Is the platform upgrade worth it?

[TheConsiderateIlliterate]

Hey everyone. I was wondering what I had to gain and if it would be worth while to upgrade my mobo/ram/processor. I'm currently using the AMD Phenom II x4 965 BE (oc'd at 3.8) paired with two 5850s.

More times than not my CPU is the bottleneck. Would it be worth upgrading to an intel i5-3570k / mobo if I happen to catch a good deal around the holidays?

My backup plan is to wait maybe 9 to 12 months from now and do an overhaul and get a high-end graphics card to pair with it, but I realize my graphics cards are still acceptable, all things considered.

I mostly play Planetside 2. Although the game is terribly optimized (which they are addressing as we speak), it does favor intel, along with most games given the single core performance.

Think it's worth it or should I wait? Thanks.

 

[Avro Arrow]

First, try overclocking your Phenom II. They overclock like mad. Second, what motherboard do you have? If it supports FX-series CPUs, your best bet would be:
CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-core - $120
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113286
That way you won't have to buy a motherboard, but even if you did:
ASRock 970 Pro3 - $65
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157364

 

[TheConsiderateIlliterate]

I have an AM3, not AM3+ That chip would fit in here but wouldn't run like it should. I do have the chip OC'd from 3.4 to 3.8. It isn't too stable at 3.9 or 4.0 regardless what I do with the voltage. Then again, all I'm doing is moving the multiplier. I might be able to find the right combination and get it higher.

It's hard to argue with the price of the two listed products for the situation that I'm in. I'll give it some consideration. Thanks!

 

[jaguarskx]

If there is a MicroCenter near you then you should consider going there to buy parts for your next PC; specifically the CPU and mobo. They have combo discount on AMD and Intel CPUs + mobos that can save you a lot of money. The downside is that you need to go to the store to pick them up, they will not be shipped to you.

The HD 5850 is still a decent card. I am still using mine. Since you have two of them, I think you could wait until next year to upgrade. While I plan on upgrading my CPU, mobo, & RAM, I'm not positive I will upgrade my HD 5850...

 

[logainofhades]

First, try overclocking your Phenom II. They overclock like mad. Second, what motherboard do you have? If it supports FX-series CPUs, your best bet would be:
CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-core - $120
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113286
That way you won't have to buy a motherboard, but even if you did:
ASRock 970 Pro3 - $65
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157364

Change that to a 970 extreme4 and I would agree. It is a better board for dual graphics. The pro3 has an x16/x4 configuration. The second GPU would choke on that x4 slot. The extreme4 does x8/x8 and will do SLI or CF.

 

[TheConsiderateIlliterate]

I think I'm going to wait and just upgrade the cpu/mobo/ram/gpus all at once. I have no real complaints. I'm just getting ancy. When I do rebuild, it'll be centered around gaming performance. I think I'll be going i5-3750k or i5-4670k with a high-end Nvidia card. The AMD processor has been pretty good to me, the GPU crossfire support is always, ALWAYS, behind Nvidia's SLI support. I dig the price-to-performance ratio of ATI/AMD, but I just want build a PC that I'm very confident in the support along the way. Nothing against AMD/ATI, but I'm ready to switch it up and spend a few $ more.