£90-£100 upgrade. CPU or GPU?

[grumpycrab]

My Motherboard is an ageing ASUS P5NE-SLI and I feel like some retail therapy.
I can either add to my existing GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB to give me SLI or get a new CPU (my current E4300 is overclocked to 2.7GHz).

What should I do? Cheers.

 

[steve258]

Well what do you do with your pc?

If games then I'd probably sell the GTS and get the new GTS 512Mb which is a lot better. I'd thought even in SLI 320Mb will struggle a bit in the newest games.

I'd just clock the E4300 further. They don't generally clock very well but 3Ghz should still be very easy.

*EDIT* lol me win!

 

[gt_junkie]

What res do you game at?

I'd personally get a decent cooler (assuming from the 2.7ghz clock that you don't already have one) and clock to 3ghz and beyond then sell the 8800GTS and buy an 8800GT instead.

The e4300 is still a great performer and i wouldn't change it unless you planned to video edit or something similarly intensive that would benefit from a quad core.

gt

Edit: Steve beat me to it!

 

[PhoenixUK]

Nice timing guys .

I think the mobo holds him back there in OC a bit, but still 3.0 - 3.1 should be more than doable with decent cooler.

Dont bother with SLI, just get the 8800gt.
Also, what is the memory that you're using ?

 

[grumpycrab]

Thanks for the replies guys...Memory is OCZ 2x1GB PC2-6400 Dual Channel; game res 1280x1024. I will try and push the E4300 further. I've just reinstalled it as it was unstable 'cause I used too much thermal compound. Stupid mistake...but I have a Tuniq so will try and push the CPU to 3GHz.

 

[steve258]

Don't see why a 8800GTS 320mb won't handle games at that res tbh. But for the newest games a 8800GT + extra 2Gb RAM if you're on Vista.

Yeah with a Tuniq Tower cooling won't be an issue to bring that chip to 3Ghz+.