A little upgrade advice

Ace Gamer · 09-20-2008, 04:44 PM

Hey guys,

Ive been doing a little thinking about upgrading in the near future. Im looking at the "CPU or GPU" upgrade thing because my X2 5600+ runs hot and is getting old, and even though the 8800GT is a great price/performance card, i feel as though its not giving me enough.

It would appear as though i need a little help. Do I upgrade my CPU to a Core 2 Duo / Quad and get myself a P35 mobo (DFI Infinity Blood Iron), but then have to shell out another $100 for a new copy of Windows, OR do I get a GTX 260 and another 2 gigs of RAM? I'd save money if i did the latter, but i'd always be thinking that i'd be lacking on the CPU front. I was reading on another forum (cant remember which one), and people were saying "even an Intel E6600 would be enough for todays games" - this doesnt make it sound too great - and i know that my AMD 5600+ is much slower and hotter than an E6600, no matter how much its overclocked by.

Can anybody help me?

Thank you,
AG

Terry Penrod · 09-20-2008, 05:48 PM

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So what you really need is a new CPU, mobo, GPU, and more system RAM?

Will you also need to get a more powerful PSU and some extra cooling fans as well?

Either way AG, I would seriously consider waiting a while for the prices of current generation components to go down another notch and then just build a whole new system from scratch.

In the meantime, also hold off on buying all the latest, greatest 3D titles and add the savings to your New PC Fund. By the time you build it (probably late this year or early in 2009), those same games will be cheaper too.

Cheers, Terry

Contagious Rage · 09-20-2008, 06:32 PM

I'd probably go with the 260 + RAM. I don't think your current processor is too slow to handle a newer card and I think you'll get a good increase in game performance. Last time I checked the 5600+ wasn't too far off from an E6600/E6750 as far as games are concerned.

Besides, Bloomfield (Core i7) is coming up here real soon. I'd be more inclined to get a 260 now and then possibly upgrade your CPU/mobo/RAM sometime next year after Bloomfield and its accompanying motherboards have settled into the market.

Ace Gamer · 09-20-2008, 07:38 PM

Heh, Terry thats about right. Although i did quite recently get my TX 750 PSU so thats staying put for at least another month

I will be upgrading around early October, so by then hopefully some of the Intel quads will be cheaper.

I may wait and see what the i7's can do, i dont want to have spent $200 on a Q6600, overclock it, and then find its being owned by the cheapest i7. Its more the heat of my 5600+ rather than the performance thats getting me. Its 90nm, at 3.2GHz and 48C idle. An Intel Q6600 is 60nm so that'd run cooler.

IMO having a quad and an 8800GT OC'd sounds like you have a gaming system. If i see an AMD dual core, i wouldnt think its much of a gaming system. Bragging rights, purely

AG

Nagumo · 09-20-2008, 09:24 PM

The 8800GTS should be fine. I'm running an X6800 at 3.33GHz and a 512MB 8800GTS (800MHz core - 1.1GHz, effective 2.2GHz RAM). Thus far, no game save for Crysis has eluded me at 1920x1200 with the options maxed.

Why not just hold out till November when the I7's ship?

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=15481

Check the link for pricing in lots of 1,000. Then expect roughly a $50 to $150 markup at retail depending upon the CPU.

Ace Gamer · 09-21-2008, 06:05 AM

Thanks for the link Nags. If whats on there is true, and the i7's are 130W CPUs...im looking at a nice little toaster. I really dont want to tax my PSU with anything other than a graphics card really, so for example if i do get a Quad or an i7, itll have to be an energy efficient version (Q6600 95W Edition) so that i can save as much of my PSU power i can for any new graphics chip. The 8800GTS is a great card no doubt about that, but i just want to get something different than the 8 series, ive had 3 cards so far that were 8x cards (GTS 320, 8600, 8800GT) and i just want something new, ya know?

But i think ill be looking at a new graphics card after ive done any of the major upgrades - so mobo etc. I dont want to get a spanking new card and slap it into an old system.

AG

Terry Penrod · 09-21-2008, 01:22 PM

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That sounds like a sensible plan AG.

Get a fast but energy-efficient, future-proof mobo / CPU combo - then add more system RAM as needed and shop for a next-gen DX10 GPU.

Cheers, Terry

Contagious Rage · 09-21-2008, 03:34 PM

Assuming you got that Corsair 750W PSU, I wouldn't be concerned about taxing it--even with a GTX 280 (or two) and a i7/QX9xx0.

Ace Gamer · 09-21-2008, 05:16 PM

Yeah i should have my Corsair for a long time, i only got it a few months ago so i intend to keep it until it dies, lol.

Ive come to the conclusion that Ill probably get the same performance boost from the 260 + RAM as i will with a new Quad, so either option should take me through the next 1-2 years without any hiccups. After a little thought, my 5600 isnt that bad, it serves me pretty well and gets a 5.6 on Vista's Experience Index. Since it's at 3.2GHz, it equals a 6400+ which is comparable to an E6750, and that isnt bad at all. In fact, i can get it to 3.3GHz but it runs at 50C idle.

Maybe im being a "n00b", looking at the '5600+' and thinking its old.

AG

Terry Penrod · 09-21-2008, 05:28 PM

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Whatever you get AG, the extra 2 gigs of system RAM should help boost overall Vista performance. So, if you're satisified with the current CPU / mobo and with that nearly new PSU, the only thing left would be a faster DX10 GPU for better gaming in the near future.

If the combination of those main components will see you through another year or two, then you can start looking waaaay down the road at a new Windows 7 PC with next-next-gen goodies built in.

Cheers, Terry

Ace Gamer · 09-21-2008, 06:59 PM

Very true, Windows 7 will be interesting to see. Hopefully itll be a pleasant, fast OS that'll keep general users and gamers happy.

DX10.1 and PCI-E 2.0 are also things to keep in mind for the distant future.

Thanks,
AG

Ace Gamer · 09-23-2008, 08:20 PM

Ive decided to go for an XFX GTX 260 XXX Edition and another 2 Gigs of RAM. The 260 should bring a welcome performance boost in Crysis (lol) and the extra RAM should make Vista a happy bunny.

Thanks for all the help and advice guys.

AG