How long will my rig last?

[MightyDiomed]

Hey guys,

Here is my current system...

Q6600 @ 3.2ghz G0 Stepping
GA-P45-UD3P
4850x2 2gb
550w corsair PSU
8gb ddr2 g-skill 5-5-5-20
x2 250 GB hard drives
Vista Home Premium 64-bit
Parition1: OS = 80gb
Partition2: = Programs 150gb
Partition3 = Data/Backup 250gb


I have no problems at all, however I have the upgrade itch! I'm currently running inside a HAF 932 case, but really really want the 800D. My problem is, if I get the 800D...I want to sleeve all of my cables, get noise foam everywhere...liquid cool it etc etc, even though my air cooling is pretty kick ass atm.

Would it be worth my time/money/effort to get the new case, sleeve the cables, get some foam and liquid cool my current CPU? OR, should I make the leap to a i7 920 and go balls to the wall and get SSD drives, etc etc.

How long should I put this off for do you guys think? Being broke doesn't help either! I've got maybe 300 extra a month I could dump into this project...

 

[Dangman]

Would it be worth my time/money/effort to get the new case, sleeve the cables, get some foam and liquid cool my current CPU? OR, should I make the leap to a i7 920 and go balls to the wall and get SSD drives, etc etc.

The first scenario is mostly an aesthetic issue. If you absolutely can't stand your current case due its looks or cooling capability then get the new case. Whether or not it's worth it is up to you. Do you really want to spend the time just to make your case look better? That's pretty much the end result of the first scenario.

The second scenario is just as simple: When your system can no longer do what you ask of it at your required performance level, thats when it's a good time to get a new system. Or another way to put it: Wait until you can no longer wait, then upgrade/build new.

 

[LucidDream]

I second Danny's post.

A note about when your computer will cease "lasting" - exactly when this happens is also subjective. If you're only doing web browsing, this should be sufficient for many years; but if you're gaming your computer will need replacement sooner.

I've had a bad upgrade itch (past few months) but instead I picked up a couple of new games to occupy my time while Nvidia and ATI fight it out - the distraction seems to be working well so far.

Personally, I'd wait to WC and get the 800D; I could WC my current setup and squeeze more from it, and am also considering the 800D for my next build, but now just isn't the time and I would rather have an entirely new computer than the illusion that it is new because of the case and cooling.