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Advice on new build/updrading?

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Wanting to upgrade my pc guts this tax season but I have never even touched AM3 (Im just now hitting the snag of gaming with my current platform and I avoid brand new technology for a few years anyhow)

Ok, Ill start off with my current hardware:

Phenom IIx4 940 BE 3.0Gh/z
4GB DDR2 800 memory
Biostar Ta-790GX a2+ mobo
EVGA GTX-260
Sigma Shark 500w(?) PSU

Ok...Ive learned real fast that AM3 is not cheap but Im trying to get the best upgrades I can for the money. I AM a hardcore gamer so I need reliable parts.

To start with the Mobo Im 100% going asus or biostar. I need the Full ATX form factor. Any thoughts there as to best budget mobo?

Next Im looking at which phenom to get. I dont think Im ready for a 6 core and 8 cores are a bit out of my budget thus far. So Im dealing with the 4 core. Im currently running the 3.0Gh/z am2 model. If I get the 3.0Gh/z Am3+ model will it be much better? Need suggestions there.

And now the kicker question. Im running my GTX260. If I get into a full AM3 system with 16g of ram will my gaming performance be hindered or improved if I keep running the 260? If I would run into bottlenecking what would be a cost effective upgrade to the 260 thats NOT a 550 (WAY too expensive).

Hoping for some helpful responses here. Im pretty tech savy but I know nothing about AM3 on personal use. Thanks all!

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Homebuilt system Expert

I was to amd has really dropped the ball lately when an i3 2100 dual core out performs even an 8 core :(  But sadly thats the case i prefer amd as well but right now it just does not pay to buy one their price versus performance are terrible compared to the intel sandy bridge cpus. And the new ivy bridge cpus coming soon are supposed to trump the sandy bridge ones :(  Amd has stated they are no longer trying to compete with intel over performance so i'm lost being an amd fan myself but there it is :/ 

Thats interesting. I was looking up the cpu charts and the i3 does do pretty well. But I would feel cheated if I went from 4 to 2 especially being I do some 3d work on the side...I worry I would be losing out. Assuming I went up to the 6 or 8 core amds, would I be looking better to stay amd or really is it time to go intel? *fear*
Homebuilt system Expert

I hear good things on the 6100 and the 4100 on multithreading but as far as gaming goes intel is the king chip right now. http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/ite... 119.99 right now for the 4100 the 6100 is http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/ite... 139.99 they benchmark alright on most gaming test benchmarks but not at the top the difference would be like 10-30 frames per second gaming.

Problem is that windows 7 does not support these 8 core cpus well we are promised an update from microsoft to fix it to improve performance (the chips are not being fully utilized at the moment) and windows 8 promises to be alot more compatible but theres alot of buts in there if you know what i mean. And why most do not reccomend them.
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