Upgrade CPU ? in a dilemma need some opinions!

[Orlean]

Hello, awhile back I asked for advice about upgrading my computer - since then I have upgrade my GPU from a 4870 512mb to a 7870 which was a very nice boost in performance. I also got a Samsung 830 128gb SSD as a boot drive for the OS. I'm happy with it now but was wondering if maybe there was some more performance to be had . Should I upgrade the CPU while I'm at it and if it would be worth the money and if I would see any gains ? The other thing is that getting another 4gb of ram for his system is just pointless since DDR2 is just so expensive.

Currently Running a 9950 BE 140watt OCed to 3.1ghz

Since supplies of Phenom II's are drying up was looking at getting a 975 BE or a 960T. As far as getting a 960t my motherboard cant unlock cores but from what I've been able to gather they are very good overclockers, although not being able to unlock the extra cores( if lucky) it may defeat the purpose of getting one of those.

I have also really considered jumping to Intel and going to the 2500k platform or Ivy Bridge just don't know how I feel about dumping another $500+ for that, I'm having a hard time deciding :lol:



Any insight is appreciated

Thanks,
Orlean

 

[nna2]

i would say get the 960t, but if you cant unlock the cores then i wouldnt bother
by the look of it though, you can run FX chips... they have their issues but you could get an fx 8150 for ~$200

 

[Orlean]

i would say get the 960t, but if you cant unlock the cores then i wouldnt bother
by the look of it though, you can run FX chips... they have their issues but you could get an fx 8150 for ~$200

My board doesn't support FX, its a AM2+ board.

 

[whatsthatnoise]

Just keep the cpu and safe up for a z77 + i5 + 4-8gb ddr3. Putting money into an ancient mobo with ddr2 makes not much sense.... Still running a 9650 myself.

 

[kelthic]

Honestly, you have a little room left to oc your current processor and it will manage for the time being. Especially with a good aftermarket cooler. In this guide, the poster reached 3.8 GHz http://www.overclock.net/t/902756/amd-overclock-guide-for-newbs I also saw a result of 4.2GHz stable on air with the 955 BE before as well.

I would wait and see what ivy bridge does and how the market reacts to it before making a decision on your cpu/motherboard.

 

[dish_moose]

I think Intel is the best upgrade option - SB or IB - z68 or z77. It will cost more but it will be worth it. You have some quality parts right now - 830 may be my next ssd purchase and your gpu should keep you happy for a while until you feel Xfire is in order. I have an i7-930 OCed to 3.89GHz - not sure what it will take to get me to upgrade.
-Bruce

 

[whatsthatnoise]

It's not just about the cpu performance, but all the features one would miss without a new motherboard. like ddr3 sata3 usb3 etc.