Processor upgrade? Is it worth it?

[devilhanzou]

So I asked a few weeks ago about maybe upgrading my Graphics card and really for the money there is nothing out there that is worth it right now, however I am looking at maybe changing out my processor.
Here is quick specs:

Phenom II X4 945C3 95 watts 3.0GHZ Deneb (so no unlocked cores) overclocked to 3.3gjz
ATI 4850x2
12 GB DDR 23 G.Skill 1600mhz running at 1333mhz for increased stability.
Mobo M4A78T-E Link to the board below:


http://usa.asus.com/Motherboards/AMD_AM3/M4A78TE/(AM3 socket)

I am wondering if upgrading to this chip if I will see a decent amount of peformance boost. I am looking at staying around 200 dollars for this upgrade? AMD Phenom II X6 3.2Ghz B.E> (unlocked cores Yay!!!)
Here is a link to the chip I am interested in? Also if anyone thinks they have a beter sugestion I am always up for listening. Mind you I am a computer science major welll three classes left, so my computer is mainly used for Gaming and Programming, along with surfing the net etc....
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103849

 

[AdrianPerry]

At $210 you can grab yourself a Gigabyte GTX 560Ti from NewEgg. This should considerably out perform CF 4850's.

For CPU and Motherboard upgrades, switching over to Intel SandyBridge and Z68 chip set is the best current choice. Sinking more money into AMD, for a gaming build, isn't generally recommended these days.

EDIT: CF 4850's might not be much less performance than a GTX 560Ti...... Hierarchy chart shows them on the same level.
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gaming-graphics-card-review,review-32352-7.html

 

[tobensg]

I agree with AP. The CPU is plenty enough for what you need, upgrading to a Phenom II x6 wouldn't benefit you in games, unless you're going to do a load of Video editing or 3D Rendering. The GTX560 would be a good improvement over the 4850CF.

 

[B0L0]

I would tend to agree with Adrian,
For any gaming application a graphics card upgrade will have a much greater impact. In my experiance it's been rare to see a processor bottleneck a game so bad that it becomes unplayable, unless there's a significant mismatch. I used to run an old Core 2 Duo E6300 with a 4870 and when I went to a Phenom II 965 only saw modest gains.

By the time your CPU is severely impacting your performance it'll probably be time for a full overhaul of your rig anyway.

So for a short term upgrade grab a graphics card, save the processor for when you're ready to swap out the mobo

 

[totalknowledge]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-overclocking,3077-5.html

If you are not going up by three tiers on their chart its not worth it.

 

[devilhanzou]

At $210 you can grab yourself a Gigabyte GTX 560Ti from NewEgg. This should considerably out perform CF 4850's.

For CPU and Motherboard upgrades, switching over to Intel SandyBridge and Z68 chip set is the best current choice. Sinking more money into AMD, for a gaming build, isn't generally recommended these days.

EDIT: CF 4850's might not be much less performance than a GTX 560Ti...... Hierarchy chart shows them on the same level.
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gaming-graphics-card-review,review-32352-7.html

Ya the 4850X2 still has a year or so left in her before I make that switch, ya I really like theIntel SandyBridge, I would have to be able to afford somthing around 3ghz. Ive read alot and running duel as the X2 do anything under 3.0ghz you will start to have bottleneck issues. IF I could get one around 3.0ghz to 3.2 ghz with mobo for around 200 that would be killer. Also being I only play mmo's when you are running around in a zone killing mobs etc...its just like any other video game, but when you are in 12 ad 24 man raids and dungeons, the faster your cpu the better, since it has to handle all those other incoming processess. Offline games or things like that I do not see much cpu having to play catch up I used to have a 2.2ghz and could play Crysis on the highest settings without any bottlenecking that would cause the frames to drop. However Lotr I would get 120fps runnin around the world, go into a raid that is instanced and graphics had to be tuned way down just to keep the fps up around 20, so I talked to the devs from wow and lotro and sufice to say the cpu made all the diffrence in the world/ I will deffinetly look around on the links you sent. thanks