Better Performance

Hi guys,
I am building a new PC for video editing. No gaming....alright maybe I will throw on GTA4 when it comes out just to kill time.

I already own a Visiontek HD3650 OC edition, which is doing ok for video editing, but I want to do a minor upgrade. Here are my 2 choices, and both would cost about the same. Which do you think would perform better.

1) A new 790GX or FX MB and try to find another VT HD3650OC and crossfire them.

2) Get a 790GX and 2 new HD3400 series video cards and run them in 3-way hybrid crossfire.

What do you guys think would perform better overall for graphics, the standard crossfire with the 3650's or the 3-way hybrid crossfire with the 3400's

I just purchased the 3650 3 months ago, I wasn't looking to throw away a $120 card. I appreciate the suggestion though. Remember the main purpose of this PC is video editing, which I have no problems with the 3650, I just was looking for a minor boost, since I am buying a new MB/CPU, and was leaning towards the 790GX chipset boards.

Video editing will benefit from a quad core cpu. The graphics card will not help. The hd3650 is plenty for non-gaming use. And unless you are going to sli or crossfire a very high end card, it's not worth it. A good high end single card is almost always cheaper and performs better than sli or crossfire of low end cards.

Thank you.
I thought that when I picked up my 9650, that it was supposed to be a fairly decent card, I didn't realize how far behind the times it is.

Here is my current MB
http://www.intel.com/products/desk [...] erview.htm
It is running a C2D 2180 with 4GB DDR 667, and 4 750 GB's Raid 5

I originally purchased this board to run Windows 2k3 server, but it actually comes up during install that it is not supported, so I tried sles (SuSe Enterprise Server, and NetWare) all same results. So I wound up making it a desktop pc, but this also has allienated me from buying future Intel products, since this was marketed as a Server board, and it is the Intel board that tells you, that you cannot install a "server" operating system on it. If you don't believe me look around on Intels site....Well sorry about the rant.

Do you think I am better off getting a new (more future proof) MB, I do like AMD's newer chipsets, or just getting a Q6600 or Xeon X3220.
So do I change over to an AMD Phenom 9950 system, or just upgrade my CPU and possibly my current video card? I don't want to spend $500 on just a CPU and video upgrade if in a year I will want to upgrade again which will require a new build from scratch.

PSS I am also building a new sles system out of a 9350e system. I like the ideal of the low power sonsumption CPU for a server, but still having the multi-threading for running VM's

thats why you do buy comp parts at bestbuy.

well if you grabbed that 4850 at $150 a few months back, i guess that wouldn't be too bad... but still