[b3JOkwXL]

A new CPU would help allot though, a quad clocked over 3ghz would open up the GPU more and with today's games it would boost performance quite allot, but it's not cheap even on a 775 to go to a quad from the c2d. Ideally would like a q9450, but meh they still go for £200 new and £140/£150 second hand, if going to upgrade to that might as well just go full out on a i5 or something but then comes all the added cost of that to.

Eh? Most games today are GPU limited and have been for a few years (since core2 I would say lol). I recently bought a cheap Q9550 because I had the upgrade itch and I didn't want my dual to be the limit when I upgrade the GPU but so far, there's not much of difference except when I play games, surf or study the CPU usage is 5-10% instead of 15-30%.

In your position, I would wait to upgrade completely. Let's divide upgrades into three parts; budget, gaming and enthusiast. Obviously the latter is too expensive and gaming as well unless you find a good deal for the GPU and CPU which I would say is the most important components for gaming. Budget could work but certainly won't be that much of an upgrade, just newer or exchanged parts of the same performance.

[TodeImmabbedo]

I think it's quite to opposite these days with desktops. Now I can't speak for you Brits, but in AU with a strong dollar and just generally great bang for your buck desktop parts. A desktop PC is relatively inexpensive these days.

[jobsfancy]

I also think that prices are great these days! I cant remember a time when they have been better. Okay, there were times when RAM was cheaper, but you can build a very good rig for very little money.

And to be honest, when you're poor (as you say you are) then prices are always too high. So I cant see the point of this thread.

[occurrini]

Eh? Most games today are GPU limited and have been for a few years (since core2 I would say lol). I recently bought a cheap Q9550 because I had the upgrade itch and I didn't want my dual to be the limit when I upgrade the GPU but so far, there's not much of difference except when I play games, surf or study the CPU usage is 5-10% instead of 15-30%.

I would notice a big improvement with a CPU upgrade, even tried my friends Q6600 in my PC for a bit clocked at 3.4 it gave me quite a big FPS boost in all games, especially games like SH.

Again, if money is such an issue, why stay Intel, that cpu for ~400USD (are my exchange rates that far off?) when you could get so much more with that money (like a much faster AMD CPU/MB combo

Because when I got this current rig a few years ago Intel was by far the better deal money/performance wise.

As said though maybe am moaning to much but the 25% increase before has hurt people like me more.

Saying all this though AMD/Nv have just started dropping prices again on mid range cards! Prices looking good there now, just hope they drop prices on their lower end/mid range cards, like the 5770, etc, as would like to see these drop below £100.

So my wishes after making this thread have started to come true in terms of prices coming down, as I guess this thread helped if your superstitious at least. Don't help with getting a quad though.

[AmfitNom]

I think it's quite to opposite these days with desktops. Now I can't speak for you Brits, but in AU with a strong dollar and just generally great bang for your buck desktop parts. A desktop PC is relatively inexpensive these days.

Compared to past generations, you can pick up a very good computer for the same money. This should apply to where ever you live.