Upgrade time, and a dilemma...

[g859]

Hey guys, first real post

Here are my current specs:

Phenom X4 9550 @ stock 2.2ghz
6GB of DDR2 800 RAM
8800GT @ 750/1750/975
Corsair 450VX PSU
Windows 7 Home Premium x64
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, I believe my processor is still adequate, even though the clock speed is pretty low.

I have 2 different options in upgrading so here they are:

1.)

• Replace the X4 9550 with a Phenom II X4 955
• Replace 8800GT with a Radeon 5770
• Keep the 450VX

2.)

• Replace 8800GT with a GTX275 -or- Radeon 4890
• Replace 450VX with the 550VX for the 41 amps on the +12v rail

Option 1 seems fairly good, but if my processor is adequate, I'll definitely go with #2.
If I go with number 2, should I just get the 5770, try to find a 5850, or get a GTX275/4890 (they are basically the same in performance, right?)

*EDIT* I play [or try to play] all of my games at 1920x1080 with some AA (usually 2x-8x) with 16xAF. The 8800 can't really do that well with AA, so I've been leaving it off in newer games like MW2 and Borderlands. I suppose this info would be important in deciding which card to get.

Thanks guys!

 

[H-street]

IMO i'd go for the CPU upgrade and get teh 5770 or even better i'd get the CPU upgrade, get an ATI 4850 and upgrade your PSU at the same time. that should run you about the same as your option #1

if you have to buy new you can get a 4850 for just over 125$ and its a great little card for 1920x1080, it has been my main card for running at this resolution for a long time now.

or go used in [H] FS/T

90$, another for 90$

Here is a 4870 512 for 120$

Here is a great deal on a 4890 for 140$


Shop around, you can probably combine #1 and #2 and get all you want, but i'd put a lot of weight on the CPU upgrade at this point.

 

[tsfroggy]

Option 2 FTW, and overclock. Bam.

 

[Ehren8879]

My vote is for option 1.

Personally I think the CPU needs to be upgraded and you'll be glad you have a dx11 capable video card in the future.

 

[tsfroggy]

The GPU by far is the bigger bottleneck in this case, not the CPU.

 

[Tabasco69]

The GPU by far is the bigger bottleneck in this case, not the CPU.

My vote is for gpu aswell....look at it this way to migrate the card to a new build, you can't do the same with the cpu,ram, mobo....assuming amd is releasing a new socket....I really have no idea what amd has on the drawing board I went with intel a while back so take my advice lightly.
But as good as the 8800gt was in it's day and at the resolution you run I would have to say gpu and possibly a stronger psu....you can move both to a new build later on.

I have been in the same spot that you are at right now every couple of years, upgrades can be tough choices to make no doubt, I have burned myself a couple of times making decisions that later on in hindsight made no real sense if you know what I mean, at the time yeah I was all for it, and managed to stretch my hardware a little but not long enough to justify the cost. I could help you out with the psu....seasonic is a good brand.