CPU & Mobo help

Moe45673 · 03-07-2011, 08:57 AM

I want to upgrade. Currently have a Q9550 (stock speed), DDR2 RAM (8GB) and a Gigabyte EP43-DS3L Motherboard. Also have an Antec300 case, Radeon 5850 and a Corsair HX650 Watt PSU, none of which I want to upgrade at the moment (unless I need to).

The main games I want to play are BF3 and Total War: Shogun 2. What I'm looking to do (at least): Some games allow you to choose a preset level of detail if you don't want to customize each specific setting. These games usually have 4 settings: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra. I would like to customize the settings to be, at least, around where the High setting would go in these games.

First question: Bang for the buck, is a SB i7 worth ~100 bucks more than an i5? I want this to last me at least 2 years, possibly 3.

Second question: I want a solid mobo. USB 3.0 would be nice. I bought my EP43-DS3L in late 2008. At that time, it was considered a great middle of the road Mobo. It only has one PCIe 2.0 slot and though I haven't needed more than that, a second one would be nice. Probably goes without saying, but it needs PCI slots as well (don't know how legacy those are). Should 200 bucks cover this? 250? I need to start saving.

3rd: RAM. Want 8GB (2X4GB?), let's say DDR3-1600. How much should I be looking to spend on that?

Thanks in advance!

Baron_Fel · 03-07-2011, 09:08 AM

I can play Shogun 2 just fine on my Q6600 @ 3.2GHz. You dont absolutely need to do a CPU upgrade now, in fact if I were you I would OC and wait until the next cycle of CPUs.

borg_7_of_9 · 03-07-2011, 12:52 PM

AS above you could wait for the new/next lot of new cpu's

The only difference between the I5 2500 and the I7 2600 is Hyper threading and 100Mhz iirc http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/288?vs=287

The performance increase is not worth $100 for gaming

G.Skill have some nice 1.5V ram thats well priced..

03-07-2011, 08:57 AM	#1
Moe45673 Join Date: Sep 2008 Reputation: 417 Posts: 1,305	CPU & Mobo help I want to upgrade. Currently have a Q9550 (stock speed), DDR2 RAM (8GB) and a Gigabyte EP43-DS3L Motherboard. Also have an Antec300 case, Radeon 5850 and a Corsair HX650 Watt PSU, none of which I want to upgrade at the moment (unless I need to). The main games I want to play are BF3 and Total War: Shogun 2. What I'm looking to do (at least): Some games allow you to choose a preset level of detail if you don't want to customize each specific setting. These games usually have 4 settings: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra. I would like to customize the settings to be, at least, around where the High setting would go in these games. First question: Bang for the buck, is a SB i7 worth ~100 bucks more than an i5? I want this to last me at least 2 years, possibly 3. Second question: I want a solid mobo. USB 3.0 would be nice. I bought my EP43-DS3L in late 2008. At that time, it was considered a great middle of the road Mobo. It only has one PCIe 2.0 slot and though I haven't needed more than that, a second one would be nice. Probably goes without saying, but it needs PCI slots as well (don't know how legacy those are). Should 200 bucks cover this? 250? I need to start saving. 3rd: RAM. Want 8GB (2X4GB?), let's say DDR3-1600. How much should I be looking to spend on that? Thanks in advance!

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03-07-2011, 09:08 AM	#2
Baron_Fel Join Date: Jul 2006 Reputation: 1931 Posts: 8,811	I can play Shogun 2 just fine on my Q6600 @ 3.2GHz. You dont absolutely need to do a CPU upgrade now, in fact if I were you I would OC and wait until the next cycle of CPUs.

03-07-2011, 12:52 PM	#3
borg_7_of_9 Join Date: Nov 2007 Reputation: 2604 Posts: 12,709	AS above you could wait for the new/next lot of new cpu's The only difference between the I5 2500 and the I7 2600 is Hyper threading and 100Mhz iirc http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/288?vs=287 The performance increase is not worth $100 for gaming G.Skill have some nice 1.5V ram thats well priced..