Upgrading current computer - Hardware & Software

So I asked this here before but I didn't really get too much help with it. Since its coming up to Christmas I might be able to pool together some cash and I would like to upgrade my PC. My current PC is a like 4 year old Dell XPS. Here is a picture of the model: [IMG]http://www.pclaunches.com/entry_images/0807/23/dell_xps-420-1.jpg[/IMG] So I would like to know, can I upgrade this? Or is the case too limited? Here is the my speccy screenshot. [IMG]http://puu.sh/aEZN[/IMG] The machine isn't all that bad, the 8800GT lasted me, and still does. I want to upgrade so I can get new games running really high, the likes of Skyrim and BF3. Also it would be used for video editing and rendering so if that helps! I don't know a lot about the whole PC upgrading, so I wouldn't know if a part isn't going to fit into a socket or not so hopefully you guys could help me out here. I'm in Ireland so I will list some sites that I can order off. [URL]http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/home.html[/URL] [URL="http://www.komplett.ie/Komplett/site/KomplettHome.aspx"]http://www.komplett.ie[/URL] [URL]http://www.dabs.ie/[/URL] I don't really have a budget, I have a job so I will keep making money over Christmas, but you know, not too much. Just what I need to upgrade. I would also like to upgrade to Windows 7 64bit, I'm pretty sure my college can give me a free copy of that, so that won't be needed. Thanks guys EDIT Actually come to think of it my computer is so fucking load so anything to silence that beast would be cool too

Well its a shame to just throw out a Q6600 imo, but you can probably find a different use for it. I'm not entirely sure about re-using the case, as it looks amazingly cramped, just salvage your storage device and optical drive, and get an 1155 build with an i5 2500k and 560ti/6970. There is not a lot that you can upgrade, you can if you want to buy an aftermarket cooler for the Q6600 of yours and just throw in a 6850/560ti/6970 into it until you feel that your cpu is bottlenecking enough for it to be worth a full upgrade.

Do I have to throw it out though? So buy a bigger case is one thing I should look into. Do you mean there's not a lot I can upgrade because I would have to upgrade everything?

Thing is whilst the Q6600 is powerful, it still lacks in comparison to an i5 2500k, and is pretty much the last step for as what your motherboard can handle cpu wise. There is not a lot of you to do other then replacing the gpu to something more high end if you wish to keep the rest of your system.´ And please do post a budget, at the very least specify how much you wish to spend, decent builds can go for everything in between 500 dollars up to several thousands.

I would say 800 euro would be max, so you'd have to check the Irish sites above.

For 800 euro you could get a whole new computer.

[QUOTE=Zerokateo;33733576]For 800 euro you could get a whole new computer.[/QUOTE] A good one though? Could you show me using the above links, because shit over here is pretty expensive.

That I cannot do, all i know is that 800 euros is around 1000 USD. I don't know the average prices on parts over there so sadly I can't really help.

Could you have a look on one of the sites I included up above? Like just whatever you think I should upgrade.

[QUOTE=Zerokateo;33738137]That I cannot do, all i know is that 800 euros is around 1000 USD. I don't know the average prices on parts over there so sadly I can't really help.[/QUOTE] Its about 1300 US dollars and there also Newegg Canada but they don't do international either. One option may be; OP is if you have friends/relatives in either the US or Canada you could try having them ship it internationally to you. I don't think you would do it but just and idea. Try scan.co.uk for a European computer store.

I don't have any relatives over there unfortunately, but thanks. Could anybody suggest me parts etc? Because I don't have a clue which go with which.

I would suggest an i5 2500k, 560 ti GTX nvidia graphics card, 4 - 8 GB of ram, a z68 motherboard and a corsair, seasonic, or xfx Power supply with a wattage of 600+ [editline]15th December 2011[/editline] The case and everything else is just kinda personal preference.

What sort of settings would I be running on?

All maxed out. It might not run bf3 on all ultra at 1080p, but it will still run it very well. Also zerokateo, stop being derp its called a GTX 560 ti. [img]http://puu.sh/aLV3[/img] 810€ re-use your harddrive, also swap out the case if you don't like it or don't want to spend that much on it. komplett is rubbish by the way, don't even bother with them

[QUOTE=naos;33749062]All maxed out. It might not run bf3 on all ultra at 1080p, but it will still run it very well. Also zerokateo, stop being derp its called a GTX 560 ti. [img]http://puu.sh/aLV3[/img] 810€ re-use your harddrive, also swap out the case if you don't like it or don't want to spend that much on it. komplett is rubbish by the way, don't even bother with them[/QUOTE] If you bumped it down to a cheaper case he could get a modular PSU, unless that one is modular and i just dont see it. [editline]16th December 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Zerokateo;33752042]If you bumped it down to a cheaper case he could get a modular PSU, unless that one is modular and i just dont see it.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE]Also zerokateo, stop being derp its called a GTX 560 ti.[/QUOTE] Eh, just a small derp. No big deal.

Wow that sounds pretty good especially if I could sell my current set up for around 350-400 to somebody. So is that everything I would need to actually have a working PC? I got a monitor and mouse and all just in terms of running games etc? Is a sound card built in? Will this PC be easily up gradable unlike my current one and will it be good for editing and rendering videos!?

If you have an operating system and hard drive to reuse then yes it will work, and this PC will be perfectly upgradeable and it should be good for some editing and rendering. [editline]16th December 2011[/editline] And yes there is a soundcard built in to the motherboard

Sounds good to me, well I think we get a copy of Windows 7 from college so that will be fine, and I guess I can just use the hard drive from my PC, but I might just buy one, I've been meaning to upgrade to a 2TB. How much do you reckon I could sell my current PC for? [editline]17th December 2011[/editline] Does it have slots that let me put in a SD card straight into the computer? Because they are pretty handy actually

No but you could buy a card reader for about 5 - 10 euro more. [editline]16th December 2011[/editline] and I'm not sure, I don't know resale values.

And does that case have a place on the front to put it and all!?

Yes, of course.

Fuck sounding good man really appreciating all of the help! After Christmas I should have a bit of money to buy this. So the this is all top of the range shit? Should max everything I throw at it and be a beast in general? Is there anything I should know? Like should I get that case or a different one? Like the guy above was saying

That's at about the limit of the amount of money you spend actually getting you worthwhile performance returns. You should be able to run anything you'd like to for quite a while. The first thing you'd have to replace would be the graphics card and depending on your resolution you won't have to do that for quite a while.

No need for replacements, just SLI it.

Oh yeah that's when you put 2 graphics cards in the machine is it? What about the case? Should I go for that one or is there any cheaper ones that would do the same?

Its mainly about the aesthetics, but here is an alternative case that is a lot cheaper [url]http://www.dabs.ie/products/fractal-design-define-r3-black-pearl-mid-tower-usb-3-0-case-7QQ2.html?src=2[/url] And yes, the motherboard supports another card for SLI.

And does that case have most of the same stuff? Fans etc and slots for SD cards?

(almost) no case has build in slots for SD cards, but have slots for card readers to be mounted on.

Well what are the biggest differences between the cases? Oh wait so will the slots be like external things or actually in it?

Jesus christ dude lol a case is a case, a metal box in which you mount the components in. Some have more slots to mount shit in, but both of them have plenty enough of them. If you want something that reads SD cards, then buy an SD card reader, either one that mounts into a optical drive bay or an external.