Need help upgrading system to 280GTX ?

[Gforce180]

Hi My current system is :

Asus P5B Deluxe WIFI Socket
Intel E4300 @ 2.7Ghz
Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 PRO
Patriot 2GB Kit PC6400 800MHz
2x Samsung Syncmaster 500GB SATA2 Raid 0
2x Hitachi 250GB T7K500
Antec TruePower Trio 650W PSU -
BFG 8800 GTS OC 320MB

I've had this rig for about a year and in the process of watercooling it in my new Cosmos S case but I thougth I might as well go the whole hog and upgrade the PC otherwise I may end up with a sheep in a wolfs clothing.

see thread here for watercooling

I don't want to go too crazy with SLI etc but want a decent spec, my first idea is to get

BFG 280 GTX OC and a
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 Stepping 2.4GHz

Questions:

1. Is this the way to go or am I being a total moron ?

2. Is there a bottleneck in using the Asus P5B MB or any of the other components?

3. Will this potentioally be able to play crysis on 1680 x 1050 at decent detail/frame rate ?



Many thanks guys !

[Kondik]

1. Dunno, I'm Crazy too so I think this is normal
2. buy +2 GB RAM and 3 GHz Dualcore + would be the best
3. Ofc , I can play 1680 * 1050 on semi very high well

But why GTX280 will be the main question in these rings , I'd personally go for GTX280 ofc but why wouldnt you choose R4870 instead of GTX or 4870X2.

[perkam]

1. No that shouldn't be the way to go. Grab a GTX 260 or a 4870. Your current system or even an upgrade will continue to be a bottleneck due to your motherboard, which can't clock that high and is PCI-E 1.1, which gives half the bandwith of the new PCI-E 2.0 motherboards (all new cards are PCI-E 2.0).

2. Yes there is. But there is less of a bottleneck with a GTX 260 or 4870.

3. Yes, both the 260 and the 4870 will play Crysis fine on 1680 res. Just make sure to get them and use the $120 or so you save from not going GTX 280 to get a Q9400 CPU - the new 45nm 6MB chip that was launched a few days ago for $280:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...5131&Tpk=q9400

Perkam

[Gforce180]

Thanks Guys I think I will wait to upgrade the whole motherboard. No point going half measures eh ?

I have a $1200 to spend in MB/ CPU/RAM?GRAPHICS, what do you think ?

[zanzabar]

4870x2, rampage, mushkin assent, e7300

comes to 1140 - 25MIR

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814129114
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820146789
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131284
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115132

[Tonucci]

As an overclocker I would avoid the Q9400 CPU. 8x multi will limit your OC very hard, 450FSB would get you only 3.6Ghz. Q6600 is an better choice for the price imo.

e7200, e7300 and q6600 are the best options for people on a tight budget imo, seeing how close nehalen is.

[Nasgul]

BFG 280 GTX OC and a
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 Stepping 2.4GHz

Grab one of those 45nm Quad Cores, like a Q9550 or Q9350.
Get a GTX260.

And definitely you'd be able to play whatever game you want and get excellent frame rates.

Yorkfield CPUs have SSSE 4.1 and are better OCers. If not the Q6600 will do.

Everything else looks good. I have a P5B-Deluxe WiFi and latest BIOS to support a Yorkfield CPU, P965 chipsets are great.