Upgrading my old, bad bad system. help!

[hotpants]

Hello experts, I'm here to ask for your opinion.

I started working so I want to upgrade my computer, the settings I have right now are somewhat bad:

ECS A790GXM-AM3
AMD Phenom II x4 965 black edition @3.4ghz
2x2gb 1333 ram
ATI radeon HD 5850
500gb HD
700w psu

My objective is gaming and high-performance. I use a 1920x1080 single monitor res and not planing on change it.

I have something between U$1.000,00 and U$1.500,00 to make it the best as I can, for this I count with all of you.

I want to use whatever I have here, so I was thinking about a 3x 5850 build (I read some really good reviews about it)

Some stuff I saw on Newegg and really liked:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231311&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID=

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227542

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371012

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131644

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500156&cm_re=gtx_480-_-14-500-156-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115211

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188068

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119197

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181013&Tpk=H70

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.562859

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128423&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID=


Any help would be higly appreciated, I'm counting on you guys (who know, maybe I can still get some black friday promotions)

Thanks in advance,
Felipe.

 

[vindictive]

I refuse to click on all those links lol. but here:
Intel Core i5-760 2.8Ghz Lga 1156 - $209 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115067&cm_re=i5_760-_-19-115-067-_-Product

ASUS P7P55D-E Pro LGA 1156 - $180 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=13-131-621&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=2#scrollFullInfo

CM 690 II Advanced - $80 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119216&Tpk=cm%20690%20II%20advanced

Gigabyte Super Overclock Series GTX 470 - x2 $600 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125338

G.Skill Ripjaw 8GB(2x4GB) DDR3 1333 C9 - $90 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231311

Antec TruePower 750W - $80 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371025&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3463938&SID=

Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 1TB - $50 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148433

ASUS 24x DVD burner/reader - $18 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

Windows 7 64 bit Home Edition - $95 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754&cm_re=windows_7-_-32-116-754-_-Product

=$1404
some are BF prices so it might change soon. Some are behind a lilttle, like W7 is $85 right now
If you want to OC, add the SCMG-2100 for $40

 

[hotpants]

Thanks for the reply vindictive.

I read many reviews showing the superiority of 5850 over the nvidia 470.. and I already own a 5850, wouldn't a tri be viable and way better for a gaming computer?

 

[preolt]

5850 is not better than nvidias gtx 470. The 470s run hotter and are more exspensive if you buy EVGA (but EVGA is always more expensive because they are known as the best so your paying for quality and a bit of branding)

The 470's though is known to sli far better than than ATI's counterpart 5850's or 70's for that matter. Also the 470's according to TH are better in higher resolution games and run them at higher fps. Where as the ATI counterparts do better in the lower resolutions than the Nvidias 470s.

In my personal opinion I would have to say if your on a short budget go for ATI but since your budget expands into the 1500 range I would grab an nvidia card and get a higher resolution monitor then sli them if you can pick one up for cheaper later on.

 

[coldsleep]

What resolution are you gaming at? A 5850 should be ok for 1920x1080. Going tri-5850 is probably not worth it compared to just upgrading to a couple of 6850s or 6870s (or waiting for the 69xx series).

I think that you should be able to reasonably upgrade your system without throwing away the mobo/CPU/RAM. Perhaps something as simple as a GPU upgrade, new PSU, and perhaps add an SSD. A Phenom II X4 965 is still a very competent gaming processor.

 

[geofelt]

1) Edit your initial post with descriptions, and you will get more and better responses.

2) This looks more like a rebuild and not an upgrade.

3) Assuming your objective is gaming, and, that your resolution is 1920 x 1200(vs triple 3d monitors, or 2560 x 1600 30" monitor), then just get a single great graphics card like the GTX580. Your cpu is fast enough for any game, and your psu can handle it. Multiple graphics cards do not always scale well, depending on the game. And, Nvidia seems to scale better than AMD today.

4) Save the rest, and wait for sandy bridge due Jan 9. Read about it here:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3871/the-sandy-bridge-preview-three-wins-in-a-row

I would suggest a SSD as a great performance upgrade, but gen 3 SSD's are not too far off either.

 

[hotpants]

The problem is: I feel like this CPU bottleneck my computer gaming peformance, i7 is just so much better and I can finally make a configuration around it...

I would really appreciate your guys opinion on which config I could get out of my budget.

I was also thinking of getting a high performance network adapter so I can finally enjoy the best of my 16mbps broadband.

Thank you guys for your replies.

 

[geofelt]

To test your bottleneck theory, run this test:

1) Run your games, but reduce the resolution and eye candy to a minimum. This will simulate what will happen if you upgrade to a stronger graphics card. If your FPS improves, it indicates that your cpu is capable of driving a stronger graphics card to higher levels of FPS.

2) As I recall, reviews of add on network adapters are not worth it. Do some googling there.

3) If money is burning a hole in your pocket, get a SSD for the OS and apps.

 

[vindictive]

My professional opinion is to wait for Sandy Bridge!

 

[hotpants]

vindictive, could you try to expain me a little better what it is? I'm not a expert like you guys, I cant understand it very well.

Guys, please, I need more opinions

 

[vindictive]

explain Sandy Bridge?
Its intel's new socket and CPU's thats getting announced Jan 5th.
Lga 1155. The cpu's should cost right around the same but offer a 10-20% performance increase, the mobo's will most likely be a little more expensive.

Its only like 5 weeks away so I advise anyone spending over 1k to wait and see, at the very worst.. it comes out, but makes current CPU's prices go down a little and you save some money.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3871/the-sandy-bridge-preview-three-wins-in-a-row read up

EDIT: Release date is actually Jan 9th, they will announce it Jan 5th in Las Vegas.

 

[hotpants]

That is awesome my friend! I appreciate alot.

I'll have to find a way to buy it, unfortunatelly I'm here on Brazil!

Well, I'll keep it on track.

Besides the CPU and mobos that I will most likely get in january after this announcement, what else would you advise on my new build?

Thanks alot.

 

[vindictive]

I have slow internet because I steal wifi and live on a sailboat so I'm not clicking on all the links sorry lol

 

[preolt]

I have slow internet because I steal wifi and live on a sailboat so I'm not clicking on all the links sorry lol

haha only thing that could make that funny would have been if you had said the wifi's instead. But being a college student I know how this is, going into coffee shops asking for a cup of water and then sitting down to use their wifi. (Well thats not completely true I do like a good cup of joe, but i bring my own hazelnut blend to drink )

 

[vindictive]

Oh, i do that too.
The boat moves = new wifi hahah. + i bring my netbook up to a place, order coke and sit there for hours on end.
currently right here I have two wifi choices. (btw Caribbean Internet sucks in the first place so stealing wifi from 200ft isn't very fast.)