Upgrade Advice? AMD X2 4400+ / Asus M2N-SLI / 8800GT to Core i7 / GTX 560 Ti
vickybat
I am the night...I am...
@ Rollercoaster
I would suggest sticking with option 1 i.e to get a new board + cpu + ram +gpu
Get the i7 2600k along asus p8p67-m @ 7.9k ( cheapest p67 board). For rams, get a single 4gb stick now. Corsair vengeance 4gb is available @ 2.5k.
For Gpu, get 6950 2gb or gtx 560-ti. Since you won't sli or cf , i recommend the msi gtx 560-ti Hawk @ 14.5k. Its a factory overclocked model and offers good performance.
The current h61,h67,p67 & z68 boards also support intel's future ivybridge processors. So its not like amd is only giving you future proof options. I don't recommend buying current phenom 2 based processors at your budget. If you can afford the i7 2600k, then go for it eyes closed. Its blazing fast and has the potential to sucessfully compete with the upcoming amd bulldozer cpu's.
I would suggest sticking with option 1 i.e to get a new board + cpu + ram +gpu
Get the i7 2600k along asus p8p67-m @ 7.9k ( cheapest p67 board). For rams, get a single 4gb stick now. Corsair vengeance 4gb is available @ 2.5k.
For Gpu, get 6950 2gb or gtx 560-ti. Since you won't sli or cf , i recommend the msi gtx 560-ti Hawk @ 14.5k. Its a factory overclocked model and offers good performance.
The current h61,h67,p67 & z68 boards also support intel's future ivybridge processors. So its not like amd is only giving you future proof options. I don't recommend buying current phenom 2 based processors at your budget. If you can afford the i7 2600k, then go for it eyes closed. Its blazing fast and has the potential to sucessfully compete with the upcoming amd bulldozer cpu's.
Dell Alienware. This is very good except you can't play over 2 hours continuously. Otherwise be ready with Navaratna oil
.I too agree with you. I used to have AMD processors before ( I was fan of AMD in fact). But recently after migrated to i7 2600k, I came to know the real speed of this little processor and I couldn't imagine how cool this processor runs. AMD XP processor was used to overheat causing my system shutdown (I do not have AC.. LOL)
Btw.. mine is Asus P67 Sabertoth MB which is little bit costlier but worth the money (around 15k). I don't recomment MSI motherboard which I used to have on my older PCs which are not quite good.
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Cilus
laborare est orare
Athlon XP is a historical processor now and don't mislead people by putting invalid examples. All the current generation processors from AMD, starting from the 2004 Athlon 64 bit, don't having any heating issue.
Ya, 2600K or any Sandy Bridge processors run cooler than AMD processors due to their new 32 nm fabrication process (AMD is 45nm) but they run cooler than any previous generation intel processors also, like Core i7 950 or i5 760.
Now why I'm suggesting just a processor upgrade is currently Sandy Bridge processors are highly priced since they have no competitors in the market. Within couple of months the scenario will be completely different as Bulldozer will be launched and user will have far more options than today.
The other main component, the Graphics card can be used with the new rig also.
Ya, 2600K or any Sandy Bridge processors run cooler than AMD processors due to their new 32 nm fabrication process (AMD is 45nm) but they run cooler than any previous generation intel processors also, like Core i7 950 or i5 760.
Now why I'm suggesting just a processor upgrade is currently Sandy Bridge processors are highly priced since they have no competitors in the market. Within couple of months the scenario will be completely different as Bulldozer will be launched and user will have far more options than today.
The other main component, the Graphics card can be used with the new rig also.
OP
Rollercoaster
-The BlacKCoaT Operative-
I have been reading up on the 'slow CPU fast GPU' situation on the net as well as the Phenom II X4. It appears that a modern GPU will independently function well enough (not 100%) even if the CPU and the chipset architecture is slow so long as the CPU is not below the minimum req of the application/game.
So, to me getting a Phenom II X4 955BE and another 2GB RAM sounds more then enough.. It will cost me less then 8K and with a new gfx card I believe the system will be able to play even Crysis 2 handsomely. Perhaps not @ Extreme settings as that seems to require a X6 core (can someone confirm?).
The reason for this is, by just spending 8K I will be give new life to my system. It is cheap, it is easy and it provides me with more time to wait and get the next top class CPU/Mobo. So why should I spend a lot more on a new platform like the i7 at the moment.
Sure the PCIe will run on 1.0x (the gfx card would have to fall back and yes they are backward compatible) and the HTT will be limited and the RAM will be a bottleneck (DDR2) but I should be able to get atleast 80% performance in comparison to a DDR3/PCIe 2.0/Z68-P67Mobo. A Phenom II 4 Core 3Ghx+ CPU should easily satisfy any games in the mean time.
Even so I will only get the GFX card first and benchmark to see how big a bottleneck the existing X2 4400+ is. I dont expect it to be a bottleneck enough to have a detrimental effect except for extreme games like crysis 2. And dont forget the extreme OC potential of AMD cpus. I can push the limits as well, since I am not worried about burning out the CPU as it doesnt have much of a resale value. If that happens I will get the Phenom II X4. It will be unimaginably cool to burn out a CPU though I have been able to OC from 2.3 Ghz to about 2.9 Ghz (in the vicinity of a X2 6000+) earlier without much temps (I have an airy cabinet )
Sorry for all the crazy analysis but I want to squeeze the last drops of clock cycles from my PC. I love it.
So, to me getting a Phenom II X4 955BE and another 2GB RAM sounds more then enough.. It will cost me less then 8K and with a new gfx card I believe the system will be able to play even Crysis 2 handsomely. Perhaps not @ Extreme settings as that seems to require a X6 core (can someone confirm?).
The reason for this is, by just spending 8K I will be give new life to my system. It is cheap, it is easy and it provides me with more time to wait and get the next top class CPU/Mobo. So why should I spend a lot more on a new platform like the i7 at the moment.
Sure the PCIe will run on 1.0x (the gfx card would have to fall back and yes they are backward compatible) and the HTT will be limited and the RAM will be a bottleneck (DDR2) but I should be able to get atleast 80% performance in comparison to a DDR3/PCIe 2.0/Z68-P67Mobo. A Phenom II 4 Core 3Ghx+ CPU should easily satisfy any games in the mean time.
Even so I will only get the GFX card first and benchmark to see how big a bottleneck the existing X2 4400+ is. I dont expect it to be a bottleneck enough to have a detrimental effect except for extreme games like crysis 2. And dont forget the extreme OC potential of AMD cpus. I can push the limits as well, since I am not worried about burning out the CPU as it doesnt have much of a resale value. If that happens I will get the Phenom II X4. It will be unimaginably cool to burn out a CPU though
I have been able to OC from 2.3 Ghz to about 2.9 Ghz (in the vicinity of a X2 6000+) earlier without much temps (I have an airy cabinet )Sorry for all the crazy analysis but I want to squeeze the last drops of clock cycles from my PC. I love it.
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Cilus
laborare est orare
Crysis 2 is far less demanding than previous Crysis or Crysis warhead. Phenom II 955 + HD 6950 will give you more than 50 FPS even in extreme setting. You don't need X6 for that. For little better performance overclock your 955 to 3.4 Ghz and you will see some performance improvement instantly.
OP
Rollercoaster
-The BlacKCoaT Operative-
does anyone know for sure that the MSI 6950 2GB Twin frozr III has a bios recovery switch like the one is a reference 6950 board? Apparently Frozr II didnt have one..
Also, I am very excited to use the 8800GT as a physx card.. atleast till I can get a decent price for it.. but would the card use full power or just nominal power for the physx load..? If it will take full power that I might be pushing my 650w PSU
Also, I am very excited to use the 8800GT as a physx card.. atleast till I can get a decent price for it.. but would the card use full power or just nominal power for the physx load..? If it will take full power that I might be pushing my 650w PSU
Jaskanwar Singh
Aspiring Novelist
^yes it has dual bios switch.
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