Hmmm well what if i just oc'd my current processor?would that save me a few bucks?(athlon 4800 socket am2 2.4ghz)
you shouldn't have any problems running games at high settings with your set up.
i run them high and i have a 4200 (and its not always overclocked, ususally when gaming it is stock) and a 7900gs (sometimes overclocked, sometimes not depends on my mood that day).
you can probably overclock your cpu to about 2.8+ or so, maybe higher.
will it save you a lot of money?
uh, yes. you are looking at a cost of $0.00 to overclock your current cpu.
you are lookinig at hundreds of dollars to change your cpu and mobo to a c2d.
if you want to have the best framerates, use the money that you have for a new cpu and mobo and buy an 8800gtx. that would make more of a difference than changing your cpu. but really, you shouldn't have any problems with a 7950gx2 and a stock 4800.
also, sora is correct. the new amd chips will be out probably in late summer (fingers crossed), and they will be backwards compatible with am2 mobos, although you will not be able to use ddr3 with an am2 mobo. but really, who cares as ddr2 does not seem to be like amazingly superior to ddr. and actually it seems that ddr works better in the amd as it has much lower latency.
and yes the new amd's are supposed to be suh-mokin.
p.s. sorry to hijack...sora did you see my post with the cpu-z pic?
4-4-3-8 1T @ 418(i think) mhz woot woot.