Futureproof?

[dannywilco]

Having had my Q6600 rig for 3 years, the time has come to upgrade. In doing so, im going for an i5 build and just want to know if the i5 will last me the 3 years until the upgrade bug hits again?

At the moment im on a Q6600 with an Nvidia 9800gt, 4gbs of Kingston Hyper X RAM and this has quite happily dealt with everything ive thrown at it. New games (BFBC2, CoD's, Football Managers etc etc) and still plays at high settings without problem. I'm not an enthusiast, i just like my money going a long way. So in a round-a-bout way of asking, will my prospective i5 upgrade still play new releases in 3 years? The GPU im going for is something along the 5830 or equivalent Nvidia range.

 

[dannywilco]

Therein my problem lies! I've been granted £300 toward a PC upgrade which i must provide receipts of within 5 weeks of receiving the money. (5 weeks starting 26/9/2010. So waiting really isnt really viable.

My mobo at the moment is a MSI G33M and the chip is not overclocked. But my thinking is the price is still great on eBay so i'm going to flog it and land myself a better graphics card.

So for my RAM and CPU i reckon i can get about £120 on ebay altogether so id have £420 for a new mobo, processor, RAM and GPU.

 

[dannywilco]

PSU is a Corsair HX520W.

Reason why i originally wanted to upgrade, was because im at a financial point where its not costing me any of my own cake and because i dont see my current Q6600 build lasting another 3 years?

 

[dannywilco]

My intended upgrade was going to be

CPU - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-339-IN&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=1672

Mobo - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-389-AS

RAM - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-076-KS&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=1517

GPU - dont know on this one yet.

 

[dannywilco]

Oh and to mention, i do believe that my motherboard is on its way out. You turn on the machine and sometimes it starts perfectly, other times the fans come on 100% and nothing loads. TOUCH WOOD since a fresh install of Win7 ive not had this problem. But the board beingfrom a refurb pc and it approaching it's 2nd birthday makes me wonder?

 

[dannywilco]

Ive been found out!

Are you sure your mobo is on its way out or are you using this as "justification" to blow £350-£500 on "upgraditus

It is contagious! I've not bought anything for 2 years for my PC and as soon as i come back on here, ive got plans to spend spend spend.

You could get a sweet new GPU and an SSD for that cheque you have . . . sell your older GPU for 50 cakes, happy days!

You see, ive asked the missus to use her cake to buy me a new GPU for Xmas as well.

 

[dannywilco]

If you are having problems with your current motherboard then you are best sorting it out. Do you have any time left on your warranty? - they usually come with 3 years of cover.

12 months with PC World on my refurb pc. Came as a complete and i don't have any of the original parts barring the proc and mobo.

I really want to (what you could call) an upgrade because then i know i can do my hermit act and vansih from the forum to prevent upgraditus and be confident knowing i wont have to upgrade for a couple of years, but the option of keeping with the Q6600 and OC'ing with a DAPPER new GPU it is also there.

 

[dannywilco]

if you actually want to game at high res then a 9800GTX is ok but not quite "Dapper" . . . . an SSD is still quite a luxury but I can't think of a better use of your funds? . . . apart from a monitor? . . . have you got a 24" monitor?

Ive got a Syncmaster 22'' monitor and the 32'' TV if need be.

I think you was hoping we all would say "yeah mate go for it, night & day difference, yee haaay!" but sadly you got a dose of reality heh!

I actually thought it was a good idea, but now i just feel like a dumbass .
The letter i have states that ive been awarded the monies "For a PC Upgrade". When i was looking into replacing my 775 mobo and realising that its now quite old, i thought i'd missed a few tricks hence the want of an upgrade. And i thought that whilst im at point where i can because of this grant, then i could rather than be forced into it further down the line. But it seems my demands haven't surpassed technology yet.

 

[dannywilco]

Just seem to be stuck between a rock and a hard place atm fellas. Aside from having upgrade-itus, i'd be as happy as a pig in s__t with my proposed i5 "upgrade" and being a student, i have (or will) the cash now whereas when the new tech comes out, i might be skint! I don't know, it just seems poor form to do anything when i have a deadline set. Having had my current pc for like 2 years now, it seems poor form to put a dapper new GPU in but it seems to be a lost cause even thinking of going i5.

 

[dannywilco]

So you see a time in your future when you may not have any money so it makes sense to you now to spend every penny you have? . . . think about what you just said!

I don't understand that sentence at all? . . .

I have 5 weeks to spend the grant and supply with proof its been spent on what i applied for.