System Upgrade

[syketh]

Hey, I was recommended to this site to ask a few questions about upgrading my current system. I'm currently running with these specs-

AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5200+

2G Ram (Already ordered more)

M3A32-MVP DELUXE Motherboard (ASUSTeK)

NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250 512MB Overclocked.

All I use my computer for is gaming, I know it's not the best gaming rig and that's why i'm planning to improve a few things. (Don't flame me, but i'm a WoW player, and want to run with high settings with minimal lag spikes..I know this topic has probably already swarmed this site and my appologies for asking again). I'm just looking for advice to what I should upgrade to, I was told an AMD Phenom CPU (Recommendations on which model would be great) would go well, but i'm not sure if I should upgrade my Motherboard or not. Again, any recommendations towards a nice Graphics card would be excellent. I'm planning to spend around £300-350 on these pieces. It isn't much but it's all I can currently afford due to Christmas around the corner.

Thanks in advance!

 

[jj463rd]

Hi I am from the USA.Prices here might be different from that in the U.K.
I have this particular motherboard as well. I chose an OEM AM2+ 3.0 Ghz Phenom II X4 940 BE as an upgrade CPU because it was so inexpensive much less than the 3.2 Ghz
AM3+ Phenom II X4 BE 955BE (which I also have in another system).
I would say that any of the Phenom II X4's are fine CPU's.Just make sure that you choose a Phenom II and not the earlier slower Phenoms (although the OEM Phenom X4 9850 BE has a good performance vs price right now here in the states).
My advise is try to get the best price vs performance CPU if you can but clearly one significantly more powerful than your current CPU.
Here is a benchmark of your Athlon X2 5200+ against the Phenom II X4 940 BE
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/32?vs=80

You can set it against other faster models as well like the 955,965,970.
The 945 is very similar to the 940 BE except that it specifically has a DDR3 memory controller in addition to the DDR2 memory controller but has a locked multiplier (hence it's not a Black Edition).The faster models obviously cost more.

Again I chose the OEM 940BE (no warranty,heatsink/fan) as an upgrade CPU because it had one of the best performances vs cost of the CPU.
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_value_available.html

Perhaps you might find a similar type site in the U.K.
Also check the CPU Charts on Toms hardware too.

 

[jj463rd]

Agreed, Phenom II 940 is a good upgrade, and the differences in DDR2 and DDR3 isn't that substantial.

Like the previous posted has stated differences from a AM2+ and AM3 Phenom II from the same stepping is only the presence of a DDR3 ram controller.

one more thing jj4 made a mistake, Phenom II 955 is not AM3+, just AM3

Ouch did I say that.Oh a bad typo.Yes the Phenom II X4 955 BE is AM3.