New video card or cpu/MB/RAM

[nitro28]

I am thinking I would like to upgrade some items in my computer before Crysis comes out. I have about $400 my wife will let me spend. I played Bioshock with the system in my sig and it worked pretty well at 1280x1024 with a couple of things turned off. Which should I buy before Crysis?

option 1 -E6750, Abit IP35-E, 2gb ram- then keep my current 7900GT video card

or

option 2 -EVGA 8800GTS superclocked video card-then keep my athlon 3200, 1GB ram etc.

Any help would be great.

 

[MarcVenice]

Spend 60$ on a x2 3800+ and 40$ on another 1gb of ram. Overclock the x2 3800+ to 2.6ghz, and buy a 8800gts 320mb. Jup, best way to spend the 400$.

 

[Blain]

#1

 

[andylawcc]

tough call

personally I think spurging all the money on one video card is not wise, cuz the price will go down faster than the rest of your component and the performance will be negated by the upcoming geforce 9xxx series. However, i believe option #2 will provide the power you need to run Crysis much more so than Option #1 will.

on the other hand, Option #1 will provide you with a far better upgrade path in the long run (since you will be getting the P35 board which has a loooong way to go for newer intel CPUs Penryn). your overall performance will increase with Option 1 but that's not your priority.

so, to answer your question, I say #2, but I am pinching myself for recommending this ;p

 

[Aznguy1872]

#1 for sure.

 

[jkresh]

I agree with andylawcc, even crysis is likely to be more gpu limited then cpu, but for everything else the cpu upgrade is more important. If you only care about gaming then get the 8800 (though probably the next big game after crysis will convince you to move to a dual/quad core), if you do anything else with the pc get the core2 and pick up an 8800gts or whatever the next one is in 6months or so.

 

[MarcVenice]

What's wrong with my suggestion? What's 100$ to get another year out of your PC. The 8800 is needed, and sets him back 300$. Leaves 100$ for a x2 3800+ and 1gb of ddr400. That's pretty much what I've got, and I'm running all games just fine @ 1680*1050. Going with just the 8800gts 320mb would be wrong because you are going to get cpu limited pretty badly in games. Going with the CPU wouldn't do to much good either, because you are allready gpu limited.

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
What's wrong with my suggestion?

Did anyone say there was something wrong with your suggestion? :roll:

 

[MarcVenice]

No, but it wasn't being considered, while it's clear that the OP overlooked that option and imo is the best option he has.

It would cost about 600$ to buy a new videocard + p35 mobo, e4300 and ram. Personaly I think I would save up another 200$ btw, in fact I wish I had back when I bought the x2 and another 1gb of ram. Had I spend 50$ more a month later I could have had a 3ghz Intel rig