What's the difference

[Wizrdwarts]

Between the E8200, E8400 and the E8500? The only difference is the multiplier. The voltages and cache are all the same.

If I OCed all 3 to the same speed, would they all have the same performance?

[peeth]

Re: What's the difference

yes but you could theoretically OC to a higher speed, as if you manage to obtain the same fsb with all of them, teh ones with higher multipliers would be faster as 400*8 is less than 400*9

[Wizrdwarts]

Re: What's the difference

If I just wanted to buy a E8200 and OC to 3ghz it'd perform the same as a E8400 at stock? I don't plan on overclocking to extreme speeds in the future, only so I can save a bit on my CPU.

Edit: What about heat generation? Will the different multipliers affect heat? I'm pretty confused about the FSB and multipliers and voltages and what they actually do in terms of CPU performance/speed/heat.

[Evil Spongebob]

Re: What's the difference

get an e8400..you can easily get them to 3.6 on stock cooler...

[AvalancheDiode]

Re: What's the difference

If I just wanted to buy a E8200 and OC to 3ghz it'd perform the same as a E8400 at stock? I don't plan on overclocking to extreme speeds in the future, only so I can save a bit on my CPU.

Yes, it will. I have OC'ed an E8200 to 3.2GHz, and it performed exactly the way E8500 at stock does. Nevertheless, you got what you paid for. E8500 can always get higher clock speed with good air cooling. At 3.2GHz E8200 runs on crappy HSF without any heat issue, and it still runs within Intel voltage spec.

[Wizrdwarts]

Re: What's the difference

I'm assuming the heatsinks are the same so it would possible to OC to 3-3.2ghz with the stock heatsink?

[imported_Field]

Re: What's the difference

so really for me since i was wondering about what processor would be the best to get.. i should buy the Q6600 caus its a quad core and then overclock it a little bit and it would perform with games as well as the E8500

[Wizrdwarts]

Re: What's the difference

You can't really compare a 65nm quad core with a 45nm dual core with just clock speed, and with different caches....

[AvalancheDiode]

Re: What's the difference

I'm assuming the heatsinks are the same so it would possible to OC to 3-3.2ghz with the stock heatsink?

My now sold E8200 was OEM version. I paired it with cheapest 92mm HSF I can find on newegg. That HSF is reported as worse than Intel stock HSF. You'll be OK to hit 3.33GHz with stock.

so really for me since i was wondering about what processor would be the best to get.. i should buy the Q6600 caus its a quad core and then overclock it a little bit and it would perform with games as well as the E8500

Both perform roughly the same in games. For stock, E8500 is faster, but Q6600 can easily hit 3.2GHz on air (good HSF needed here). With E8500 you can hit higher with OK HSF. Games today usually don't utilize more than two cores except some RTS and maybe MMORPG. For FPS, E8500 is superior at the moment, but who knows? Much more extensive physics model maybe used in future FPS title, but that might be on PhysX as well. Tough call. Fortunately, you have another month to think through it thank to IRS.