SLI or Quad Core?

[Jonathong]

Hello guys and gals.

Right, here's my conundrum and a chance for you techheads to spill your knowledge in text form.
I want to upgrade some system components but I am on a budget. I use my computer mainly for gaming, Music production and internet related entertainment. I also don't want to spend alot of money.
Click the "My system" tab at the side there (<) and the lovely drop down menu will give you my specifications.
SO, I'm trying to decide whether to go for a new mobo that supports quad core (most likely intel 775) and buy a new quad core processor or to buy a new mobo (again supoorting intel 775) with SLI and buy a secondry 8800GT. Keep in mind I'm not video editing for Pixar...Do I really need a quad core to improve my gaming experiance? Or would a secondary 8800GT in SLI keep me safe for the next year and a bit. Also keep in mind I do not wish to empty my suffering bank account in buying these lovely pocket burning peices of equipment.

Once you've decided on the options, I would appreciate it if you could kindly point me to some budget, yet effective products?

Kind regards,

Jonathon Gillies.

[SiM]

What resolution do you game at?

I would say go for a quad core. Your graphics card is quite good and doesn't need SLi unless you have a high resolution.

[matty-hodgson]

i'd also go for the quad core personally..
Abit IP35 Dark Raider with a Q6600, and a Scythe Mine or Ninja then overclock it to around 3.2, maybe higher..

the SLi could also be an option, but you'd probably be better off just selling the 8800GT you've got and buying a bigger and better card really.. just simply because the gains from SLi aren't really that good in most games.

maybe this will help.. linky my PC btw..

[Jonathong]

Well I have a 22" High Def monitor on it's way?

I also already have a very good cooler that is compatible with AM2 or 775

[matty-hodgson]

Well I have a 22" High Def monitor on it's way?

so what, 1920 x 1200?

I also already have a very good cooler that is compatible with AM2 or 775

what cooler is that?

[Jonathong]

Well the max resolution for that monitor is 1680 x 1050, but I'm not sure what I'd use for gaming.
The Cooler is a Zalman CNPS8700-LED CPU Fan

[matty-hodgson]

Well the max resolution for that monitor is 1680 x 1050, but I'm not sure what I'd use for gaming.
The Cooler is a Zalman CNPS8700-LED CPU Fan

a single 8800GT will cope with 1680 x 1050 quite easily..
quad core will probably be the longer lived and better option.

that cooler would probably be upto the job, but you won't get high overclocks (if an overclock at all) on a Q6600..

[Jonathong]

I probably wouldn't bother Overclocking. The Dual Core 2.6 i have right now is fit for the job so i assume that a Quad Core would be like riding a silken Flying Golden Retriever.

So, which Mobo and which CPU? ( maybe a SLI mobo for future proofing?)

[matty-hodgson]

I probably wouldn't bother Overclocking. The Dual Core 2.6 i have right now is fit for the job so i assume that a Quad Core would be like riding a silken Flying Golden Retriever.

So, which Mobo and which CPU? ( maybe a SLI mobo for future proofing?)

well.. the Q6600 overclocks very easily with a decent HS+F on it..
and atm they only cost around £20 - £30.

erm..
mobo with SLi, i had an XFX 680i LT SLi board.. that got my Q6600 to around 3.15GHz, but it wasn't too good with memory.

just have a search around on the big sites and you'll find a decent enough 1, but tbh.. that IP35 Dark Raider is an awesome board and you probably won't/want SLi anyway..

[iranu]

Don't bother. Save your money. An 8800gt copes fine at 1680x1050 (crysis excepted) so SLi is a waste.

Google your music production software and find out how many cores it will utilise. Do you suffer from slow encoding etc? If your happy then there is no point trying to extend your e-peen to a quad because it won't make any difference and the &#163;200 you'll save can be put to better use in the future when you upgrade. Nehalem will be launched in the third quarter of this year and that will affect socket 775 prices.

Quad core is seriously over rated unless you are doing a huge number of simultaneous tasks or you are using software that can utilise all 4 cores most of the time (in which case you would have one already) or are upgrading from a single core and want it to last 2-3 years.

[Jonathong]

I was thinking that iranu, I use CubaseSX and Adobe Audition, they run good enough I guess. I was also wanting a motherboard with built-in FireWire, it's very popular in music recording, much better quality than USB.

I guess I'll start buy getting a new board ( 775 & SLI) so I can upgrade when I need to.

Don't bother. Save your money. An 8800gt copes fine at 1680x1050 (crysis excepted) so SLi is a waste.

But surely seeing as games would seem to be on the trend of wanting high requirments, SLI would keep me safe for future games? Also I love crysis and would love to be able to play it on highest settings
Maybe i'll just buy a 360....

[format]

I think that games have to be coded to be optimised for SLI?
I might be wrong.
Also... if you buy that mobo, then your AMD processor won't fit it... are you just wanting to have it so you can upgrade when you want?

Hi btw, welcome to hexus

[Jonathong]

Oh hi Brother....
I'll buy a new mobo, but not install it till i have the cash for a new proc. a bit like what you done before.
But buying a new mobo with Quad core and SLI support and then just slowly upgrade till it's all sweet.

EDIT: Found a nice mobo for a good price.

Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK