thoughts on a PC upgrade

[Caliga]

Ok, so I usually get a bunch of cash from people for Christmas every year (typically my parents, my father in law, and a couple of other relatives).  I've used a portion of my expected cash to chip in and buy a generator with Princesca, and am holding around $500 in reserve for a Glock 19.  That will likely leave about $200, which I want to put into my PC, which I built in April 2007.

current specs:

Intel Core Duo @ 2.13 Ghz
ASUS Commando LGA 775 board
4 Gb RAM
Geforce 9600 GT 1Gb RAM
Vista 64 bit

I guess what I'm not sure about is whether the money is better spent upgrading the CPU to a Quad core (can't do a Core i5/7 in this mobo due to the socket), upgrading the video card, upgrading the OS to Win 7, or doubling the RAM.  One thing about the RAM is I currently have 4 1 Gb modules, and 4 slots, so I'd have to trash all of my current RAM to do an upgrade.

Thoughts?

[derspiess]

Post pics of the Glock when you get it. 

We also need to go shooting

[viper37]

I guess what I'm not sure about is whether the money is better spent upgrading the CPU to a Quad core (can't do a Core i5/7 in this mobo due to the socket), upgrading the video card, upgrading the OS to Win 7, or doubling the RAM.  One thing about the RAM is I currently have 4 1 Gb modules, and 4 slots, so I'd have to trash all of my current RAM to do an upgrade.

Thoughts?

Video card all the way.
GTX 260, or anything else above that when comes boxing day.

[Caliga]

Post pics of the Glock when you get it. 

We also need to go shooting

Will you: answer your cell this time?

[Caliga]

Video card all the way.
GTX 260, or anything else above that when comes boxing day.

You don't think the CPU is too much of a bottleneck?  If you trust that Windows Experience Index thingy, it's the lowest rated system component I have (5.0).

[Josquius]

That CPU is fine, anything dual core can run most new games still. Not necessarily at their best but they run.
But- is upgrading cpus still as much of a bitch as it used to be or have things improved? I hear that motherboards tend to be compatible with more processers these days.

[Caliga]

Well, I've flashed my board BIOS to the point where it can accept all quad core models IIRC.  It's not physically difficult to get a CPU out of a 775 socket and put a new one in there, if that's what you mean.  The biggest pain might be getting the fan+heatsink off depending on how cleanly the legs socketed into the board.

[DGuller]

I doubt more RAM is going to help once you already have 4 GB.

[Caliga]

I doubt more RAM is going to help once you already have 4 GB.

Yeah, just threw it out there as an option but not one I am seriously considering.

[Josquius]

Well, I've flashed my board BIOS to the point where it can accept all quad core models IIRC.  It's not physically difficult to get a CPU out of a 775 socket and put a new one in there, if that's what you mean.  The biggest pain might be getting the fan+heatsink off depending on how cleanly the legs socketed into the board.

I've not built a computer for 5 or 6 years (hence my really really wanting a new one!), back then I remember it being very hard to buy a motherboard and processor and you had to match them up very well and set jumpers and all sorts. Just wondering if the situation is the same as I'm going to be getting a new computer at some point in the first half of next year (as soon as I'm finished uni or otherwise back in the UK)

[Caliga]

It's been a very long time since I've had to set jumpers on a board in order to get a CPU to work.  That type of thing is all handled through/by the BIOS now.

[derspiess]

Post pics of the Glock when you get it. 

We also need to go shooting

Will you: answer your cell this time?

  Yeah.  And you can track my whereabouts on Latitude.

[Ed Anger]

Cal: Stalker

[derspiess]

Cal: Stalker

I get to stalk him, too.  And Brazen

[Ed Anger]

Cal never moves from within 50 feet of the BP.