Re: Cpu or Gfx card upgrade?
you've got a fairly decent cpu as is and all the new graphics cards that are going to fall into your budget are already out where the new quads are just round the corner which will be better than q6600.
So I would probably go for the graphics card now and then the CPU.
Re: Cpu or Gfx card upgrade?
Swap the motherboard first. Its limiting you.YPu wpnt get the benefit of a new CPU or GPU using that one.
The CPU you have is fine btw........and the card, although getting on a bit now is still pretty decent.
Re: Cpu or Gfx card upgrade?
Definately get a new motherboard, if you have any cash left over you can then save it up to go towards a replacement graphics card in the new year.
Re: Cpu or Gfx card upgrade?
just read that more thoroughly :laugh:
4x PCI-E .. i agree upgrade the mobo.. there's cheapy uATX's that will be better than that board for performance.
Re: Cpu or Gfx card upgrade?
better mobo (surely you can get more than 2.4Ghz out of that chip?) & a 256mb 8800GT :D tada!
Re: Cpu or Gfx card upgrade?
Well actually the lose of the PCI-e x4 isn't as great as you might think. (on avarage about 2.5fps at 1280x1024 vs x16 pci-e I seem to remember, you simple don't need the bandwidth much of the time)
granted you suffer more lose as you go up resolution.
But As much as I hate to say it, it's time to replace the ASRock motherboard.
Amoungst other things a better motherboard will allow for better overclocking of the CPU and if that monitor is high res then the full x16 pci-e will help frame rates.
Re: Cpu or Gfx card upgrade?
yup motherboard first.,
you'll probably get a few extra fps from a better motherboard anyway, probably extra overclocking, in which case you can get the graphics card after xmas when the prices have steadied.
Re: Cpu or Gfx card upgrade?
An 8800GT is now starting to push the limit of PCI-e x8 bandwidth. I agree with the other reprobates, it's motherboard upgrade time. Choose wisely and you'll be able to get a motherboard that will last a good while and take another cpu upgrade or 2.
Re: Cpu or Gfx card upgrade?
Damn. I knew you guys would pick on the poor little Asrock! :angst: I was hoping to avoid a mobo swap this year as I don't enjoy replacing the darn things (rather just plug a cpu/gfx card in). And then I'd think about getting a new case to go with it, maybe a new cooling system, psu, might as well stick in a Blu-Ray etc LOL.
But I know you're right, so am glad I asked... :surrender:
Re: Cpu or Gfx card upgrade?
One other thing, is the ATI 3870 PCI-e 2.0?? if so then you'd be in the same boat as the 8800GT and the ASRock.
Currently they don't work because the board cannot recognise the 2.0 card setting.
It is possible and has been done by the ASRock faithful :mrgreen: you need to contact the graphics card manufactor and get a modified BIOS with the pci-e 2.0 reset to pci-e 1.0, then you need a motherboard that can execpt the grasphics card so you can flash it with the modified BIOS.
Then it will happly work on the ASRock :naughty:
Which is how we know that you only lose a couple of fps at 1280x1024
Re: Cpu or Gfx card upgrade?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Pleiades
Damn. I knew you guys would pick on the poor little Asrock! :angst: I was hoping to avoid a mobo swap this year as I don't enjoy replacing the darn things (rather just plug a cpu/gfx card in). And then I'd think about getting a new case to go with it, maybe a new cooling system, psu, might as well stick in a Blu-Ray etc LOL.
But I know you're right, so am glad I asked... :surrender:
You can avoid the mobo swap.
If you do though and decide on a card or CPU, the limitations on them would be quite high with that board.
As it stands, you CPU and GPU are not that bad and will still run whats out there. The mobo is the crocked part of the rig atm. :)
Re: Cpu or Gfx card upgrade?
Mobo was always a stop gap but it helped me transition for DDR to DDR2 and from AGP to PCI-E (albeit 4x in the latter case) so it's been a useful little thing. I've had quite a few Asrocks over the years (mostly 'Upgrade' models like the K7vt266 which transitioned me from SDRAM to DDR) and they've been more than adequate. I reckon I'll stick with Asus, the parent company, and get something like the Formula SE.
Anyone with a different suggestion, feel free to chip in! :)
Re: Cpu or Gfx card upgrade?
Lots of people swear by Abit boards.
Personally I like the IP-35's. The vanilla or express look to fit with the rest of your rig, and should be good for a few years (at least, thats what I've been told!). And only £75.78 on Scan for the vanilla.
The IP-35 Pro is a very good card that I'm probably getting for myself ASAP.
Re: Cpu or Gfx card upgrade?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Pleiades
Mobo was always a stop gap but it helped me transition for DDR to DDR2 and from AGP to PCI-E (albeit 4x in the latter case) so it's been a useful little thing. I've had quite a few Asrocks over the years (mostly 'Upgrade' models like the K7vt266 which transitioned me from SDRAM to DDR) and they've been more than adequate. I reckon I'll stick with Asus, the parent company, and get something like the Formula SE.
Anyone with a different suggestion, feel free to chip in! :)
Depends what you want to spend on a mobo really.
The IP35's are decent though.
Remember.....ASUS etc are all OK but the support in the UK is very good for ABIT and not so great for all the other top brands (especially ASUS).
Quote:
Personally I like the IP-35's. The vanilla or express look to fit with the rest of your rig, and should be good for a few years (at least, thats what I've been told!).
Im not so sure they are going to be good for a few years but it should see you through the C2D's and Quads until something better surfaces.
