Upgrading My CPU (Core Duo)

[wiekey]

Required Thread Info:
Approximate Purchase Date: Immediately
Budget Range: $150-$250
System Usage: Gaming (FPS, 3PS, Action RPG)
Are you buying a monitor: No
Parts to Upgrade: CPU, maybe RAM
Do you need to buy OS: No
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: anything reputable (Newegg, Amazon, various stores on PriceWatch)
Location: DC-area
Parts Preferences: Intel CPU - Core 2 Quad
Overclocking: Yes
SLI: No
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1200

Current Build:
Motherboard: EVGA nForce 780i SLI
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo e8400 3.0Ghz (OC'ed to 3.6)
RAM: 4GB Corsair XMS2-6400 Dhx DDR2
Storage: Crucial M4 256 GB SSD, WD Raptor 150 GB HD, 1.5 TB HD (Samsung, maybe?)
GPU: EVGA Geforce 465 Superclocked

Question:
I'm looking for advise on upgrading my gaming PC's hardware. I'd prefer a low-cost, high-gain upgrade, but would bite the bullet for a major upgrade if need-be. Aside from a GPU and SSD upgrade, all of the above is from January 2008.

All-in-all this setup still holds up to modern games surprisingly well, but it's starting to show it's age. I'd rather not have to replace the motherboard, CPU, and RAM if I can help it. If a CPU upgrade and possibly extra RAM would give me decent returns, I'd rather do that. So with my current MB, that means a high-end Core 2 Quad, possibly Extreme (e.g. q9550, q9650, qx9650, etc.).

Please let me know what you think. Would a high-end Core 2 Quad extend the life of this PC with a good cost/benefit ratio, or should I start looking into a new system? Thanks for your help.

Edit: With new consoles coming out, I imagine developers will finally start taking advantage of high-end PC hardware to a much greater extent than they currently are. If I should just ride out this generation with what I have and start from scratch in 6 months to a year, please let me know. Thanks again.

 

[Outlander_04]

I think spending more money on 2008 hardware is a mistake . You wont get value for money .

The smart budget upgrade might be
AMD FX 6300 $130
Mb with a 970 series chipset $85
2 x4 gig of 1600 MHz DDR 3 RAM $50

You might need a new copy of windows too , depending on whether you have an oem or retail copy , or if you can talk MS into activating what you have anyway .
You would also have to reinstall all your programs etc etc

 

[ayushde]

I agree with outlander. You musn't spend on that old setup. Get an i3 or i5 or even a piledriver fx and your will be much much happier with your new setup. C2Qs now a days are not at all worth the money unless of course you get them for a ridiculously low price.

 

[wiekey]

Thanks guys. If I go this route, I may wait to see where the next gen is going before committing as my system actually performs better than my build may suggest.

I realize this question is probably for another area of the forum, but here goes... Any insight on upcoming chipsets optimized for next-gen tech (new graphics engines, new Direct X, physics, 3D, multi-monitor, etc.)? Thanks again.

 

[ayushde]

Thanks guys. If I go this route, I may wait to see where the next gen is going before committing as my system actually performs better than my build may suggest.

I realize this question is probably for another area of the forum, but here goes... Any insight on upcoming chipsets optimized for next-gen tech (new graphics engines, new Direct X, physics, 3D, multi-monitor, etc.)? Thanks again.

You may want to wait before getting any ivy because haswell is coming out in two months and the lga 1155 socket is going to be dead. Moreover it is expected to give huge gains over ivybridge as it is gpoing to be a tock just like sanybridge was. Haswell is also expected o have a new cache design.

 

[Outlander_04]

Given the benchmarks for games like Crysis 3 there really isnt much point using an intel quadcore when you can get better performance cheaper from the AMD FX 6300

 

[ayushde]

Given the benchmarks for games like Crysis 3 there really isnt much point using an intel quadcore when you can get better performance cheaper from the AMD FX 6300

I think you are wrong. Crysis 3 can consume as many threads as you can offer. See the link.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/crysis-3-performance-benchmark-gaming,3451-8.html

 

[Outlander_04]

Given the benchmarks for games like Crysis 3 there really isnt much point using an intel quadcore when you can get better performance cheaper from the AMD FX 6300

I think you are wrong. Crysis 3 can consume as many threads as you can offer. See the link.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/crysis-3-performance-benchmark-gaming,3451-8.html

Google
"crysis 3 cpu benchmarks "
Actual results will depend on detail settings and resolution . The tomshardware results have no post processing of images which favors the intels . Other sites are reporting strong wins to FX processors , including an OCed FX 6300 beating an OCed 3570K , and the FX 8250 beating everything but intel socket 2011 cpu's

Crysis and some game engines can use all available cores

 

[ayushde]

Given the benchmarks for games like Crysis 3 there really isnt much point using an intel quadcore when you can get better performance cheaper from the AMD FX 6300

I think you are wrong. Crysis 3 can consume as many threads as you can offer. See the link.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/crysis-3-performance-benchmark-gaming,3451-8.html

Google
"crysis 3 cpu benchmarks "
Actual results will depend on detail settings and resolution . The tomshardware results have no post processing of images which favors the intels . Other sites are reporting strong wins to FX processors , including an OCed FX 6300 beating an OCed 3570K , and the FX 8250 beating everything but intel socket 2011 cpu's

Crysis and some game engines can use all available cores

Well I stand myself corrected........I think you are right.....the fx does beat the intel processors in high detail in crysis 3 with high msaa but for other games I think i5 is the way to go.