Lga775 upgrade: worth it or not?

[ojrules]

ended up getting a q9650, games are a dream now, and are working on high settings at 1080p, the next upgrade would definitely seem to be an SSD, or generally cleaning up the harddrive as opening/closing programs etc is still slow. - overall very pleased

 

[Goody_GTI]

SSD is one of the best upgrades you can do, I did a similar upgrade to you recently and noticed a huge difference.

However, you'd be surprised how much an i5 750 setup can be had for - I picked up a motherboard and cpu for £50, and some DDR3 ram for £50 - swap it all over job done.

However if it's working well for you now you may as well wait for the new architecture later this year... at which point there will be even more second hand stuff up for grabs!

 

[Randell]

I'm pleased it worked for you. SSD, then GPU then new CPU/mono/ ram.

 

[Dave2150]

cheers for this, I think given the advice i'll go for a 775 quad, and then the next big upgrade will be for new architecture.

I really don't recommend putting more money into such an ancient platform. I know it's cheap, though it's still like getting a new remote control for a black and white TV.

 

[Randell]

Err you're a bit late. See post 41

 

[linktoinsanity]

My 2p

I'm waiting for Skylake. My system is same generation as yours (same mobo family) but with a better CPU (Q9550 @ 3.6ghz) and GPU (3Gb 7950) than you, but runs Skyrim, Elite Dangerous, Arena Commander, Rome II very well at 1900x1200.

My kids system (my cast offs) is a C2D8400 and a 5850 and he is runnning Elite Dangerous at 1680x1050 no problems.

So having waited this long to move to i5/i7, I don't want to buy into old architecture, so I'm waiting for Skylake and DDR4.

I think your best bet is cheap CPU upgrade (Q9xxx) now, save for a better GPU that will last into your next platform upgrade and don't spend money on Broadwell/DDR3.

if I knew Skylake would work on an LGA1150/DDR4 board, I would have been tempted to buy an i5 now, but as its a whole new platform, I've decided to wait.

You are speaking sense, however just to point out that if you constantly wait for the newest architecture, then you'll be waiting forever. Is Skylake due soon?

@ OP: I would try and find a cheap Quad 775 and maybe an ATI HD6950 or higher. The Graphics card could last you nicely into the next motherboard upgrade and a quad 775 shouldn't cost too much these days. If your board can take it go for a Yorkdale (45nm, Q9xxx) over the older quads as well.

A higher-end 775 system is still very capable and will be for a little while yet.

Or just bite the bullet and upgrade to a Haswell, if funds allow.

EDIT:
Just saw this:

ended up getting a q9650, games are a dream now, and are working on high settings at 1080p, the next upgrade would definitely seem to be an SSD, or generally cleaning up the harddrive as opening/closing programs etc is still slow. - overall very pleased

Good shout.

 

[DragonQ]

I really don't recommend putting more money into such an ancient platform. I know it's cheap, though it's still like getting a new remote control for a black and white TV.

Eh, not the best analogy since the technologies are nowhere near that distinct. More like buying a new engine for a few-years-old car instead of buying a new car.

If it's cheap enough, go for it. I'm very happy with the recent ~50% speed increase I got in heavily multithreaded tasks for the sake of £30.

 

[new boy]

I really don't recommend putting more money into such an ancient platform. I know it's cheap, though it's still like getting a new remote control for a black and white TV.

For around £30 or whatever, hes probably got another 50%-100% performance. That is fantastic value for money.

For £300 he probably could have got 400% more performance or whatever it would be, which would be awsome, but thats not really the same thing... for what he (presumably) spent, hes got a fantastic upgrade.

 

[Randell]

You are speaking sense, however just to point out that if you constantly wait for the newest architecture, then you'll be waiting forever. Is Skylake due soon?

I know what you're saying. In this case my reasoning is that current LGA1150 motherboard platforms and DDR3 will be replaced by Skylake and DDR3 or DDR4. Skylake is a tock in Intel's tick-tock strategy, so is a new micro-architecture, so after that there is a die-shrink which means the LGA1151 mobo platform will last longer than buying 1150 now.

Skylake expected Q2.

 

[Dave2150]

For around £30 or whatever, hes probably got another 50%-100% performance. That is fantastic value for money.

For £300 he probably could have got 400% more performance or whatever it would be, which would be awsome, but thats not really the same thing... for what he (presumably) spent, hes got a fantastic upgrade.

Very much doubt you can do it for £30, when you factor in recorded/signed for delivery costs both ways.

Plus no warranty of course, granted it's not much money so probably worth the risk for some.

 

[DragonQ]

Very much doubt you can do it for £30, when you factor in recorded/signed for delivery costs both ways.

You are wrong.

Plus no warranty of course, granted it's not much money so probably worth the risk for some.

Existing X58 equipment doesn't have a warranty either so what's the difference?

You gonna drop this drivel any time soon?

 

[Randell]

As the OP has already spent his money and is very happy, shall we stop arguing about whether its worth him buying a Qxxxx chip now?

 

[Sasahara]

OP made a good choice with the Q9650.

The only other option I would have said would have been an E84/5/600 if he only played games that use 2 cores and was on a very small budget £10-20.

 

[Deus Ex]

q6600 stop gap fix, then start saving pennies and see what skylake does to the second hand market for i5/i7s

 

[sastusbulbas]

I would recommend an SSD, it made the biggest difference in the system I put together with some of my old bits for evaluating Windows 10. Still not a great gaming experience though, but it's only a 2 core at 4Ghz odd with 4gb of ram.

Sadly Windows 10 asked to shut a few programs down earlier due to low memory. Certainly not worth buying more DDR-2 second hand as DDR-3 is just as cheap.

But certainly worth getting an SSD in there, huge improvement!

 

[Skiddley]

Seems relavent;

I'm moving from a Q6600, to a broadwell and have slotted in a G3258 until release. Performance comparison;

[email protected]
36.25GIPS/26.43GFLOPS

[email protected]
67.52GIPS/23.90GFLOPS

[email protected]
85.45GIPS/30.82GFLOPS

Nice little chip