best solution for aging rig

[catmug]

Hey guys,

This is my first post here. I used to post on Guru3D, but I "left" the PC scene for a while due to work and school constraints. Now, I'm back, and my system is...lacking.

Here is my conundrum: I just bought a Dell Ultrasharp 24" for photo editing, but I fully intend on doing some basic gaming. My current setup is the following:

Core2 6750, stock
8800GTS 320, stock
ABIT IP-35 PRO with 4GB RAM (don't remember speed)

I'm perfectly content with the MOBO, and with the screen upgrade, i started thinking about upgrading the vid card. I need to stay around $200. Initial research tells me that the ATI 4890 is a sweet deal, but will it even be worth it considering the processor I am running?

I don't really care about running with ridiculous AA, and likely, I'll be running games at 1920x1200, so nothing excessive in terms of resolution. cool and quiet is preferred. Here are a few games I'm currently playing at 1280x1024 with my current monitor:

Far Cry 2 (meh performance, sucks indoors?)
Mirrors Edge (runs well)
HAWX
GTA IV (very poorly)
Crayon Physics (jokes)

Thoughts? Thanks in advance for the help.

[EDIT: On second thought, the 5770 is looking VERY enticing. Lower price point, better cooling, less power...and about the same performance under 1920x1200?]

-catmug

 

[kilgore777]

I am no expert, but between the 4890 and the 5770, it seems like the benefits go to the 5770. Please see my thread:

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1483677

It seems that the 4890 had a bit of an edge power-wise, but with new drivers and lower power consumption, the 5770 is the best bet at that price point.

 

[Shadowssong]

The 5770 would be a good match for you, might not be able to play super max @ 19x12 but still much better than your 8800. You may also want to look into overclocking your cpu to 3ghz+.