Upgrading - advice needed

[Cronus4771]

This thread spans CPU, MoBO, GPU etc so I thought it was best placed here. Basically, I need a little advice.

I'm looking to update my old desktop (specs below) and need to know I'm looking in the right direction. I'm looking for a solid gamer platform that will last for the next couple of years. Any way......

Old specs

Athlon 64 3000+ (1.8), Nvidia Gforce 7800GS, 250GB HDD (IDE), onboard sound, ASUS A8V(deluxe) Mobo, Windows XP.

Obviously needs updating.

I've found this for around £870

Intel® Core™2 Quad Q9550 (2.83GHz) 1333MHz FSB/12MB Cache, 8GB CORSAIR XMS2 800MHz, ASUS® P5Q DELUXE: DUAL DDR2, S-ATA II,2 x PCI-e x16, 2 x PCI, 2 PCI-E x1, Windows Vista™ Home Premium 64-bit + Windows 7 Upgrade Voucher, 4 PORT USB 2.0 INTERNAL PCI CARD (TOTAL: 12 USB 2.0 PORTS), x2 500GB SERIAL ATA 3-Gb/s HARD DRIVE WITH 8MB CACHE (7,200rpm) (seagate or WD),22x DUAL LAYER DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM, 1GB ATI RADEON™ HD 4870 PCI EXPRESS (powercolor or palit), onboard sound, COOLERMASTER HAF 922 MID TOWER BLACK GAMING PC CASE, FSP 700W Quiet Quad Rail PSU, ARCTIC COOLING FREEZER 7 PRO QUIET INTEL CPU COOLER

Worth it? overboard or not enough??? I had thought of looking at the Intel i7 CPU but the Quad was the cheaper option by nearly £200

thoughts plz?

 

[Cronus4771]

thanks for that

The specs are for a bought machine. When I priced the specs to build there was only around £40 difference and although I built the last one, I'm a little nervous doing it again.

Did a respec with the AMD chip you recommended, was only £788 - very tempting.

Thanks for the i7 build but wanted to keep it below £900, if went for around a grand it would be 4890 cards instead of 4870.

The i7 would be want I want so it will last, but not convinced they are worth it.

 

[Cronus4771]

I saw and you got me thinking - dont really need to HDD, but fancy a 4890 instead of a 4870 (looking at the XFX 1GB XXX version for £150ish).

Will the Antec 300 be able to handle 2 ATI cards if I look to add another later - a lot of reviews say its big enough, but not big, if you get my drift. The other alternative I thought of was a Antec 900, but they are only slightly cheaper than the HAF. But basically all I want is a good looking case that will keep everything cool, so a 300 may do.

Wanted to stick with a 750W PSU if I go for the self-build as I may want to go for the dual graphics. As for mobo, I was looking at the ASUS P6T SE around the same price as the Gigabyte board you mentioned, I haven't yet look at te differences, but I like ASUS boards, the last two where ASUS, with my first being Gigabyte (no issues with any of them that wasn't a factory fault)

Of course I could chuck the whole thing and stick with an older CPU - probably the Phenom x4 black edition now instead of the intel. Still contemplating the whole thing.

 

[Cronus4771]

.
Asus Crosshair III Formula AMD 790FX (Socket AM3) PCI-Express DDR3 Motherboard £142.99 (£124.34)

Corsair XMS3 DHX 4GB DDR3 1333C9DHX Twin3X (2x2GB) (TW3X4G1333C9DHX) £60.00 (£52.17)

Still going to stick with 6-8GB RAM. EDIT scratch that, it has to be 4 or 8

How about this Asus Mobo instead - slightly cheaper

Asus M4A79T Deluxe AMD 790FX (Socket AM3) PCI-Express DDR3 Motherboard - £127