where is my money best spent for crysis?

[skynyrd4212]

this is my current rig:
intel core 2 duo e6300 (standard clock)
2gb corsair ddr2 800
1 320gb seagate hdd
1 74gb wd raptor
ati x1900gt 256mb gddr3
intel p965 mobo

in the future i would contemplate either getting a core 2 quad q6600, since their only about $290 on newegg now, or a nvidia 8800gts 640mb graphics card. which one, with my current setup, would give me the greatest leap in framerates for crysis. Id like to be able to play on verry high settings, i have a 22in monitor.

 

[zenmaster]

8800GTS, definately.

Seriously, however, this is simply no reason to be running the E6300 @ Std Clock.

Set the RAM to run @ 1:1 Speeds and this will change your CPU to run @2.79 Ghz. This will also make your memory more efficient.

This would be a very very minor OC in regards to pushing the CPU and your system. You should even be able to undervolt your CPU at these speeds for ultra-cool performance.

 

[jaguarskx]

The 8800GTS.

 

[chookman]

voting on the 8800gts and slighty OC onCPU

 

[skynyrd4212]

yea im considering doing that, but from what i understand intel mobos are hard, if not nearly impossible to overclock? is this true?

 

[mrmez]

What zenmaster said.
U didnt provide ur mobo specs, but the p965 is a good chipset and many boards can OC well.

 

[ausch30]

8800GTS, definately.

Seriously, however, this is simply no reason to be running the E6300 @ Std Clock.

Set the RAM to run @ 1:1 Speeds and this will change your CPU to run @2.79 Ghz. This will also make your memory more efficient.

This would be a very very minor OC in regards to pushing the CPU and your system. You should even be able to undervolt your CPU at these speeds for ultra-cool performance.

The E6300 runs stock at 1.86 so 2.79 isn't a minor overclock and you will have to increase the voltage not undervolt. I agree though that attempting to run at 1600FSB and setting the RAM to 1:1 and upgrading your video is your best option. My E6300 is currently running at FSB1600 for a speed of 2.8Ghz at 1.33v, I've had it as high as 1950FSB so you should have a lot of headroom with that CPU.

 

[locky28]

The new c2d,s oc good.

He's talking about the motherboard, not the chip.

Can you give us some more detail about the motherboard? As mez said P965 boards O/C well but if you've got a plain old Intel board you could be limited to changing your FSB with no voltage options. More details needed.

 

[skynyrd4212]

yea sorry, its actually manufactured by intel, is what i mean when i said intel. its a intel p965lt mobo. idk why i went with a intel instead of a more overclockable option, but its what i have. if this is extremely hard to overclock like im assuming, if anyone has any suggestions on cheaper (sub $150) mobos that overclock well, id be open to getting that as well.

 

[ausch30]

less than $150? you can get a board for less than $100 that overclocks well just look at the Gigabyte P35 boards. This http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128047 is a good one as well as this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128059 it just depends on what extras you want.