How much performance improvement??

[coffeecoffee]

Hello, I was wondering how much performance improvement my friend may experience if he upgrades his outdated gaming PC.
He is on a limited budget which is why I looked around and decided his best bet with $350 - $380 is to:
-Upgrade from a Dual Core E2200 Allendale @ 2.2Ghz to a Core 2 Duo E7500 Wolfdale @ 2.93 Ghz
-Upgrade from a 8600GTS to a XFX 5770 1GB.

Links below shows specs of his old and potentially new hardware.

E2200 Allendale CPU [Old] Link: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116063&cm_re=e2200-_-19-116-063-_-Product
E7500 Wolfdale CPU [New] Link: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115056&Tpk=e7500

EVGA 8600GTS 512GDDR3 VS XFX 5770 1GB GDDR5
Link: http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=512&card2=615

Additional Notes: I have calculated he has sufficient RAM [3GB DDR2 800mhz] and a dependable PSU [650W Ultra - Single 12v rail] to support his potentially new hardware.
Mobo Specs: Link: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01386897&tmp_task=prodinfoCategory&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=uk&lang=en&product=3752888
Take note his mobo limits which CPU he can get.

PS: Comments & Suggestions are always welcome. Take note that he currently lives in Canada and he prefers to buy parts from Newegg.ca and Tigerdirect.ca - his budget is currently $350 - $380 for this upgrade.

Edited to add additional Info.

 

[randomkid]

I believe it is a worthy CPU upgrade.
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/87?vs=67

As for the graphics cards, even more so.
What is the monitor resolution he is playing at?

 

[coffeecoffee]

I believe it is a worthy CPU upgrade.
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/87?vs=67

As for the graphics cards, even more so.
What is the monitor resolution he is playing at?

I believe he has a Acer 21.6 inch monitor - max resolution of about [1600 x 1200] [1680 x 1050]. However he told me he was willing to play @ 1280 x 1024 as the lowest resolution if he can max out most/all of the settings and maintain a decent FPS for NEWER games. Because of this, I decided the 5770 XFX is the way to go.
I have been debating that if he can stretch his budget, should he attempt a 5830? My reasons are the fact he owns a 22" monitor and his PSU can certainly prevail against the 5830's max power draw.

PS: According to your link, the CPU upgrade should increase CPU performance by approximately 30-50%?

 

[coffeecoffee]

Maybe he should get a Athlon x4 and a 5770, that would max most games @1650 by 1050.

Oh, that's right I forgot to post his MB specs. [Via link below]
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01386897&tmp_task=prodinfoCategory&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=uk&lang=en&product=3752888

As you can see, the best CPU he can currently get is a Core 2 Duo Wolfdale E7xxx series.

I have also considered his future options: he can salvage his current rig and build a new gaming RIG:
-Quad or Penta AMD CPU
-A second 5770 for crossfire
-3-4GB of GGR3 RAM
-500GB HD
-Rosewill Destroyer Case
-not sure about the mobo

That's not all, he can also turn his old rig into a HTPC - w/ 2.2Ghz Dual Core, 3GB DDR2, 8600GTS. I think it'll do fine.

 

[coffeecoffee]

The point is changing the whole platform now isnt very cost effective, unless his friend is willing to update the CPU at the near future, which in turn would be smarter if he buys the whole platform then.
Actually, I think the E6500 should be enough, http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116093, just 1MB less cache and $40 in his pocket, (maybe yours.. )

I understand everything you just said but he's not very patient and I spent an hour earlier explaining to him the cost/performance ratio of upgrading and building a new rig from scratch. If you check my previous post [which I edited ~_~;], I did think ahead and widen his future options if it comes to that.

 

[coffeecoffee]

The fact is his friend, by the looks not a very techy guy wouldnt want or care to upgrade (the fact that he still has an E2200 suggests so), so rather than buying a mobo now, get a E6500 and hang on for ~2 years, and build a SI+BD rig then.

Less convincing, more performance less hassle and avoids the annoying mobo change.

Also, the e2200 and 8600GTS could easily sell for $150 on ebay.

His current mobo can support the wolfdale e7500 - at the cost of about 50-70$ more than the e6500. On a side note, are you sure a e2200 and 8600GTS can ebay for $150 USD together ? with all due respect, that sounds like a over priced scam if you ask me.

PS: what's SI+BD rig? I also new to building new rigs but light-years ahead of my friend XD

 

[coffeecoffee]

The point is the E7500 which is barely 5% better than the E6500 is not worth the money.

And, yes it IS an overpriced scam (70+80), but some gullible ebays will most likely fall for it. As long as you use catchphrases like
"UPGRADING, HAVE TO LET IT GO, WONDERFUL OVERCLOCKER(free performance for the money $$$) Gently used, GDDR3, Latest technology, Retailed for over $150, Its a STEAL, RARE DEAL, MINT!!!"
...

LMAO. This scam sort of reminds me of my first tech class half a decade ago. There's a phrase that goes "there are 10 types of people in this world, those who understand binary and those who don't"

But according to the MB specs it can't support e6xxx series; just to be safe I'll call compaq on Monday and see what they say.

 

[coffeecoffee]

LOL

Fail, i just realized you were the OP afterall.. i guess i really need a cuo of coffee...

Im 95% sure the mobo supports the E6500, Afterall it is the IDENTICAL die of the E7500 with the same bus speed, just with 1MB L2 disabled.

What's a OP?

 

[coffeecoffee]

originalposter.. i though for last 30 min you were a third person..
stupid me,,= =

LOL that is fail but nowhere near as epic as

http://images.stupidvideos.com/images/2/00/26/68/80/266880_m730_____1.jpg d(>_<)b

or

http://images.stupidvideos.com/images/2/00/26/74/93/267493_m730_____1.jpg

 

[coffeecoffee]

SI- southern islands, ATIs next graphics architecture (~3Q 2111)

you meant 2011 right?

 

[randomkid]

LOL that is fail but nowhere near as epic as

http://images.stupidvideos.com/images/2/00/26/68/80/266880_m730_____1.jpg d(>_<)b

LOL myself here....