Am I Ready To Upgrade?

[OneWideBoard]

Ok here is what i have,built this 3 years ago

plextor slot load px-716al

WD 150gig raptor 10k rpm hd

amd athlon 64 4000 san diego 2.4ghz socket 939 single core cpu

asus a8nsli premium 939 nvidia sli atx amd mb

evga 256-p2-n516 geforce 7800gt 256mb 256-bit gddr3 pci express x16 sli supported video

1 gig ocz enhanced latency 184 pin ddr400(pc3200)dual channel kit

asus atlas a-55ga 550 watt active pfc psu


Ok here is where i am wanting to go with a little research....

---G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory

---EVGA 01G-P3-N895-AR GeForce 9800 GX2 KO 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

---ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard

---Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor

really had the q6600 quad 4 in mind since it was the same price but after reading all the posts here,for my use i think the 8500 is a faster cpu.
I am mainly an online gamer,AoC,soon Warhammer,currently wow.I like having 2 instances of wow going at same time.

Planned on just keeping psu,dvd,hd and my asus vento case,i've never been interested in overclocking.

So can someone let me know if i'm on the right track here,am i going to see massive improvements or should i hold out longer?
I'm new here so be gentlee please!

 

[tiraides]

The "faster" processor depends on what you're going to use it for. Regardless, consider picking up the Asus P5Q Pro/Intel E8400 bundle for around $275. The E8400 can easily overclock to beyond the stock speeds of the E8500. (In fact, if you're going to overclock, get yourself a good CPU cooler, like the Xigmatek HDT-S1283 with its retention bracket.)

Additionally, the P5Q Pro supports CrossFire (through its Intel P45 northbridge), which only works with AMD/ATI video cards. Get the VisionTek HD4870 instead of the EVGA 9800GX2 (or, if you have a 24 inch or larger monitor, get the HD4870X2).

Get the G.Skill 4GB DDR2 1000 set instead of the DDR2 1066 kit. There's only a difference of 33MHz between the two kits (as DDR2 RAM is listed at twice its actual rated speed), so you'll reach the same approximate overclocking threshold with the DDR2 1000 kit for a lot less.

If you need more hard drive space, I recommend getting the Western Digital Caviar SE16 640GB hard drive. The WD6400AAKS, with its two 320GB drive platters, operates as fast as (actually, in most cases, faster than) your Raptor.

For all of these new parts, I recommend a new power supply. For example, the Antec Earthwatts EA650 power supply could handle your current load and give you some headroom for future upgrading... and it won't cost you an arm or a leg. (The Asus Atlas you currently have produces around 30A on its 12V rail. With the upgrading you have in mind -- especially considering the video cards that I recommended for you -- plus the fact that you've had it for over three years now, you may be cutting it close power-wise.)