Upgrade advice!! :)

py2006

Hi all,

I am thinking of upgrading shortly. I built my current pc but I am no expert. I haven't dabbled with overclocking yet but may be tempted to experiment with my current CPU rather than upgrading.

CURRENT SETUP
Motherboard: IP35-E P35
CPU: Core 2 QuadQ6600
RAM: OCZ Gold XTC DDR2 PC6400 4096MB
GPU: 8800GTS 320MB
HD: Samsung Spinpoint 500gb
PSU: Corsair 620watt


I have done a little research and the following is what I have come up with so far.

POSSIBLE UPGRADE
Motherboard: Asus P5Q
CPU: Core 2 QuadQ6600 (keep and overclock?)
RAM: uncertain (want 8gb)
GPU: gtx 280 ?
HD: WD Raptor 74gb (for OS). Samsung F1 1TB (storage)
PSU: upgrade necessary?


Thanks in advance for your opinions and suggestions!!

AlmightyCushion

Definitely keep the cpu and overclock, the q6600 is great and will hardly hold you back even if you don't overclock. Wouldn't bother with changing the ram, 4GBs is more than enough. Wouldn't bother with the raptor either as they aren't as fast as a spinpoint f1 and are more expensive, if you want to upgrade go with a spinpoint f1 instead. Graphics wise - I'd go with the 4870 as it's better bang for your buck.

PogMoThoin

Forget the raptor and get an SSD instead. Also get the 4870X2. Not really sure why your upgrading the mobo I've a p35 also, overclocks fine

py2006

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

Definitely keep the cpu and overclock, the q6600 is great and will hardly hold you back even if you don't overclock. Wouldn't bother with changing the ram, 4GBs is more than enough. Wouldn't bother with the raptor either as they aren't as fast as a spinpoint f1 and are more expensive, if you want to upgrade go with a spinpoint f1 instead. Graphics wise - I'd go with the 4870 as it's better bang for your buck.

I forgot to include the 1TB F1 that I was looking at for storage!! I just added it now.

You really don't recommend the raptor?

py2006

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Forget the raptor and get an SSD instead. Also get the 4870X2. Not really sure why your upgrading the mobo I've a p35 also, overclocks fine

I don't really know much about SSD's other than that they are rather pricey! I was looking at the 4870x2 aswell but not many places have them in stock.

PogMoThoin

This thread is all bout SSD's, cheaper than a raptor actually.
Shop here, best value your gonna get

py2006

PogMoThoin wrote: »

This thread is all bout SSD's, cheaper than a raptor actually.
Shop here, best value your gonna get

Thanks for that. I was just going to ask whereabouts they slot onto a motherboard but it looks like they are external?

AlmightyCushion

py2006 wrote: »

Thanks for that. I was just going to ask whereabouts they slot onto a motherboard but it looks like they are external?

Nope not external, internal and connect like a normal hard drive. You need a 2.5" to 3.5" mount for them though.

Kirby

Im still not sold on Solid state hard drives. If you can get one for around the same price, cool. But generally they are more expensive and there just isnt an real world gain. There are a ton of comparison videos out there...OS seems to load at the same speed....games seem to load the same.... just seems like a money sink to me. If you are transferring several gigs worth of data from one hard drive to another on a regular basis, then it seems worth it. but for everything else.... meh.

py2006

Kirby wrote: »

Im still not sold on Solid state hard drives. If you can get one for around the same price, cool. But generally they are more expensive and there just isnt an real world gain. There are a ton of comparison videos out there...OS seems to load at the same speed....games seem to load the same.... just seems like a money sink to me. If you are transferring several gigs worth of data from one hard drive to another on a regular basis, then it seems worth it. but for everything else.... meh.

Yea I have just watched a few comparison videos and I have to admit I am not all that impressed myself! I was expecting them to be ALOT faster than normal harddrives! I think I will wait a couple years till the price decreases and the capacity increases.

BadCharlie

I would keep all that you have and just get a new video card.
ATI 4750 Or Nvidia 280GTX
If you want to add more harddrives do so
Then i would over clock the Q6600 very easy to do and you prob will get to 3ghz easy.

py2006

BadCharlie wrote: »

I would keep all that you have and just get a new video card.
ATI 4750 Or Nvidia 280GTX
If you want to add more harddrives do so
Then i would over clock the Q6600 very easy to do and you prob will get to 3ghz easy.

Know of any links to idiot proof guides overclocking a cpu?

BadCharlie

Well i always read www.overclockers.co.uk forums

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17612922
has what you need to get started with clocking.