How Long Can My System Last?

[Beta]

I was wondering how much longer I should wait until I sould build a new system.
I can still play almost every game at full specs at 1920x1080 display setting. Also I get an average of 25-35 FPS in most games. So inshort should I upgrade to 4GB of DDR2 800 and hold off or build a new system in the fall?

I use this computer to game on my TV and I take it out side with a 20" HP LCD I have.

System Manufacturer/Model Number ASRock
OS Windows 7 Pro x64
CPU Core 2 Quad Q6600 @ 2.40GHz
Motherboard 4CoreDuel-Sata2
Memory 2GB DDR 400
Graphics Card His AGP ATI 4670 GPU
Sound Card HDMI on GPU
Monitor(s) Displays 32" Sony EX-500 120Hz
PSU Corsair 430 Watt
Case Apex
Cooling Coolmaster
Hard Drives 2 x Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB (Raid 0)

 

[essenbe]

If and when you build a new system is entirely up to you. No one can tell you how long it will last. If your system will do the things you need it to do, keep using it. You can upgrade the present system or build a new one. But, I would not spend money on something I was going to replace soon. You need to decide whether you will upgrade or build a new one.

 

[Outlander]

If your asking that question you are probably bored with the old box. So build it.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Beta,
Welcome to SF. I look at your spec's and as your using a 64 bit version I would add the fastest ram that the current mobo will support as it is cheap. This will speed up your system and when doing complex tasks like photo editing and such you will really see a difference. Keep in mind this upgrade won't transfer to a new mobo/system. Another great addition that totally transforms your system is the addition of a SSD drive. Keep in mind that this won't help with gaming speed only how fast they load, but let me tell you once you go SSD.......you'll never go back and this upgrade though expensive will transfer to the new rig ! The rest of your system components will make a fantastic under pinning for the new system if you choose to recycle and re-use them and we're hear to advise and offer our two cents on components when needed. I would work with what you have for a bit longer as the pricing on Intel Sandy's will just continue to fall and with a pending launch of the new 8 core AMD's the pricing on banging Phenom 6 cores will fall ever further.

 

[Mark Phelps]

Unless your motherboard is unusual, in that it supports BOTH DDR and DDR2 memory, you're not going to be able to upgrade to the new memory.

As to how long to stay with the current hardware -- it all depends on what new hardware features are available that you feel you really want or need. Certainly a new PS with a faster processor, faster memory, SATA-3 drive connections (and a new SATA-3 drive), USB3 connections (and USB3 devices), display-port connections ... etc will be attractive ... however ... I recently replaced my old dual-core PC with a new 6-core AMD 1090T, and old DDR 400 memory with new DDR3 1600 memory -- and while it IS faster, it's not a LOT faster.

 

[Zepher]

Unless your motherboard is unusual, in that it supports BOTH DDR and DDR2 memory, you're not going to be able to upgrade to the new memory.

As to how long to stay with the current hardware -- it all depends on what new hardware features are available that you feel you really want or need. Certainly a new PS with a faster processor, faster memory, SATA-3 drive connections (and a new SATA-3 drive), USB3 connections (and USB3 devices), display-port connections ... etc will be attractive ... however ... I recently replaced my old dual-core PC with a new 6-core AMD 1090T, and old DDR 400 memory with new DDR3 1600 memory -- and while it IS faster, it's not a LOT faster.

Some older boards had 4 slots, 2 DDR and 2 DDR2 while other boards had DDR2 and DDR3 slots. He may have one that does DDR and DDR2, but he may have to get rid of the DDR since the boards I looked at don't support using both models at the same time.

 

[GEWB]

Actually that's not a bad system, similar to what I'm running. I have two suggestions:

1) Get the 4G of DDR2-800 RAM (dual channel)
2) Overclock that CPU to 3.2GHz - easy to do; the CPU and RAM will be very stable with RAM at 400MHz and CPU multiplier at 8 (mine has been running at this for better than two years/12 hours per day)

This setup should be good for at least a year, maybe two (new games will be the determining factor).

Third option (after RAM and OC) is a better (as in much more expensive) video card. If you do this, get a card that will work in your next system (planning to keep perhaps threes years out).

Regards,
GEWB

 

[essenbe]

I still contend that if he is going to build a new system in 2 months, it makes no sense to spend money on things that cannot be used in the new system. If as linnemeyer said he wants to buy an SSD or upgrade his graphics card or things like that, fine. Those things can be used in a new system. If he is going to keep this system, sure buy the new faster memory, upgrade the graphics card and buy an SSD. Just decide beforehand which route you are going to take.

 

[Beta]

I have been looking at the new AMD 8 core cpu as my next upgrade. The cost of the cpu at launch may be high.

As for my motherboard it has both DDR and DDR II slots. The board officaly only supports 2GB of ram but with a moded bios it can support up to 4 GB. I realy like Far Cry 2 and want to play Far Cry 3 at full setting when it comes out this summer and the ram my be bottle neching my rig. I can not put a solid state drive in my system due to the fact that I only have 2 Sata ports on the mother board (I am runing raid 0). I guess I could get a pci sata 2 card but that would for sure bottle neck at the pci bus. As for upgrading to a pciexpress card from my apg card the pciexpress lane on my board only runs at x4.

Also if I want to have usb 3.0 I would buy this 2-Port USB 3.0 PCI Controller from Addonics and yes this is a usb 3.0 PCI card.