Upgrade choice

[Sajuuk]

Dump both options, go with a dual-hex setup with 48GB ram.

least that's my plan when I return to the states.

[Noids]

Wait for the sandy bridge e release. The current 2600k is a great chip but the chipsets are not as powerful as the X58 currently. The update for this is due end of this year. Will have quad channel memory instead of tri channel with up to 40 PCI Express lanes for multi GPU goodness (I am assuming from the plural of 460s that you are looking at MultiGPU). If you really want something now then I would say go the 2600k direction as you mention the most effective option fo the next few years and hopefully the sandy bridge chipsets will accept a CPU upgrade or two if you so choose.

[Kekkerer]

I'd go with a i7 980/990 and keep the triple channel memory that you have, no point downgrading to a sandy bridge chip.

[MiRai]

Dump both options, go with a dual-hex setup with 48GB ram.

least that's my plan when I return to the states.

Sam can help you build that.

Wait for the sandy bridge e release. The current 2600k is a great chip but the chipsets are not as powerful as the X58 currently. The update for this is due end of this year. Will have quad channel memory instead of tri channel with up to 40 PCI Express lanes for multi GPU goodness (I am assuming from the plural of 460s that you are looking at MultiGPU).

What makes you say that 1155 is not as powerful as X58? I'm also curious as to what benefits more PCIe lanes
and quad channel memory will provide to people over what we currently have. Real world benefits not the idea
that more is better.

I'd go with a i7 980/990 and keep the triple channel memory that you have, no point downgrading to a sandy bridge chip.

I do believe you need to look at a few benchmarks before you tell someone to upgrade to an outdated
processor which costs $1,000.

[Noids]

What makes you say that 1155 is not as powerful as X58? I'm also curious as to what benefits more PCIe lanes
and quad channel memory will provide to people over what we currently have. Real world benefits not the idea
that more is better.

Yeah poor choice of words with the sandy bridge/X58 comparison. The point I was trying to make was that the various Sandy Bridge chipsets offer no significant advantages over X58 other than being able to utilise the new generation CPUs which are definitely superior.

With regards to the potential (who actually knows until we can test the gear) benefits of the sandy bridge e chip/platforms, I would suggest they may be similar to the benefits seen upgrading from the OPs current system to a 2600k.

I am not generally one to recommend waiting for new technology before upgrading but in the OPs case he has what is a pretty amazing system to start with. The upgrades he is considering are probably only slightly more than side grades and I think in this particular case it would be better to wait another 6 months for a new generation of hardware before investing in it.

Saying that if you absolutely want to upgrade now, knyte, definitely go sandy bridge as I mentioned initially and seems to be the general consensus of this thread. On a sidenote, I have absolutely no idea how talk of DDR2 memory got started considering none of the platforms we are discussing support it...