Right now this is my setup.

E8400

ATI 4850

4gigs of  DDR2 800 ram

ECS P35T-A mobo

80 gig raptor.

Im kinda on the fence on what to do here. I built my existing computer a little over a year ago not really expecting to need a quad core for Fallen Earth.  I was thinking of getting this www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx but then Id just have my current procy collecting dust. 

Upgrading to the new i5/i7 platform would mean Id have to get new memory as well so I was thinking of getting this combo www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx    www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx. That way I can build another computer with the random parts I have sitting around just to mess around with.

If I go the AMD route it would be cheaper and I have another computer but what Im really after is the best performance with FE, I guess I could always try to sell my procy on ebay or something. heh   So which would give me the best performance the Intel or the AMD?

Edit: Or would simply just getting this www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx graphics card  help boost my performance. Im pretty sure its better than what I have right? IDK ive been out of the hardware game for awhile.lol

your system looks fine imo. If i had what you had though, i would probably get another HD .... 80gb is nowhere near enough to handle everything on my computer... although thats just me

I would recommend either upgrading evything, or nothing... your current set up is fine however is not capable of new technology. If you were going to upgrade you would want to have something that can handle the upgrades you will get it in a couple of years.

My recomendation is use te current set up and save up for a new motherboard/cpu/ram/harddrive all in one go. 

The earliest you should upgrade is next year.  I wouldn't recommend upgrading your processor and mobo until 2012.

Trust me it's not worth upgrading now as the next generation of Intel CPU's and Nvidia GPU's are slated for release in Jan and February next year. The reason not to go for a Intel Core i7/5 upgrade is Intel will be releasing their next generation of CPU's based on the 32nm manufacturing process, core i7's are on a 45nm, so even cooler running lower power consumption faster CPU's coming from Intel early next year, they'll also have a six core CPU on this new 32nm, I can't remember what Intel have codenamed these new CPU's in their test labs but a quick google will bring you up to speed.

 Also Nvidia are releasing their new GPU early next year as well, ATI recently released their latest gfx that's direct X 11 ready for Win 7, the just pretty much upped MHz and number of stream processors besides adding dx11 capability.

 Nvidia will be doing this and more with their next gen of GPU's that will also lean heavy on physics and few other features to assign tasks for the GPU to do, Win 7 brings a new feature called co processing ,basically having the GPU do other things when not in use for graphic data since GPU's are more advanced than CPU's to keep up with the demand of graphical data.

 So its really worth the wait to hold back until early next year to do the next big upgrade or you'll be kicking yourself if you went corei7 as a gamer this year as next gen set up will be a lot faster, not marginally faster which the core i7/5 are over Core 2 Due equivalent

As someone else said, about the only thing I would do is add another HD, preferably another Raptor at least.

Other than that, a little over-clocking wouldn't hurt if you feel comfortable doing it.

You didn't mention your OS, so I don't know if you can add more ram or not.

Personally, I'm waiting till the first quarter of 2010 to put together an i7 system.

Good luck.

Radeon 5850 is what I'd get in your place. 

alot of people think the six core cpu's will be around the £600 mark though, if that's true he's gonna have to wait along time for that tech to become a sensible upgrade, i wouldn't have really thought that the sandy bridge chips will be for mainstream users

Notable fact is that they also work on current mobos with bios upgrade. 

Thanks for the suggestions guys, its not that I really have  bad framerates in FE well except for in Embry but thats only when I have it all maxed out.  I just wasn't really sure if now was a good time to upgrade again  or if anything new was coming out.  

Well as for my os im using Win7 64bit, so I can still add another 4 gigs to my computer if I felt like it.   I do feel comfortable OC my stuff as well. Im actually OC a little bit with the stock cooler Im at 3.25 ghz but I hear with a good fan cooler they can even get up to 4ghz. Im just not sure if mine is the right stepping to do that or not Ill have to look into that. 

I woudln't mind getting a 33% increase over my stock speed.lol and another 4 gigs is 80 bucks.  Oh and also my mobo is cross fire capable but I do believe its x4 though so IDK if grabbing another 4850 for around 100 bones would be worth it either.

I am guessing the original post was from someone who does not have a lot of money or he would already have a better computer or he would not be thinking of upgrading only parts of his computer, in this case suggesting he wait to upgrade to the new stuff coming out next year or the year after would not be a good idea, instead a more conservative upgrade to what is cost effective but probably with a quad core 64bit chip would be more resonable.

I recomend an AMD Phenom quad core with DDR3 ram and an AM3 motherboard to match. A cheap video card will play most games with reasonable graphics. Hard drives are also reasonably cheap. This is the best option for someone on a budget who may be upgrading in the future as these options are cheaper than the Intel variety (and dont tell me they are better, i know that... i am looking at value, not speed).

Originally posted by haratu

I am guessing the original post was from someone who does not have a lot of money or he would already have a better computer or he would not be thinking of upgrading only parts of his computer, in this case suggesting he wait to upgrade to the new stuff coming out next year or the year after would not be a good idea, instead a more conservative upgrade to what is cost effective but probably with a quad core 64bit chip would be more resonable.

I recomend an AMD Phenom quad core with DDR3 ram and an AM3 motherboard to match. A cheap video card will play most games with reasonable graphics. Hard drives are also reasonably cheap. This is the best option for someone on a budget who may be upgrading in the future as these options are cheaper than the Intel variety (and dont tell me they are better, i know that... i am looking at value, not speed).

Yeah im pretty much looking for the best bang for the buck I sure i could have spent less and got pretty close performance is I went with AMD.  I used to be a hardcore AMD guy but I replaced a Asus and Gigabyte mobo all in one year. I know that isn't AMDs fault but It just pissed me off so I went with an Intel/ Foxcon and now I have Intel/ECS.

I really like ECS and I found out they make mobos for AMD processors so that got me thinking maybe I should go back since I love ATI so Im willing to give AMD another chance. I would be willing to wait till AMD can support triple channel DDR 3 memory (if they don't already do) so I can somewhat be with the times. Plus I really need a different computer so I can put all my music projects on there and have the new one for gaming. 

Im starting to think AMD would be the best way to go, I think its time for them to rise to the top again before C2D was king.

Gigabyte makes awesome MoBos for AMD processors and I recommend getting one if you choose to go the AMD path. 

Also, Phenom's already support DDR3... I know this becasue I am typing on a DDR3/AMD computer right now.