Older system upgrade Video Card or CPU/RAM/Mobo

[Peppermonkey]

I want to spend about 250-350.

My current system specs:

Core 2 Duo E8400
NVidia 8800GT
4 GB DDR2
128 GB Vertex 3 SSD
600 GB HDD

I don't know if I should replace my Video card with a mid range card (660 Ti Whenever it comes out?) or if I should spend a little extra and just update the CPU/Mobo/RAM to an i5 2500K (or similarly priced CPU), 8-16 GB RAM.

Which one will give me the largest jump in overall game framerate?

I know my CPU would be bottlenecking the GPU, but I can't afford to get both at the moment.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

whats your total budget?

You might be able to do both a CPU and Video card update depending on the budget, but not an overclockable i5-2500K

 

[Peppermonkey]

I was thinking something along the lines of 250-350, 400 tops.

 

[obubdeno]

Well for $350 Ill try and put something together for you, where you can improve on everything! here is goes. Because your problem will be that if you only upgrade one or two things, you will be bottlenecked.


GPU: HD6850, Runs better than the current GTX 560, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908 $119 after rebate. Best deal on the web at the moment.

CPU: AMD FX-6200, 6 Cores, and a very close Benchmark to the i5-2500k. Also, the extra cores will improve daily use of the computer as well. So similar Gameplay experience, and better casual use experience for much cheaper is a win win. $149 http://www.amazon.com/AMD-FX-6200-Processor-Socket-FD6200FRGUBOX/dp/B0073RTGQM%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJM4UVF4RQCUWVBQA%26tag%3Dcpubenchmark-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB0073RTGQM

Mobo: ASrock 970 Extreme3 I personally just picked this board up, and its an AMAZING buy for the price. Great product with many slots. This is somewhere you dont want to go overboard unless your trying to Crossfire intensely. So this product is great. *USB 3.0* $74.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157280

So with those three we are at $343. Now for the best deal I can get you on the ram.


RAM: Start your self with 4gb DDR3 Ram. Here is a value ram that is 5 eggs on newegg orginally $15 for 2gb.

http://www.amazon.com/G-SKILL-PC3-10600-240-Pin-Desktop-Memory/dp/B004FPONOK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1340740609&sr=8-4&keywords=G.SKILL+NS+2GB+DDR3

The SAME Ram for $4.50, buy 2 of them. I just picked 2 up yesterday haha. Hope this helps, but for $350 you wont beat that setup at all.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

I don't count rebates. but for $350, how about this:

i3-2105: $124.99 w/ promo code
Gigabyte H61: $60
G.Skill 4 GB DDR3-1333: $21
Sapphire HD 6850: $140
total $342.96 before shipping and rebates.

with a bios upgrade, the board will take an ivy bridge later, even though this is dua;l core. the AMD processors have NOT measured up to Sandy Bridge, in spite of the previous poster's claim.

 

[obubdeno]

I don't count rebates. but for $350, how about this:

i3-2105: $124.99 w/ promo code
Gigabyte H61: $60
G.Skill 4 GB DDR3-1333: $21
Sapphire HD 6850: $140
total $342.96 before shipping and rebates.

with a bios upgrade, the board will take an ivy bridge later, even though this is dua;l core. the AMD processors have NOT measured up to Sandy Bridge, in spite of the previous poster's claim.

....So because Intels top cards beat out AMDs, that makes all AMD cards inferior? Not really, Ill go with a 4-6-8 core CPU that will work overall better than a 2 core that cannot be OC at all. for the same price

 

[ScrewySqrl]

the 4/6/8 cores are all outperformed by the intel 2 core/4 thread CPU. With overclocking, they *approach* the 2 core.

from a Tom's review back in January:

See where teh 2100 is vs the 8120/6100/4100?