Upgrading my Gaming PC - advice ?

[DRAC2GUNZ]

CUrrently:
X2 3800+ AM2
Nvidia 7600 GT 512MB
2x1GB Corsair Value Select PC6400 DDR2/800
Gigabyte nForce4 MoBo
420W PSU
X-DISCOVERY-BK Case

Basically I only play several games on a regular basis; BF2, CS:S/1.6, and FFXI.. My current specs are able to run CS:S and BF2 and 50+ ( I'm only looking at what the FPS is in heavy combat ) FPS on 1024x768 w/ all the settings maxed and none of my hardware OC'd. I was looking at upgrading my PSU, CPU, and GPU.

For a CPU I was looking at:
AMD 5200+ X2 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103759), and I've looked a bit at the 5600+ (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103771) and FX-64 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103861), not sure which exactly. The 56 and FX-64 are both about $100 more then the 5200 and from what I've read on specs and reviews, they aren't drastically higher spec'd.

For a GPU, this is where I will definately need a new PSU:
The 8800s are nice, but currently their a bit over the price I'm wanting to spend on a GFX Card. I'm unsure on what to get. I may just wait a bit for the 8800s to drop 50-100 dollars. Any card suggestions are welcomed. Possibly try to go SLi with another 7600GT 512 ?

And a PSU... something I'm unsure of what to look for... Makes sense to go with best reviewed one, but do you guys have any suggestions ?

[David]

Allright 2 things i gotta say.

#1. Your cpu is okay for now you got a socket Am2 correct? Then wait for Barcelona(Native Quad Core aka K10) or wait for K8L(Basically your cpu with an extra issue per core on each side encode and decode)

#2. Wait for Rv630 from the rumors it will retail at around 200$ have 64 simple shaders(16 complex aka vec4 same as the x800,x850,x1800, basically any card with the number 8 in it from Ati) The 2600xt should have a 650mhz core clock a bit faster then the x1800xt and it has faster ram so it should be faster in everything(Here's a link to what i mean http://www.gpureview.com/radeon-x1800-xt-card-326.html Imagine the x2600xt with 51.2 gb's mem interface)
And you probably wont need to upgrade your Gpu.

Also sorry for the long explanation but i want to make things exact and always right (like i do in bf2 with my headshots pm me sometime) Stupid Ocd.

[Mike]

The 320MB 8800GTS is around for $300...is that too much?

If so, I'd probably wait till the mid-range dx10 parts show up this spring/summer.

[David]

I say he wait the 2800gt will be released for the same price and it will be more powerful then the 320mb gts and the upcoming 8900gt which will be the same card physically(I mean by pipe config) as the current 8800gts but lower clocks.

[Mike]

I say he wait the 2800gt will be released for the same price and it will be more powerful then the 320mb gts and the upcoming 8900gt which will be the same card physically(I mean by pipe config) as the current 8800gts but lower clocks.

...umm...says who?

[David]

...umm...says who?
Speculative rumors on the internet Mike it's nothing concrete man but most of them we're right about the r600(And no it was'nt from the inquirer) And the G83 and G84. I dont wanna post them cause i dont wanna spam but i do wanna tell people what to expect from the future cards from both sides.

[Mike]

Speculative rumors on the internet Mike it's nothing concrete man but most of them we're right about the r600(And no it was'nt from the inquirer) And the G83 and G84. I dont wanna post them cause i dont wanna spam but i do wanna tell people what to expect from the future cards from both sides.
The point here is, do not post rumors as though they are fact. Say something to the effect of "the rumor is...".

I know it's easy to get wrapped up in this stuff and forget that everything you think you know is in fact just a bunch of unsubstantiated rumors. But when people ask for advice, we need to give them facts, not conjecture.

Also, anyone who EVER tells you that they know the clock speeds of any card more than a month before the card is due to launch is blowing smoke up your ass. Clock speeds are typically decided at the last minute and are often changed in order to respond to competition.