Which Call of Duty are we talking about? With those specs, you aren't playing anything past CoD4 or CoD5. Even then, finding a GPU that won't blow out that power supply is going to be a headache.
crimsonstag84 actually laid out a solid upgrade path above if you're looking to grab a card. You could probably pick up the whole lot in that order.
For $1333 you aren't going to find a 17.3" laptop with a decent processor that also comes with Windows pre-installed. There aren't many budget models out there anyway, so just find the cheapest one that looks okay screen-wise and has Windows, then ask if they're legit.
Either way, he’s better off waiting until both the game and the new cards are actually out
And does he need a new power supply? Yeah, sure, it wouldn't hurt, but for a total draw of maybe 150-200W, he could probably get away with some junk—at least while the GPU is still under warranty.
Look, if the game isn't dropping until the end of the year, just wait until the next generation of cards hits the shelves. Save your cash and grab an entry-level gaming GPU once they actually launch. Word is they’ll probably perform around the level of a GTX 960 and pull about 75W (same deal with AMD), so you won't even need a new power supply. Just stash away roughly $500 and buy the card when the game finally comes out.
If I were putting money anywhere, it’d be on a solid power supply. After that, I'd just hammer that Core i7-10700K until it finally gives up the ghost. Investing in a good PSU isn't a waste if you eventually ditch the rig. And if the power supply inside is actually decent enough, then there's nothing else to worry about.
Depends on what you're actually trying to achieve. Like others have pointed out, spending an extra hundred bucks isn't going to get you a justified upgrade here.
You could try overclocking that Core i7-10700K; you should be able to push it past 3GHz without much trouble. What kind of PSU are you running?
Maybe all five, but for the games he mentioned, an i3 will push better than this—often faster than a slightly lower clocked i5 Plus, you probably won't be able to OC that FX anyway
World of Tanks only uses about one and a half cores. Honestly, those 3.7 GHz Skylake chips are overkill for a game like this. GTX 950 is the sweet spot.
Kimberly Gomez34 said:That link isn't working for you.
Take that Fortron Hyper m 700 w, for instance. To be honest, the power supply itself isn't anything groundbreaking—it's more like a solid mid-tier option—but it comes with a 5-year warranty and offers plenty of juice for what you're paying (around $163). When it comes to truly high-end, premium units, I don't think there's a clear "best buy" out there right now. You really have to shell out if you want the best.
If we're talking strict requirements—Gold efficiency, fully modular, top-tier capacitors, elite build quality, a long warranty (5+ years), and at least 550W—then I'd say this is the cheapest option that happens to be out of stock at the moment. A close runner-up would be the Fractal Design Edison.
Copied this from somewhere else; works fine on my phone. That OCZ CoreXstream 20+25A, from some $100, was pulling steady without any ripples.
Tests show the R9 390 hits 250W during peak gaming and climbs to 320W in Furmark. On paper, this PSU could technically handle it. I ran two 7850s on this cheap unit for a few months, pulling full load about 12 hours a day, and it held up just fine. (That’s assuming you're also running an i3 3220 and its integrated graphics) http://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/up...C_1489_DxO.jpg
But honestly? You're basically gambling with your hardware's life. Like everyone else said, there's zero reason to pair an entry-level power supply with a build like this.
Let's just say the price gap is maybe $100-$67. But since they don't share a socket, their actual value changes depending on what you're looking at. You might see a 5-10% performance bump, or maybe not even that much.
jadebison17, you're comparing a "pathetic" Core i7 950 to a 65W chip. That CPU pulls well over 100W—if you overclock it even a little, you're looking at 150W minimum.
Corpse eater, people are selling a Core i7 6700 for like $250 on the used market right now.
That would definitely be worth it.
Anyway, it all comes down to the budget and how you pair parts. Given what you need—since it’s not just for gaming—you're better off grabbing a Haswell i7 rather than some brand-new i5. So, either go with a non-K i7 like Smartic suggested, or drop the extra cash for a Haswell i7K if you actually plan on overclocking.
But look, a Core i7 6700K is pricey, and it makes zero sense with that motherboard jadebison17 picked out. This isn't about GPU bottlenecking like he's claiming; you just need raw CPU power for your workflow. Buying a K-series chip and not overclocking it is a waste of money. Not to mention, buying a new motherboard after seven years is just insane.
What Smartic suggested with the Core i7 4790 is a killer deal for that price.
jadebison17 said:Regarding the cooler—the case airflow is pretty terrible, a total disaster. In my opinion, you're better off grabbing an EVO 212 than sticking with the stock cooler.
Honestly, just go with liquid cooling. 😵 You could cool a 65W chip by smearing Nestlé ice cream over the processor and blowing on it. Source: At work, when I push an Intel Core i5-2400 (which hits 95W at full load), the stock cooler barely breaks a sweat, and that CPU is four generations old. People are running 6-8 core AMD setups on cheap budget builds at 4 GHz.
A 6700K paired with a board that won't let you overclock? Not worth it. Much better to just grab an Intel Haswell i7 (K or non-K) like the other guy suggested.
The Intel Core i5-6402P is a solid recommendation since it’s basically the cheapest i5 out there. It fits tight budgets, and honestly, most gamers won't even notice the difference—it's rare for a game to push enough cores to make turbo boost feel insufficient anyway. So, fundamentally, it offers better value than the 6400 or 6600. But look, it all depends on where you're shopping. You have to check the actual price tag. If the gap is only $15.00 at $600, I'd actually argue the 6600 is worth it, especially if you're doing professional work on top of gaming. Plus, like you mentioned, that price difference is often even smaller. Since raw processing power is your priority, for an extra 200-$100, you're getting solid value in my opinion.
What’s the point of a $250$100 cooler for a 65W processor that runs perfectly fine on the stock one? The LC-CC-95 is top-tier, sure, but only if someone is chasing absolute silence. Even then, an LC95 won't even break a sweat on an Intel Core i5.
Regarding the case—you can grab it or skip it, your call. You could also just go with a 120 GB SSD (that’s what I’d do; enough for the OS, some apps, and maybe one game).
Definitely hang onto your current GPU for now, then pick up something new in about 6 months for roughly $500
P.S. Most shops offer free shipping at these price points. You can just have it delivered to Monterey if you don't feel like hauling a case around.