PC Upgrade, 600-650 Dollars - Hardware & Software

So I have about 400-430 GBP (google converts that to 600-650 Dollars) to spend to upgrade my PC. This is what I have: Monitor: 1680x1050 resolution CASE: NVIDIA Elite 334 (fits micro-atx and atx mobo's, 1x120mm fan, +1 optional 1x120mm fan, any suggestions as to what fan to buy? either no LED or a green one) OS: 32 bit RAM: 2x2GB DDR3, 1066 MOBO: G41T-M6 CPU: Q6600 INTEL Quad Core 2.4 ghz, LGA-775 socket (although it only registers as 3 CPU's, faulty?) GPU: NVIDIA 9600 GT PSU: MATRIX 500W, 75% or so efficiency. HDD: 360 GB (would like a bigger one, price to space, the samsung F3 1TB seems best) Since the parts will need to be sent to the UK newegg is not an option, use [url]http://novatech.co.uk[/url] or [url]http://ebuyer.co.uk[/url] My primary use for the PC is gaming, I can run most games on medium with no AA, or 2xAA, with an average of 30 FPS.

Save CPU, RAM, and monitor to make a new build.

Keep case and PSU, it's not like they affect performance - buy another cheap case and PSU if you want another decent PC laying around, IMO. Don't want to keep CPU because it's 775 and you should be upgrading to 1156. Higher speed RAM is really cheap right now, but you can keep that if you want to. Also, get a 64 bit Windows 7, you can use the same license key and it's totally legit.

Half of my specs I only mentioned as to let you know what kind of limitations I have, I don't really see a need to get a new MOBO, and I don't want to switch to 64 bit because of some compatibility issues with software, that and I'd never need to use more then 4 GB RAM.

There aren't alot of problems with 64bit win anymore.

[QUOTE=tratzzz;26973258]There aren't alot of problems with 64bit win anymore.[/QUOTE] They aren't completly gone either, and upgrading to 64-bit gives me no benefits as of this moment, so its just pointless.

A new GPU and a PSU to run it reliably should be enough for now. The GPU is your main bottleneck there, I'm not completely educated on current GPUs but a month ago GTX 460 1GB or a HD 6850 were decent budget GPUs even for bigger resolutions than yours. Samsung Spinpoint F3 is a good cheap HDD, get one of them 1TB models like you said yourself. Your case (Cooler Master with a NVIDIA sticker on it btw) seems to have room for any regular sized GPU too. Your quad core CPU will last you an year or so, after it starts to show it's age more I recommend you get a Sandy Bridge motherboard and CPU (or a Bulldozer if you do rendering and multi-tasking). Luckily your RAM is DDR3 so it doesn't have to be changed. Also, you didn't tell us [b]what[/b] is your OS. Vista, 7, XP? If the latter you should obviously update to be able to play any DX11 games :3:

[QUOTE=Shadaez;26972103]Keep case and PSU, it's not like they affect performance - buy another cheap case and PSU if you want another decent PC laying around, IMO. Don't want to keep CPU because it's 775 and you should be upgrading to 1156. Higher speed RAM is really cheap right now, but you can keep that if you want to. Also, get a 64 bit Windows 7, you can use the same license key and it's totally legit.[/QUOTE] Are Matrix PSUs good?

[QUOTE=FalcoLombardi;26977969]Are Matrix PSUs good?[/QUOTE] I have never heard of them. Go with something like Antec, Cooler Master, SeaSonic, or Corsair.

[QUOTE=Pocket Rocket;26973392]A new GPU and a PSU to run it reliably should be enough for now. The GPU is your main bottleneck there, I'm not completely educated on current GPUs but a month ago GTX 460 1GB or a HD 6850 were decent budget GPUs even for bigger resolutions than yours. Samsung Spinpoint F3 is a good cheap HDD, get one of them 1TB models like you said yourself. Your case (Cooler Master with a NVIDIA sticker on it btw) seems to have room for any regular sized GPU too. Your quad core CPU will last you an year or so, after it starts to show it's age more I recommend you get a Sandy Bridge motherboard and CPU (or a Bulldozer if you do rendering and multi-tasking). Luckily your RAM is DDR3 so it doesn't have to be changed. Also, you didn't tell us [b]what[/b] is your OS. Vista, 7, XP? If the latter you should obviously update to be able to play any DX11 games :3:[/QUOTE] Windows 7. Yeah, I was looking at the 460, 2 or 3 reviews that I read said it was a good price for performance, would it be worth getting 2 of them? (~444 dollars) I've never dealt with SLI before, although I assume the performance doesn't just double. Whats so special about this "Sandy Bridge" motherboard that I keep reading in these forums?

[QUOTE=Zephilinox;26978180]Windows 7. Yeah, I was looking at the 460, 2 or 3 reviews that I read said it was a good price for performance, would it be worth getting 2 of them? (~444 dollars) I've never dealt with SLI before, although I assume the performance doesn't just double. Whats so special about this "Sandy Bridge" motherboard that I keep reading in these forums?[/QUOTE] Sandy Bridge is Intel's new processors. Apparently it's coming out really soon.

[QUOTE=FalcoLombardi;26977969]Are Matrix PSUs good?[/QUOTE] It was an emergency replacement after my last PSU burned out, had it for about 2 years with no issues, although now theres some sort of eletrict discharge around the power plug, if it even moves a bit the computer shuts off and I've got to fiddle around with it until it powers on, I'm guessing thats the PSU's fault and not the cables. [editline]26th December 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=anikilol;26978209]Sandy Bridge is Intel's new processors. Apparently it's coming out really soon.[/QUOTE] Oh, well I don't want to switch to a new socket as I'd need another motherboard, CPU-wise I was considering reverting to a dual core, E8600, I know someone that could overclock it, or is it just a waste of time to go back to dual core when newer games are supporting multicores more effectively?

OP, see what prices for things there are at [url=www.misco.co.uk]Misco[/url]. They have pretty good prices in my experience.

[QUOTE=Zephilinox;26978243]It was an emergency replacement after my last PSU burned out, had it for about 2 years with no issues, although now theres some sort of eletrict discharge around the power plug, if it even moves a bit the computer shuts off and I've got to fiddle around with it until it powers on, I'm guessing thats the PSU's fault and not the cables. [editline]26th December 2010[/editline] Oh, well I don't want to switch to a new socket as I'd need another motherboard, CPU-wise I was considering reverting to a dual core, E8600, I know someone that could overclock it, or is it just a waste of time to go back to dual core when newer games are supporting multicores more effectively?[/QUOTE] I do believe the title of this thread is "PC upgrade" and here you are considering downgrading to a dual-core??? Also, there is absolutely nothing wrong with 64-bit. I have never hit a problem that was a compatibility issue, and I've been using it since Windows 7 64-bit was released.

[QUOTE=ghostofme;26981611]I do believe the title of this thread is "PC upgrade" and here you are considering downgrading to a dual-core??? Also, there is absolutely nothing wrong with 64-bit. I have never hit a problem that was a compatibility issue, and I've been using it since Windows 7 64-bit was released.[/QUOTE] Just forget the 64-bit, its a pointless discussion that won't lead anywhere. It was more of a question, as I simply don't know: [QUOTE]is it just a waste of time to go back to dual core when newer games are supporting multicores more effectively?[/QUOTE]

It's a waste of time. And why would you? A few 100Hz won't show up as much of a performance increase except in older games (which you'll be crunching over 100fps anyway so it doesn't matter), and the extra cores are way more beneficial now, even more so in the very near future. Besides your motherboard seems old and not quite up-to-par with heavy overclocking (and trust me, motherboards matter lots when reaching good clock speeds), so that sounds rather unsafe to attempt. And as I said, upgrade your motherboard and CPU [b]later[/b] since you're now unenthusiastic to do so. I suggest considering it again when the price of way faster processors and their respective motherboards (aka Sandy Bridge) is a bit cheaper. Your quad core is good, reverting to dual core would be stupid. About the SLI. A single GTX 460 1GB is enough for you at that resolution. Two would last you longer, but I've always been a fan of getting a new higher mid-range GPU when one comes instead of getting two of the same. I did almost what you did, came from 8800GT to a GTX 460 1GB OC, and it's awesome. In retrospect if I had gotten two 8800GTs in SLI when they were $250 or something a piece, a single GTX 460 1GB OC beats them for just $200. So from the investment and future standpoint, no SLI.

Okay, so after searching for a while, I've come up with this: PSU: [url]http://www.ebuyer.com/product/164950[/url] FAN: [url]http://www.ebuyer.com/product/63281[/url] HDD: [url]http://www.ebuyer.com/product/173804[/url] All together that costs 152.59 GBP, which leaves me with 2 options: Get a GPU, likely the GTX 460 [url]http://www.ebuyer.com/product/232853[/url] (which leaves me with a lot left over) or get a CPU and motherboard, for the CPU and motherboard I'm thinking i5 750 and P7P55, although when it comes to CPU's and motherboards I know very little. So, what option would improve my PC performance more? I can't get all 3 items because it would be 100 GBP over-budget.

That fan's bearings are gonna go bad in a day. [url]http://www.ebuyer.com/product/234942[/url]

I've got the same GPU, I can't hear a thing coming from it under 100% stress, the stock cooler of Cooler Master 212+ Hyper and the Corsair 550VX PSU are way louder and even they're quite modest noise makers, so definitely a good buy IMO. The PSU is a tad of an overkill, but then again you won't have to get another one if you ever get a SLI/Crossfire-capable motherboard and two GPUs and it fits your budget, so why not.

[QUOTE=Pocket Rocket;26997849]I've got the same GPU, I can't hear a thing coming from it under 100% stress, the stock cooler of Cooler Master 212+ Hyper and the Corsair 550VX PSU are way louder and even they're quite modest noise makers, so definitely a good buy IMO. The PSU is a tad of an overkill, but then again you won't have to get another one if you ever get a SLI/Crossfire-capable motherboard and two GPUs and it fits your budget, so why not.[/QUOTE] Thanks, then that's what I'll do.