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What would help me more?

Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - What would help me more?

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jwhcoin   06-09-2008 at 01:34:06 AM

I am thinking to upgrade my system slightly.. Which of these upgrades would you recomend for the cost/performance increase?
My current system is in my sig.

Upgrade the CPU to a E8400 (~195$ US)

or

Add a second video card (SLI) eVGA 8800 GTS 640. (~215$ US)

My Mobo should suport the 45 nm technology with a buis update.

Thanks for your input.

Also if there is another option, i would appreaciate the input. I dont want to spend more than $450 max and would perfer only about $250.

------------------------------ E6600, GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB, OCZ Platinum 1GBx2 2GBs DC DDR2 1066, eVGA 680i, 2xWD 160GB SATA 3.0Gb/s, LG 22” Flatron LCD, Antec 900, Silverstone 750W PS
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Shadowthor   06-09-2008 at 01:46:41 AM
- 0 +

I would upgrade the cpu, as you might see a performance increase due to more cache and a slightly higher clockspeed. Are you planning to overclock if you get the E8400?

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to Shadowthor
yadge   06-09-2008 at 01:56:02 AM
- 0 +

Although the old 8800gts is way overpriced for the performance (compared to the new 8800gts) it would still give you more of a performance increase than a cpu upgrade. I would suggest overclocking the e6600, because that can get you just as much performance as if you just upgraded it, and then buy the second 8800gts.

Although I'd say you're probably fine with gaming anyway. But if you really want to upgrade, that's what I'd do.

Reply to yadge
aevm   06-09-2008 at 03:15:20 AM
- 0 +

Add a second video card and a HDT-S1283 and overclock the CPU.

Reply to aevm
klonedesu   06-09-2008 at 03:59:27 AM
- 0 +

Buy a good fan and oc that quad :)

If you can wait-- vidcard prices should drop around the end of this month.

Message quoted 3 times
Reply to klonedesu
geofelt   06-09-2008 at 04:13:10 AM
- 0 +

Assuming that this is a gaming machine, look for a nvidia 260/280 in a week or two. Sell the 8800gts-640 to defray the cost.

Message quoted 1 times
------------------------------ I7 920@3.3
TRUE w/1366 kit
6GB patriotDDR3 1600
Asus P6T Deluxe
Reply to geofelt
aevm   06-09-2008 at 04:17:21 AM
- 0 +

klonedesu wrote :

Buy a good fan and oc that quad :)

If you can wait-- vidcard prices should drop around the end of this month.



Which quad???

Reply to aevm
jwhcoin   06-09-2008 at 05:46:33 AM
- 0 +

Shadowthor wrote :

I would upgrade the cpu, as you might see a performance increase due to more cache and a slightly higher clockspeed. Are you planning to overclock if you get the E8400?




Currently i have me E6600 at 3.0 ghz, and i would probly go to 3.6-4.0 on the E8400. I understand that ppl have gotten it that high on air. Im very new to OCing, as all ive done is this E6600 i have and i only OCed it a week ago. I have lots to read up on and learn if im gonna OC a new chip ( ive had the E6600 for over a year now).


klonedesu wrote :

Buy a good fan and oc that quad :)



... Dont have a quad. the E6600 and E8400 are C2Ds (although i was considering the q6600)

Message quoted 1 times
------------------------------ E6600, GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB, OCZ Platinum 1GBx2 2GBs DC DDR2 1066, eVGA 680i, 2xWD 160GB SATA 3.0Gb/s, LG 22” Flatron LCD, Antec 900, Silverstone 750W PS
 Reply to jwhcoin
jwhcoin   06-09-2008 at 06:04:30 AM
- 0 +

geofelt wrote :

Assuming that this is a gaming machine, look for a nvidia 260/280 in a week or two. Sell the 8800gts-640 to defray the cost.




Im assuming the new 260/280s are PCIe 2.0? my board isnt a 2.0 so i would have to buy a new board, which would add 250$ to the total (for a good board). Based on my current system, what do you all think the bottleneck is? the gpu? or the cpu? or something else?

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to jwhcoin
yadge   06-09-2008 at 08:13:58 AM
- 0 +

klonedesu wrote :

Buy a good fan and oc that quad :)

If you can wait-- vidcard prices should drop around the end of this month.



I doubt the price will really drop on the 8800gts 640 though. It's already more expensive than it should be, and that's because they are rare now. Not many people need/want it.

Reply to yadge
smalltime0   06-09-2008 at 08:19:56 AM
- 0 +

jwhcoin wrote :

Im assuming the new 260/280s are PCIe 2.0? my board isnt a 2.0 so i would have to buy a new board, which would add 250$ to the total (for a good board). Based on my current system, what do you all think the bottleneck is? the gpu? or the cpu? or something else?


The PCIe 2.0 GPUs will be reverse compatible with the PCIe 1.1 boards. The AMD 3xxx series are PCie 2.0 complaint AFAIK

Reply to smalltime0
bushmastertd   06-09-2008 at 09:14:11 AM
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before you go and buy a second GPU, that monitor does 1680 X 1050 res right? I dont think you would see much of an improvement at that res. Anyone feel free to correct me if i am wrong.

Reply to bushmastertd
mihirkula   06-09-2008 at 11:38:24 AM
- 0 +

Forget upgrading CPU... Forget adding another card... get the Radeon 4870.

------------------------------ Intel E6750 * Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L * Galaxy 8800GT 512mb 620MHz* Corsair VX450 * 2GB Transcend 667* 2x120GB Seagate SATA * Altec Lansing ATP3*
 Reply to mihirkula
geofelt   06-09-2008 at 03:17:27 PM
- 0 +

When you oc'd the E6600, did you notice much improvement? If you did, then the faster clocked E8400/E8500 would be of value. For the games you play, how cpu bound are you? Turn on the task manager, and monitor the cpu usage history while using the computer in a typical manner. If your cpu usage is <65%, then a faster cpu or clock speed will not help much. If it averages >85%, then a cpu upgrade will be helpful. If your usage is heavy multitasking, or your game is Flight simulatorx, or some other quad core optimized program, then an upgrade to a quad would be in order. Otherwise, for the same price, go for a duo and the higher clock speed.

Most likely, the vga card is the limiting factor. Don't worry about pcie-2.0. All new cards are backwards compatible with 1.0. In addition, benchmarks show a negligible improvement in performance of 2.0 vs. 1.0 , even with today's fastest
cards.

If you are not at 4gb, then I would do that first.

------------------------------ I7 920@3.3
TRUE w/1366 kit
6GB patriotDDR3 1600
Asus P6T Deluxe
Reply to geofelt
klonedesu   06-09-2008 at 03:31:32 PM
- 0 +

jwhcoin wrote :

 

... Dont have a quad. the E6600 and E8400 are C2Ds (although i was considering the q6600)

 

:D Sorry, must of mis-read something. If that's the case I would just grab one of the new graphics cards when they come out. Your CPU shouldn't really be a limiting factor(at least at the moment) and PCI2.0 cards are backwards compatible with 1.0 like geo said.


Message edited by klonedesu on 06-09-2008 at 03:34:37 PM
Reply to klonedesu
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