need halp upgrading

[pikahatonjon]

So i built my computer back in 2008/2009 ( dont quite remember when) and im starting to feel its age (kinda)

C2Q 9400
8 gb ddr 2 1024mhz (i think thats the speed)
1 tb 7200 hard drive
gtx 260
GA-EP45-UD3P mother board (fsb 1600 2 pcie2.0x16 lanes)
just 1 1920x1080 monitor, but im looking to upgrade either to 2 WUXGA monitors or a larger, WQHD monitor

so i mostly use my computer to play hon/dota, but i also use it for coding. I notice its age when im loading up huge pdf files :{ (2000 page+ textbooks, multiple windows for multipage view)

so yeah. heres my deliemna. I've been out of the game for a while so im not as informed as i used to be. For pure graphical improvement, if i upgraded my graphics card, would my CPU bottle neck it? If it wouldnt, what would you suggest I getting. I got my gtx 260 back in the day for like $130 and it's served me well. So unless im getting 2x the performance, i wouldn't really want to pay more than double.

if my cpu is a bottle neck, i guess i'd have to upgrade my cpu and my mother board huh. well anyways. any input would be greatly appreciated

 

[pikahatonjon]

i did some quick digging, would a 6950 witha bios flash serve adequate for my needs? it seems to be quite powerful despite its age, it can be picked up for like $200. Or would you vets recommend something else.

 

[Sleepingforest]

I'd get this $205 660ti (after a $25 rebate and a 10% off code) instead, as it has a more power for $5 more. The rest of your system isn't too badly out of date (though you will eventually want to replace the CPU).

 

[Ketchup]

2 questions:

1. Have you overcloced the CPU at all?
2. What is your memory using like when you are uploading the PDFs, and what reader are you using?

Adobe has gotten very slow for me since X came out. I use Foxit now and it does great.

 

[Torn Mind]

SSD will help load times of a PDF. And yes, lighter software such as Foxit will also assist in that.

Your CPU is slightly worse than an A10-5800K, so making an upgrade significant would mean buying an i5 system, most likely.

 

[lenjack]

You need halp spelling! Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[mfenn]

I'd get this $205 660ti (after a $25 rebate and a 10% off code) instead, as it has a more power for $5 more. The rest of your system isn't too badly out of date (though you will eventually want to replace the CPU).

Agree. Nice find on that GPU.

 

[pikahatonjon]

You need halp spelling! Sorry, I couldn't resist.

DD

2 questions:

1. Have you overcloced the CPU at all?
2. What is your memory using like when you are uploading the PDFs, and what reader are you using?

Adobe has gotten very slow for me since X came out. I use Foxit now and it does great.

1. I used to over clock it a little bit, but even the tiniest overclock would sometimes blue screen me while i was in the middle of a game, which was super annoying. so not anymore. Its stock now
2. ive been using adobe x and the memory usage usally approaches 5-6 gb used esp with all my tabs ( im a chrome tab whore )

I'd get this $205 660ti (after a $25 rebate and a 10% off code) instead, as it has a more power for $5 more. The rest of your system isn't too badly out of date (though you will eventually want to replace the CPU).

aw drat i should have checked back sooner sold out. but figures stuff thats like 20% off seldom go unnoticed.

 

[Cerb]

Could you maybe fill out the sticky?

By the reading, you could benefit from an all-around upgrade, though mostly CPU and RAM (if you can reach 6GB, not counting cache, and have the budget for it, plan for 16GB). Rendering large compressed PDFs is much quicker on newer CPUs, regardless of viewer. Not that your CPU is bad for general use, by any stretch, but the performance from whatever core is most loaded is likely the most limiting factor, all-around.

 

[pikahatonjon]

Well I was just wondering if what was the best possible GPU I could get before my CPU would bottleneck it

 

[mfenn]

Well I was just wondering if what was the best possible GPU I could get before my CPU would bottleneck it

It really depends on the game. For MOBA's, what you have now is probably perfectly OK.