Upgrade woes

[wb182]

My current system is a socket 754 3400+ on a DFI lanparty, along w/ an AGP XFX 6600 GT and 1 GB of cheap corsair value ram (PC3200). Oh, and a cheap Antec SLK2650 BQE case.

Really, the only non-upgrade items I have are my peripherals (20 inch widescreen monitor, logitech G15 keyboard).

I mainly play WoW, and my computer is just not keeping up with the resolution of my monitor (i'm at work right now, but I think it's like 1600X1080 or something). My framerates are about 2 FPS min, 25 FPS max, and usually hover around 12-15

So with all that being said, I'm trying to figure out what to do about upgrading. I don't want to break the 1100-1200 area, but I have to get a new mobo,processor,case,video card, hdd, psu, and probably ram.

1) Is my current system worth trying to sell for a few hundred somewhere like these boards, or would i be better off giving it to the wife (along w/ an extra 15inch lcd) to replace a pitiful dell inspirion 1100? Hmm

2) Should I wait til August for the possible release of intel & AMD's new dual cores along w/ cheaper video cards, or am I just making excuses and there will always be *something* 'just around the corner'.

If I were to buy today, I'd like to get the new CM Praetorian, X-2 3800+ (i'm debating between that and a 3500+ venice), and an X1800XT ATI card(i've never had an ATI card, but reading these boards, that seems to be the consensus pick for non O/Cers). As you can probably tell by this scattered rambling, I'm pretty lost on what I should do and was just wondering if anyone had advice for someone in my situation, namely that of someone who has pretty much 0 upgrade path in their current system and would have to replace a whole lot at once...is now a good time for that?

 

[HannibalX]

If you always wait for a few months for the newer and better hardware you will be waiting forever.

 

[GrammatonJP]

thats life..

either you pay premium the day it comes out or you wait 6 month down the road.

6 month down you find out you're only 2 weeks from the next big thing and you wait it out some more...

you might as well just spend 150 for a 7x00 agp card, that'll probably last you till end of year because it will take a while once new mobo/cpu comes out.. who really knows if they even have build inventory on these new cpus and motherboard yet..

 

[wb182]

Originally posted by: Trinitron
If you always wait for a few months for the newer and better hardware you will be waiting forever.

QFT I reckon, and with that in mind does anyone see any glaring problems with my choices below?

Epox EP-9NPA+ Ultra [$94]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813123236

Cooler Master Praetorian 730 [$149]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16811119085

WD Saviar SE16 250GB Sata 3.0GB [$90]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822144701

Patriot Signature 2GB PC3200 [$144.25]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820220079

XP home [$84.95](stupid authentication rules....and I don't think Pro would be worth an extra $50 for me)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16837102059

Cooler Master 450W PS [$59.99]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16817171005

Athlon 64 X2 3800+ [$297.00]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819103562

Sapphire X1800XT 512MB (zomg $50 off $300 coupon yay) [$309-$50]
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16814102697

Total comes to $1215 shipped minus $15 mail in rebate on the case for $1200 flat.

Please tell me if you'd suggest any improvements on that. The case I'm pretty set on based on looks/reviews, the rest I've done my best gathering info here and elsewhere. A little scared of trying to put my first system together.

 

[HannibalX]

XP Pro doesn't require registration like Home. If you never plan to attach your PC to a network domain Home is fine.

 

[dheffer]

If you want to spend that much, I guess that's fine, but I would recommend just holding on to what you have and getting a new video card (like an agp 6800gt or x850xt - whatever is pretty cheap) and selling your old one - what you've got should be fine for a little while longer if you want to stretch it out to see whats available with amd's new socket and the newer gen of cards
just my two cents

 

[obeseotron]

I'd reuse the case and spend the leftover money on an x1900xt personally if you were to do it today.

There is always something better on the horizon, but that doens't mean you shouldn't pay any attention to it. You can still make the decision that you want to buy today, but you should be aware of what that means. AM2 is coming in June, and while it may not offer a big performance increase, the upgrade path is going to be a lot longer than 939 (which may already be over). Conroe is coming out in July, and should be a really big deal in performance, and there will be dual cores for much more competitive prices than AMD. Whether it will truly be available from Newegg in July or just in a few Dells, is not clear. At some point in the future ATI is supposed to be releasing a new graphics card that is a 80nm shink of the x1900, probably not a huge deal. nVidia has a DirectX10 chip called G80 and ATI has one called R600, I think the G80 is rumored to be further along, but it's just rumors from the Inquirer. If you think DX10 is a big deal then maybe you just buy a holdover video card.

I have a 939 a64 and agp 6800gt, personally I'm waiting for the DX10 cards to pull the trigger.