ok I have 2 choices, upgrade or build...

Ok so I have two choices right now:

first is to buy a 5000 x2 black edition and aftermarket cooler, overclock it, and also buy an 8800gt or 9600gt.
if I go with this I am going to build a nehalem sometime in q1-q2 09.

second would be to build a 1.1-1.2 (including new OS) intel system, 4 gigs or ram, etc etc in like... june(ish), and then build a new system whenever nehalems 32nm shrink comes out.

Which one would be the best in terms of game playability (honestly i just game, but i multitask ALOT, as in always have a game up, itunes, maybe firefox haha) and in terms of worth the money.

Thanks.

ok but what graphics card should I get? 9600gt, 8800gt? i am gonna be playing age of conan over the summer, but my psu is pretty ****... dont think it has too many +12v rails. thats why i want to build a new comp... this one was my first build and alot of the components are real crappy I know what Im doing this time around though

btw im running a 7900gt, 4800 x2, 2 gigs ddr2 800 with like 5-5-5-18 timings, m2n32 sli deluxe, 19 inch widescreen 1680x1050 NEC moniter (500 cd/m2 and 1600 true color contrast <3)

any one else on this problem?

Why don't you over clock your current cpu and buy 8800gt and save the rest of your money for a new build later on when your cpu cant keep up any more.

not sure how much more performance I could get out of a windsor 4800 x2 am2 compared to a 5000 x2 black edition, which I could get to 3.1ghz easily.

also about the ram. I am using 2 gigs right now of a model that costs 39$ for 1 gig on new egg. 39$! do I need to exactly match the ram?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820145153 but my product number has a c4 after it, all the other numbers are the same.

Ideally, you should use the same ram. It's alright if they're a little different, as long as they run at the same native voltage it should be fine. Timings can be relaxed if they're not rated the same. And sorry, I have no idea about phenom.

Realistically at your stage the Phenom needs an AMD (AM2+) chipset to get the most out of it. Current renditions are not the best overclockers and are deffinitely more work than the X2. The 5000 BE is a good option, but get a good cooler with it and you will blast past 3GHz with just a multiplier change. Don't get the 8800GT, aim for Spider, and go for the 3870 so you can crossfire it down the line.

Your best option for next year is then to get a good FX AM2+ mobo and sit all your stuff on that and then hit the platform with a 3+GHz (45 nm version by then) Phenom and if you've done that you can throw in a 3870 X2 along side your original 3870 and you'll be singin them praises to the lord.