Is upgrade worth it?

[Loyudo]

I'm looking to get a big screen 3D tv here in the next couple of weeks and would like to upgrade my computer to handle some 3D gaming in 1080p.

my current system

cpu - phenom ii x4 970 be
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103894
psu - corsair 650w 80 plus sli ready
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005
gpu - msi gtx 460 1gb
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127510
mobo - msi 870-g45 am3 amd 770
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130290
memory - 2x2gb
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820161279
case - cooler master haf 922
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119197

I was thinking the best way to go would be to upgrade to i5 2500k, get another gtx460 for sli, and throw in some extra memory for good measure. I also plan on reusing my c300 128gb, spinpoint f3 1tb, case, psu, ect. and then selling my current mobo and processor for what i can get out of it.

here's what i have so far

gpu - msi gtx460 1gb $195
same as above
mobo - msi p67a-g45 (b3) $140
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130582
cpu - i5 2500k $215
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115072
memory - 2x2gb $42
same as above

comes out to just under $600

my main concerns are
- will my current psu power the sli?
- am I right to match the gpu down to the brand and model or will a more affordable gtx460 1gb work just as well?
- the mobo I chose has pci express 2.0 x16 (x16, x8), would it be worth the extra $18 to get one that has (x16, x16)?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130572
- is there a better way to get more performance for around the same cost?

Thank you for your input

 

[dma0991]

The 650W unit from Corsair will be able to handle the GTX460 SLI without problems. It is not necessary to have a matching pair of GTX460 in terms of brand. Not worth it to spend more money on a x16x16 board as the x8x8 will be able to support 2 cards with 1-2% minimal loss compared to x16x16.

 

[Puppies04]

You only get 16 lanes on the 1155 mobo's so x16 x16 would still only give you x8 x8 in real terms, not that this will be a problem. I would look at selling the 460 you have and dumping a bit more money on a single gpu at least then you leave yourself with an upgrade path other than trying to cram a 3rd 460 in there, but that is just my personal preference

 

[Blain]

3D gaming at 1080p isn't that big of a deal.
Gamers have been playing at that or higher resolution for quite a few years now.

~ Five years ago ~

 

[Loyudo]

Thank you for your replies.

Puppies - looking at the current single card selection the only high performing card I could get without spending at least a hundred more, factoring in the sell of the 460, would be the 6970. Looking at the bench that card would still have less performance than the 460 sli
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/292?vs=314
also if I got the single card I don't think my current power supply would handle two 6970 for an upgrade down the road (correct me if i'm wrong), and since I would have to spend considerably more on a mobo to get 3 way sli for the 460's and wouldn't get much out of it because of scailing, that wouldn't be a good option either. So no matter which way I go wouldn't my best option for a later upgrade be a single card? So shouldn't I go for the most performance at the lowest price now? I'm not asking to be snide I am still new to building and would really like to know if my thinking is off.

 

[mfenn]

I see no reason to upgrade anything except for the GPU. Sure, a 970 BE isn't as fast as a 2500K, but it will hold its own in gaming just fine. I'd grab a 6950 2GB for $240 AR and call it a day. As Blain said, 1080P just isn't a big deal today, certainly not worth the headache of an SLI system in the living room.

 

[betasub]

I'm looking to get a big screen 3D tv here in the next couple of weeks and would like to upgrade my computer to handle some 3D gaming in 1080p.

Do you have a link to the TV? I assume it is a 120Hz item with DVI/HDMI inputs.