System Upgrade for 2 x 7970

[Rapier503]

I am planning to upgrade my system so I can run 2 x 7970 in Eyefinity with 3 monitors. I want to make sure the CPU does not bottleneck the system.

My current system is:-

CPU AMD Phenom II X4 955
GPU Gigabyte 7970
M/B Asus M4A77TD - This can't take the 2 7970's

Options:-

Buy a Asus Sabertooth 990FX - This would take the 2 7970's but only be PCIe 2.0 but I could use the same CPU.

• Would the CPU be a bottle neck on this system?


• Would the PCIe 2.0 be a lot slower then the PCIe 3.0?

or

Go the Intel route
Either an I5-3570K or an I7-3770K with a P8Z77 Pro motherboard.

• Which of the Intel Processors would not bottle neck the system?

Thanks in advance

[Gilly]

Get the 3570 Intel system. Hyperthreading rarely does anything for gaming, so put the saved money towards a sound card or something similar. Or a good cooler, something like a H80 Corsair would be good. You could also get a 2500K, they generally overclock about the same, and they can be cooled easier than a 3570 can because of Intels choice of awful thermal paste with the IVB chips.

PLEASE DO NOT GET A CRAPPY POWER SUPPLY!!!

You want at least a good branded 850W PSU, something like an AX850, or a Seasonic 860 or better. Higher wattage, and 80 Plus Gold or Platinum ratings are what you should be looking at. Power is super important for a long lasting high end gaming system.