Consider your needs and compatibility to decide between E8600, Q9650, and PD965.
Consider your needs and compatibility to decide between E8600, Q9650, and PD965.
I aim to assemble a WinXP retro gaming system using a solid CPU from the late '90s. My goal is to achieve smooth performance for games at 1600x1200 resolution running at 60 frames per second. The E8600 offers the strongest single-core speed, while the Q9650 provides more cores—though I’m unsure if those will be fully utilized by older titles. The Pentium D 965 is powerful but unstable, making it a risky choice. As for Crysis specifically, I’d lean toward the Q9650 or E8600 if stability and compatibility are priorities, but the Pentium D could be entertaining if you enjoy tinkering.
I have the E8600, sufficient for XP and games from that time. Core 2 Quad compatibility wasn't available on many older C2D boards unless you updated the BIOS.
Hot mess situation (goodbye Mobo VRM's. The P4s have been wrecking boards and they're wearing out fast. If you want to run a P4, make sure you get a solid motherboard that can handle the heat) I'd go with the E8600 or any of the fastest dual-core options available.
I’d choose the Q9650 and set it to align with the E8600 frequency.