Need input on posible upgrades

[Zureal]

Field Value
Windows XP Home Ed. SP3
CPU: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 6000+ (overclocked to 3.3Ghz Via the AI overclock utility in BIOS)
CPU Cooler: Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro
MotherBoard: Asus M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition Rev. A2(updated BIOS to work with AM2+)
Ram: G-Skill DDR2 PC2-6400 (2 Gig Dual Channel) (stock)
Video: 2x XFX Fatal1ty 8500 GT 512MB in SLI (stock)
Sound: Creative SB X-Fi PCI SoundCard
HD: 2x 320GB 7500rpm (none RAID)
Optics: Plextor DvD-RW PX-750A
PS: CoolMaster 750 wat RS-750-ACAA-A1
Case: honestly do not know lol

Well as you can see my computer is pretty low key. I currently have found myself in possession of a little over $500 and want to upgrade. Now i was thinking of putting in a AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb 3.0GHz AM2+ Quad-Core Black Edition Processor, replacing my junky Video Cards with a pair of BFG Tech BFGE98512GTXPOCE GeForce 9800 GTX+ 512MB(i choose these because everywhere i research everything tells me that these are basically the same things as the new Nvidia 250, and also that 2 of them are faster than a 285GTX as well), and finally replacing the CPU cooler i have with a ZALMAN CNPS9300 AT 2 Ball CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink, as the reviews for them are great. Lastly if i have enuf money left over i wanted to get a Thermaltake Element S ATX Black Mid-T Case, as myn is old but has pretty poor airflow anyhoo
Would you consider these things a good upgrade? Would you perhaps choose different components? Trying to get the best bang for my buck, for a mostly gaming computer. And as a side note im a BIG Nvidia fan, I always seem to have problems with ATI, so please doint suggest anything from them. Not saying there bad, just saying i doint have any luck with them.Ether way, please give me your thoughts. Thx for your time!

 

[Whyfly??]

This

And this

And this

And lastly this

Only like $15 over-budget, I'm sure you can find some loose change laying around
You are located in the US right?

 

[Zureal]

Yea, live in the USA, All great suggestions, why not get 2 of the 260GTXs (I REALLY REALLY REALLY want a SLI setup) and the new processor? Will the GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard with its somewhat faster ram make that much of a difference?

 

[sniperviper21]

why do you really want SLI?

 

[Zureal]

why do you really want SLI?

More gaming power mostly.

 

[Whyfly??]

Yea, live in the USA, All great suggestions, why not get 2 of the 260GTXs (I REALLY REALLY REALLY want a SLI setup) and the new processor? Will the GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX AMD Motherboard with its somewhat faster ram make that much of a difference?

Better to get a 285 then. Two cards scale worse then one more powerful one. Yeah the motherboard will take advantage of that RAM. It will be a difference, just don't expect it to be like night and day, it will be a noticeable difference.

More gaming power mostly.

That is the best you can afford in your budget. Plus it is better to get one 285 or the likes, as it scales better then 2 260's.

 

[Zureal]

Plus it is better to get one 285 or the likes, as it scales better then 2 260's.

Oh , didnt know that part. Thought all cards pretty much scaled the same, good to know. I went ahead and got everything except the video card as Im going to wait till next week till pay day so i can get a 285, and then get another one latter on. Thx for the advice and the info!

 

[Whyfly??]

Oh , didnt know that part. Thought all cards pretty much scaled the same, good to know. I went ahead and got everything except the video card as Im going to wait till next week till pay day so i can get a 285, and then get another one latter on. Thx for the advice and the info!

Wait wait wait, why didn't you say that you have a bigger wallet?!?!
Screw the 285, just wait till This comes back in stock. This card will put the 285 to shame.
Plus I forgot to mention one thing. 95% of AMD motherboards (Not AMD brand, they take an AMD processor) work with Nvidia cards, but cannot SLI them. This is one of those boards. You can only crossfire cards, what crossfire means is the same thing as SLI, it is just for ATI cards.
I recommend you get that 5870 when it comes into stock, it performs better, and you will be able to use two

 

[Computear]

Wait wait wait, why didn't you say that you have a bigger wallet?!?!
Screw the 285, just wait till This comes back in stock. This card will put the 285 to shame.
Plus I forgot to mention one thing. 95% of AMD motherboards (Not AMD brand, they take an AMD processor) work with Nvidia cards, but cannot SLI them. This is one of those boards. You can only crossfire cards, what crossfire means is the same thing as SLI, it is just for ATI cards.
I recommend you get that 5870 when it comes into stock, it performs better, and you will be able to use two

Yes, the 20 seconds per month that they are in stock

 

[Zureal]

Well the reason im advers to using ATI cards is i always have the problem of having to manually set up the card to work with every individual game i have waras the NVIDIA cards i have never had to do this. And yes, i have pretty BIG wallet (make about $1200 a WEEK). I wanted to eventually get a board to go 3-way SLI, does ATI have something like that? I want this not only for my high end 24in monitor but i like to plug it into my 36" HDTV in my bedroom and when i have friends over to play into the living rooms 62" HDTV Lots of fun that is, and i have a bad ass DeafTech 5.1 in there, so i want something i can just use a HDMI cable with to. The $500 computer that i wanted to do was going to be just a cheep steeping stone so i can actually play at new games till the end of the month when i will have a little over $5000 for a computer (being just the Tower and everything in it ) So sorry if i confused you all with the money thing, i just spent all my money paying off my car so i doint have a car payment anymore! woohoo lol

Wait wait wait, why didn't you say that you have a bigger wallet?!?!
Screw the 285, just wait till This comes back in stock. This card will put the 285 to shame.
Plus I forgot to mention one thing. 95% of AMD motherboards (Not AMD brand, they take an AMD processor) work with Nvidia cards, but cannot SLI them. This is one of those boards. You can only crossfire cards, what crossfire means is the same thing as SLI, it is just for ATI cards.
I recommend you get that 5870 when it comes into stock, it performs better, and you will be able to use two

Wouldent a pair of 295 GTXs be as good? to bad you cant 3-way the 295