Best upgrade for E8400 Computer!

[12age]

My brother just handed me down this computer. I was wonder what would be the best upgrade for this.

I was thinking maybe getting a used mobo from the BST forum because the current one doesn't have raid(I could RAID my SSDs). I was also thinking of buying a 8800GTS or maybe 2 and put them in SLI.

Would it be wiser to upgrade to a Q9550 and get a single card?

I only really wanted to spend around 200 bucks on used parts. 8800GTS seem to be going for about 40 bucks. I'm not sure what mobo I would get, but the 780i or 750i mobos seem tempting.

Processor: E8400 wolfdale 3 Ghz (stock speeds, running quite warm)
Mobo: Gigabyte EP35-DS3L
Graphics: 7900 GTX
RAM - 4 x 1 GB OCZ ram
SSD - 2x OCZ 36 GB Vertex SSD
Hard drives - 1 TB Sata Seagate drive, 750 GB Samsung drive
Sound - HT Striker 7.1
PSU - 650W OCZ Modstream

 

[DesiPower]

Q9550? isn't that like a $300 CPU?

The 8800GTS GPU upgrade alone wont really give you any noticeable gaming performance difference... SLI, I am not sure...

 

[DaveSimmons]

What do you want to use the computer for?

For gaming, I'm lazy so I'd just buy a new GTX 560 and stop there. That's a card you could re-use when you move to a sandy bridge setup.

> Processor: E8400 wolfdale 3 Ghz (stock speeds, running quite warm)

... and maybe a tube of thermal grease and de-greaser to remove, re-grease and replace the heatsink.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

for some good desktop performance upgrade, go with an SSD

or a GTX 560 as Dave suggested, for gaming

or some Chipotle

 

[mfenn]

I'd say to grab a 5770 and call it a day. That'll be a very nice bump over the 7900 GTX. I would definitely not buy a new 775 mobo just for RAID.

 

[12age]

Thanks that what I thought. Video was too old haha. Just curious how much of a performance increase would i see if i were to RAID my 2 SSDs?

Thank you all again for the help!

 

[mfenn]

Thanks that what I thought. Video was too old haha. Just curious how much of a performance increase would i see if i were to RAID my 2 SSDs?

Thank you all again for the help!

Some, but it's not worth spending money on (OK, maybe $20). The biggest benefit would be having 1 larger volume.

 

[tynopik]

don't raid the SSDs and don't SLI the video card

the only reasonable upgrade to that system is a newer video card