Intel 6600

Pros: Enjoy new levels of performance and personal productivity with the "Q"

Cons: Requires a modicum of knowledge to overclock. Uses slightly more power than dual core.

The Bottom Line: With the price disparity gap between dual and quad core, there simply is no reason to limit yourself. In this case, more is indeed better.

Review: I purchased my G0 Q6600 from ClubIT back in late October, 2007 when the G0's (the new stepping, at that time, versus the older B3 version) were scarce, so I went with a vendor who guaranteed that I would get one (versus the distinct possibility of ...

Pros: Great for multi-tasking, low price, overclocks very well

Cons: Can run warm, uses more watts compared to the new 45nm chips.

The Bottom Line: A great buy for budget conscious individuals who want peak performance.

Review: This processor is simply amazing. I've been running this chip for about 8 months and haven't had any problems whatsoever. The stock speed of 2.4Ghz is more than enough for most applications, and even most hi-end games. If you're into overclocking you ...

Pros: Can hit 3.5 GHz rock solid stable (YMMV), low FSB and high multiplier (easier OC)

Cons: Bad heatsink mount design, high temperatures (even at stock settings)

The Bottom Line: The Q6600 G0 stepping represents the current sweet spot for price and performance. Just need better cooling.

Review: It's no secret that Intel's current Core microarchitecture is superior than AMD's current K10. It is also no secret that Intel was ready to unveil a 45 μm refresh of the Core. The quad-core version would be codenamed Yorkfield. Not only will the ...