Posts by Adam Moore3

Some sort of 2011-v3 i7 paired with 32 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD should definitely fit in here. 🙂

redmason12 said:Hey, I'm dropping this here so I don't clutter up the forum with a whole new thread, but I really need some help figuring out a PC upgrade for gaming. My budget is sitting around $3,500-$1333, and I'm planning on hanging onto a few things from my old rig—specifically the case, my Chieftec Smart 550w power supply, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB HDD. So, here's what I'm thinking: maybe grab an R9 270 x or an R9280 for the graphics? For the CPU, should I go with an AMD x8 8320 or an AMD x6 6300? Plus, I definitely need another 4GB of RAM. Also, if anyone knows a solid motherboard that can actually handle all that together, please let me know! But honestly, if there are better ways to spend my money or different parts entirely, I'm totally open to suggestions. Any advice at all would be huge!

The Smart series from Chieftec isn't exactly the most exciting solution out there, but it gets the job done. How old is this power supply, anyway? If you aren't planning on swapping the PSU, then try something like this...

1 x Gigabyte 970A-DS3P, AM3+, AMD 970 SB950, 4x DDR3 2000(O.C.)/1866
1 x FX 8300 3.3GHz Processor, 16MB, 125W, AM3+ FD8300WMHK
1 x 4GB DDR3 Kingston Value, 1600MHz, CL11
1 x MSI GTX 960 2GD5T OC, 2GB GDDR5, Armor 2x, DVI, HDMI, 3x DP
1 x SCYTHE Katana 3 SCKTN-3000A White Box, 754/939/AM2/AM2+/AM3

$1251 adm.hr

I didn't go with the Radeon R9 280 because it pulls noticeably more power than the GTX 960, even though their performance is pretty much neck and neck. Plus, you're going to need an aftermarket cooler for that FX chip I put in there. If you already have one lying around, let me know which model—maybe we can save you from having to buy a new one...

Kenneth Jackson3 said:Based on some advice from my colleagues, I decided to hold off until this fall to pick up a new graphics card. My current setup is...

Intel FX 8350.
N/A
M5A97 r2.0
N/A
8 GB RAM

Is it worth upgrading from an HD7770 to a GTX 950? ) ?
That one is my top pick right now. The performance looks solid, the price is right, and best of all, I won't have to overhaul my power supply just to make it work. My budget definitely can't handle upgrading both the GPU and the PSU at once.
I'm running at 1080p, and my main goal is being able to play those big titles on medium to high settings at that resolution.

Thanks!

I’d definitely go with the R9 280 over that Nvidia card. The 280 is more powerful, and it's only about ten bucks more. I honestly don't see the point of that graphics card at all, especially given how much they charge for them here in the States. $533That spot's already been claimed by the R9 280, which actually outclasses the 950. Maybe they're just labeling it a "gaming card for esports" to bait people in. Jeez... ☕

Jacob Chase2 said:How about something like this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/windows-software-listing-example

🤣 People are out here burning Windows onto CDs and selling them for $167 claiming they're original 😂 Basically, it's a total scam. You're a gamer, you have plenty of sites where you can grab Windows. Without being ripped off on the price (meaning, for free). Good grief. 🙂

Lawrence Reed3 said:Exactly, that was my plan all along.
@ Timothy Kim60, my graphics card only has digital outputs.
I just spoke with a guy at the Best Buy in Chicago, and he mentioned I could hook up the monitor via DisplayPort or HDMI, which means I'll just need some adapters like an HDMI to VGA or a DP to VGA.

Good grief, why is there so much confusion over this? Your monitor only has a VGA input—no DVI and no HDMI. Modern cards don't have VGA anymore; they use DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort. You either need a new monitor 😬 or a "DVI/HDMI/DP to VGA adapter." Basically, one side is VGA and the other side needs to match one of those three so you can plug the monitor (which is VGA) into the adapter, and then plug the adapter into the card. That's it. 🙂

Look, you’ll survive with that monitor, but I only suggested the upgrade because it's such a waste to pair a beast of a GPU with an old screen at a resolution lower than Full HD. Like Adam Moore3 mentioned, most people are running that card at 2560x1440, whereas you're still stuck at 1680x1050. That's why it's mostly 🙂

Lawrence Reed3 said:Maybe recommend something for Photoshop so we don't drift too far off-topic here. Personally, the one I have works fine—an LG Flatron W2241S. If you go for a new one, just make sure it has the right connectors for your card. I can't find an adapter or cable for this setup anywhere.

Look, that's a really old monitor with a TN panel, and if I recall correctly, it's stuck at 1680x1050 resolution. You're pairing a super outdated screen where Full HD isn't even the native resolution with a GPU from $1000 that people actually use for light 4K gaming 🙂 It doesn't quite add up, does it? 😬 At the very least, you could grab OVAKO something like this. It's dirt cheap, uses a VA matrix, and is obviously Full HD. Or maybe OVAKO something with an IPS panel. At least then you'll actually be able to use the potential of your graphics card. Running an R9 390 at 1680x1050... what a waste 😁

Man, it’s such a waste to pair a monitor like that with a card like yours. I honestly think you’d see a massive difference if you switched over to an IPS panel—there are plenty of them under $333 right now. You’d definitely be better off 🙂 provided you have the cash to spare.

Daniel Jackson29 said:Which card is better for gaming:
1) XFX AMD R9 270A 2GB DDR5
2) Radeon HD6990

They're available at about the same price, but I'm no expert on which one holds up better right now.
Online comparisons seem split, with one favoring one card and the other favoring the second. 🤔

Well, looking strictly at raw power, the 6990 is stronger. Mind you, it's much older, so if it’s using a stock cooler—the reference version—it's going to run as hot as a jet engine. Even if it isn't, it’ll still run pretty hot, just maybe a little less so. It really depends on how old and how heavily used they are, but that 6990 is roughly on par with an R9 280, provided you don't count the usual headaches that come with dual GPU setups.

Jacob Chase2 said:I'm still pretty new to all of this, so I honestly have no idea how to actually put a computer together myself...
Is it actually worth my money to pick up an iMac 21.5?
And by the way, why wouldn't I just go with that PC (Microsoft) I linked earlier?? It comes with 8 GB of RAM, and I'm really not sure if 4 GB would be enough to run something like CS:GO or similar games...

You don't need to build the computer yourself; the shop will put the components together for you for free, so you'll get everything pre-assembled. Gaming and Mac just don't mix. Honestly, gaming and Mac just don't go together at all. 😬 That thing you linked costs $1833 and it's total garbage for that kind of money. An i3 and a 250X graphics card for $1833! That's insane; whoever put that up for sale deserves 🙂 That's a build from $1167, maybe even less. Either way, just grab the one they have pre-built; it's the best value, way better than those custom builds or a Mac, whatever you plan on using it for—plus, the store will assemble it for free and even offer free delivery. 🙂

CLICK 😂 Wow, this is just insane. 🙂

placidgull21 said:My OCZ 500W power supply just died on me... naturally, right after the warranty expired... and now I've noticed all the decent power supplies have gone through the roof. Almost everything is nearly twice the price it was 3 or 4 years ago...

I'm looking at some Best Buy options (based on http://powersupplycalculator.net/, my max load is 320W, and they recommend 450W for 24-hour/always-on use). I need two 6-pin connectors for the GPU.

Right now I'm considering the Zalman LX 500W, the Zalman GS 500W, and the Xilence Performance C 600W.

Specs:
ASRock P67 Pro3 SE motherboard
Intel Core i5-2550K
XFX Radeon 6870
2x4GB DDR3
500GB WD Caviar Green
DVD/CD RW
Zalman case with 4 fans

If anyone has any smarter advice, let me know...

The LX series really isn't anything special, and I'm not even sure where you were planning on picking it up since they're barely in stock anywhere. Same goes for the GS; I don't know where you saw that one. SOMETHING LIKE THIS would be ideal for you—it could even handle a much stronger card, like an R9 280.

frozenpanther said:So, here’s the deal—my motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-M61SME-S2L with an AM2 socket, and I'm running a deluxe KY-400 ATX power supply. I've got about $200 to work with. I spotted a Phenom quad core for 250, some RAM for 200, and a graphics card for $67, but then I stumbled upon an Athlon 64 x2 2.8 ghz from a buddy for $50. I was leaning toward the Phenom since I really don't want to swap out this motherboard, but if the Phenom isn't a fit, I might just go with the Athlon and the DDR2 RAM instead. Also, I'm wondering if that power supply can actually handle the whole setup.

Can you explain why you even want to upgrade this PC in the first place? You mentioned yourself that you barely use it anymore and that a laptop has basically replaced it. This is such an ancient platform that investing in it just doesn't make sense. What are you actually hoping to gain by swapping out these few components?

Austin Morgan4 said:do $333 I'd separate them. I'm running a Phenom II X4 975 at 3600MHz, but the power supply is just a generic 400W unit.

You’ll need to swap out the power supply too. Honestly, I'm surprised the whole thing didn't just fry instantly, considering that CPU has a 125W TDP. 😲 Swap that power supply as soon as possible. Don't even worry about the GPU yet—you aren't going to find a decent card that can actually run on a budget like that, especially if you're looking for something new. What kind of graphics card have you been running up until now?

Timothy Kim60 said:He's running an i5-4570R, which means he's on a mobile FCBGA1364 platform, and his graphics are this (gaming benchmarks are below). Honestly, $10k would be a total waste if he actually wants to play games. At 768p, you can get through some newer titles at medium settings with about 30 fps. Some heavier games won't even run on low, even at a lower resolution.

Of course it's bad, good grief—it's not like I'm recommending a Mac for gaming. It's basically 😬. What I mean is, given his current situation where he can't upgrade the GPU, this should suffice for casual gaming. If an Athlon x4 7600 can handle it, then so can this.🙂

Look, that's a decent GPU, but pairing it with an APU—especially one that old—is definitely going to cause some bottlenecking. That said, you could always just jump straight to a GTX 960. If that processor holds up okay, you can actually squeeze quite a bit of performance out of the GTXica; it varies depending on the game, but it's doable. Plus, once you grab it, you'll have a solid card ready for your next build.

Sure, he didn't specify his exact gaming expectations, but I’m pretty sure this setup holds its own against any AMD APU combo out there KLIK

Timothy Kim60 said:It's an all-in-one. None of this matters. Just sell it to some hipster while it still has value and go buy yourself a real desktop 😬

😬 🙏

Putting Sal aside, those Iris integrated graphics shouldn't be that weak; you should at least be able to tinker with something on them.

Chris Robinson25 said:That processor is a total waste of money. I do everything on mine. It would even run Grand Theft Auto V if paired with a 260.

I've actually got an Intel Pentium and a 260X myself.😁

Chris Robinson25 said:I'm going to check the exact temps today. If they're crazy high, I'll just buy a new cooler.

But my hard drive and GPU are running hot right now, so getting a new case is a must.

A new case is fine. I think you mentioned somewhere that you're using some ancient case, so something new with three Noctua fans will definitely help your situation. It'll drop your temps for sure, but there's no way an Intel Core i3 is overheating. If anything is running hotter than it should, a new case will fix that. It's got a 53W TDP, right? You could practically hook electrodes up to a potato and still run it. 😬 It's your call, but I think you're throwing money away, since the CPU itself costs $50 more $33 than 😁