Where will my bottle neck be

[Bubbahj]

HI everyone,
I just purchased a few new components for my computer, and was wondering if I could get some advise on where my bottle neck will be.

Motherboard - Asus P5N32-E SLI plus
CPU - Intel Q9400 Quad core at 2.66
Memory - DDR2 Corsair 4Gb kit PC6400
Primary hard drive is an SSD

I have just purchased
PSU - Corsair micro 1050 watt
GPu - 2 x EVGA GTX580 running in SLI

Haven't put it all together yet, hopefully my aging motherboard can handle the new GPU's, and water cooling for the CPU is an option down the track.
I did not want to jump in and buy a new MB and CPU just yet, thought I would see what Intel's next generation perform like.

 

[Guest]

New cpu > new water cooling
Like you said wait for next platform.
Rest is all good imo.

 

[AbdullahG]

Your CPU is holding you back. It won't keep up with a pair of 580s, and chances are, the performance loss will be noticeable if not significant. If you are running a single monitor, you should have just bought a single GTX 580 and used the extra money for an i5 2500k and a nice MoBo. Ivy Bridge is mostly a die shrink of Sandy (with 3D trigate and improved HD Graphics). Performance boosts are suspected to be as 4% to 15%.

 

[easymoney9]

Run, don't walk to the Sandy or Ivy bridge platform!

Quadcore or better cpu and 8gb minimum system ram.

 

[AbdullahG]

Run, don't walk to the Sandy or Ivy bridge platform!

Quadcore or better cpu and 8gb minimum system ram.

DDR2 RAM is expensive (just 4GB costs $40 to $80, when 8GB of DDR3 costs around $40) so 8GB isn't worth it.

Yes, SB isn't something you should pass on if you are using an aging CPU/MoBo.

 

[cutebeans]

Omg. You could have just bought a Single 580 and 850w PSU then spend the rest on RAM + MOBO + CPU.

Shame.

 

[Guest]

Omg. You could have just bought a Single 580 and 850w PSU then spend the rest on RAM + MOBO + CPU.

Shame.

Its not your money. Maybe he has the budget.
Though, OP should get ram+mobo+cpu(ivy).

 

[cutebeans]

Its not your money. Maybe he has the budget.
Though, OP should get ram+mobo+cpu(ivy).

Yeah, but a single 580 is enough to max any games around.

 

[Guest]

Yeah, but a single 580 is enough to max any games around.

Why bother sli when performance is enough?
Why bother watercooling when temp is enough?
Why bother overclocking when speed is enough?
Why bother maxing out when playability is enough?
Cause we feel like it.

 

[jessterman21]

^ +1

Because it's there.

 

[inanition02]

SB CPU + Z68/P67 MOBO + 8-16GB DDR3...

 

[AbdullahG]

Alright guys, no need to argue over his decision on buying 2x GTX 580. To the OP, test out your games with the GTX 580s. Your CPU is a bottle neck, but I'm sure you can still play games extremely well. Just remember to save up for some new hardware to get the full potential out of your cards. Don't get discouraged. It's real world results that matter.

 

[Guest]

What case do you have?
2X580 should produce a lot of heat...

 

[jecho]

just live with your bottleneck for now and wait for e-bridge. Although i really dont see it being that much superior. My 2500k is pretty beast @ 4.4 on air ( I could easily push it farther.)

 

[AbdullahG]

just live with your bottleneck for now and wait for e-bridge. Although i really dont see it being that much superior. My 2500k is pretty beast @ 4.4 on air ( I could easily push it farther.)

SB-E is more of a high-end enthusiast class series. Extremely expensive. Ivy Bridge is more mainstream (for gamers and also enthusiasts alike).

Wait out till Ivy or when you have enough before any further upgrading.

 

[Bubbahj]

Thanks everyone for your input.
2x GTX 580's was always going to be overkill, but I had a little extra money saved up, and it will help future proof the graphichs aspect of my computer, and have bragging rights with my friends for at least 6 months.. LOL


From what I have been able to conclude, the performance gain from a 2500k would be noticable, but maybe not worth it since a new chipset is due to be released in the next half a year.
Changing to a Z68 chipset right now involves a new motherboard, cpu and ram.
From my perspective it will be better to buy in to a new chipset(X79), rather than one that is being phased out (H67, Z68), and further future proof my computer.

 

[AbdullahG]

Thanks everyone for your input.
2x GTX 580's was always going to be overkill, but I had a little extra money saved up, and it will help future proof the graphichs aspect of my computer, and have bragging rights with my friends for at least 6 months.. LOL


From what I have been able to conclude, the performance gain from a 2500k would be noticable, but maybe not worth it since a new chipset is due to be released in the next half a year.
Changing to a Z68 chipset right now involves a new motherboard, cpu and ram.
From my perspective it will be better to buy in to a new chipset(X79), rather than one that is being phased out (H67, Z68), and further future proof my computer.

The X79 chipset is not for Ivy bridge. it's SB-E, which costs over $500 for the lower end ones.
The LGA 1155 is for Ivy Bridge. Getting an LGA 1155 socket is technically futureproof. So no, the H61/67, P67, and Z68 aren't going anywhere. They still have over a year or so until their replacement (LGA 1156 to LGA 1155, LGA 1366 to LGA 2011).