Upgrade or not?

[ltk_1997]

My current computer is five years old and the fan is starting to go on my current video card (HIS HD 5870). I was going to just replace the fan, but then I thought maybe it would be worth upgrading the video card instead. My system is a Core i7 920 on an ASUS P6TD Deluxe x58 board with 6GB of G.skill DDR3 RAM.

What do you folks think? Any recommendations for a replacement card, or is there no point in spending the extra money to upgrade an older computer?

 

[nurturedhate]

The cpu is still decent. What do you do with the computer?

 

[CropDuster]

Grab a Xeon X5650 CPU off ebay for $65, overclock it to 4Ghz, and throw as nice of a video card as you want in it.

 

[ltk_1997]

It's my main machine at home so I use it for everything, but I do a lot of gaming.

 

[swilli89]

It's my main machine at home so I use it for everything, but I do a lot of gaming.

Your rig is ripe for an upgrade. What games and at what resolution do you play? Is your cpu at stock clocks?

 

[ltk_1997]

Your rig is ripe for an upgrade. What games and at what resolution do you play? Is your cpu at stock clocks?

I play Dragon Age, Fallout, Skyrim, Diablo 3 and GTA IV and a bunch of older ones. Mostly at 1920x1080 or whatever the game's max is. Yes, it's all stock. I bought the 920 planning on overclocking it, but it ran so smoothly that I never bothered to try it out.

 

[MongGrel]

Grab a Xeon X5650 CPU off ebay for $65, overclock it to 4Ghz, and throw as nice of a video card as you want in it.

I'll vote this myself.

Shoved a X5680 in mine a few months back that hits 4.5 pretty easy and will be using it awhile but cost a little more.

Snagged one for $130 myself watching things, was about 1/10 the original price on em I guess, but have an X5650 ran almost as well and still have a L5639 laying about.

X5650s make very good 920 replacements, if your board does them, but they over clock a bit oddly till you're used to it.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2335636&highlight=l5639&page=89

That and maybe a SSD if not running one for your OS.

 

[MongGrel]

I love this one, courtesy of ClockHound.

Kinda like that...but they're sure fun while they're runnin'

Go, little overblown hex-coupe, go!

:biggrin:

 

[RussianSensation]

Grab a Xeon X5650 CPU off ebay for $65, overclock it to 4Ghz, and throw as nice of a video card as you want in it.

This. Xeon + OC + after-market R9 290/GTX970.