Well just read an article about the new Penryn QX9650 CPU from Intel and it seems the first set of QX9650 may not be a vast improvement over the QX6850 as we all may have wished for.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/180855.jpgArticle: http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,138844-p...cs/article.html

Unless you're like me and you overclock. Those Penryns are hitting 4ghz on air.I have an oem 9650 on the way and I'm lookin' for at least 4gig. I'll be watercooling it.

That's right, I hear these things are madly overclocking. That's good for us FS junkies. Raw cpu speed.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

Penryn's as such don't help for more fps in FSX - unless they clock higher. That's the only hope. Looks like they will be offered with higher GHz figures next year, or we can overclock better than the E6xxx models. Either way would be a big help in performance. Almost all other improvements of Penryn's shouldn't make more than tiny little difference. How about that core balancing feature - lower one core's clock on idle, giving room for the other core to automatically overclock - does this endanger user's overclocking range??I'm waiting for these Dual Core Penryns with should overclock even higher than the Quads.Bigean

Caution guys! Only works with "X38" motherboards!!

Caution Guys! This Senor knows nothing!!To put in real information:Penryns generally run on P35, X38 and G33. I exclude the mistery about the current "phantom" QX9770, that has to be simulated in the moment. Apart from that, Penryn's are not limited to X38.Source: Toms Hardware.Bigean

I have actually: Intel Quad Core QX6800, so... I was interesting on a QX9650 "Penryn" processor, but I have an ASUS STRIKER EXTREME motherboard, but I think it doesn't compatible with it... What you think?

>>How about that core balancing feature - lower one core's clock>on idle, giving room for the other core to automatically>overclock - does this endanger user's overclocking range??>I'd say that's one of the first things you should disable, along with speedstep, spread spectrum, SLI-ready memory, etc...

>> I have actually: Intel Quad Core QX6800, so... I was>interesting > on a QX9650 "Penryn" processor, but I have an ASUS STRIKER>EXTREME > motherboard, but I think it doesn't compatible with it...>> What you think?>> I think there will be a BIOS update to support Pen's very soon.Seems like I read something about ASUS Striker Extreme and Penryn support somewhere. I'd google the 'net for more precise information.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 have actually: Intel Quad Core QX6800, so... I was>>interesting >> on a QX9650 "Penryn" processor, but I have an ASUS STRIKER>>EXTREME >> motherboard, but I think it doesn't compatible with it...>>>> What you think?>>>> >>I think there will be a BIOS update to support Pen's very>soon.>>Seems like I read something about ASUS Striker Extreme and>Penryn support somewhere. I'd google the 'net for more>precise information.>>>RhettOkey thanks Rhett...

>> I have actually: Intel Quad Core QX6800, so... I was>interesting > on a QX9650 "Penryn" processor, but I have an ASUS STRIKER>EXTREME > motherboard, but I think it doesn't compatible with it...>> What you think?>> Unfortunatly, it seems, it will not work with that board. Evga just made an anouncement the other day that only the dual core version (wolfsdale) will work with the 680i chipset. If the quads (Yorkfield) won't work on an Evga 680i, I do not see how an Asus 680i would be any different.

That's because these comparisons are meaningless. You can easy run the 9650 at 4-5 Mhz. You can't do that with the 6850.

Here is the Asus anouncement,http://event.asus.com/mb/45nm/

These new Penryn quads are going to be tough to O/C. We need to be aware that the $266 Q6600 replacement (the Q9330) has a 7.5 multiplier. That means it's gonna take a 530+ mhz FSB to get to that 4.0ghz CPU clock. Even with the new X48s mobos, that just too much for a 24/7 setup. 450mhz is about the maximum 24/7 setting we want to consider as as set-and-forget FSB for the new(er) X-series Mobos. A 400mhz FSB is about "it" on the vanilla P35s for we ordinary folks.To set-up the comparison, consider that a 400mhz O/C with a Q6600 (x9 multi) gets a 3.6ghz CPU clock. Set-it and forget-it on a $125 P35 mobo. Now the $ for $ Penryn competitor: Let's use a X38/48-mobo first. The Q9330 at a 450 FSB x 7.5 multi = 3.3Ghz CPU speed. That's with a $300 X-series mobo. Since the Penryn achieves a 10% clock for clock performance advantage, that directly compares to a Q6600 at 3.6ghz. You're gonna need ram that'll run at DDR2900 too. Plain 'ol value DDR2-800 will NoT do this. You can gamble and by DDR800 'good stuff' and hope it doesn't melt at 801mhz, of pay up for stuff that is rated DDR21066. That's gonna cost. The Penryn will provide no performance increase over the Q6600 at a 3.3 clock, and will costs more to setup. Now use the P35: The Q9330 at a 400 FSB x 7.5 multi = 3.0ghz CPU speed. That's with the P35 mobos. This setup will provide Less performance than a Q6600 at 3.6Ghz. You get lower performance, but at least it didn't cost any extra. In all cases, we can crank up the FSB 'till something explodes, but that's a little too much excitement, even for me! That means at the $266 price point, the Q6600 is a better Value. You get 3.6 ghz, but you get to use a cheaper mobo and regular DDR2800 ram. Remember too, the 775 socket only has 1 year to live. The next chip will be the Nethalem and has a whole new architecture (and socket). This current upgrade will marry the CPU and the Mobo. There is no upgrade path from this Mobo. Therefore, there is no sense in buying more mobo than you need for this CPU purchase. This is "it" till a whole new system will be required. The Q6600/P35 is the smart move right now AND for the next year+ (imHo), because . . . Intel has finally found a way to charge us for the speed we've been getting for free. They are now charging for higher multipliers. If we want those big clocks these days, we will have to pay up, big time. But if we are willing to pay for a high (or unlocked) multiplier, 4.5ghz is do-able . . . on air. That'll be $1000, please.Value wise (meaning, "at the < $1000 price point"), the Penryn Q is a non-event (But those Penryn duals are looking pretty good).

Thanks Sam,that's because of the higher FSB clock, the multiplier is lower?I was hoping for some non-extreme Penryns with high clocks/multipliers that are affordable later. Youre certainly right with the Q6600 vs. Q9330 situation. Youre right with the Penryn Extreme costs. What do you expect with the higher Dual Core models? Say, they could be available with 3.0 or 3.2 based on FSB333, at 400 they do 3.8 GHz. And hopefully at non extreme prices. Does a mobo with a memory divider help here to jump over 4.0 GHz?I don't expect to get it as cheap as the current C2D series. But if you spend money, you can get at least more than in the last 12+ months ... ?Bigean