CPU Upgrade

[bassa]

Hey!

I've been thinking of upgrading my CPU.

My rig looks like this:

Motherboard: EVGA nForce 780i SLI
PSU: Silverstone Zeus ST85ZF 850W
Cooling (CPU): Thermalright 120 Ultra Extreme
CPU: Intel Core 2 Extreme Processor QX6700
RAM: 2 x 2 GB Mushkin PC2-8500 1066 Mhz
Video Card: EVGA e-GeForce 8800 GTX ACS3 KO

RAM were just upgraded. Wondering if a new CPU and/or a new video card should be next, though.

Any ideas?

One of my friends mentioned the new Intel Q9450 CPU. Price seems great, and so should the performance from what I've heard, although some say it gets crazy hot?

Appreciate any suggestions for a new CPU. Thanks!


Cheers,
Bassa

[Computerville]

Haven´t the Q9550 been almost as cheap as Q9450 nowadays?

[zsamz_]

dont even consider the Q9450 to yours
Q9550 bare minimum

[panheimer]

what's your qx6700 clocked at? if you managed to get it to 3.6-3.8 or higher, i think it's useless swapping to another quad (unless you've got enough money for a qx9770/9750): you will probably end with the same oc or even lower.
instead i'd personally look at e8600 or 8500/8400 with E0 stepping if your main goal is gaming and high clocks.
but think a really upgrade from your actual config will be nehalem

[bassa]

Well, I really suck at overclocking. I don't know how to do it, and I'm too much of a chicken to even attempt - I'll probably end up burning my apartment to the ground.

If there's a CPU for a good price that gives a sharper advantage than my QX6700, then I'd be interested.


Cheers,
Bassa

[panheimer]

so no oc, no problem. well, what is the main task of your system? as stated before if your main aiming is play games you will gain vantages of e8600 higher clock even if you loose 2 cores. otherwise, if you do a lot of video editing or any other task involving and really using 4 cores, q9550 (recently dropped price) or q9650 will be a better choice, but i think you won't see much performance improvement over your qx6700.

but what about changing your vga? a 4870 (or a 4870x2 if you have >24" monitor) will be the better way to upgrade your system for gaming!

[bassa]

Well, I use my computer for a lot of everything, but mainly for heavier computer graphics like using Photoshop, video editing tools and the likes. I also use my computer for high-end video playback on my Samsung 42" plasma screen when watching a movie and stuff.

I'd like to have some more power when it comes to gaming too, though, although my machine does a pretty good job atm.

I was just wondering if it would be cool to upgrade the CPU right now, or if I should grab another video card (and go SLI) or just a brand new nVidia card.

I always use a 1920 x 1200 resolution, and also in games, so when I start playing with the higher settings and with that resolution in, say Crysis, my rig starts to vomit.

I was thinking of either going SLI with another of the card I already have, or sell the above one and get maybe a 9800 GX2.


Cheers,
Bassa