How could this money be best spent?

**MaKe_OuT_33** · 03-24-08, 03:41 PM

Hey, I am looking to do a slight upgrade. My machine runs nice now but I wouldn't mind getting a bit more performance by spending this cash. I use this comp for gaming and internet browsing mainly. I am really interested in 64 bit vista and I wish I would have gone with it instead of 32 bit when i built this thing. I am not so sure of the performance boost I would gain by adding the 2 gigs and going to 64 bit so I need some help from you guys who know this shit from experience. I am also interested in other things that could boost my performance more than switching to 64 bit if possible.

If you voted other, please specify. an explanation for any vote would be appreciated.

Right now I am running Vista 32bit with 2 gigs crucial ballistix ram.

I have Asus P5N-E SLI mobo and it is important to note that if I run SLI i am only getting 8x. With one card I get 16x. I have read that this doesn't make much difference in performance however.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131142

Processor is E6850.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115028

PSU is a coolermaster 650W. yea i have heard that coolermaster PSU's suck but leave that out of this discussion unless it is completely relevant.

the 2 gigs of ram that i would add (to make 4 total) would be http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820146565

The second video card that I could add would be http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130318

My monitor (relevant to SLI) http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2037051,00.asp

Thanks for any input.

**Mcstrange** · 03-24-08, 03:43 PM

Save your money. You wont see much of an improvement from any of the listed upgrades.

**CivilWars** · 03-24-08, 03:44 PM

I am mainly going to repeat what I have heard here when building my own PC, so if I am just talking out of my ass I am sure I will be corrected.

From what I have heard the games currently being played on TTP don't benefit much from SLI unless you have a huge ass monitor on high res, and the additional RAM/OS might not make a huge difference, so I voted to save it.

**WileECyte** · 03-24-08, 03:50 PM

Save it, for all the previously listed reasons.

**jason_jinx** · 03-24-08, 04:03 PM

save

**Graverunner** · 03-24-08, 04:05 PM

Save it for a ticket for the summer lan!

**triggerhappy2005** · 03-24-08, 04:10 PM

What summer lan?

**SapiensErus** · 03-24-08, 04:18 PM

Voted save it.

SLI might gain you some frames at high resolution, but the 8800 chipset is about to be dated by the 9xxx series and you may be able to go SLI cheaper in a short time.

No games are truly taking advantage of all DX10 has to offer so Vista is not a great upgrade right now. 2 more gigs wont get you more performance either. Were you building an entirely new system I would say go with Vista, but since you are looking to upgrade, it is not needed yet by any means.