Need help with CPU upgrade

[Auster]

Hey
I have an m2n-SLI deluxe nforce 570 mobo, AMD Athlon X2 4600+ CPU, 3 gb Kingston HyperX PC2-6400 ram, GeForce GTX 260 core 216 graphics card.

I want to significantly upgrade my comps performance, and has therefore bought the GTX 260 card just recently.
Would it be worth spending money on a phenom processor (Phenom X4 9950, e.g.), or should I rather go for a new motherboard? Is it a bottleneck for the graphic card as well?

thanks in advance!

 

[The Third Level]

Phenom 1 was terrible, don't go there.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.182106
If you are willing to spend about 260, you can get a Gigabyte mobo + Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition.

Beastly processor, you can easily OC it up to 3.4+

 

[Auster]

260 wouldn't be too much.
But you think I should stick with AMD?

 

[tijmen007]

Well, we can't go around the fact Intel has better processors and if you're going to buy a new motherboard + processsor ( Which is also required for the Phenom II to get the maximum out of it ) you should go intel. Somewhere around the E8xxx /Q6600 should do fine or if you're a hardcore gamer you could go i7...

 

[Auster]

roger that.
I guess I will start looking for a new intel motherboard then, as I don't want to spend money on a lesser performance upgrade.

Thanks Tijmen!

 

[misry]

Of course if you do a little research you'll note that socket 775 is in the initial phases of dying it's slow death while the 720 is socket AM3 and out performs the Intel offerings at the same price point. By getting it in conjunction with an AM2+ M/B, (suggest 790F/GX-750 chipset), you can use your existing memory. Then you can move to AM3/DDR3 incrementally and ease the sticker shock.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103649
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157141

$250 before shipping.

 

[jitpublisher]

Had a 4600 X2.
Upgraded to a Phenom II 920 and Gigabyte board. Check my configuration for full specs.
Difference was night and day. Benchmarks show it, and you can definetly tell it in gaming and everyday use.
Old rig was:
4600X2 3Dmark 06 ~9800
New board, CPU, memory, ($305 retail total from Fry's)reused everything else:
Phenom II 3Dmark 06 15,000+

However, I am not telling you should go with the Phenom over something with an Intel processor.
Just throwing out my results since I had the same processor as you before the upgrade.

 

[Auster]

You do have a point!
I guess I'll have to do some research, indeed!
Though this would seem an obvious choice, if your claims of out performance are true.

Thanks mate!

 

[Auster]

hmm... there we have it
yeah that's the kind of performance upgrade I'm looking for!

So this new Phenom really is a dangerous enemy to intel? So if I go for AMD, I wont be dissappointed by how much more some other Intel CPU would out perform this 720, for about the same price?

 

[jitpublisher]

Read my edit above, check out the benchmarks for what you do and make up your own mind, what you want to spend.
But yeah, the Phenom II's are pretty hefty performance for the price.

 

[The Third Level]

The Phenom IIs are newer and cheaper, and provide solid performance for the price.
Face it - Socket 775 isnt gonna have many upgrade options open either.

 

[Auster]

alright, so I guess it's gonna be AMD after all

Only, which motherboard should I choose, and why? My knowledge about mobo's is very limited.
I have MISry's suggestion in mind; 790F/GX-750 chipset

Though I would welcome other suggestions and advice!

Thanks a lot!

 

[misry]

The current top dog is the i7, no question. You will pay top dog prices for it too.

I went from a dual core Opteron running at 2.6 to the 720 at 3.33, (I'm running it with 4 cores,[there are far more unstable 4th cores out there than stable ones], so my clock suffers slightly), and I can't be more pleased.

 

[The Third Level]

Opteron is a server processor. They're not optimized for gaming and will not perform as well on a normal computer because they are meant for heavy loads.

The i7 is the top of the line processor, but the i7 920 is about 280, the X58 mobo is at least 200, and DDR3 is at least 70-ish. So if you're willing to shell out that much cash, go for it. Otherwise, a PII X3 720 overclocked to 3.4+ will give you almost equal performance in gaming with a single card setup.

 

[Auster]

I'm not ready to spend that much on an upgrade, and not if the PII X3 720 can perform almost equally with the i7 920 when OC'ed.

But which motherboard should I go for?

 

[Ken168]

If I were you, I'd firstly check if your existing mobo can support the Phenom II.

If so, then I would use it until the new chipset come out (that if I really want more speed).

Fyi, I upgraded my socket 939 Athlon64 3000+ to a PII 940BE. Obviously the difference is like day and night. I Overclocked to 3.5ghz on stock cooling, default voltage.
I never use Cool&Quite before. After played around with it... I realised that my cpu never go over 800mhz unless if I play game.

 

[Auster]

that's what i'm gonna do. Though I suspect the motherboard to be a bottleneck for my GTX 260/216?!

 

[jitpublisher]

Unless I am missing something, it does not look like your board will support the new Phenom II's. I see support has been added for the old Phenoms, but you do not want one of them.
The combo deal pointed out by "The Third Level" is pretty darn nice.
You will need DDR3 memory to go with it.

 

[Auster]

I came to the same conclusion! looks like I'm going for a new mobo, and yeah, that deal sure is intriguing!

 

[Auster]

only, does the GIGABYTE GA-MA790XT-UD4P AM3 support SLI?

 

[Helloworld_98]

No, and you don't want an nvidia chipset because they are poor for overclocking etc.

get a P2 955 and a 790FX mobo if you can afford it since they will probably be better than a Q9770 when both are stock and will be touching i7 power for cheaper.

 

[Auster]

I can't seem to find any 790FX mobos with SLI supported... :S
(I have GeForce GTX 260/216 and plan on SLI)

 

[jitpublisher]

You have to have a nVidia chipset for SLI.
I think nVidia makes seriously poor chipsets.
Maybe someone more of an nVidia fan can chime in with some advice.
I do like nVidia GPU's, but never gonna have SLI cause I'll never own a motherboard with a nVidia chipset........

 

[Wisecracker]

Phenom 9950BE For $125 with Promo Code EMCLRLN36 is your best bang for the buck upgrade.

Sure. You could spend more on a new mobo and ram but your best leap in performance will come from your SLI (and you've paid for it by not buying the new mobo and ram) - and you should see a nice bump with the Phenom quad, anyway.

Assuming you are gaming in a neighborhood that can use all that GPU horsepower.

Some benchies from Anand ----->>
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3512&p=8

Take what OC the 9850BE will give at stock and off yah go ....

 

[The Third Level]

PII 720 > P9850