Questions about/Suggestions for Hardware Upgrading - Hardware & Software

Hello there Facepunch, I've been thinking about upgrading a few components on my PC. It's a Dell Dimension e520 bought in 2005. Since then, I had gotten a new PSU (Antec 500w) and GPU (NVIDIA 8600 GTS). I've upgraded some peripherals too, but those don't matter right now. Here's a picture from Speccy to give you an idea of what I have going on: [IMG]http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/1944/speccy.png[/IMG] FYI the hard drive is wrong (it's just the stock Dell one, 144gb) and the CPU runs at 2.80Ghz. The things I've been considering upgrading are as follows: [list=1] [*]GPU - something able to run the latest games (MW2, L4D2, Assassin's Creed 2 when it comes out, as well as other fairly new games like Fallout 3) with high settings; obviously my 8600 is getting old [*]CPU - would this be a necessary upgrade/would there be very noticeable advantages (also, would I have to upgrade my mobo. too?) [*]Case upgrade - bigger, better case with improved airflow, with side fans and the like; if I continued to upgrade would this prove necessary? [*]PSU - I understand upgrading the above hardware will require more energy, so I'm alright with upgrading this. [/list] As for price range, I'm not looking for the absolute newest, fastest, and thus most expensive things, and I know how fast these technologies progress/things become outdated, but I'm looking for components that will last for a good while. Oh, and before I forget, I live in the US. Finally, I will most likely be upgrading to Windows 7 soon, so compatibility should not be an issue. I'll gladly provide any more information you need.

This is pretty high budget... XFX 5770 (If you want to spend more get 5850) [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150447[/url] Intel Core i5 [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215[/url] Antec 300 [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042[/url] OCZ 750w PSU [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341019[/url] Corsair 4GB [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145260[/url] HDD [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218[/url] Gigabyte Mobo [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128406[/url] LG Optical Drive [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136177[/url] $815.88 Probably more than you wanted to spend. If so, sorry :( Thats pretty good stuff, should last you a while

you don't need anywhere near 700W [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016[/url] cheaper, modular

[QUOTE=derlicious;19494142]This is pretty high budget... XFX 5770 (If you want to spend more get 5850) [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150447[/url] Intel Core i5 [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215[/url] Antec 300 [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042[/url] OCZ 750w PSU [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341019[/url] Corsair 4GB [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145260[/url] HDD [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218[/url] Gigabyte Mobo [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128406[/url] LG Optical Drive [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136177[/url] $815.88 Probably more than you wanted to spend. If so, sorry :( Thats pretty good stuff, should last you a while[/QUOTE] While I wasn't looking at replacing [i]everything[/i], that 5770 looks pretty good. The 5850 is out of my price range. As for the i5 and mobo, I think I'm going to be upgrading one aspect of the system at a time, so would it be worth it to buy the 5770 now and see what I can do with the CPU + mobo later? As for that case, it looks like a good deal for the price. Thanks for your input! [QUOTE=reapaninja;19494232]you don't need anywhere near 700W [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016[/url] cheaper, modular[/QUOTE] Should I upgrade this now or when it becomes a necessity? I'm wondering where the limit falls for the 500w PSU I have now and the 5770 and a new case. Thanks for the suggestion.

I missed that bit in the OP, nevermind your current PSU should be fine, 500W will easily power any single GPU system and a fair few double card systems also your CPU is pretty lacking, personally if not all at once I'd do it at least in chunks, starting maybe with CPU/MoBo/RAM then GPU/Case

[QUOTE=reapaninja;19494845]I missed that bit in the OP, nevermind your current PSU should be fine, 500W will easily power any single GPU system and a fair few double card systems also your CPU is pretty lacking, personally if not all at once I'd do it at least in chunks, starting maybe with CPU/MoBo/RAM then GPU/Case[/QUOTE] OK, thanks for your help. I'm going to do Intel Core i5 with [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130246]this[/url] motherboard. Then I'll see about a GPU, RAM, and a case.

you'll need to get new RAM at the same time as the MoBo/CPU, 1156 uses DDR3 while you have DDR2 now [editline]01:00AM[/editline] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145260[/url] should be fine

[QUOTE=reapaninja;19495441]you'll need to get new RAM at the same time as the MoBo/CPU, 1156 uses DDR3 while you have DDR2 now [editline]01:00AM[/editline] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145260[/url] should be fine[/QUOTE] Whoops then, my bad. Thank you again, kind sir.

That's the one i put up :P Yeh go with CPU/Mobo/Ram first, i used to have a 8600GS, it was ok, im not sure it will run AC2 very well, maybe on low-med settings. As for Mw2 im not sure... But dont wait a year or something before getting the 5770...