Homebuilt CPU upgrade advice appreciated

[Max]

I'm considering upgrading my current homebuilt desktop, circa2008. Original componants include:

Intel Core 2 Duo Conroe 3.0 LGA 775
Abit IP35 Pro LGA Intel P35 ATX mobo
Nvidea 9800 GTX/GTX+
Antec 900 case
PCPower & Cooling 610W Continuous PS
CORSAIR (2 X 1gb) ddr2 sdram 24O PIN RAM

How dated am I in today's world? Would it be possible to simply upgrade the CPU or do I need a new MOBO as well? Suggested replacements?

My Nvidea card runs AH at a 59/60 FPS though not all of the advanced options are slected in-game. Should I consider a new card? Suggestions?

Assumably, adding RAM would be a good idea, no? Do I match up to what I already have or start new?

Win7 Ultimate (64bit) was clean installed about a year ago.

I don't have any overt issues with the current system other that it seems slow to boot and the vid card seems a bit overtaxed if I try to run AH graphX at full bore.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[gyrene81]

tossing any money at what you have now would be pretty much tossing good money after bad. the socket 775 cpu/mobo is at least 4 generations behind the curve, as is that video card.

upgrading the cpu, would be not bring any performance value to the system. considering the one you have is running 3.0ghz per core, you could buy 2 newer cpu's with better specs for what it would cost you to get a core 2 quad unless you want to buy used.

you could garner some very minor performance improvements by at least doubling your ram but ddr2 memory is expensive compared to the newer ddr3...$50+ for 4gb ddr2 800mhz vs $40 for 4gb ddr3 1066mhz.

your mobo specs aren't bad but, the pci-e x16 slot is a first gen slot and tossing a better video card in there would not get you the performance increase you would expect.

if you have the money, replace the cpu, mobo, memory and video card...

[Max]

Suggestions for those componants? Thanks

[gyrene81]

it's going to depend on your budget and usage plans...i'm running a low budget amd setup (less than $1000) that will handle my needs for the next 2 years or so. but i tend to replace my systems every 2 to 3 years...and i don't do big money builds.

[Bizman]

If you still can get a solid 59 fps with decent eye candy, why bother. Even the best rig money can buy wouldn't do any better, unless you really want those moving cockpit shadows without jagged edges. Most of us seem to disable them for good...

As opposed to Gyrene I think that adding RAM could improve both your overall experience and your gameplay without costing too much. After all, ddr2 isn't that much more expensive than ddr3 and the better bus speed only helps if your other components support it. 2gb really isn't much for the 64 bit Win7. Before you upgrade, check how much your motherboard can take - just checked, 8 gb is the maximum. If you find a good bargain, 2 x 2gb into the two now empty slots might really make a difference.

IMO slow boot time isn't that much of an issue, but I guess I'm in the minority here. Nevertheless, if your rig takes a couple of minutes to boot, you can use the time to go for a leak and prepare yourself with "kerosene" for a nice flight.

[Spikes]

I personally don't like the shadows, I feel like they cause a distraction for me but ymmv. The optimal route would be to start new. Even if you didn't have money for an all new computer right now you could still reuse the video card, hard drive. Etc for a short while.

[gyrene81]

i don't know biz...increasing the amount of memory would probably improve the amount of time it takes to boot that system, but it won't make much difference in gameplay. looking at the price of ddr3 pc2-6400 memory 2gb sticks, there isn't a "good bargain". it's at least a $50 bandaid at best for 4gb.

[Bizman]

You might be right, Gyrene. Although I still think that 4 gb for $ 50 is dirt cheap and the price difference to the newer type is marginal. Maybe I'm still stuck in the times when 128mb sdram cost more than that in today's money. Anyway I think that memory is the only thing upgradeable in that system, everything else would be either waste of money or building a new rig component by component. As Microsoft says, 2gb is the minimum amount of ram for a 64 bit Win7, so doubling/triplicating that might be a good investment for $50. Otherwise I wouldn't change that rig.

[guncrasher]

max why not just think about what your budget is going to be.  and you can get better advise from there.  we can sit here and argue to death about price of ram and you may have thousands of dollars gathering dust in boxes up in the attic which would make the ram advise moot.  in which case you can build a better computer that will serve you for the next 4 or 5 years.

or maybe your budget is only 50 bucks which makes the ram option more advisable.


semp

[Chalenge]

LGA 775? Yes you can have more power by using a QX9650, or Q9650, especially if your MB allows you to overclock. You would also need to run a later gen GPU, like the 680 or one of the Ati cards. I would also, certainly, jump to 4GB, or as much as 8GB of RAM.

Now, consider how much that would cost you and compare that to what new would run and base your decision on the age of what you would have to carry forward (MB, PSU, etc.) and having to upgrade within three years anyway. Probably it's time to change the GPU either way, so consider that also.

[BoilerDown]

LGA 775? Yes you can have more power by using a QX9650, or Q9650, especially if your MB allows you to overclock. You would also need to run a later gen GPU, like the 680 or one of the Ati cards. I would also, certainly, jump to 4GB, or as much as 8GB of RAM.

Now, consider how much that would cost you and compare that to what new would run and base your decision on the age of what you would have to carry forward (MB, PSU, etc.) and having to upgrade within three years anyway. Probably it's time to change the GPU either way, so consider that also.

A 680 would be a horrible match for any CPU you can put in that motherboard.  I can kind of see a 670 if you plan on upgrading the CPU-Motherboard-Memory combo in the near future, because a GTX 670 fits in a great place in the price-performance curve, but a 680 has no place unless you're upgrading to a top of the line modern CPU.

I think you should just save up until you can do a complete motherboard-CPU-memory-GPU at once upgrade, and in the mean time just play with what you have.  People play AH currently with a lot worse.  Do you live near a Microcenter?  They've gotten a pretty awesome reputation for having PC parts for cheap lately... cheaper than you can find even online.  Unfortunately I've yet to go to one myself.

[Chalenge]

I don't know about THAT motherboard, but your wrong about LGA 775's over all. AND, then if you plan on upgrading down the line why limit yourself to second best? I have seen the setup I suggested actually perform in AH, and it's not a bad option.

Sorry, in this case your advice is slightly off the mark.

My suggestion was for him to engage in consideration of his options, versus price point. Sorry you skipped over that part.

[BaldEagl]

Max, my systems pretty close to yours:

EVGA 780i Motherboard
Intel E6750 Conroe 2.66 Ghz OC'd to 3.2 Ghz
4x1 Gb Kingston HyperX DDR2 800
EVGA 8800 GTS
Corsair TX-850 (Fried my PCP&C 750 Silencer)

IMO my sytem still runs the game just fine with hi res textures at a steady 59 FPS.  I don't get ALL the eye candy.  I've turned off shadows (don't like them), grass (I can run it but it's better turned off), reflections and some of the newer bump mapping.  That's really not that big a loss.  Everything else is turned up.

Here's what I'd do (cheap options first):

- Add 2 Gigs of RAM (or more depending on price matched to what you have).
- OC your CPU (you should be able to easily get a solid 3.6 Ghz.  If you do you'll want DDR2 1066 RAM which you may be able to then underclock to 900 and tighten timings).
- OC your GPU (Use Ntune to automatically OC to optimum performance).

These options will be more expensive but can be moved to a newer platform later:

- Buy a new video card (The increased memory alone will help).
- Buy an SSD to improve boot times.  

Here's things you could do but might not be worthwhile:

- Add a soundcard to take pressure off the CPU.  This will depend to some degree on the card.

And here's what NOT to do:

- Upgrade the CPU.  Socket 775's are obsolete.

You may also need a more powerful PSU but that can also be moved at a later date.

The alternate is replace the motherboard, CPU, RAM and GPU.  If you go that route you might be able to salvage your PSU as the newer components are more energy efficient.

[Max]

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm guessing that an update of CPU, GPU, MOBO and memory will run about $800. Tough call to make but I'm considering the remake vs. adding memory now and overclocking the CPU and GPU, which I've never done. I did download NTune and tried running it with the manual sliders...moved 'em both up about 10% and my screen went grey. Rebooting brought up a CMOS error and my clock/date was reset to 2006  The download from CNET included add-on rubbish which I trashed. It appears that you can run the NTune in auto mode which takes about 3 hrs. Given my techno-ignorance, that's probably the best way to OC the GPU, no? How does one go about OC'ing the CPU without risking damage?

If I decide to go with an $800 +/- budget upgrade, what suggestions do ya'll have for the componants?

[BaldEagl]

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm guessing that an update of CPU, GPU, MOBO and memory will run about $800. Tough call to make but I'm considering the remake vs. adding memory now and overclocking the CPU and GPU, which I've never done. I did download NTune and tried running it with the manual sliders...moved 'em both up about 10% and my screen went grey. Rebooting brought up a CMOS error and my clock/date was reset to 2006  The download from CNET included add-on rubbish which I trashed. It appears that you can run the NTune in auto mode which takes about 3 hrs. Given my techno-ignorance, that's probably the best way to OC the GPU, no? How does one go about OC'ing the CPU without risking damage?

If I decide to go with an $800 +/- budget upgrade, what suggestions do ya'll have for the componants?

Download NTune directly from Nvidia or EVGA (if that's what your card is).  There's a quick OC option that takes about 10 seconds then you can save it as a profile.

OCing the processor is time consuming as you want to take small steps and test between them for stability and temperature with a program like Prime95.  If you decide to go that route PM me and I can walk you through it.  It's not that hard, only time consuming.  You'd be able to OC with the stock HS/Fan but an aftermarket unit (I paid $35 for mine) would allow you to go further.

You're about right on the cost of new... $700-800 for something you'd like.  Intel Core I5 Ivy Bridge K series CPU, appropriate mobo for your needs, 1600+ DDR3 RAM and about $300ish for a 6xx series NVidia card (I'm not familiar with AMD).  Tweak to budget.