Upgrade Advice Please, CPU or GFX.

AceCobra · 3 May 2009 at 09:38

Hello guys, many thanks in advance for the advice.
I've been outside the loop for a year or 2 so I'd be grateful of your advice.

I currently have:

Gigabyte DS3 Rev 1.0
E6300 @ 3.15
x1950xtx
4 GB Geil ultra pc6400

etc etc.

I'm considering an upgrade but I'm fairly limited on cash at the moment.

What I'm looking at is a Q6700 and 4870HD, both on the weekly specials.
I believe the Q6700 is the max my board will take being limited to 1066 and should out perform the equivalent dual core for my needs?

Does this sound reasonable or is there something I’m missing?

Also I may have to settle for one or the other and revisit the upgrade in a month or 2, which should I upgrade first?

Cheers.

Martin.

Souness · 3 May 2009 at 10:00

Easily the GPU. Your processor is good, you won't see much difference at all by making that slight upgrade. GPU however is a full 2 generations ahead.

CowboyTony · 3 May 2009 at 10:04

I'd upgrade your graphics first - there's no real reason to go from a decent dual to quad cpu just yet at the expense of keeping an old gpu.

AceCobra · 3 May 2009 at 10:15

Cheers!

my worry was the 1066 seem to be few and far between so I didn't want to miss the boat!

I'll order the gfx card now, cheers again.

Martin.

siumatfung · 3 May 2009 at 18:27

dont worry bout the fbs most motherboards these days will overclock at will

my mate had a gigabyte board with rated 1333mhz fbs last week we just took his Q6600 to 3.6ghz meaning the fbs was 1600mhz

so u mite be able to take that chip to 3.33ghz but back to the topic buy a new gfx card and PSU if required what is your current one?

AceCobra · 3 May 2009 at 20:22

Cheers.

OCZ Modstream 520, I think that should be ok?

I understand the above and I've ordered the 4870. I've been reading good reviews about the Q6700 g0 stepping so I'll probaly end up getting it anyway to future proof myself a bit. Its the max I'll get out of this board and the e6300 is nearly 3 years old afterall!

Martin.

siumatfung · 3 May 2009 at 20:29

future proof is not getting a Q6700.... that is just as old as your current cpu try looking at i7s or amd phenom 2s

oh and yes i would look at a beefier PSU like the 600W OCZ mebbes

or cooler master 620W modular

Cristian · 3 May 2009 at 20:48

come on, single gpu would be more than enough with 400 wats, let alone 520.

AceCobra · 3 May 2009 at 21:29

siumatfung said:
future proof is not getting a Q6700.... that is just as old as your current cpu try looking at i7s or amd phenom 2s

oh and yes i would look at a beefier PSU like the 600W OCZ mebbes or cooler master 620W modular

Well not quite as old

From reviews I think I should be able to get > 3.8 from the Q6700? But as I've stated my board won't take anything more, I'm limited to a 1066 cpu. What I'm looking for is an interim upgrade without the need to swap out boards/ram etc and I can build a new rig in a year or 2.

Of course if I had the spare cash I'd love a new system now, but I don't

Cheers.

Martin.