Windows 7: Best upgrade CPU for Overclocking

I currently overclock my E6850 dual core to 3.5 but i am looking at upgrading the CPU if its worth it to push another couple of years out of the system before next major upgrade. My MB will only support up to QX6700 extreme, QX6800 extreme, QX6850 extreme or Q7700. I want to overclock and i know the best option is the QX6850 but what few are around can fetch silly money so assuming i cant get hold of a decent priced one which would be the next best option for overclocking from the other 3 to get an improvement over my E6850
Q6700, QX6700 or QX6800?

I mainly play games and can get any of the other 3 for under £100 so a cheap upgrade if i can expect some improvement from dual core to quad core.

You do realize that overclocking is not a sure thing, and that you could end up spending money, and have a system with a lower clock speed than you have now.....

I would get the best price possible, and hope that it's a good one

Thats what i was thinking that anything else other than the QX6850 would not really give me any improvement because of the lower clock speed and FSB on the other chips even though going to 4 cores from 2. I know at some point i am going to have to do the big upgrade to i7 and new MB and Mem but i dont want to do it until i really cant run apps, programs or games at fairly good performance rates. I dont think the increase at this time is worth the expenditure on this so was looking at what i could squeeze out of it for another year or so on the cheap if possible but i think apart from the QX6850 i am better sticking with what ive got

I tend to agree. You only need to buy 3 components to do a complete upgrade--motherboard, CPU, and probably RAM. I don't know about the UK, if that is where you are, but in the US you wouldn't need to spend over $400 on those 3 pieces to get a very powerful upgrade.

I would agree just hold off a bit, and upgrade all of it.


The only real advantage the quad will have is with multi-threaded apps.
If you do alot of such work, it would be a slight upgrade. but beyond that about the same.
Essentialy, it'll be just as fast but with 2 extra cores.


Thing is though, for the price, you could easily upgrade to newer arcitechtures which is faster clock for clock, with each core being faster.
Even single thereaded apps would see a improvement if moving to a new tech.


Even if if you do a lot of multi-threaded work, it still may not be enough of a upgrade to justify the cost on the current platform.

Thanks for the replies, ill hang on a bit until ive got the cash together for the big 3 upgrade and make do with what ive got at the moment. The money i was willing to spend on a QX6850 will be saved and go towards the upgrade instead of at best a mini boost for now.

Thats what I would do


I mean, If you can find one of those at a really nice price Id say go for it.

But it seems when you do find em, they are still kinda expensive. making the upgrade not seem so attractive VS upgrading it all

Yes thats it, there is one on ebay and it was at £81 earlier today but is now £180, i set a max price of £100 lol
I can get an i5 2500K for less than that but would have to spend another £180 on MB and Ram. Been thinking about treating myself for xmas all day

You do know getting anything from EBay, is not a sure thing either.....