Upgrade 4850 to 5750 in HTPC worth it?

[Skunkwourk]

I've read the reviews and comparisons but Im still on the fence about what to do.

Currently I have a x2 5000+ Brisbane 65W with a 4850 in a Lian Li 351. I know my cpu is old but my current setup seems pretty well balanced (unless Im mistaken) and the 5750 would be overkill for it. Still, in the interests of reducing heat and power consumption, is it worth it to move to a 5750?

Im also toying with the idea of swapping the x2 5000+ for another 65W processor like a Phenom II X3 or X4. In terms of gaming, I play steam games like TF2 and CS:S, SC2 (which runs just fine at 1400x900) but Im also interested in playing is Just Cause 2 if I can handle it. Assuming I got the 5750, should I upgrade to a Phenom II as well?

 

[cusideabelincoln]

You'll definitely cut power and heat - you're looking at 20W savings at idle and 30W when gaming.

As for performance, with your current processor you wouldn't notice a difference, unless you happen to run games that run into the 512MB framebuffer limitation of the 4850, and I'm assuming you have the 512MB version since they're more common.

You current system can handle Just Cause 2 and TF2. although TF2 can be pretty demanding on your 5000+ so it won't always be completely smooth. A processor upgrade makes sense if you want a good framerate in TF2 (in 32 man servers). An Athlon II X3 would be a good start, as they are higher clocked, higher IPC, and have an extra core compared to your 5000+.

 

[blotto]

I did that same upgrade to my HTPC when the 5750 first came out. I was only upgrading for the addition of HD Bitstreaming. The card did run cooler and quieter (considerably quieter). Gaming performance was more or less a wash.