Im torn between the 8xxxx series or Quad 9xxx series

FSX will love the quad, for everything else there's Mastercard... er dual cores (theres an ad stuck in my head).

Initial benchmarks put the 3870X2 and 9800GX2 at being about equal.

There is no 9800 GTX announced (that I know of). So far just the 9800 GX2 and the 9600 GT (along with the other G92 stuff the 8800 GTS and 8800 GT).

The Ultra was pulled from production.

Are all these video cards NVDidia? Do you have a link handy about these cards?

My thinking was: the new cards are DX10, I need Windows Vista so I might as well do some upgrading. It's been 2 years, and the Penryns are calling my name

you don't NEED vista, they work just fine in xp. the money spent on a new dual for a 0-10% improvement would be a waste. going quad might be a good idea, but just getting a new videocard would provide you with the most noticable improvement.

As long as it's fast.

Actually I'd be more worried about how much it would kill my bank account than a few trees.

I doubt they will. If they were going to, they would have launched their attack when G80/R600 was released.

Yea screw coal. Seriously if we didn't rely on coal/oil and went nuclear instead it would fix lots of problems in the world (and probably cause some more )

1) Global warming, yea, whatever.
2) Huge income for Australia, since we have some of the biggest (if not the biggest) uranium deposits in the world.
3) Won't need to send soldiers to the middle-east to defend deposits of over-priced dead trees.

dragonsprayer, I don't think CPUs are what is limiting the GPU nowadays. The upper level Core 2's can play most games without being limited, while running at stock speeds. I have the same FPS in crysis at stock E6850 and overclocked (3.7GHz) speeds.

I was looking to go Penryn because:

1- My brother has offered to take my system so i wont be stuck with extra parts
2- Looking to go to DX10 and PCI-E 2.0
3- Have the itch to go to new technology ( My LG Voyager is lonely lol)
4- Probably will have children when the new processors come out next year so I wont have anytime for a build then!

I was looking at the mid Penryn-Quad Yorkfield- Q9450. I like ATI's 3870x2. I was reading up on it (googled it) and sounds impressive. I read about the 9800 Nvidia thats replacing the Ultra 8800 but hardly any information was available. I think if I put it near my x1900xtx it will eat it up, burp, then spit it at me laughing. I was previously reading that NVidia has had the edge with the 8800 series. Does the 3870x2 change that? What ram will maximize the FSB of the Penryn's? ( I have Corsair xms2 4GB of ddr2-675 now)I was also looking at the mobo's any recomendations? I have a Gigabyte mobo that hasnt given me trouble...I see Gigabyte O.C.'s there mobo, something to watch??

3870x2 will prolly take the title for a short period, till the 9800 GX2 comes on but it is great for ATI to take the crown, if only for a short time.

My 8800 GTX is over 15 months old, by far the longest I have owned a card.

Ready to upgrade, and an x board, with intel chipset (x38 or 48)no ddr3 yet, and crossfire with 2 of those 3870x2's looks mighty good to replace the GTX and 680i it is on. Mighty fickish for oc'ing vs the intel boards...

Damn good for competition!

I don't know if I'll go crossfire. I think the 3870x2's are going to be aroung $400. If I crossfire I might as used that money to get the high end Penryn right below the extreme. Crossfire sounds tempting--2 video cards and since the new cards--3870x2 are duel GPU's (if I read it correctly) then the video setup would be powerful <drooling> Is evga makers of good cards? Their step up program with video cards sounds nice since I dont stick will "old" components and go after the new technology.
I was looking at the x38/48 boards. Or are the NVidia 780i boards and video better? or theres no difference. Part of me is thinking I should of gone with NVidia because all the readings and reviews are high on NVidia and everyone says there video cards are the best. Im not a technofile but I am anal--i like to have the best even though I dont see it lol. No date was set for the 9800? Anyone heard of one? Would it be wise to wait for the 9800 and pair it with a 780 board?

Are you looking to get the Q9450?

Unfortunately u have to purify the Uranium which is immensely greenhouse intensive, why not convert Australia, I'm reliably informed no one important lives there, into a giant solar panel plant.

Your informant is dead.