Upgrade my trusty E6600 to what?

[maddogatc]

I have overclocked my trusty E6600 to 3.06 on an Asus P5B Deluxe motherboard. I have had this system for about 2.5 years, and am starting to get the upgrade itch. Would like to upgrade to the core i7 but it would cost about 1000+tax cdn (cpu, motherboard, ram). My other option is to upgrade to the Q9550 (P5B will take this cpu with bios update) and ati 4870 512mb for about 550+tax cdn. I would then use this system for the next year or two. What would be my best bang for buck option. I use my computer for gaming, video encoding and general purpose work and leisure.


Asus P5B Deluxe
E6600
4 GB Corsair XMS memory
OCZ Vendetta 2 cooler
Nvidia 8800GT
Sound Blaster X-FI Extreme
2x WD 500GB Black HD
1x Seagate 320GB HD
Enermax Liberty 500W Power Supply
2x Samsung S203B optical
NZXT Sentry LX fan controller
Thermaltake Tsunami Dream Case
Windows XP Pro SP3 32bit DX10 (yes there is one out there for XP)
Windows 7 Beta 64 bit dual boot

[sswilson]

If it were me, I'd stick with the CPU/GPU upgrade for now. i7 is still new and thus pricing is still at enthusiast levels. AFAIC, you'd get a lot more bang-for-your-buck that way.

The only thing I'd be concerned about is your current PSU.... 500W "might" be enough, but I'm guessing that it's an older unit so it's probably not functioning at peak levels any more. Under $150 invested now on a new PSU will get you something you can port over to your next full build.

[maddogatc]

Well have not had any problems with it yet. It was a well rated modular power supply that's why I like it. Some of the new modular units are quite expensive. So if I don't have to replace it I won't. Rather wait till I upgrade to the i7 as I will probably replace most of my system then. Been using it on my overclocked system with 8800gt with no hick ups yet. If I put the Q9550 in my system I will probably not overclock it right away anyhow.

[bojangles]

I still have the E6600 as well. Still a great CPU. If you're really thinking about upgrading now, I really couldn't tell you. I'm personally waiting to save up for i7/i5, or even getting a laptop since I don't really game as often these days. Who knows. The 4870/Q9550 is a great deal however.

[1Tanker]

As far as CPU,you could upgrade to a Wolfdale processor (E8400/E8500) and save a little money. I upgraded from an E6600 to an E8400, and with the increased IPC.. as well as amazing overclockability... it gave a big increase(they're also pretty good in encoding). For most games, a fast dual-core is still preferable to a lower-clocked quad, will run cooler and use less hydro. That would get you by until you're ready for an i7/i5 system.
GL

[maddogatc]

Well I think I will just go for the 4870 upgrade for now and save the cash for the major system overhaul later. In reality my system still suits my needs as I can run the newest games and apps. It's just so tempting to upgrade after using the same system for quite some time...but around $1000+tax for just an i7 motherboard/ram/cpu before anything else, that just plain hurts. Have to wait for the prices to come down.

[Silvgearx]

Upgrading to a dual core would be pointless at his stage. Go for the quad. If you plan to have high overclocks, your gonna need a new mobo. as the p5b only has a 1066FSB, even with the bios update to support 1333FSB. Would you happen to know the max OC FSB of your P5B?

If it can reach 400FSB it be a great upgrade , if not you can always run it at stock.

[Andy]

I went from a E6400 to a E8500 over the summer, when the dollar was high. At that point it was an amazing upgrade for the price. Not to mention the great overclock you can achieve with the 8400/8500 chips.