In the timeframe of a few months I'll probably want to buy a CPU with at least 6 cores (but preferably at least 8) to test the multi-core scaling of an application I'm developing.

It doesn't need to be wickedly fast in terms of GHz, as I don't want to sell a kidney to buy something like the i7 980x 6 cores at $1000. I just want a reasonably affordable CPU with as many cores as possible (which I'm guessing will end up being an AMD).

I read something about 8-core AMD CPUs called Opteron 6128, 6124 HE or something like that, but can't really find them for sale.

Since there are a few people here who are much more updated on CPU news than me, I thought I'd ask... Thanks a lot in advance!

What are you going to use it for? Gaming? I have a AMD Phenom quad core 940 black edition or some crap like that...and it runs at 40% capacity for games like Crysis in 3D.
Paid 160 bucks for it and am a very happy costomer.

Otheriwse your goal should be to get a CPU listed as high as possible on this list, with the least amount of money... http://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html

But like I said, mine is like 30th from the top on that list...and it runs the best games maxed out at less than 50% capacity. And the quad core programming is only going to get better...

I would wait and just stay with/get a quad core. there is very little software that utilizes multiple, let alone 6-8, cores right now. a quad core will last at least as long as this gen of consoles. depending on how the next gen of consoles is build it might be time to invest in something better for PCs, though.

Can you get one of those dual cpu mb? would that work?

I would say that it would really depend on the nature of the application and the price range you were thinking of ...

One option would be to pick up a dual CPU motherboard and, while they are not that common, there are a couple of these motherboards designed around the i7 core for enthusiasts; and they’re in the $400 range. While I don’t have many specifics available about them, I’m fairly certain you could take one of these mother boards, combine it with 2 quad-core i5 processors, and get a decent amount of memory for less than buying one of the high-end 8-core processors.

Nobody's freekin readin an OP right these days anymore.

OT: Wait the few months to start your search since in this time more CPU's will appear. On the Optron sode of things, since these are server CPUs they might (I don't know for sure) require special MB's with special socket. If not, they can run on a common MB, but still, being 6 core server CPUs, they are more expensive than echivalent 6 core desktop CPU's.

@first two posts. have you read this part:

"with at least 6 cores (but preferably at least 8) to test the multi-core scaling of an application I'm developing."

He needs as much Cores as possible to thest the scaling of his application. He just looks out for a cheap CPU with as many as possible cores.

Sry I cant help you.

AMD sells 8-cores starting at $266 (2GHz Opteron 6128) and 12-core Opterons starting at $744 (1.9GHz Opteron 6164 HE). Those are list prices. They are for sale, but not on Newegg except the more expensive ones, so look around a bit and they will be there. Google has a few shops listed:

Cheapest 8-core: http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&q=opteron+6128
Cheapest 12-core: http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&q=opteron+6168

Server boards that support them are relatively cheap, like this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813182230

If you need more cores than 12, then you can get 2P and 4P boards for the above, so up to 48 cores. And I believe Intel can do 8P 8-cores (so 64 cores) but for astronomic amounts of money.

As for desktop CPUs, neither Intel or AMD is going above six cores in 2010, but AMD now has some desktop 6-cores for quite cheap. A 2.8GHz 6-core Phenom II X6 1055T is $205 on Newegg:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103851

You could go for the new hexacores AMD just launched - right now, the cheapest model's about 200$ - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103851

For AMD's octocores and dodecacores, you're getting into server CPUs which cost a lot more than desktop ones.

That said, what I linked above was an 8-core server CPU and then a motherboard that together would be $531. Which is much cheaper than servers usually are.