How best to blow my tax refund? (with OC questions really!)

[Philosophytutor]

I am looking to take some of my tax refund and dump it into my computer. I am considering either buying a second video card, upgrading my chip or maybe both. All I do with this PC is game.

My current specs:
EVGA nForce 680i SLI MB
E6750 – overclocked to 3.6
8800 GTX – overclocked (I don’t remember how much)
4 Gig Ram
1 kw PSU

Should I buy

A Q6600 ($189.99) – and overclock it and another 8800 GTX ($179.00) for SLI (total ~$370)

Or

A Q9550/9650 (~$300) and skip the 2nd video card. (Total ~$300)

Or

Go all in and buy the better chip and the 2nd card. (Total ~$475)

Obviously the best option (if money were irrelevant) would be to buy the best chip and the 2nd card (actually if money were irrelevant I would go I7 and get a new video card). But money is a factor. What I am looking for is the best bang for my buck.

Much of this comes down to how much I can overclock the chips in question and whether games are actually optimizing 4 cores.

1. First the simple question other than GTA do any games actually use all 4 cores? Is there a significant improvement going from 2 to 4 cores?

2. How far can you usually push a Q6600 or Q9550 or Q9650? For my current overclock my mobo is already running at 450 FSB so I know there is flexibility there. Should I assume if 450 FSB is attainable with the E6750 that I can also get as high with the other chips?

3. Any recommendations or thoughts? Also please don’t say “your system is great save your money”. I have money to spend and I am going to spend it. I just want to know the best way to do it.

 

[richardscott]

id say go for a e8xxx chip depending on cash and also replace your card with a hd4870x2 i think it will come to about £450

it will offer much better performance than th other upgrades plus then you could sell ure 8800gtx for cash

 

[Philosophytutor]

I wish I had that much money. Unfortunately £450 is about $630 which is more than I want to spend. Also the card you recommend costs (at Newegg) ~ $475 which is as much as the most expensive option I listed.

 

[gotrice]

Go all in and buy the better chip and the 2nd card. (Total ~$475). Thats my recommandation . Because if you only use it for gaming then why not go all out and be future proof for the other games, rather than getting a processor and find out your single 8800 GTX just won't do?