Should I upgrade?

[mikeny]

Hello. My system is the following:

Aerocool ExtremEngine 3T case
Thermaltake PurePower 500w PSU
E6300 retail with stock fan
x16 DVD-RW Dual layered w/ lightscribe (ide DVD burner)
SoundBlaster X-fi XM
Saphire x1900xtx
2x 250GB WD Hard Drive SataII 3.0
ViewSonic VX922 19" LCD monitor
2.1 Klipsch speakers
Gigabyte 965P-DS3 mobo
4GB kit Corsair XMS2 DDR2-675
Windows XP Home Edition
Dynex keyboard and mouse

I was thinking of doing an upgrade in December/January. I was reading about the Penryns soon to be released at the end of this year or Quarter 1 of 2008. I was leaning towards the Q6600 or the E6850. I recently read a thread that the Penryns are nicely priced as well as the new Quad Penryns (Q9300 priced at $266). Should I wait for the Q9000 series, E8000 series, or go with the E6850, or go with the Q6600? I was also going to get the Gigabyte P35 mobo (DS3 has been good to me, is there anyone better than Gigabyte), and go with the NVidia 8800GTX video card since the HD2900's as I read the articles lag behind the GTX. II guess its time to be DX10 ready. Only reason why I didnt go with Nvidia in the first place because my nvidia card in my alienware laptop blew while my laptop wasn even 2 years old! I was also probably looking to get a new case but a full ATX tower with a slide out mobo tray. If I should get the GTX I would also replace the PSU. Is my XFI ok, should I go with the Fatality gamer series? Is it time to get Vista? SHould I go with Logitech gaming keyboard and gaming mouse to replace my Dynex keyboard and mouse (basic keyboard and laser mouse)
Reason why I was thinking of replacing most parts is because with the spare parts I would "practice overclocking" to see if I can do it. Ive never o/ced before. Again my system is only a gaming system. I dont play FPS's but I do play Haulin, Civ 4, Sims2, Rollercoaster Tycoon3, ZT2, and in the coming months: SimCity Societies and probably a MMORPG...maybe WoW and if Star Trek Online ever gets released.

Thank you!

 

[runswindows95]

Alls the games you've listed will run fine on your current setup. None of them warrant the purchase of a 8800GTX or anything really because they will never push it at all. All the games you've listed are not graphically intensive games because they are made to run on retail systems and/or midrange gaming systems.

 

[pogsnet]

No need. I suggest you wait till 2009 when 8 cores come. Your current setup is fine. Dont waste mush money or maybe if you can trade your old system with 3/4 of the price or atleast 1/2 though you could get more than twice as much performance of todays latest rigs.

 

[aevm]

That's a very nice machine you've got and you're not even using it at 100%. No need to upgrade. Maybe get a Q9450 some time in the spring.

 

[mikeny]

I was curious because on 18wheels of Steel: Haulin the graphics menu screen shows that the sliders arent all the way. Simcity4k Im not going to mention because I heard the engine and how its written doesnt fully utilize todays gaming rigs and its poorly written. On Graphics options hardly all of the sliders are at full.
I was also curious, if a DX10 game comes out that I like, I wanted to just be safe and be DX10 ready.

Should I do the 3Dmark test and post the results to be sure everything is good and optimized?

 

[sharp910sh]

the 45nm yorksfield cpus are coming out in november with crazy cheap prices, you could get one of them.

 

[mikeny]

I forgot to mention, I think I am planning on getting Flight Simulator X. I heard its requirements are high and I doubt the E6300 will be up for the challenge.
I might get World of Warcraft next year but Im still looking at other MMORPGs. Its been a while and looking to get back into MMORPG's.