Q6700 upgrade or i7 revamp?

Well, my first piece of advice is to not spend $300 on a Q6700. If you want, I would get a used, known OCing Q6600 or Q6700. I am not positive about the Q6700's, but the newer Q6600's are of a lesser VID and tend to OC poorly compared to older versions.

If you are not OCing or don't want to go used, well, I would save and go i7. (you can also go with a wolfdale quad. Q9550 is a decent performaer and OCs nicely)

on price watch they have qx6700's for like $230....and a q9550 on newegg is like $265, why spend 300 dollars on 3 year old tech?

get an i7

either go with a Q9550 or go i7 espicially if your upgrading from a E6300, I wouldnt even bother looking at a Q6700

i'd get a Q9550, or an i7.

buying a Q6700 isn't worth it at that price.

A low vid Q6600 is all what you need. Save money for next big upragde.

Ok, I realize now that I wasn't clear... it's 300 CANADIAN with TAX. So we're talking 259CAD w/o tax, or in usd: 235.

I know my best bet would be a Q9xxx, but my board doesn't support 45nm... the Q6700 would be plug-and-play upgrade, but anything else would require at least new mobo, and if it's the I7, new ram too...

With that in mind, should I save for the i7? I'm pretty patient and don't mind wating... though I think the i5 might be a waste of time judging from what I've been reading here and there....

Buy a used Q6600 from this forum instead... Check the For Sale/Wanted thread.

his 965 might not work with 45nm quads, id suggest a q6600 as they are cheaper than q6700.

Eh get a good Q6600, and with the money saved you can buy yourself a lady friend.

i7 is better on encoding than the q9550. In gaming though, the i7 does not provide much of a boost from a q9550.

I still say go i7 like me!