...just took the plunge! Clicked "checkout" on the egg for the Q9650!!

Be here Friday!

[trekie86]

Thanks for the tip on the RAM test. I will run it tonight. I ran it for 24hours without error when I first established my O/C.

I am a little concerned about my MoBo, but I am not sure how to eliminate it as a potential problem.

When I orgionally purchased my E8500 I was running an EVGA 680i mobo. On that board I was only able to get a stable O/C at 3.4GHz, that is what prompted me to purchase the Gigabyte board listed in my signature.

Another interesting piece of information...a good friend of mine has the essentially the exact same setup as I do, except his CPU was "only" o/ced to 3.8GHz and he was scoring a 5.9 in WEI while I was O/C to 4GHz and only scoring a 5.8??

Bad chip?

Thanks for the feedback.
-Jsunn

Hmmm... wonder who that friend could be? ;) My card is a cool as a cucumber. :)