Upgrading and need help please

[StormT451]

Hi. Im trying to upgrade my desktop pc since my current video card is dying on me.

Im running a Desktop PC with the following specifications:

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 x2 Dual Core Processor 6000+ 3.00 GHz
RAM memory: 3.00 GB
OS: Win 7 Ultimate 32bit Service Pack 1
Motherboard: MSI 785GT-E63 AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 785G HDMI
Display Adapters: NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT
Power Supply: Mushkin Enhanced 800W SLI Ready CrossFire Ready

Ok i got a few questions...
1. Can i install 2 graphic cards on the mobo listed above? I know it has integrated hd4200... im asking if i can add two
XFX Radeon HD 7850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card.
Thats the video card im considering to upgrade to...well i hope two of them.

2. If i am unable to i guess ill have to upgrade my motherboard. My CPU though is an am2 socket. I fear that if i am correct and i cannot crossfire 2 GPU on my current motherboard i will end up upgrading to a mobo with am2+ or am3 socket.
At the moment im not looking to upgrade my CPU, so i am asking if i will be able to use my current processor on a am2+ or am3 cpu slot

Greatly appreciate all suggestions, advises and replies.

 

[aonor]

Yes you need another motherboard, one with 2 pci 3.0 or 2.0 slots and is crossfire compatiable.You also need to upgrade your cpu but still look for an amd motherboard that can support am2 and am3+ (newest amd cpu use am3+).Try to upgrade to an Amd Fx.Also 2 Radeon 7850 take up about 1000psu , so upgrade your psu too.

 

[EzioAs]

^1000W PSU is false. 650W is more than enough

 

[StormT451]

So will my current PSU be enough then?
If i upgrade to a mobo with one that has an AM3+ slot, will i be able to use my current CPU?

 

[EzioAs]

Upgrading AM2/AM2+ processors to AM3 motherboards require the motherboard contains DDR2 SDRAM slots, because AM2/AM2+ processors lack the DDR3 memory controller. In addition, the CPU socket need to be a universal CPU socket design that can accept both AM2 and AM3 pin layouts, because two extra pins on the AM2/AM2+ processors and the change in contact placement (940 contacts for AM2/AM2+ processors, whereas 938 contacts for AM3 processors) makes the older processor mechanically incompatible with the reference new socket, preventing users from attempting to install an old chip on a non-compliant new board.

I picked this from a different thread
Link: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/329181-28-athlon64x2-4000-motherboard

Oh, and your PSU will be enough

 

[StormT451]

Ok. So in order to get the opportunity to install 2 of the above mentioned graphic cards i will have to upgrade to a motherboard thats crossfire ready and has 2x 2.0 or 3.0 PCIe slots and the cpu slot has to be am2/am2+.
Did i get that right?
Any suggestion for a motherboard like that?

 

[EzioAs]

It's probably hard to find. I suggest you stay with a single card first, save some money, then upgrade your platform (CPU, motherboard, RAM). Truth be told, your current cpu will bottleneck a single 7850

 

[MC_K7]

Even if you change the motherboard and keep the same CPU, the problem is that your current CPU will be a bottleneck if you go with two cards in crossfire. Might as well keep your current setup and install only one 7850 and it will get the job done.

If you require more performance, then I think you should upgrade everything, CPU, motherboard, memory, etc.... Unless you find an AM2-socket Phenom-II X4 you could change only the CPU. But even with that new CPU it could eventually become a bottleneck if you install one powerful card or two cards in Crossfire. So I would still advise to use only one card. Maybe one 7850 (or one 7870), but that's all.

Also, you didn't mention which games you intend to play and what monitor / resolution you'll be using. That's very important if you want to spec things properly.

 

[StormT451]

Viewsonic LED 24'' FullHD 1080p Widescreen. Desktop resolution is 1920x1080
In game resolution is variable.

Rome total war 2
Shogun series
Borderlands
Diablo III
Space Marine 40k

Prototype 2
Battlefield series
Assassins Creed III
Halo series
CoD series
Crisis series

So basically everything lol... from 1rst person shooter games to RPG games with a whole world created and available to explore.

 

[EzioAs]

I'm not going to repeat this again afterwards but stay with a single 7850 for now and then upgrade your CPU, motherboard and RAM down the road.

 

[StormT451]

Best answer selected by StormT451.