Phenom II X4 965 AM3 user - New GPU... upgrade time?

[Gimpymoo]

So, the time has come...

Despite it being an awesome CPU, is it enough to power a 6950 which I recently acquired or has the time finally come to upgrade?

It is running at stock, never been overclocked.

The options I guess are...

Overclock the nuts off of it
If so, what cooler is recommended and would I be better spending this money on a better CPU/Mobo?

Replace Motherboard and CPU for i5 Sandybridge as will be compatible with current DDR 3 RAM so less expense.
If so, what CPU/Mobo bundle?

Go Bulldozer..... serious.

I was going to buy an X6 but prices have gone mad.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[Martini1991]

What motherboard are you running?

 

[Gimpymoo]

What motherboard are you running?

Gigabyte GA-MA790XT-UD4P

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3010#ov

 

[Martini1991]

You could possibly get 4GHZ out of that CPU.
Is it a C3?

 

[Gimpymoo]

You could possibly get 4GHZ out of that CPU.
Is it a C3?

RB-C3.

 

[Spenty]

RB-C3.

I have the 955 running at 4.1ghz paired with a 6950 unlocked to 6970 and GPU usage is 100% in modern games, so if you overclock it slightly there should be no bottleneck

 

[nuttyprot]

The 965 can hit 4GHZ without breaking a sweat. Mine does it even with a faulty motherboard (multiplier wont go past 19).

My below settings

Multiplier 19x
FSB 210
1.44 Volts

Don't go past 1.47 volts. Basically you could try the above settings and increase volts as needed. Every pc is dif I only have a cheap motherboard so you may get better performance.

If you wana upgrade I would overclock yer current system then save up cash for intel build. (prob get some really cheap sandys when ivy hits.)


OFC if you have stock cooler don't bother amd stock coolers are worst than rubbish

 

[Jayster]

My 965 at 4.2 was never a bottleneck with one unlocked 6950 tho in some cases it is with 2 but in gpu dependent games like BF3 it is constant 100% usage.

 

[si9973]

Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo and clock the nuts off it Could always take the gamble with unlocking a 960T

 

[Gimpymoo]

The 212 Evo is out of stock.

What fan is recommended then?

 

[Defy Belief]

I have a 955 @ 4.2ghz and a 580, no idea if it's bottlenecking, haven't checked, but it runs Bf3 on pretty much all ultra at a very smooth frame rate.

Prolimatech Genesis CPU cooler.