Need help deciding wether to upgrade or something is wrong

[microhardware]

Current System Specs:

PSU: ENERMAX Noisetaker EG701AX-VE SFMA(24P) 600W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817194001

CPU: AMD Phenom X4 9500 (Quad @ 2.20Ghz)
Link N/A

MOBO: GA-M57SLI-S4
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128014&cm_re=GA-M57SLI-S4-_-13-128-014-_-Product

RAM: 4x1GB DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Kingston (KTC1G-UDIMM)
Link N/A

GFX: 2x460 GTX EVGA SC
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130568&Tpk=01g-p3-1373-ar

AUDIO: 1xSoundblaster X-Fi Fatal1ty
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102014

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Runs games like crud. No more than 20FPS on Bad Company 2 (funny enough I can have it at 1920x1080, everything on High, and CSAA 32x with AAF 16x, or everything on medium and it performs the same give or take 5 fps). Same deal with Crysis. Set everything I can on high @ 1920 and its 20FPS city, lowering detail and everything else makes it 25FPS.

Runs SC2 terribly as well.

Runs Mass Effect 2 like a dream with 32xAA and 16xMSAA Transparency though.

I am very confused.

Is it time to upgrade? What should I upgrade? For which parts?

Or is there a wrench in the works?

Any and all help/comments are welcome.

Been a fan of this site for many years, love reading these forums and the articles. Only site I actually trust for this sort of thing.

/Sub-cat for CPU because my spidey-sense says its that or the PSU. Sorry if in wrong sub-section.

 

[Timop]

Its the CPU, 2.2Ghz is horribly slow for today, which explains why you're getting low fps in 2 of the more CPU demanding games. It is holding back your 460SLI HORRIBLY.

Your PSU is actually quite decent, and since your Mobo supports AM3 get a new Phenom II.

Sadly it only supports upto 95W models, so this $135 945 would be your best choice: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103809&cm_re=Phenom_945-_-19-103-809-_-Product

 

[rolli59]

Your first generation Phenom is the biggest problem with those GPU's in SLI. An upgrade to a AM3 platform is possible but there are no motherboards supporting DDR2 and SLI available. You would need a CPU, Motherboard and DDR3 ram.

 

[microhardware]

Timop - Thanks! I was looking at doing that but the MOBO says:
"*Note: If you install AMD AM3/AM2+ CPU on AM2 motherbord, the system bus speed will downgrade from HT3.0(5200MHz) to HT1.0(2000 MT/s) spec; however, the frequency of AM3/AM2+ CPU will not be impacted. Please refer "CPU Support List" for more information."
Not a problem?

Rolli59:
As you can tell it has been a while since I made this machine, life took over and I was not able to keep up with the knowledge.
Say I may be able to get a new CPU, MOBO (with SLI of course) and 4-6GB of RAM... what would you recommend on a $400 or so budget (maybe a little more).
Should I just upgrade the CPU and wait till January to do the proper upgrade?

Thanks for your responses. Much appreciated!

 

[rolli59]

AM3 system.
Motherboard $140 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131636
CPU $140 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808
4GB memory $71 after MIR http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227496
Intel system
4GB memory $70 after MIR http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227558
Motherboard $145 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130272
CPU $190 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215
If you buy the CPU now you are committing to an AM3 path with the AM3+ (CPU will be compatible with new motherboard but AM3+ CPU´s not with old boards) coming out soon. Intel is coming out with the Sandy bridge soon which will be change of the socket from 1156 to 1155.

 

[microhardware]

Rolli59:
I am leaning towards an Intel system. I am currently scowering the internet and local shops to see if I can find the exact pieces. I live in Spain now and the cheapest store I know is:
http://www.pcbox.com/
The only part they have is the CPU. Hahahaha.

However I am probably going to travel to the US for Christmas, so maybe I should just be patient and not play games for a few months?

The closest I can get from that site for the recommended set up is:

Kingston 2GB 1600MHz DDR3 Non-ECC CL9 (9-9-9-27) DIMM, HyperX. Memoria: 2048 MB, SDRAM-DDR3, DIMM 240-pin, 1600 MHz, Oro, CL9 (9-9-9-27), 256M X 64, 1 x 2048 MB

Asus Maximus III Formula. Memoria: 16 GB, DDR3 2133/2000/1800/1600/1333/1066 . Procesador: Intel family, Socket H(1156), Core i7/Core i5.

PROCESADOR INTEL CORE i5 750 2.66 GHZ SK1156 8MB

However the 760 is only 18 euro more... would that not be better?

Is this MOBO actually worth the (pretty steep) price?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131482&cm_re=Asus_Maximus_III_Formula-_-13-131-482-_-Product

Wait it out or is that decent?

Thanks again for taking the time to respond. At least now I have a pretty good idea in which direction I should go.

 

[microhardware]

*update*

Found a new store. It is an online only shop but the prices are better and the variety of components is better. I like brick and mortar because RMA is... easier to say the least but this shop seems to have a good rep.

It has the RAM!
http://www.pccomponentes.com/ocz_edition_platinum_ddr3_pc3_12800_4gb_2x2gb.html

But not the mobo
They only carry Asus, Gigabyte, and... Zotac?
http://www.pccomponentes.com/placas_base_intel_socket_1156.html

See any good one?

 

[rolli59]

This is a good board http://www.pccomponentes.com/asus_p7p55d_pro.html and that ram is fine. For 18 more the I5 760 is worth it if you are not overclocking.

 

[MrToady]

Hi guys. I,m not much of an expert of sli and such, but surely an athlon II x3 440 at around $90, would be a pretty mean upgrade at a cheap price? Looking at the gaming cpu hierarchy chart, its quite a leap from your existing cpu. I have the same m/b with an AM3 cpu and 4gb of ddr2.

 

[microhardware]

malmental -
Thanks. Ill keep that in mind. I'll go for an ASUS board then.

Rolli59-
That board + RAM + CPU looks to definitely be within budget. I sent an email to another company that does "orders" to see if they can beat the price. If not, maybe I will have a semi-new rig here in a week or so.

MrToady-
The original advice was actually a Phenom II X4 945. I liked that idea but also proposed maybe switching out those 3 components for new ones. Suggestions and the like. I have been wanting to switch to Intel for a bit anyway to boot up Leopard + Win 7 and from the last time I checked that was not possible with AMD CPUs.
Thanks for taking the time to pitch in though All thoughts and comments help.

Thanks again people! Looks like the issue is pretty settled. Now... time to go donate some plasma! XD

 

[microhardware]

*question to do with the mobo*
( http://www.pccomponentes.com/asus_p7p55d_pro.html )
VS (more expensive sibling):
( http://www.pccomponentes.com/asus_p7p55d_e_deluxe.html )

Is the extras worth it?
Among them:
# True USB 3.0 Support - Unique PCIe x4 Bridge Chip for Ultra Performance
# True SATA 6.0Gb/s Support - Unique PCIe x4 Bridge Chip for Ultra Performance

Is that something that I should care about if this is the MOBO I shall be keeping (I will just upgrade the CPU to latest it supports in 2~ years) for 3-4 years to come?

Sorry to reopen the topic. I just want to make sure I am *safe* aka as futureproof as I can get considering my circumstances.

 

[Shadow703793]

Switch to intel to unleash your system true potential.Amd cpu sucks for highend multigpu gaming.

Stop being a F***ing troll. I noticed quite a few of your other posts were like this. If you do not stop this behavior I will report you to the mods.

 

[Timop]

Eh, if you're traveling to the US in Christmas, try to OC that processor for now and hold on for 2 months. SBs should be coming out really soon.

On the Mobo, the best Mobo you'd want is the P7P55D-E Pro. Anything over-that is for extreme OCing, which doesn't benefit you at all and youd be wasting.

The fact is Id rather just get an AM3 CPU, don't worry about the bus speed, performance wont be affected just you wont be able to OC as high as with AM3 boards. Gaming performance wont be much worse compared to the 750 and you spend a third of the price.

 

[microhardware]

*update*
My Chief Financial Officer(CFO aka Life Partner) proposed the following:
Upgrade the CPU and I am "allowed" a full new system this time next year. My old CPU + GFX card are going in her rig (Guildwars and The Sims hardly push 8800 GTS 512 + My Quad to the limit on the 19") and I get the new CPU.
I have jotted down the system and put it in my newegg wishlist so this time next year I should be able to go full monty on it.

I went to pick up the CPU (945 was the "best" my mobo supports) this morning and installed it. It had been at least 3 years since I had put a CPU in. It was like Xmas.

BadCo2: 70-90 FPS... 60 when there is more action going on than Rambo 1.
Mass Effect 2: 64xAA just for kicks.
SC2: Those zerg rushes are only killing my soldiers, not my cpu.

Thank you very much for all your help everyone. Hope I can be of service to someone in the future!

 

[Timop]

This time next year? Don't bother writing anything down, even builds from 3 months ago can be outdated .

But have fun with that 945!

 

[microhardware]

3 months ago are outdated now? :O Woah. Things moving fast now. At least I got 12-18 months before it as outdated before.

I have been enjoying it. It is very nice again to be able to play games properly again.

Well, this time next year Ill read all the Best X for the money Sept 2011 and Marathon Builds and see whats going down. I won't have $2000 to spend on a rig but the $1000 rigs usually perform really well.

Thanks again Timop, mal mental, Rolli59, and MrToady