4.5 Year old PC, it's not cutting it. Advice?

[PrometheuSBoxeR]

Current computer specs:

Case: Lian Li PC-60
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 @2.4GHz
Motherboard: MSI Platinum 975X LGA775
Video Card: eVGA GTX 260 (old core)
Power Supply: Corsair 750TX
Memory: G.SKILL DDR2-800 4GB (4x1GB)
Harddrive: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB (storage)
Harddrive 2: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB (storage)
Harddrive 3: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB (O/S)
Mouse: Logitech MX518
Keyboard: Logitech G11
Mousepad: SteelSeries Pad
Monitor 1: HP w2207
Monitor 2: ViewSonic VX922
DVD Drive: NEC 16X DVD-Burner

I've put about $2,700 dollars into my current computer over 4 years ago. I paid $240 for a 2GB G.SKILL DDR2 kit - 4.5 years ago, you look at the prices of things now. You can get yourself a nice kit of 4GB G.SKILL DDR3 for $50. Good times.

Everything is working pretty good, no problems of any kind. It's starting to be a bit sluggish for what I do and need with it. Gaming, Multi-tasking, Office, Work, etc.

Issues, not deal breakers, but becoming increasingly annoying:

• 1680x1050 and a 1280x1024 isn't cutting it
• E6600 @ 2.4 and the GTX 260 just aren't as crisp as I'd like when playing SC2/WoW or whatever floats my boat. Especially in heavy multi-player games of SC2.
• I don't think my motherboard is OC friendly at all. I tried a long long time ago, and had a failed attempt.

I have a few options in mind:

1) Sell it/part it out, and upgrade to something more modern.
2) Upgrade the motherboard, get a nice aftermarket cooler, new memory, and either a GTX 460 or 470, and likely 2 new monitors. OC the processor as much as I can.
3) Upgrade motherboard, cpu, gpu, memory. Then I start to question should I just resort to 1).
4) Hold out until the new CPU's, GPU's, and SSD's etc. come out and make the upgrade.
5) Other. Please specify​

Just looking to get the community's thoughts and opinions on what you would do in my shoes, and/or what you'd advise I do. Right now, I'm aiming at trying to sell the entire rig/unit/monitors on Craigslist for fairly reasonable price, and spend a difference of about $1000 on a new rig/setup.

Regards,
PrometheuSBoxeR

 

[The Deaf Boy]

I believe your system can hold out for another year, only a few programs are taking advantage of the quad cores.
I would go with option 2. Get a new mobo with AM3 or 1366 support, get a nice cheap set of dd3 and a new processor. Sell the board with processor and ram, you'll make a deent $200 or so from those 3 compoments.

I don't think going from 260 to 460 be all that benefitable besides better frames.

I recently did change out the mobo, ram, and case and I can see a noticable difference but I need to get a new gpu eventually lol.

 

[benbaked]

I think your computer is still strong.

I don't think you'll see much of an improvement going from 4 GB to 8 GB, and with DDR2 prices high and DDR2 basically being a dying platform it would not be a wise investment. My advice is to get a SSD, I think you'll see the biggest improvement in that and you'll be able to use it on your future system too. Don't buy a faster LGA775 motherboard, that is an outdated platform. Maybe upgrade your video card but I wouldn't upgrade any more then that at this time. Use the SSD, maybe a new video card, for a year and by that time the current Core i-series platform will be at rock bottom prices. Also the newer Sandy Bridge intel platform will be out in a few months, if you're going to upgrade the entire computer you should wait until that is out. My $.02.

edit: If you are still on the original install of Windows you may benefit from a format and reinstall.

 

[PrometheuSBoxeR]

After much tinkering around, here is what I've come up with as a possible "temporary" solution - stretching the PC months longer until the next generation stuff comes out.

Tell me if it's not practical, reasonable, logical etc.

Replacement Parts (BUY)
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced Steel - $80
Motherboard: ASUS M4A88T-V EVO/USB3 AM3 AMD 880G HDMI USB 3.0 ATX AMD - $110
Processor: AMD Phenom II X3 740 Black Edition Heka 3.0GHz AM3 Triple Core - $89
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 - $50
Total: $329

Current Parts (SELL)
Case: Lian Li PC-60 - $75
Motherboard: MSI Platinum 975X LGA775 - $60
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz - $50
Memory: G.SKILL DDR2-800 4GB - $40
Total: $225

Difference: $104

 

[Brutal-Force]

How is that stretching? By replaceing the Case, Motherboard, Processor and RAM you have done a complete upgrade. While there is nothing wrong with that, you have upgraded to a Tri-core processor. Basically you added one core instead of a 6 core for example.

The newer platforms will start popping up sometime early next year, so you would be better off waiting it out since you want to do a complete upgrade anyways.

If I was you I would go ahead and pick up the CM case, maybe a PSU (since you will be eventually upgrading your GPU). Then start saving for the next platform.

Next pick up a GTX 460 or 470 or the ATI alternative as money allows.

When the next platform drops you will be poised to pick up the Motherboard/Processor/RAM combo and you will be set.

There is nothing wrong with your current set-up, but by going tri-core you will essentially be spending money on 3 year old tech. You will also be lacking forward compatibility (which is a great thing from AMD) for the Bulldozer socket.

Be patient, save and you will get what you want and not what you can afford.

 

[The Deaf Boy]

After much tinkering around, here is what I've come up with as a possible "temporary" solution - stretching the PC months longer until the next generation stuff comes out.

Tell me if it's not practical, reasonable, logical etc.

Replacement Parts (BUY)
Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced Steel - $80
Motherboard: ASUS M4A88T-V EVO/USB3 AM3 AMD 880G HDMI USB 3.0 ATX AMD - $110
Processor: AMD Phenom II X3 740 Black Edition Heka 3.0GHz AM3 Triple Core - $89
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 - $50
Total: $329

Current Parts (SELL)
Case: Lian Li PC-60 - $75
Motherboard: MSI Platinum 975X LGA775 - $60
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz - $50
Memory: G.SKILL DDR2-800 4GB - $40
Total: $225

Difference: $104

How is that stretching? By replaceing the Case, Motherboard, Processor and RAM you have done a complete upgrade. While there is nothing wrong with that, you have upgraded to a Tri-core processor. Basically you added one core instead of a 6 core for example.

The newer platforms will start popping up sometime early next year, so you would be better off waiting it out since you want to do a complete upgrade anyways.

If I was you I would go ahead and pick up the CM case, maybe a PSU (since you will be eventually upgrading your GPU). Then start saving for the next platform.

Next pick up a GTX 460 or 470 or the ATI alternative as money allows.

When the next platform drops you will be poised to pick up the Motherboard/Processor/RAM combo and you will be set.

There is nothing wrong with your current set-up, but by going tri-core you will essentially be spending money on 3 year old tech. You will also be lacking forward compatibility (which is a great thing from AMD) for the Bulldozer socket.

Be patient, save and you will get what you want and not what you can afford.

Both of you guys have strong valid points.
@PrometheusSboxer, Why are you selling the case? Its going to be a hassle to try to sell it and ship it and still make decent money for it.
And you should spend a bit more on getting a quad, 3core you arent going to see much difference in apps or games. Should consider quad 955 or 965 or even 975 (but its new so its going to be expensive). Most games are designed for dual or quads cores. But other than that, its a great upgrade IMO, you will notice a slight difference but you are up to technology.
ps. I love my case, its very clean (fan fliters), its big and very easy to do cable management.

I completely agree with everything Brutal force has mentioned, AM3 is going to be "last gen" in a few months when AM3+ comes out. If you can, wait, but the budget will need to be extended a bit bigger.