Proposed upgrade, is it worth it? Suggestions please!

[Mrbumbum]

Questions:

Based on my current system (detailed below) will I gain enough gaming performance to make my proposed upgrades worth it?

What other options should I look into that will keep me within $500 budget including shipping and excluding MIR, cause I only have $500 to put up front.

What’s everyone’s opinions on being able to reuse OEM vista on a new motherboard? Have you tried it and it worked / not worked? I actually have $600 available but i'm holding back 100 incase MS won't reactivate me. From what I understand if you tell the rep that the OS is not installed on another PC it should go through (even tho its technically illegal?)


Current System

Motherboard- Asus p5b SE
CPU- E6550 @2.33ghz , Unable to overclock at all on p5b SE with this cpu,
CPU cooler: Stock
Ram- 2gb ddr2 A-data pc6400 (on QVL) only stable at pc4300, it’s the board, ram works in friends pc
PSU- Corsair TX 650 watt
GPU- MSI 8800gts 512 (g92): Stock clocks core/mem/shader 678/972/1728 I overclocked it to 770/1008/1848
Optical: Samsung 22x IDE dvd burner
HDD: Western Digital Caviar 160gb 16mb cache
OS: Windows Vista Home Premium 64bit OEM
Case: Cooler Master Elite 330

Proposed upgrades $490.36 with shipping, excluding MIR

Upgrade: Motherboard, RAM, CPU cooler, GPU and reuse everything else

Motherboard: P5Q Pro, Overclock e6550 to at least 3ghz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299

RAM: CORSAIR DOMINATOR 4GB DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) with cooler (on QVL)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145197

CPU Cooler: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186134

GPU: SAPPHIRE 100257L Radeon HD 4870 512MB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102797

 

[Proximon]

Vista premium will transfer no problems. I think you get 3 or 4 new builds before you have to call up MS and beg. If you have heard differently, it was likely in reference to Vista Basic.

With the money you save, grab these two upgrades:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102796
I own this one. The stories are true. Max overclock and still running under 60c at load.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207004&Tpk=Sunbeam%20core

Forget the corsair and get this lower voltage higher rated RAM. It runs cooler so you don't need the silly fans:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231194

 

[mtyermom]

Vista premium will transfer no problems. I think you get 3 or 4 new builds before you have to call up MS and beg. If you have heard differently, it was likely in reference to Vista Basic.

This is incorrect. You're talking about RETAIL vs. OEM, not basic vs. premium. Retail version you get a few automated reactivations before having to call MS; OEM you'll have to call MS and tell them your motherboard fried and you were forced to replace it, but that it's still the same system.

There is no difference in this situation, regarding activations, between basic and premium.

 

[lunyone]

Unless your doing extreme OC's you don't need to spend >$100 on RAM! DDR2 800mHz RAM. It'll get you to 2.8-3 gHz speeds. If your not dependant on the MIR's here is a set that I'd recommend:
mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
5-4-4-12 timings w/1.8v (stock) voltage!

 

[Proximon]

This is incorrect. You're talking about RETAIL vs. OEM, not basic vs. premium. Retail version you get a few automated reactivations before having to call MS; OEM you'll have to call MS and tell them your motherboard fried and you were forced to replace it, but that it's still the same system.

There is no difference in this situation, regarding activations, between basic and premium.

I stand corrected. Looks like they will ask you to call if the hardware significantly changes. The motherboard weighs heavily in the equation, although it's possible that swapping just the MB might not trigger it.

I read somewhere around the middle of the year that they were relaxing this reactivation, but I can't find that now.

 

[blashyrkh]

Also, go for the 4870 with 1gb or ram. The difference in price is minimal and the performance gains at high rez can be quite big (like 20%).

 

[johnyeah]

Also, go for the 4870 with 1gb or ram. The difference in price is minimal and the performance gains at high rez can be quite big (like 20%).

Do you have the benchmark for the 1gb versus the 512mb? I don't recall that big of a performance gain at high resolutions, at least not 20%.

 

[johnyeah]

If you look at my sign-in quote, I'd say just keep the current system as is. Everything you can do with your upgrades, your current system will do.

Obviously from the looks of your build, you're not looking to go on the extreme end of getting every fps possible. I'd say save the money, unless you're planning to sell your used components.

 

[Mrbumbum]

Vista premium will transfer no problems. I think you get 3 or 4 new builds before you have to call up MS and beg. If you have heard differently, it was likely in reference to Vista Basic.

With the money you save, grab these two upgrades:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102796I own this one. The stories are
true. Max overclock and still running under 60c at load.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835207004&Tpk=Sunbeam%20core

Forget the corsair and get this lower voltage higher rated RAM. It runs cooler so you don't need the silly fans:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231194

Video card you listed is still 512mb, is it worth the extra cash compared to the one I listed?

Will that CPU cooler work better then the Freezer pro I have listed, if so how much, and where are you getting your information from? (reviews, websites, personal experience?)

Are you basing that the ram you listed runs cooler because of lower volts with no included fan? Reason I went for the Corsair is because it’s on the QVL and users with the P5Q Pro has verified its compatibility on Newegg reviews.

Unless your doing extreme OC's you don't need to spend >$100 on RAM! DDR2 800mHz RAM. It'll get you to 2.8-3 gHz speeds. If your not dependant on the MIR's here is a set that I'd recommend:
mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
5-4-4-12 timings w/1.8v (stock) voltage!

Will 800mhz ram only allow for 3ghz max? I’ve seen posts that says people have gotten e6550 to 3.3-3.5ghz. I was just assuming 3ghz would be the least I would get. If I want to get 3.5ghz, will 800mhz allow me to do so? Also, is that ram you listed compatible with the P5Q Pro?

If you look at my sign-in quote, I'd say just keep the current system as is. Everything you can do with your upgrades, your current system will do.

Obviously from the looks of your build, you're not looking to go on the extreme end of getting every fps possible. I'd say save the money, unless you're planning to sell your used components.

Yeah I’ll be able to play the same games as I am now, but I’ll be able to max the settings completely with lower minimum frame rates and no slowdowns. Some areas of Call of Duty world at war will reduce my frames to about 20-28fps for certain levels, dipping down to 15 if heavy smoke. Same for farcry 2, I cannot max AA with playable frame rates at 1680x1050

 

[geofelt]

As an alternative, consider an E8400. No overclocking needed to drive a high end card. No oem cooler needed.
4GB of Corsair DDR2 800 ram $54 - $30 rebate.
Sell the old parts on e-bay. Looking at completed auctions, the E6550 may sell for $90.
The 8800GTS may sell for $80.
Use the proceeds for at least a GTX260-216 or 4870 1m. The EVGA GTX260-216 superclocked is $259.99 and comes with far cry 2:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130400

 

[lunyone]

You should be able to get 2.8-3 gHz without too much voltage adjustments with the memory that I linked. The key here is the e6550 has a 7x multiplier, which limits your OC'ing possibilities. With a FSB of 400 mHz your memory would be at 800mHz (stock for the memory I listed or any 800mHz memory for that matter, even your current ones should be fine too) and your CPU would be at 400 x (multiplier) 7 = 2.8 gHz. Now you should be about to get to 3-3.2 without too much adjustment, but to keep things simple you should stay at about 2.8-3 gHz. Even if you get 1066 mHz RAM you might be limited by the FSB speed that the mobo can handle, so in short, if you want to keep costs down and still get a good OC, the 800 mHz DDR2 is all that you should realistically need. You can go higher, but I'd suggest getting a better CPU HSF for that and I'd recommend the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 pro or the Xigmatek s1283 (w/retention bracket). The ACF7pro goes for about $27 and the Xigmatek goes for about $45 or so w/the retention bracket.
ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler - Retail
Xigmatek s1283 cooler going for $32 - $10 MIR = $22!! Best deal I've seen on this cooler in quite some time!
Retention bracket for $9 shipped! Currently Out of Stock!

Now you could upgrade to a newer CPU like the e8400 w/Asus p5q pro mobo and you'll have a 3 gHz CPU (stock) and a good p45 based mobo. Just drop in your GPU/RAM/HD/PSU/etc. and add the 4870 512mb or 1gb version and your set! Probably the easiest way to get to 3 gHz and not cost you too much. The CPU/Mobo combo is going for $260 - $15 MIR = $245!! Newegg has been adjusting the shipping charges if you buy more than 1 item or combo, so the price for the combo will go down a bit if you buy more from Newegg.
1st combo from the bottom of the page!

 

[Proximon]

Video card you listed is still 512mb, is it worth the extra cash compared to the one I listed?

Will that CPU cooler work better then the Freezer pro I have listed, if so how much, and where are you getting your information from? (reviews, websites, personal experience?)

Are you basing that the ram you listed runs cooler because of lower volts with no included fan? Reason I went for the Corsair is because it’s on the QVL and users with the P5Q Pro has verified its compatibility on Newegg reviews.

Well darn, I hate repeating myself, and I had typed out a long response forgetting I was in XP and it needed a reboot...


Anyway, here are a few references for you to help you make up your mind. I'll just keep my trap shut otherwise
Guru3D 1GB card comparison
Toxic Sapphire review


Frostytech