CPU and GPU matching (8800GTS)

[jpmpaj]

I need (want) a new office/games system without spending huge amounts of cash, and need some advice on at what point extra the cash spent on a GPU is wasted by the CPU.

I was thinking of
AMD X2 5600+
MSi K9N Platinum
2Gb 667MHz RAM (CL5)
8800GTS 320Mb

as opposed to
E6600
MSi 965 platinum
2Gb 800MHz memory (CL4)
X1950 Pro 512Mb

which both cost about the same amount in total.

Is the ~£100 saved by using AMD's cheaper CPU/memory/mboard going to give an improvement in games performance by transferring it to a DX10 GPU?

A THG review of the 8800s in Nov-06, suggested very fast CPUs were needed, but didn't really give a mainstream context as the article compared a top end Core2Duo to an AMD FX-60. The latest May-07 CPU review aso suggested the 5600+ was well priced against E6400/E6600.

Finally - any thoughts on PSU requrements and relative noise levels from the graphics cards? It will double as an office machine, and we dont want it sounding like a vacuum cleaner.

Thanks

 

[prozac26]

The AMD system will play games much better. The 8800GTS is a better card than X1950Pro.