Upgrade Stagnation

[LightningJR]

My system specs are to the left. I also have a RAT 7 mouse and Cyborg V.7 Keyboard. I have 5.1 surround using a custom home theater system, also have a good pair of cans.


What is my next step to upgrading? I mainly play games like BF3, DOTA2, Civ5, etc..


Should I get a new mobo with SLI and better VRM circuitry? Or maybe a quality sound card?

I feel like if I get a new mobo and Haswell comes out and is quite good then I will have wasted my money on a new 1155 mobo...

Sound card, I use sp/dif and plug my cans into the headphone on the receiver, would a sound card even matter?



Bottom line I am stuck, I enjoy upgrading and getting new parts for my rig but I need suggestion. Is there anything cool that would be a great addon to my current rig?

[Jetster]

What are you running your sound off? HDMI or Optical. A sound card wont help unless your running analog from the onboard. You systems good really. Wait or get a bigger SSD, monitor maybe. Im in the same boat, im just waiting to see how Haswell changes the prices

[LightningJR]

I'm using optical to the receiver. I am looking at monitors now, I was looking into IPS screens but I think I would rather bigger, like a 27". But really it's not much of an upgrade still. $200 for 4 more inches is basically it. I just got my SSD, I got this size because I have no need for more space I have my OS and BF3/DOTA2 and couple other small games on it. I have my SSD just over half used up and it's all I really want to put on it.

[Kaynar]

-You may want a PSU with better than 80+bronze rating, such as a fully modular corsair AX860.
-You may want to save money for nvidia's upcoming card, cause with 2GB vRAM you'll need to upgrade sometime anyway.
-If you want an IPS, try the Dell 27", for their price they are rly good.
-I think (and others may confirm this) that Socket2011 will still be more powerful than Haswell and that Intel is actually planning an update for 2011 by the end of the year (might want to go for that one).
-I own an X-Fi Titatium sound card and, while it sounds really good with average headphones, a good hi-fi system uncovers all of its weaknesses. If you plan to use a real Hi-Fi, buy an DAC-amp system, its worth the money. If you just want to game, buy a good sound card (i still think the x-fi is the best sounding chip).
-I had the rat7 mouse, it died just one year after I bought it. :/

EDIT: didnt read that you are using optical to your hi-fi. In that case buying an extra sound card wont make a difference. Buying a DAC for its up-sampling characteristics will make music better though.

[BarbaricSoul]

From the reports released so far, Haswell isn't going to give any boost in performance over Ivy Bridge. Ivy Bridge 3570k is only 10% stronger than your 2500k. Your OC'ed 2500k, with SB's better temps compared to IB, should out perform the 3570k. Haswell is only suppose to use less electricity.

[LightningJR]

Originally Posted by Kaynar

-You may want a PSU with better than 80+bronze rating, such as a fully modular corsair AX860.
-You may want to save money for nvidia's upcoming card, cause with 2GB vRAM you'll need to upgrade sometime anyway.
-If you want an IPS, try the Dell 27", for their price they are rly good.
-I think (and others may confirm this) that Socket2011 will still be more powerful than Haswell and that Intel is actually planning an update for 2011 by the end of the year (might want to go for that one).
-I own an X-Fi Titatium sound card and, while it sounds really good with average headphones, a good hi-fi system uncovers all of its weaknesses. If you plan to use a real Hi-Fi, buy an DAC-amp system, its worth the money. If you just want to game, buy a good sound card (i still think the x-fi is the best sounding chip).
-I had the rat7 mouse, it died just one year after I bought it. :/

EDIT: didnt read that you are using optical to your hi-fi. In that case buying an extra sound card wont make a difference. Buying a DAC for its up-sampling characteristics will make music better though.

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

From the reports released so far, Haswell isn't going to give any boost in performance over Ivy Bridge. Ivy Bridge 3570k is only 10% stronger than your 2500k. Your OC'ed 2500k, with SB's better temps compared to IB, should out perform the 3570k. Haswell is only suppose to use less electricity.

Yeah maybe I should get a socket 2011 mobo and the 3820 until Ivy Bridge-E is released. Or save for a high end 2011 mobo and a case that can take it with another 670 and a better PSU, by the time I have all of that Ivy-E should be out, I think.

I suppose I can get a decent sound card now since mic input is plagued with hiss and noise and if I want to use the analog outs they will be superior to integrated as well.

Is it a sure thing that Haswell will use the same heatspreader gupe as Ivy Bridge? If it is then I think i'll have to pass once again.

My RAT 7 is still working.

While NVidia's upcoming GPU would be a treat to own at 1K+ it's sooo expensive and I would bet SLI 670's could beat it or come close.

[xenocide]

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

From a single unreliable chinese leak, Haswell isn't going to give any boost in performance over Ivy Bridge.

Fixed that for you.

[Kaynar]

If you want a good microphone, the newest Creative sound cards include a truly good one in their package!

And well, xenocide, we all know that the new Intel's cpu comes out with focus on mobile characteristics and integrated GPU... how much more can it overclock? They might release 100-200Mhz high versions than current processors but the max "easy to achieve" OC will certainly be the same... the performace increase will certainly be very small (and the whole CPU+mobo package will certainly cost more than current lga1155 at least at the start)

[drdeathx]

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

From the reports released so far, Haswell isn't going to give any boost in performance over Ivy Bridge. Ivy Bridge 3570k is only 10% stronger than your 2500k. Your OC'ed 2500k, with SB's better temps compared to IB, should out perform the 3570k. Haswell is only suppose to use less electricity.

There are no true performance reports so far. Intel's Tick Tock strategy has been truthful so far so Haswell will offer better performance over Ivy. Intel would never release it if it wasn't better

Originally Posted by LightningJR

Yeah maybe I should get a socket 2011 mobo and the 3820 until Ivy Bridge-E is released. Or save for a high end 2011 mobo and a case that can take it with another 670 and a better PSU, by the time I have all of that Ivy-E should be out, I think.

I suppose I can get a decent sound card now since mic input is plagued with hiss and noise and if I want to use the analog outs they will be superior to integrated as well.

Is it a sure thing that Haswell will use the same heatspreader gupe as Ivy Bridge? If it is then I think i'll have to pass once again.

My RAT 7 is still working.

While NVidia's upcoming GPU would be a treat to own at 1K+ it's sooo expensive and I would bet SLI 670's could beat it or come close.

I would stay with what you have. Ivy will only be about 10% better than what you have. Wait for Ivy E and wait till the buzz slows down and the prices drop. I would say your good with what you have CPU wise for a year. Right now the cost per performance boost is not there IMO.

[drdeathx]

dbl post.....

[the54thvoid]

Buy a small beer fridge, fill with good beer, place it beside PC and have the next best thing to full global domination.

But when i had the upgrade itch, I did what someone has already suggested and bought a 27" Dell Ultrasharp. 2560x1440 gaming is sure pretty. But then i had to go get another 7970 to make full unadulterated use of the uber pixel goodness.

I still don't have a convenient beer fridge.

[Pehla]

i would definitlylook for sound card..those integratedare not that god... i dont know anything about asus sonar cards,but those from creative are prety ossom if u are audiofile u want that..

[radrok]

Get into watercooling hobby, you'll never ask about upgrades

Trust me, I'm an addict

[LightningJR]

Originally Posted by drdeathx

There are no true performance reports so far. Intel's Tick Tock strategy has been truthful so far so Haswell will offer better performance over Ivy. Intel would never release it if it wasn't better




I would stay with what you have. Ivy will only be about 10% better than what you have. Wait for Ivy E and wait till the buzz slows down and the prices drop. I would say your good with what you have CPU wise for a year. Right now the cost per performance boost is not there IMO.

Yeah you're probably right, I am an overclocker and I didn't get Ivy Bridge because of it's overclocking capabilities, I expected 5.0Ghz+ with 22nm but with the heat spreader gupe it doesn't happen.

Originally Posted by the54thvoid

Buy a small beer fridge, fill with good beer, place it beside PC and have the next best thing to full global domination.

But when i had the upgrade itch, I did what someone has already suggested and bought a 27" Dell Ultrasharp. 2560x1440 gaming is sure pretty. But then i had to go get another 7970 to make full unadulterated use of the uber pixel goodness.

I still don't have a convenient beer fridge.

I already have the mini fridge, just not "filled" right now ^.^

Yeah I have been looking at the Catleap Q270 since it's a great deal but like you said I don't know how well my 670 will perform at that res. :P

Originally Posted by Pehla

i would definitlylook for sound card..those integratedare not that god... i dont know anything about asus sonar cards,but those from creative are prety ossom if u are audiofile u want that..

Yeah I think I may get a sound card just mainly for mic input since I use optical for my sound.

Originally Posted by radrok

Get into watercooling hobby, you'll never ask about upgrades

Trust me, I'm an addict

I have been looking into this as well but it's expensive for something of a small upgrade for me. Let me explain, my mobo wont allow me a larger overclock since I have a cheaper one with poor VRMs and my 670 is the short PBC and doesn't overclock that great so if I were to get custom water I would be getting it just for looks and better temps and not a better OC.

Custom water will happen eventually that's for sure but after I choose what to do with my current components.