$300 to Spend On Some Upgrades, Help Me Out!

My current setup is:

CPU:Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor BX80562Q6600

MOBO:ASUS P5K LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard

RAM: 3xMushkin Enhanced Enhanced Performance 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Desktop Memory Model 991381

Video Card: XFX HD-567X-ZNF3 Radeon HD 5670 1GB 128-bit DDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card

I've been thinking of just getting an xBox 360 and abandoning my PC all together, but I can't do it! I've got about $300 and am looking at first upgrading the Video Card.

-If I were to upgrade to a nVidia GTX 550 ti, would my Q6600 bottleneck the card?

-If I upgrade the processer and MOBO, I'll probably just go for 8GB of RAM, is that a good amount for gaming?

-My laptop has a i3 processor, but I'm looking to go AMD for my PC, any suggestions?

Ultimately, if the Q6600 is still viable, I may just do a RAM upgrade to 8GB and get something like a GTX 550 ti (on sale at newegg.)

Throw me some ideas guys & gals.

etmaul

Your Q6600 is still a viable , so I would look into a 7850 and getting at least 4gb of memory total.

That 5670 is what is really holding you back. a 7850 will be night and day difference

I'm still using my Q6600 from 2007 too. OC'd to 3.1 Ghz with 4 gb DDR2 RAM, 750gb 7200RPM Westgate Caviar Black HDD and a 6970. I haven't found a game I can't max at 1680 x 1050 yet.

The 550, ti or not, is not a gaming card and the card you're using isn't really meant for gaming either. Upgrade the card, it's a huge bottleneck, and then OC the processor to at least 3.0 Ghz and you'll be good to go for another year or 2.

Thanks for the quick responses guys!

Good to know I can hang on to the processor for a bit longer. I'll look into a 7850 as well. Do you think 4GB is good or go 8GB for the RAM.

As for overclocking, is that something I should do in the BIOS or is there a specific program, I've never done it before.

Thanks for the quick responses guys!

Good to know I can hang on to the processor for a bit longer. I'll look into a 7850 as well. Do you think 4GB is good or go 8GB for the RAM.

As for overclocking, is that something I should do in the BIOS or is there a specific program, I've never done it before.

etmaul

[QUOTE="etmaul"]

Thanks for the quick responses guys!

Good to know I can hang on to the processor for a bit longer. I'll look into a 7850 as well. Do you think 4GB is good or go 8GB for the RAM.

As for overclocking, is that something I should do in the BIOS or is there a specific program, I've never done it before.

ionusX

Leave it to ionus to add some completely irrelevant and unnecessary info pimping AMD. The guy doesn't have an AMD CPU and with $300 for upgrade all of which is going to GPU and RAM he has no chance of having one anytime soon. I know ur trying to be helpful in your own way but man common... tone down the blatant favoritism to something that is objectively inferior, pretty sure everyone here has heard enough as you post in like every thread. Sorry if I come off as an ass its just your so relentless its tiring...

[QUOTE="ionusX"]

[QUOTE="etmaul"]

Thanks for the quick responses guys!

Good to know I can hang on to the processor for a bit longer. I'll look into a 7850 as well. Do you think 4GB is good or go 8GB for the RAM.

As for overclocking, is that something I should do in the BIOS or is there a specific program, I've never done it before.

Obiwan_1O

Leave it to ionus to add some completely irrelevant and unnecessary info pimping AMD. The guy doesn't have an AMD CPU and with $300 for upgrade all of which is going to GPU and RAM he has no chance of having one anytime soon. I know ur trying to be helpful in your own way but man common... tone down the blatant favoritism to something that is objectively inferior, pretty sure everyone here has heard enough as you post in like every thread. Sorry if I come off as an ass its just your so relentless its tiring...

look im only stating the fact that AMD users have an option for quick clocking and intel's options are very questionable in the results department and should be avoided as a result. besides BIOS clocking is a nice thing to know =)

[QUOTE="Obiwan_1O"]

[QUOTE="ionusX"] CPU overclocking of intel cpu's is best done through the BIOS. amd cpu's have a ncie AMD made software option that works suprisingly well if you dun care about volt modding

ionusX

Leave it to ionus to add some completely irrelevant and unnecessary info pimping AMD. The guy doesn't have an AMD CPU and with $300 for upgrade all of which is going to GPU and RAM he has no chance of having one anytime soon. I know ur trying to be helpful in your own way but man common... tone down the blatant favoritism to something that is objectively inferior, pretty sure everyone here has heard enough as you post in like every thread. Sorry if I come off as an ass its just your so relentless its tiring...

look im only stating the fact that AMD users have an option for quick clocking and intel's options are very questionable in the results department and should be avoided as a result. besides BIOS clocking is a nice thing to know =)

Honestly I am starting to think that you are so much of a fanboy that you dont even realise you are doing it.

Get a better cooler and overclcok the 6600.

Don't buy a 550ti it's slower than my aging GTX 275, get at least a 560, preferably 660 if you want nvidia.