Upgrading PC (AGP -> PCI-E/Dual Core) Performance gain?

kalzath · 24 Oct 2007 at 13:47

First post on here, hopefully someone will be able to advise on the best way forward.

Current PC:
Asus P4P800E with 3.0Ghz P4 (HT version), 7800GS AGP Gfx, 2 gig DDR400/533(similar).

Im looking to upgrade the graphics from the above, but of course, PCI-E means new mobo, chip, and probably memory

With a budget of around 400-500 maximum, what would be your recommended spec - but more importantly, how much performance gain would I see in operation?

In particular, im more concerned about comparing for instance a 3Ghz P4 vs Dual/Quad Core (Q6600, or 6750 ) etc, in games, as most games are single threaded anyway, would I see any performance gain with CPU in those applications. (Video transcoding etc is far more obvious

)

I guess im saying, what's the best I can get for the money?

Thanks,

Kalzath

mp260767 · 24 Oct 2007 at 13:51

i'd hold on for a bit, its not been confirmed date wise but it is looking like new nvidia cards may be out soonish.

what case/psu do you have as the 8800 cards are fairly big, and power hungry so new case/psu may be needed.

kalzath · 24 Oct 2007 at 13:53

Well, it's a transplant, so im using the existing case, which is a Thermaltake Kandalf.

Note to those considering a Kandalf, the black one is steel, the silver is aluminium. The black one weighs a ******* tonne.

I also run the main OS on a raptor

kalzath · 24 Oct 2007 at 13:55

Ah, and as for the PSU, i've just replaced it with a Hiper 780W, as the old one died, the new one has 4/6 pin PCI-E connectors already

mp260767 · 24 Oct 2007 at 13:57

need to confirm on you're psu, but if its ok, and the case seems ok from the dimensions on the site i'd go for the following, bearing in mind the gfx card may well be swapped for the new nvidia card :

OCZ 2GB (2 x 1GB) PC2-6400C4 Dual Channel Platinum Revision 2 XTC Series DDR2 (OCZ2P800R22GK) £39.99 (£46.99)

Intel Core 2 Quad Pro Q6600 "Energy Efficient SLACR 95W Edition" 2.40GHz (1066FSB) - Retail £149.99 (£176.24)

Abit IP35 (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard £69.99 (£82.24)

OcUK GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB GDDR3 HDTV/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail £151.99 (£178.59)

Sub Total : £411.96
Shipping : £8.95
VAT : £73.66
Total : £494.57

kalzath · 24 Oct 2007 at 14:41

Yep, checked the PSU website, should be fine for a GTS without issues.

Any idea about the performance gain in single threaded apps? i.e. just how good is one core of a Q6600 versus a 3Ghz P4HT

Obviously the GTS will rip up the 7800GS and chew it for lunch.

Hopefully this should cope with Crysis etc at decent settings.

Sho · 24 Oct 2007 at 14:48

hi, hope this help, trying going on that web site and compare performance
http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu_2007.html

Admiral Huddy · 24 Oct 2007 at 15:02

mp260767 said:
need to confirm on you're psu, but if its ok, and the case seems ok from the dimensions on the site i'd go for the following, bearing in mind the gfx card may well be swapped for the new nvidia card :

OCZ 2GB (2 x 1GB) PC2-6400C4 Dual Channel Platinum Revision 2 XTC Series DDR2 (OCZ2P800R22GK) £39.99 (£46.99)

Intel Core 2 Quad Pro Q6600 "Energy Efficient SLACR 95W Edition" 2.40GHz (1066FSB) - Retail £149.99 (£176.24)

Abit IP35 (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard £69.99 (£82.24)

OcUK GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB GDDR3 HDTV/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail £151.99 (£178.59)

Sub Total : £411.96
Shipping : £8.95
VAT : £73.66
Total : £494.57

great choice and a bargain.. I have the kandalf too.. It is big and weighs more than my Mrs.. I'd go for a Corsair H20W.. it will tip this above the £500 mark but it will be worth it

mp260767 · 24 Oct 2007 at 15:14

if you go for a psu as well could always drop the cpu to the 6750 dual core to balance out the price without losing performance.

kalzath · 24 Oct 2007 at 15:22

Heh, I just got a new PSU already

Hiper 780W (sadly the old Hipers were modular, and the new one isnt

mp260767 · 24 Oct 2007 at 16:44

kalzath said:
Heh, I just got a new PSU already Hiper 780W (sadly the old Hipers were modular, and the new one isnt

stick with the original spec and it should be fine.

depending on how urgent the system is, as i mentioned earlier check the gfx card forum and check the news on the new 8800 releases.

kalzath · 26 Oct 2007 at 10:29

I've gone with the above - and happily ordered today -

addition question,

went with an arctic cooler 7 for the above along with some AS5 - anyone have any experience with the above spec on whether the Q6600 could be taken to 3Ghz easily?

Rezident · 26 Oct 2007 at 10:55

kalzath said:
Current PC:
Asus P4P800E with 3.0Ghz P4 (HT version), 7800GS AGP Gfx, 2 gig DDR400/533(similar).

Im looking to upgrade the graphics from the above, but of course, PCI-E means new mobo, chip, and probably memory

With a budget of around 400-500 maximum, what would be your recommended spec - but more importantly, how much performance gain would I see in operation?

I just upgraded from a Pentium 4 3.0, 9800 AGP , 2 gig ram to:
Q6600, 8800GTX , 2 gig Ram

and the performance gain has been so good that it's hard to come to terms with.

I could go on about higher resolutions, smoother gameplay and the obscene FPS gain, but in operation, the gain is simply beautiful.

Do it now.

Rezident · 26 Oct 2007 at 10:55

kalzath said:
I've gone with the above - and happily ordered today -

addition question,

went with an arctic cooler 7 for the above along with some AS5 - anyone have any experience with the above spec on whether the Q6600 could be taken to 3Ghz easily?

Very easily.