Upgrading Asus A8N-SLI - Deluxe system

[imagineer]

I'm Trying to squeeze every last ounce of power out of my old system.

Asus A8N SLI-Deluxe
4 * 1GB Corsair 3200Pro DDR400
AMD Athlon FX60 Dual core 2600 (OC'd to 3000)

Currently running a 9800GT 512.

What Graphics card will this system run before being bottle necked at the CPU?

I'm Looking at the Geforce GTX460 (1BG) or 480, also possibly an SLI set up with a lower spec card.

What other upgrades would you suggest to achieve the max out of this aging system without spending needless dollars for power that It wont use.

Thanks for reading!

 

[mosox]

GTX480? You have $500 for upgrades? What PSU do you have?

 

[mdd1963]

perhaps you can find a 2nd 9800GT (currently $115 at Newegg) for SLI at a relatively minimal investment, which should give an 80% boost in framerates at 1080P....; very cost effective, IMO....

 

[rolli59]

GTX 460 768MB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500173

 

[imagineer]

I considered another 900GT, but looking at the cost of the 460 ($130) as rolii59 pointed out, in your opinion, would the $130 better spent on one single card upgrade or the dual sli using another 9800GT?

The system has a 600W PSU.

Thankyou for your posts!

 

[rolli59]

460 768MB has almost twice the power of 9800GT, SLI scaling will never double the performance. http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GeForce_GTX_460_Cyclone_OC_768_MB/31.html
A single more powerful card will always be my option over a multicard setup.

 

[imagineer]

Thanks Rolli59, I was leaning that direction.

Thats what I will go for, maybe the GTX460-1GB version which I can use with the new SLI motherboard, when I upgrade the whole system in the future.

The new GTX460 wont be dead money, as the 9800GT would be, further down the road.

Thanks again!

 

[rolli59]

The 460 1GB card is a great option to carry over to a new build later on.

 

[imagineer]

Best answer selected by imagineer.