Here's a first look at some Penryn benchies: http://www.hkepc.com/bbs/hwdb.php?tid=8373...view&rid=837360The Penryn Xeons (server chips) will be out in Q4, then the desktop versions in Q1. The current Xeons work in modern 775-socket mobos, so my impression is that the Penryn Xeons will work for us too (as always, bios willing). http://www.dailytech.com/Penryn+Benchmarks...article8325.htmIt looks to me like clock for clock, there could be a solid 10% performance gain over the 65nm core2s in CPU intensive games, like ours. There are no O/C-ing runs out (yet), but I expect it'll go to 4.0ghz on air. So, what's happening here? The current G0 core2 is doing 3.6. If the Penryn will go to 4.0, that's another 10%. The maximum we might look forward to is a 20% performance increase with the Penryn (10% clock for clock advantage and 10% overclock advantage.) Not bad. For instance, 30FPS goes to 36 FPS. But a player will have wait until (at least) October to get that extra 6 FPS. But, will the Penryn Xeon work in our mobos? Hummm. There's another consideration. Penryn will be the last 775 socket'd CPU. The 775 socket is a fully cooked goose. Nehalem (Penryn's replacement) will use a new "Socket-B" (whatever that is!) With Nehalem, the FSB is going away. It will have an AMD-ish on board memory controller and integrated graphics. The Fusion (of CPU and GPU) will begin here. Details are about as fuzzy as this article: http://xtreview.com/addcomment-id-3077-vie...m-socket-B.htmlNehalem will released to the mobo manufactures for evaluation in October (yes, of THIS year) and released to us in the 2nd half of 2008 -- or sooner. This will be a major change in Intel's CPU/Mobo philosophy.This is all moving so fast. It seems a good strategy might be to just pick a spot, and jump in. Get the biggest bang for your buck you can, right now, and wait for this new Nehalem-thing to settle in over the next 2 years. FS really has no use for 4 cores (yet). However, if the price is the same right now, 4 cores are StiLL twice value of 2. If you don't use those extra 2 cores right now, just let 'em sit in garage. You'll use 'em soon enough. Buy now (heck, get a X3210 and save 50 bucks), or wait for that extra 6 fps with Penryn. Seems to me, that's the choice.

Thanks for the updates Sam, I'm way behind the power curve, with my AMD3700 lol!!By the time I go C2D, the Nehalem will be out and running argh!!What is the best bang for the buck right now anyway? E6600?

Me too. I am still pushing the 3700+ and am at a crossroads...I want wait for Nehalem but that's too long. On the other hand, I'd like to get low 20's fps in dense AI environments, which some of you Core2 people are getting.Maybe Penryn is the happy middle ground for me?RhettAMD 3700+ (@2585 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2gb Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8 (1T), WD 150 gig 10000rpm Raptor, WD 250gig 7200rpm SATA2, Seagate 120gb 5400 rpm external HD, CoolerMaster Praetorian

If you are just looking to get by for a while with a dualie, here's an amazing buy:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...16037&Tpk=e2140orhttp://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=BA23880This $75, E2140 will get you to 3.0ghz+http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=145328This will give you (easily) 20fps with mid/high sliders (+ AI and Aotogen) in FSX. Consider that a stock 2.9 ghz dual core is the top of the line and cost over $1000 just 3 weeks ago. Overclocked, this $75 CPU will run FSX as well as any standard-clocked anything-in-existence. The best quad deal right now is the X3210/G0 at $225. But that's over $100 per pair. Core for core, that E2140 is a best buy.

>If you are just looking to get by for a while with a dualie,>here's an amazing buy:>>http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...16037&Tpk=e2140>>or>>http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=BA23880>>This $75, E2140 will get you to 3.0ghz+>>http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=145328>>This will give you (easily) 20fps with mid/high sliders (+ AI>and Aotogen) in FSX. Cheap deal sam. But my 3700+ San Diego can do that already.Depends on how much AI you are talking about. 80-100+ AI does bog it down and I wonder how the little E2140 could do with that. THAT'S the situation I want any new rig to alleviate.Moving back to an Intel platform for my FS rig, I would have to get new ram and a new motherboard, too.$75 here, $75 there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money.:) Not that I'm cheap, hehe. I am just reasonably happy with my present rig and don't *see* myself being blown away by anything out there including an E2140. I could be blind though. I might be missing something with todays fast Core2's. Not sure.I also would like to avoid getting an 8800 card if at all possible. I want to get the 2nd gen of DX10 cards if possible.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2585 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2gb Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8 (1T), WD 150 gig 10000rpm Raptor, WD 250gig 7200rpm SATA2, Seagate 120gb 5400 rpm external HD, CoolerMaster Praetorian

I must concur on the 8800 being a questionable purchase. I only did this particular upgrade because I passed my 7900 GTO to my son and thought I'd get something at least a little bit better. Sure, it runs circles around my 7900 in 3DMark0X and just about every other game EXCEPT FS anything. My hope is that the DX10 patch will continue the FS pattern of low GPU dependance, and hence the 8800 will be OK, but if not I will pass it on to my son who I am sure will appreciate it more than I do (he plays more than FS9/X).But have I mentioned already that C2D anything wipes A64 single core in FS experience ;-). CPU still reigns supreme in FS land!Gary

At stock speeds, there's not much to that E2140. The value is only realized by overclocking . . . and what an amazing value it is. We're going to create a C2D system at 3.0ghz. FSX will not use the 3rd and 4th cores (yet). That allows you to compare your build to the $9000+, boutique systems from Falcon and Voodoo. http://www.voodoopc.com/system/quotekitche...?spid=61#imgmedThe only difference between our computer ($75CPU + $75CPUcooler + $75Ram + $75mobo + $75PwrSupply + your case and O/HDs = ) $375 build and their $9000 monster is the Vcard. Nvidia's new G92 will be $500-600 in November and will have the Vpower of 3 (three) single 8800GTX cards. The $9000 Voodoo has two 8800GTXs in SLI. You will have 3. Actually, the 8800s will drop into the $200 range. A single 8800 will still (probably) be enough to power a single 22" widescreen. Add the Vcard to our system. We now have $9000 of Voodoo, FSX performance for $600 with a single 8800. The G92 will take it to $1000. 75 bucks here and there adds up to a massive win, if well spent. Still, that might not be enough. Peter Dowsen (of FSUIPC and WideFS fame) has a dedicated C2D, 3.0 ghz system networked in, Just for AI. The system we are discussing here only represents the best, single system, FSX performance available (+ - 10%) compared to ANY store-bought system available today. If this is not enough, we have $8000 left. If you want to play, we can can get another 30% for $200 bucks, then we're done. The real expense is acquiring the knowledge to successfully O/C (ahhh. . . and to understand the "hype.") Without that knowledge, getting even moderate performance is quite expensive . . . just the way Intel intended.

And I'm not exactly the OCing master ;)But after experience with the san diego, I think I could figure it out ;)