With the new Intel chips being released they have dropped the price on the Q6600, is it better to upgrade to the Q6600 Quad Core 2.40Ghz or the new E6850 Dual 3.0GHz at 1333FSB as they about the same price? You could most likely overclock the Q6600 to 3.0Ghz. I have a E6600 running at 3.15GHz with standard cooling. Whats better GHz or Cores?Regards,Andrew

As long as you have at least two cores sharing the FSX + addon load, I reckon GHz reigns supreme!Gary

And now for some facts to back this up:http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel...aspx?i=3038&p=8Yes, I know FSX supports as many cores as you can throw at it, but no one has yet demonstrated that the extra work cores 3 and 4 are doing translates into more FPS, less stutters or less blurries than what two cores can do.Gary

With the 2 & 4 core units is the CPU still max'd as it is with the old single core devices? In other words how expensive a CPU do you need to get the CPU(s) usage off the ceiling?Regards,Dick BoleyA PC, an LCD, speakers, CH yoke

Whilst I can't speak for quad cores, my dual core is being exercised right now on an FSX flight with the LDS 767 and ASX running in the background, FSInn connecting me to VATSIM, FS Commander (demo version), ServerInfo, five browser pages, a remote desktop to my work computer. Looking at windows task manager, the numbers jump around quite a bit, but on average I'd say the CPU is tied up 80% with FSX, 10% on other tasks and 10% idle. Pretty optimal I'd say :-)Gary Edit: Forgot to add FSC to the list of running apps.

This is very useful information. It interesting to note that PMDG recommend a Quad Core, is it possible that have been able to do something to FSX to enhance the performance from a Quad Core for the new PMDG FSX planes?On the subject of overclocking. Assuming you achieved the same clock speed would a Quad Core be the choice? Does a Quad Core overclock to the same extent as a Dual Core? and lastly are you able to OC the 1333FSB as easy as the 1066FSB?Andrew

If you could achieve the same clock speed, then yes a quad core would be the choice, but at the same dollar point that likely won't happen. ie. the E6850 and the Q6600 are priced the same (after tomorrow's price drop), yet the E6850 starts off at 3GHz and has been rumoured to hit 4GHz on air whereas the Q6600 starts off at 2.4GHz and has a much harder road to travel to get all four cores to 4GHz on that same air. I don't think 1333 vs 1066 FSB is a big issue, as many folks now are running much higher than that with their current C2Ds (mine is 1752 with a 3.5GHz OC), so as long as the mobo can handle 400MHz+ mobo FSB (which most do) then it should not be a problem. Maybe PMDG has some trick up their sleeve that utilises those extra cores more effectively, but unless it runs as an external process to FSX I can't see how it would do this. The LDS 767 for FSX, as great as it is, is still a burden on stock FSX. Anyway, the proof will be in the pudding when they deliver I guess :-)Gary