Best CPU for overclocking

[killergamer]

Ok so I'm on newegg and I have the opportunity to make a computer for a friend that whats a gaming computer and I start with the CPU. Ohh yea I only have a thousand dollars. luckily I don't need a case,RAM,Screen, HDD. Anyways what is the best CPU that I can get for the money?(Please don't go into which is better Intel or AMD) I just what a nice CPU to make a gaming computer

[xRyokenx]

I've heard Intel's Conroe CPUs are pretty good for overclocking.

[.Maleficus.]

That's a really vague question, and one that's not easily answered. It's all luck-of-the-draw really. I have an E6600 with a VID of 1.325 (stock voltage). It's currently running at 3.375GHz. Now, other people have gotten E6600's with a VID of 1.225, and with a lower stock voltage, they can overclock higher. Everything else is the same (B2 stepping, same revision, all that stuff). Cooling is another important factor with overclocking. You may have the best overclocking chip in the world, but with crap cooling, it won't overclock nice.

First, does he want dual-core or quad-core? Intel or AMD? What motherboard? How many graphics cards? All those need to be figured out first if he's on a budget. THEN, you can decide on the CPU.

[Scotty]

Totally agreed with Malf

[Spawn-Inc]

i would grab a q6600 G0, good as it is and gets better with some ocing.

but as scotty said malf is on right about what other stuff you want first.

[J-Roc]

A mobo is essentially the central nervous system of a computer and the most important component to any system. The chipset's have diffrent limitations on how far you can overclock, and other limitations that might hinder an overclock. A stellar cpu means nothing if you've got a crap mobo.

[The boy 4rm oz]

I agree with spawn, a Q6600 and you cant go wrong with a 680i or 650i mobo at the moment.

[Scotty]

I agree with spawn, a Q6600 and you cant go wrong with a 680i or 650i mobo at the moment.


Yes you can. Quads + Nvidia chipsets esp[ecially 680i not sure about 780i or 650, but the 680i is a real difficult board to overclock a quad with.

[Fuganater]

I have a friend that got a Q6700 and shorted out his 1st core which controls the OS. Be careful when OCing a Quad for this reason.

[.Maleficus.]

Yes you can. Quads + Nvidia chipsets esp[ecially 680i not sure about 780i or 650, but the 680i is a real difficult board to overclock a quad with.
This WAS true at one point, but with the newer revision boards, it's not so.

The old 680i boards (mine for example) had 8 voltage regs (I think they were voltage regs...) whereas the new boards have 12. This means better overclocking capabilities.