Upgrade PC! (DDR2/DDR3, bottlenecks...)

JostVice

Hello! First i am sorry for posting yet another pc upgrade, but i think this one isn't the average

My current setup is a:

CPU: Intel quadcore Q6600
MOBO: ASUS P5KPL-AM EPU
RAM: 3072 MB (DDR2-667 DDR2 SDRAM)
GPU: GTX470
Screen is 24'' 1920x1200

Thing is on this setup i used to get momentary freezes on windows (Explorer crashes, photoshop and 3dmax frozen.. web browser freezing...) and stutters in some videogames (Battlefield 3, etc), I was going for an upgrade (i5 3570k, new motherboard and new ram (8gb DDR3) but my GTX470 decided to die of overheating after 2 years Asus doesn't want to accept warrantry, says I oced it...

So, here is the upgrade i'm planning, but i am not sure if the new GPU will be bottleneck'd much by the cpu.

GPU: GTX660 TI
MOBO: MSI G41M-P33 (One i found at my local retailer that was LGA 775 and DDR3, if you know any better one by the same price, please tell!)
RAM: 8GB DDR3 1066
CASE: [ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004REHPDK/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&psc=1&s=computers]Sharkoon T9 Value[/ame]

And my questions:
I found out that for 20€ more i can pick a new Mobo with DDR3 memory that could be used on my next rig when i jump to Haswell, but all the DDR3 motherboards for LGA 775 are DDR3 1066mhz, when most ddr3 memories are at least 1333. is 1066 bad? do you recommend to stick better to 4gb DDR2 800mhz instead of 8gb ddr3 1066 mhz (Just want to be sure!)) My actual mobo only accepts up to 4gb DDR2, so I think for 20€ more its worth the purchase?
Will the GTX660 Ti be bottleneck'd by the q6600?

I picked that Sharkoon T9 because it had USB 3.0 (That i won't use with this mobo... but for the future!) psu at bottom, 3 ventilation fans and space for cables. I couldn't found any similar case for the same price.

I won't change the Q6600.

TL;DR : Read bolds :thumbup: Thanks

JamesWild

The case doesn't have a side vent for the GPU. The nearest vent is on the wrong side of the card, fighting the GPU's own fan. This thing looks like a GPU cooker.

I'd say upgrade CPU+motherboard+RAM at the same time. Less headaches chasing up compatible hardware, less bottlenecking, usually actually cheaper than doing it bit by bit.

Don't do it until you're certain your current hardware is faulty and it wasn't caused by your GPU.

Which RAM are you looking at? Make sure you memtest86 it because a LOT is faulty and will cause random data corruption.

Power supply?

ZacD

I agree with James, I would not upgrade the mobo and ram until you upgrade the CPU.

nick2730

agree with james as well do all 3 at same time, make sure you old psu has the correct input type 24+4 pins. Its just not worth it to do the board and memory there is no real advantage. Your setup is pretty good, besides upgrading memory or video card you wont see much real world improvement. I would either wait till intel releases next CPU/GPU or do a full swap

Overlord

I don't think the RAM upgrade is going to do you any good unless you have a 64 bit OS. Since you claim to have 3072MB of RAM it appears you are running 32 bit, because 32 bit caps 4GB at about 3072 MB. An upgrade to 8 GB will just be a waste because the OS won't address the additional RAM. Upgrade to a 64 bit OS, get a new CPU, motherboard, GPU, and RAM.

EarthQuake

No point what so ever in upgrading your motherboard and ram while sticking with a 5 year old CPU. Save your money until you can afford a new CPU as well. Upgrade your video card now if you need to, it will work fine when you do the cpu/ram/mobo upgrade.

You will spend less money in the long term if you save(or just spend more money now) to do a proper cpu/mobo/ram upgrade.

JostVice

The case doesn't have a side vent for the GPU. The nearest vent is on the wrong side of the card, fighting the GPU's own fan. This thing looks like a GPU cooker.

Nice find. What do you think of the haf 912 (Though the fans are not included, i have to buy them) or the NZXT Tempest 210? I think the Haf 912 has dust filters, that is a plus.

The PSU I will be using is a Tacens Radix IV 700w

make sure you old psu has the correct input type 24+4 pins.

Oops, looking from the specs it says 20+4 pin, i will have to do a research, what are those 24+4 for?

I don't think the RAM upgrade is going to do you any good unless you have a 64 bit OS. Since you claim to have 3072MB of RAM it appears you are running 32 bit, because 32 bit caps 4GB at about 3072 MB. An upgrade to 8 GB will just be a waste because the OS won't address the additional RAM. Upgrade to a 64 bit OS, get a new CPU, motherboard, GPU, and RAM.

Of course! I'm running right now a 64bits OS, but i would reformat anyway for a scratch start.

agree with james as well do all 3 at same time, make sure you old psu has the correct input type 24+4 pins. Its just not worth it to do the board and memory there is no real advantage. Your setup is pretty good, besides upgrading memory or video card you wont see much real world improvement. I would either wait till intel releases next CPU/GPU or do a full swap

So you guys say it is much better to stay with 3gb of DDR2 Ram, instead of buying two new 2gb ddr2 sticks (4gb ddr2 total, two new because one 2gb was malfuncting) or a 775 mobo + 8 gb ddr3 ram?

Think of the long renders and computer freezing :poly122:

I've done my calculations and the 8gb ddr3 route would be 20€ expensiver than the 4gb ddr2, but if so many of you say buying a new mobo now is a mess then I feel less like it... For the next CPU/mobo upgrade i might wait for Haswell, that should be around April

Thanks

JamesWild

They seem somewhat better designed. I'm no expert on cooling, but they seem to be blowing air on the GPU (they show the GPU vent as a cold air intake) but surely you'd want to be pulling air out of there? I mounted a fan on the GPU vent on my case pulling air out and it keeps the GPU ice cold instead of cooking the wifi card and causing dropouts. I do wonder if the PCIe standard should be revised so the cards can be reversed channelling the hot air toward the CPU where it can be vented with the CPU's hot hair.

The issue with upgrading DDR2 is that DDR2 is becoming expensive. DDR3 Corsair Vengeance RAM is <£40 for 8Gb of pretty decent memory (pack of two 4Gb DIMMs) while slower DDR2 4Gb DIMMs are about £35 each.

Computer freezing could easily have been caused by your GPU being intermittently faulty, or even something completely random like duff SATA cables. (seen this)

I'd replace the GPU for now, and if it still freezes, look into replacing the other parts.

nick2730

typo i meant 24 pins total, 20+4 is the same thing it just has a 4 pin aux that can link to the main for 24 total pins. Most mobos are 24 pin now a days

JostVice

Thanks. I think i will do that, i will buy the GPU and the PC case and i will see what next. Also, I think ram speeds don't matter much, do them? not much difference from 667 ro 1000mhz?