time to upgrade or new sys ?

[mangyrat]

ok I skipped upgrading this year and now im running into games that don't run to well so its time to either build a new sys or upgrade.

EVGA 7900 GT KO
AMD OPT 170 @ 2.5 GHZ
4 gig a data ram
2 WD 250 gig sata 2 drives in raid 0
SB audigy 2 zs
biostar t force sli board.
Samsung 225sw lcd
Neo HE 550 watt powersuply
the rest dont really mater other than XP as the OS and thinking of going vista 64 bit.

I can push the cpu to around 2.8 ghz "staying on air cooling" and the video can be overclocked a little more but not really worth the frame rate increase.
so what im wanting to do is play games like CYSIS at high setting and 30fps.
so is it worth it just to get a 8800gt and vista. or it a waste of $ and I should hold off and build a hole new system. im a little out of the loop and don't know what's coming out when. if I upgrade I don't want to spend more then $700 for a video card and Vista 64.

any thoughts on what to do?

 

[JamesXP]

Well If you push your opty to like 2.8-3.0 it should play nice with the 8800GT it depends if you got the money / want to spend it.

 

[WoW_STORM]

time to upgrade or new sys

I would get a 8800 and a intel core 2 duo cpu and board. You should be able to get that for around $850.00 or so. I know that is a little more then what you were wanting to spend but if you sell your old stuff it should make up the difference.

 

[mangyrat]

no i don't sell my old stuff and if i go with a new cpu ill build a new sys.

i was looking for a cheap fix to play games for the next year or so and if the 8800gt would be a good match for the opti 170 then im going to go with that for now.

as for taking the cpu to 2.8 ghz i have ran it at that before but didn't like the heat so i keep it at 2.5 most of the time. and it cant hit 3.0 ghz one core craps out.

its good to hear the 8800 woudl be a good match i was thinking the cpu would be holding it back.

thank you both for your opinions

 

[Jacobman]

CPU would hold it back but it would still be a pretty good upgrade. Later on if you get a better rig you can fully unleash the card, a win win situation lol.

 

[JCLW]

With all the new CPUs and GPUs coming out in the next two or three months why not wait? Things are only getting cheaper.

 

[mangyrat]

With all the new CPUs and GPUs coming out in the next two or three months why not wait? Things are only getting cheaper.

im in no rush i can wait and see for a few month at least. as my sys is right now i can play crysis but not at high levels

 

[White_Pawn]

i'd skip vista and just get a 8800GT and overclock that cpu to 2.8ghz. If it STILL doesn't work out for you, then yeah, upgrade to another platform.

 

[mangyrat]

ok i waited and now the cards are out of stock everywhere.
i ended up just ordering from dell and went with a XfX 8800 gt. it was $251.11 with tax.
and yep out of stock so it will be a week or 3.

any one know what a opt 170 clocked @ 2.5ghz is compared to? 2x 4800+ ? im trying to figure out if im going to need a new cpu also.

 

[White_Pawn]

Well If you push your opty to like 2.8-3.0 it should play nice with the 8800GT it depends if you got the money / want to spend it.

You already have 4gigs of DDR. I'd say just overclock the cpu to 2.8ghz+ and grab a 8800GT. Everything should be fixed then.

 

[mangyrat]

for some reason i cant get it back to @2.8ghz with 4 gig of ram. i can get it to pass the test.
at 2.6ghz it passes but thats it one core fails at anything over that so im staying at 2.5 for stability.
it will go 2.8 with either set of ram but not with both at the same time.

the reason im asking what the opte compares to at 2.5 is so i do not waste $ on a 2x 4800+ if its no faster stock settings.

 

[mangyrat]

never mind on the cpu. i lost my mind the 2x 4800+ it cost way to much ill fix the oc and get this sys back to 2.8ghz one way or another

 

[satandole666]

Stick with your Opty.

The more eye candy you turn on the less your CPU matters anyway. Make that 8800GT work for you.

 

[ou_phidelt]

I agree, just upgrade your gpu. If you want to upgrade to vista do so. I like it and think its worth, plus you will be able to use all of that ram. Then just hold out until next fall and see what nehalem and am3 bring us before rebuilding. Right no both C2D and AM2 are dying sockets. If you can live with the bit of a performance hit for a while I think you will get much more life out of you purchase if you wait.

 

[Enablingwolf]

I concur that the card is a good fix for now. Since later on if you need more CPU horsepower, You will have the expensive and sometimes hard to get part covered. It is easier to move the card over and gain, Then trying to squeeze a CPU/RAM (free at least on existing setups). If the results are not what you want.

Plus if there is a price war for AMD and Intel, you get a beneifit there. In the not to far ahead, AMD is going to make a move. Intel will probably counter it. Even if it does not happen. You still have a nice card, and are able to browse for a good price for your setup. DDR2 is dirt cheap right now and might hold for some time. lol I got a new 1 gig set for under $30 .

 

[mangyrat]

the 8800gt is on the way i was going to cancel the order and get the new gts but it just did not seam to be worth the extra $100.

im going to hold off for a few months and then upgrade the rest of the system.

thanks for the advice everyone

 

[White_Pawn]

the 8800gt is on the way i was going to cancel the order and get the new gts but it just did not seam to be worth the extra $100.

im going to hold off for a few months and then upgrade the rest of the system.

thanks for the advice everyone

going with the 4 dimm slots and the increase in fsb is really stressing the NB. Back then, the amd mobos couldn't handle 4 dimms very well.

solution: raise NB volts. (make sure if it cooled well though.)