6 replies to this topic

[WraithTR1]

Looking to upgrade my system, but not 100% sure where I want to start. I know it's an older system, but don't have the cash to upgrade fully. I'm looking at spending no more then $200 and either upgrading to 8GB of RAM, a SSD drive, or maybe slightly better GPUs. You can click the link to see the RAM I'm looking at, but as far as SSD or GPU's I'm not sure what I would want to get at this time. So any ideas?

Here's what the Beta System Profiler came up with:


Operating System Version: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
RAM: 4,094 MB
CPU Name/Type: Intel® Core™2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz
CPU Speed: 2,400 MHz
CPU(s): Physical: 1 - Virtual: 4
Video Card Brand: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 x2 SLI
Video Card Memory: 1,024 MB
Primary Display Size: 1680x1050
Multi-Display Size: 1680x1050
Microphone Enabled: Yes
Language Setting: English (United States)
Harddrive Space Free: 516,423 MB
Harddrive Space Total: 945,513 MB
Windows Experience Index: 5.9

[Crisis Nine]

I would upgrade the processor for a 3.4 GHz.

[Vulpesveritas]

For gaming, an SSD will do you no good. Given your budget, you're best off upgrading to that 8GB of RAM, and then getting an AMD Radeon HD 7770, 6850 or 6870 (the three fastest GPUs in the $100-200 range, Nvidia doesn't have price/performance) and you'll get the most out of your dollar. An SSD will only improve your boot time and make your game start faster.

[Barbaric Soul]

WraithTR1, on 23 May 2012 - 06:01 AM, said:

Looking to upgrade my system, but not 100% sure where I want to start. I know it's an older system, but don't have the cash to upgrade fully. I'm looking at spending no more then $200 and either upgrading to 8GB of RAM, a SSD drive, or maybe slightly better GPUs. You can click the link to see the RAM I'm looking at, but as far as SSD or GPU's I'm not sure what I would want to get at this time. So any ideas?

Here's what the Beta System Profiler came up with:


Operating System Version: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
RAM: 4,094 MB
CPU Name/Type: Intel® Core™2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz
CPU Speed: 2,400 MHz
CPU(s): Physical: 1 - Virtual: 4
Video Card Brand: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 x2 SLI
Video Card Memory: 1,024 MB
Primary Display Size: 1680x1050
Multi-Display Size: 1680x1050
Microphone Enabled: Yes
Language Setting: English (United States)
Harddrive Space Free: 516,423 MB
Harddrive Space Total: 945,513 MB
Windows Experience Index: 5.9

Honestly, I think your system is ok for now. If I was you, I'd stick with what you have for now and start saving your money. When you can afford it, do a full system over haul. As it sits right now, I don't think you'll have much problem running on med/high settings for your 1680*1050 resolution.

[cipher]

Your system will be fine.

But if you did want to upgrade, I would just save up the money for a brand new system instead of dumping more into a circa 2007-2008 PC. And since you asked...

1.) Upgrading your CPU won't really help much. And it's a lot of pain for little gain.

2.) Adding an SSD will help a lot, but you're limited to SATA II on that motherboard, which means you'll be capping at transfer speeds near 250 MB/s (physical/theoretical limit of 375 MB/s). So a latest gen (3rd gen) SSD capable of 500+ MB/s will be stifled by your older SATA connections.

3.) Your video cards are fine. Two 450s in SLI should be fine. If you really wanted to upgrade now, I'd look to a GTX 670 or 680, but that's $500 and $400 respectively, which is over your budget (and they're hard to find too!). For $200 you're better off with a GTX 560 or 560 Ti which you could bring to a new PC later. The 560 Ti retailed for $250 months ago, probably down a bit now, and is a very solid card.

At 1680x1050 you're fine with an x60 or even a higher-end x50 card. The 650 and 660 will come out eventually.

To give you a reference point, I have a gaming rig with a GTX 680 that I love and plays Diablo III as smooth as can be at 2560x1600, but I also have an older Core 2 Duo E6850 PC that runs two old 8800 GTX cards in SLI and plays Diablo III at 1920x1080 just as smooth. You're fine with that 1680x1050 resolution for the PC you have.

Edited by cipher, 23 May 2012 - 11:49 AM.

[Violation]

AMD GPU will be a smarter choice for performance and budget.
Just save up for a completely new system.

[Gremlich Johns]

I echo the sentiments of the above - save up your cash and make a whole new system. The computer tech in the next 6-9 months will see drastic changes. When the time comes, execute, buy your stuff and be happy with it. In a month or two after you build it, it will be considered old and you'll be sad you did not wait. Do not feel sad if that happens.

Edited by Gremlich Johns, 23 May 2012 - 01:20 PM.