Upgrade advice please!

[e36Adz]

My spec since around Jan 2009;

Asus Maximus Formula X38
Intel Q9450 2.66Ghz @ 3.4Ghz
4GB OCZ PC2-8000 Platinum XTC
BFG GTX 260 OC
500GB Seagate + 2TB

Purchased this from the forums as a package (exc hdds) and its been running rock solid since Come xmas time or just after, I will be contemplating an upgrade if I can sell this bundle off at a decent price. Last time I sold off my Athlon X2 for an awesome price and this upgrade cost me next to nothing

I am not the kind of person to upgrade just for the sake of upgrading. This handles everything I throw at it which is not much in terms of gaming these days but how would you upgrade the above?

I remember when I upgraded i7 was relatively new and v expensive, since then I have zero knowledge about whats come out and whats due to come out.

So any recommendations? The old 4GB vs 8GB arguement was common back then and I think most accepted 8GB makes next to no difference. Is it still the same? Should I opt for a new gfx card?

The only time I can say my system struggles is when running SF4 maxed out and also trying to run FRAPS when recording the game, it drops to a crawl. How can I remedy this?

 

[siumatfung]

yeh pick up another GTX260, wait for the new Nvidia cards next year or dip your toe in the ATi market for a 5870

 

[cmndr_andi]

Looks good. Personally I would do one of these things (or a combination):

- Buy a new, large Non-TN monitor for it (dual monitor with 2405WFP and U2410 would be awesome)
- Buy an SSD for increase in day-to-day computer speeds
- Do a silencing upgrade (either watercool or replace all fans with quiet ones and control their speed).
- Get a 5870 (sell the BFG 260) for better graphics performance (not exactly necessary if your gtx 260 is giving you sufficient framerates). Also, you could always crossfire 2 in the future.
- Get a better/nicer looking/quieter case (not sure what your current case is)
- Get some awesome new peripherals like a G15 keyboard, high-end speakers or gaming laser mouse.
- Upgrade your bank balance with the money you saved yourself by doing nothing

 

[e36Adz]

yeh pick up another GTX260, wait for the new Nvidia cards next year or dip your toe in the ATi market for a 5870

Never ran 2 cards, and never EVER had an ATI card. I would rather sell this card and buy another if there was something that offers significantly better performance for a 'decent' price.

- Buy a new, large Non-TN monitor for it (dual monitor with 2405WFP and U2410 would be awesome)

This dell 24" which I've had for years now still far exceeds my needs, I am happy to hold onto this yet.

- Buy an SSD for increase in day-to-day computer speeds

Hmmm, will consider this. Is the difference really noticeable? I use to have a 74GB raptor as my C drive for windows and in all honesty I could hardly notice any difference. How do these compare?

- Do a silencing upgrade (either watercool or replace all fans with quiet ones and control their speed).

Good idea, my PC could definately do with quietening down.

- Get a 5870 (sell the BFG 260) for better graphics performance (not exactly necessary if your gtx 260 is giving you sufficient framerates). Also, you could always crossfire 2 in the future.

How much do they go for roughly on MM? I am soon gonna get into resi 5 and batman arkham asylum, how is performance on this card compared to the 260 for those games?

- Get a better/nicer looking/quieter case (not sure what your current case is)

In sig. I'm happy with the case yet.

- Get some awesome new peripherals like a G15 keyboard, high-end speakers or gaming laser mouse.

Speakers are quite good, don't do any FPS games anymore so keyboard and mouse are fine for what I need.

- Upgrade your bank balance with the money you saved yourself by doing nothing

Best idea.