Hello! New here to Toms Hardware, and after reading all the helpful responses to other threads; I decided to make this my new home for all my tech / geek needs .
Let me start off by listing my current system build:
PNY GTX 570
P35-DS3R Motherboard
Intel E8400 @ 3.6
4gb Corsair XMS2 DDR2 800 5-5-5-18
Windows 7 64
I'm currently playing Battlefield 3 and Skyrim, and as we all know, these are graphically intensive games ( Skyrim on Ultra and enhance via Nvidia control settings is beautiful ). I've been teetering back and forth between outright upgrading to a new i7 2600k build, but I'm looking at around $700-$800 bucks in total upgrades which would burn a nice size hole in my pocket.
I'm just wondering if anyone can see a way for me to squeeze more performance out of my current socket (LGA 775). Should I upgrade the ram? motherboard? cpu?. I was looking at the Q9550 Yorkfield, but saw some posts about how the E8400 2 core is better for gaming? I'm just really trying to not have to change my entire system as of yet.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Let me start off by listing my current system build:
PNY GTX 570
P35-DS3R Motherboard
Intel E8400 @ 3.6
4gb Corsair XMS2 DDR2 800 5-5-5-18
Windows 7 64
I'm currently playing Battlefield 3 and Skyrim, and as we all know, these are graphically intensive games ( Skyrim on Ultra and enhance via Nvidia control settings is beautiful ). I've been teetering back and forth between outright upgrading to a new i7 2600k build, but I'm looking at around $700-$800 bucks in total upgrades which would burn a nice size hole in my pocket.
I'm just wondering if anyone can see a way for me to squeeze more performance out of my current socket (LGA 775). Should I upgrade the ram? motherboard? cpu?. I was looking at the Q9550 Yorkfield, but saw some posts about how the E8400 2 core is better for gaming? I'm just really trying to not have to change my entire system as of yet.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!