I would like some opinions on upgrade.

[rcomo]

After some research I want to upgrade my current system (that is having some airflow/heat issues) and get into a board that I can upgrade to SLI at the same time that I install water cooling.

Current setup:

CPU: AMD 939 3500 2.2ghz (keeping)
RAM: OCZ PC 3500 512x4 Performance Series 2.5-3-3-7 (keeping)
CASE: Lian Li PC-65B Black Aluminium ATX MidTower Case (keeping)
MB: MSI K8-Neo Plat2 UPGRADE: DFI Lanparty nF4 SLI-DR Socket 939 nVidia Board
GPU: BFG GeFroce 6800 Ultra 256MB UPGRADE: BFG GeForce 7950GT 512mb PCI-E 16x
PSU: Thermaltake 400w UPGRADE: PC Power and Cooling Silencer EPS12V 610w
Water Cooling: Danger Den 4200 Kit (for CPU and GPU cooling)

Any thoughts and opinions are welcome.

 

[Tarrant64]

I'd say, if you are looking for a performance increase, look towards replacing the processor and memory. You can keep upgrading your video card but your bottleneck will be the processor. If you are looking towards an upgrade that will last you awhile I would suggest moving up to the next platform, AM2, with DDR2 memory.

Since it seems you are sticking to what you have, is it constant overclocking that is forcing you to go the water cooling route? Or an environmental issue? So I am taking it eventually you want to run 2xGeForce7950GT's? This runs back to the issue again that you won't reach the full potential of these video cards.

This is just my opinion of course.

 

[beemercer]

Go dual core, and try a better air cooler before going to watercooling.

 

[rcomo]

The issue here for going to watercooling is completely environmental. I am not getting good airflow due to the fact my wife forced me to put my PC in a computer armoire and the airflow stinks. My current vid card is crapping out on me due to this.

I am not that interested in what I can get in OC, btw.

Tarrant, the reason I am going with the mobo and vid card is to eventually increase this to SLI...will that 3500+ really be that much of bottleneck for 2 7950s?

Right now these parts will set me back under $1k...I am afraid that what going to dual core with new ram would bump this into the $1500 range.

 

[beemercer]

:thumbsdown: to your wife, .

Do you already have a watercooling setup (pump, reservoir, etc.)?

 

[rcomo]

I do not, that is why I am looking at the danger den kit.

 

[beemercer]

Good choice, I also use Danger Den equipment;

Pump - http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=175&cat=23&page=1
Waterblock - http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=17&cat=21&page=1
or - http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=170&cat=69&page=1
Radiator - http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=47&cat=14&page=1

The only issue I had was the reservoir http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=53&cat=27&page=1 catastrophically failed on me .

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/beemercer/rez4.JPG
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/beemercer/rez5.JPG

 

[deton8]

I'm sort of in your position where upgrading is concerned, rcomo (specs in sig).

IMO, if you're planning to watercool anyway, a modest OC (say, 2.4 or 2.6, if you can) would keep your CPU from holding back that new video card too badly. I wouldn't worry to much about bottlenecks (or dual core, at this point). While I'm sure the Conroe-crazed would argue otherwise, a single core s939 A64 @2.6 is nothing to sneeze at (especially as games have yet to take advantage of dual-core to any marked extent).

Heck, AGP is really the only thing holding me back; if there was a chance of seeing DX10 cards in AGP, I probably wouldn't consider upgrading until then

 

[rcomo]

Thanks deton. I think I am going to mmove forward with this unless someone can bring to light a review or something on severe bottlenecking of SLI cards on a 3500+...

Of course, if anyone else has differing opinions on the hardware here I am thinking of getting, please by all means let me know.

 

[Tambora]

This is a cheap idea, but instead of watercooling perhaps a couple of 120mm holes for fans cut into the armoir to get fresh air in and hot air out would be possible. My thinking is that even watercooling is dependent upon the ambient air temperature and a closed armoir will still heat up with air from the radiator. Just a thought. May work if you have something like a Dremel available. The cables from your new PC Power and Cooling power supplies are long... Or for passive cooling a large square hole and a screen painted to match the armoir so as not to offend your spouse.