New CPU/Motherboard upgrade OR new SSD?

[sunama]

I am looking to upgrade my computer which I last upgraded in Jan 2007 (core 2 duo [email protected].

Now, I have 2 options:

Option1
2500k
Asrock Z68 motherboard
8GB RAM
cpu waterblock
Cost: approx £340.

OR

I could simply my OS hard drive to a 128GB SSD (bear in mind that my motherboard is equipped with SATA port, so I would need to buy a SATA3 controller card.

128GB SSD
SATA3 controller card
Cost: £170.

I use my PC mainly for office work and programming (Visual Studio 2010).

My main problem when running VS2010 is that it feels slow when running. A CPU boost should solve this.

I do not use this computer for gaming and if I go for the 2500k upgrade, I shall be using the built in GPU on the 2500k (no discrete video card).

So, Option1 (£340) or Option2 (£170), which would you go for, in my position?

 

[95thrifles]

Option One

 

[Reaper 392]

i'm no expert, but i wouldnt have thought that visual studios used up much processing power atall. i suppose you could always leave the task manager running for a bit and see what CPU usage is like.

personally i would get a SATA 3 PCIe card (PCI cards cant do SATA 2 or 3) and a decent SSD for the OS, visual studios and any other programs you will be using.

however, if you find your CPU usage is nearing the limit, then obviously go for the i5 2500k or even i7 2600k along with a Z68 motherboard

*edit*
i meant to ask, how much RAM do you have, and what type can your motherboard take?

 

[sunama]

Current motherboard can take DDR2.
I have 4GB installed right now.

When I first load VS, there is high cpu load (I'm assuming that the code is being processed/analysed by VS). It then dies down. Generally though, bizarrely, after 4 years, I can't say that I feel that I am CPU limited. I recently bought a Corei3 (370M) laptop and my desktop beats it, in outright performance.