Hardware Recommendation

vegettoxp

Member
Jun 8, 2007
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Hello there Guys, how is everyone doing? It has been a while since I built my last system and lately my iner voice is telling me to start to plan my next rig. The only problem is that I just got married last year, so I need to spend money wisley. As you can see from my Signature
I have a alreat 3-4 year old system and I wanted to get your recommendations to which way I should go. I am not going all out and build my system from the beginnig, just change the main parts, please share your thoughts slash recommendations, Thank You!

Things I want to Upgrade:

Processor (Current - Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 at 3.2GHz)
Motherboard (Current - Asus Maximus Formula SE Motherboard)
Ram - (Current - 8GB G-Skills DDR2)
Video Card (Current -Sapphire 5850 Graphic Card) Change Maybe!
Hard Drive (Current - 4 WD Hard-Drivers Total Storage 2.4TB) (Will Change One of them to SSD)

Please Share your thoughts?

Josh
 

Puppies04

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2011
5,909
17
76
Give us a clue what you want it to do, better still fill in the sticky from this forum and post here.

As a blind guess here goes though...

I5 2500k
Z68 mobo
8gb DDR3 1600mhz
GTX 560 TI
2 new 1 tb samsung spinpoint HDDs and a 60/120gb ssd for OS depending on budget.
 

Puppies04

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2011
5,909
17
76
Please note I am recommending upgrading the HDDs if they are all 3-4 years old like the rest of your system as sooner or later they will fail and newer drives will give you peace of mind
 

T_Yamamoto

Lifer
Jul 6, 2011
15,007
795
126
how much are you willing to spend?
but like puppie said. the normal build is
I5 2500k
Z68 mobo
8gb DDR3 1600mhz
GTX 560 TI
and whatever
 

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
22,400
5
71
www.mfenn.com
A QX9770 is still a potent CPU and you have 8GB of memory, so I'd leave that alone. Really the only things that you make sense to upgrade (IMHO) are the GPU and SSD. How much are you looking to spend?
 

Ken g6

Programming Moderator, Elite Member
Moderator
Dec 11, 1999
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I question even the need to upgrade the GPU. A 5850 is (slightly) faster than a 6850, after all. How big is your monitor, and what games do you intend to play on it?
 

vegettoxp

Member
Jun 8, 2007
187
0
71
Well the main usage of this systen is Video Editing, Photoshop and most of my hardcore work that my work laptops can't handle. All those extra cores come in handy big time when it come to doing alots of converting and rendering.

Processor Currently Interested (Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge)
Motherboard - Asus of course (Not Sure Which One Yet)
System Ram - Upgrade of course
Graphic Card - Not looking to upgrade as of now
Hard Drive - Upgrade Still thinking

Money wise - if my guess is correct it should be around $1000 or less.

Josh
 

Ken g6

Programming Moderator, Elite Member
Moderator
Dec 11, 1999
16,836
4,816
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OK, then, my standard suggestions for September:

- i7/RAM combo
- a good ASRock motherboard
Total so far: $450

I'd get an SSD before getting a second 8GB RAM; but I'll wait for more experienced recommendations. If you're using Adobe Premiere and/or certain Photoshop plugins, an nVIDIA card with CUDA could accelerate your work too. You can certainly fit both of those within $1000 total.
 

vegettoxp

Member
Jun 8, 2007
187
0
71
Well guys the reason all this started to come into my head is because it looks like my Graphic Card is taking a dump. Not sure what happened, but I have Sapphire 5850 Graphic Card hooked up to my Samsung 46" (HDMI) and running at the 1920 Res, it looks jacked up. I have Reseated the Card, Reinstalld latest drivers and even plugged into another machine, for whatever reason the resoulation is jacked up, can't see the items clearly.

This is why I have this idea to update my system, your thoughts?
 

vegettoxp

Member
Jun 8, 2007
187
0
71
After reading around, I think I will way for the ivybridge from Intel next year and then look into building my next system, so for now I will fix my Video Card Issue and stay put.

What SSD would you guys recommend for my current system config?

Thanks All!
 

greenhawk

Platinum Member
Feb 23, 2011
2,007
1
71
given what you have, I have to agree, no urgent need for a cpu upgrade. Best wait for Ivy Bridge next year. Though by then the extream range of intel's SB-E will also be well out so might be worth looking at if you have the money (guessing not, but it is in line with the current cpu's placment at release).

secondly, A SSD for OS can make a large difference, so I definitly would do that now.

Thirdly, a new GPU if you gamed would be on the list, but given the tasks, a new GPU would not help them, so proberly safe to ignore this option if the current one still works.

fourthly, definitly look at getting new drives. 4 years is a long time in drive tech. Enough to be noticed for sure. Though to keep the performance, looking at samsung F3's and /or WD Blacks for the better performance. Using a WD V'raptor for programs / scratch drive can also be good if you do not have the space you need on the SSD.

As a reason for why the cpu is not really worth upgrading, the comparison is the q6600. From it to the 2500K/2600K, performance is about double. Given your current is a QX9770 at 3.2GHz then then you already have about a extra 33% on the q6600 so looking at about a 50% increase at best (without overclocking the new CPU).

With the expected performance increase Ivy Bridge is bring (about 18% at the high end), then the step up from your current is hopefully going to be about 75% increase. Then nothing is expected new that is noticably faster again for another year from then.

ofcourse, it is all just numbers until we see actual reviews.