Which PSU should I buy?

I guess your CPU is actually too weak for this card, so you might need to overclock it to maybe 3.5GHz or something.

By the way, you didn't mention which motherboard or power supply (exact model name) you're running.

Zachary Cruz6 said:So just recommend me which one to get for $100 and what the budget should be.
I want to pick up something decent.

Well, the one I mentioned earlier is the absolute best value for that kind of cash.
http://www.newegg.com/p/example-link-1

Considering the price point—in my opinion, the HD7850 isn't even worth it at $120-$433, because you can get significantly better performance from this one right below it $300

specifically the 2GB version.
http://www.newegg.com/p/example-link-2

That being said, that card might actually be overkill for your current rig; you won't fully utilize its power right now, but it would definitely serve you well in the future once you upgrade your CPU.

Actually, for your specific processor, something more realistic would be this:
http://www.amazon.com/example-link-3

Motherboard: Gigabyte Technology Co. P31-ES3G (Socket 775)
Yeah, the power supply is pretty questionable...
Anyway, I'm looking to pick up a new graphics card first—then down the road, I'll probably tackle the processor and the rest of the build—because my current GPU is just way too weak; I can't actually play anything right now.
Oh, and I did hear that the processor I've got in here is actually quite a solid little thing!

It was actually pretty decent about four years ago... but nowadays, it's weaker than even the most basic modern dual-core processors.

For instance,

That one is more powerful than yours, and it's reasonably priced $96. You should probably check the label on your power supply; I don't think you can run an AMD Radeon R7 260X on a 400W unit or something similar.

crimsonstag84 said:It was actually quite a solid chip about four years ago... but nowadays? It’s struggling even against the most basic modern dual-core processors out there.

For instance,

http://www.amazon.com/details/processor-info-example

That one would actually outperform yours, and it's reasonably priced $96. Also—do me a favor and check the wattage on your power supply box or the sticker inside—you definitely don't want to be trying to run an AMD Radeon R7 260X on a weak 400W unit or something similar.

I mean, I know I should probably just grab a new power supply now, but I figured I'd wait—I'll swap the CPU later, but when I eventually do, I want to have a decent graphics card ready so I don't have to overhaul the whole thing all over again.
Which power supply would actually play nice with that R7 and my current processor?

http://www.diskont24.com/product.php...cat=395&page=1

crimsonstag84 said:http://www.diskont24.com/product.php...cat=395&page=1

Ugh, thanks! Honestly, I had my heart set on an XFX 550W—you know how it is when you picture one thing in your head—but hey, this will work just fine too.

Zachary Cruz6 said:Ugh, thanks! I was actually thinking of an XFX 450W, but this works too.

You can definitely go with that if you want; it's a top-tier power supply.

Oh, and I have one more question for you—just one little thing left on my mind!
With that kind of setup, I’d definitely be able to fire up Assassin's Creed IV—and man, I absolutely live for those kinds of games!
And, oh—don't even get me started on those more recent titles coming out lately!

I’m honestly not sure how Assassin's Creed IV would perform on your setup since it requires at least an older quad-core CPU, but give it a shot anyway.
The rest should run just fine.

If you're looking at playing Assassin's Creed IV, an Nvidia solution is probably the smarter move. If the goal is to have a card that stays reliable for a decent stretch of time, the GTX 660 is the way to go; it handles AC4 better, and even though it costs a bit more than the HD 7850, its performance actually edges out the HD 7870.
In my opinion, this whole setup feels like a bit of a compromise. Once you've saved up enough, you'd be better off jumping to an FX-6300 or maybe an i3-3240.

Does anyone have a comparison for GPU scaling in AC4? I'm curious how Nvidia and AMD handle it differently.

It looks like the price for a GTX 660 has gone up a bit, whereas you can grab an R9 270 for $440(which is more polished and slightly faster than an HD 7870).

Also, I guess buying an i3 doesn't make much sense starting this year.😬

An i5 is just way better overall for about $133 more. Plus, maybe those FX chips are actually getting better in games since single-thread performance isn't quite as critical anymore.😉

Look, I should probably clarify something right off the bat—I’m not actually the one pulling the trigger on this GPU purchase myself. It’s someone else entirely who’s footing the bill, which—in a way—makes the price tag feel a little less heavy on my own conscience... though, at the same time, I really don't want to be seen as some kind of highway robber! Even if it isn't my money, I still have this nagging desire to be fair, you know? I don't want to squeeze them for every last cent just because I can.
So, I was just sitting here thinking about hardware upgrades—it’s funny how quickly things change, isn't it?—and I started wondering... man, which one actually holds up better in the long run? Between the GTX 660 and that R9 270X, which one is really going to give you more bang for your buck?
And honestly—I absolutely adore games like that! Though, if I’m being totally truthful, these days I usually find myself stuck playing Call of Duty 4 instead. Hehe.

crimsonstag84 As I was saying—and I do hope you'll bear with my tendency to wander off-topic now and then—it seems that...
I was browsing through some hardware listings online earlier—you know how it goes, you start looking for one specific component and suddenly you're three hours deep into a rabbit hole of specs and price comparisons—and I stumbled upon this particular configuration. It’s one of those interesting little builds that makes you stop and think about how much the landscape has shifted over the years. Looking at the components listed, there's a certain nostalgia there, almost like finding an old classic car in a garage that still has plenty of life left if you just give it a little tune-up. You've got an i3-3240 sitting in there, which, let's be honest, isn't exactly a powerhouse by modern standards, but for certain tasks? It still gets the job done—much like a reliable old sedan that might struggle on a steep mountain pass but handles the daily commute just fine. Then we get into the graphics side of things. It’s sporting a GTX 660, which is a bit of a throwback. If you were trying to run the latest AAA titles at max settings, you'd definitely be feeling the squeeze—kind of like trying to fit a massive suitcase into a tiny trunk—but for older titles or light gaming, it's surprisingly capable. It reminds me of those days when we thought a mid-range card was the absolute peak of performance before everything moved toward the high-end enthusiast stuff we see today. The storage situation also caught my eye—a Seagate ST500DM002-1BD142 ATA Device. It’s a standard setup, nothing too flashy, but it provides that essential foundation. It’s the backbone of the system, similar to how a solid foundation is necessary for any house, regardless of how fancy the interior design might be. It’s funny, really—looking at these parts feels like looking at a snapshot of a specific era in PC building. We spend so much time chasing the newest, fastest, most expensive tech, but there is something genuinely charming about seeing how these pieces fit together to create a functional whole. It's not about having the fastest machine in the room; sometimes, it's just about having something that works exactly the way you need it to.

So, that one is definitely my absolute favorite... though I can't help but wonder—would that same power supply work just as well, or am I overthinking things?

Sure

I need to swap out my power supply because my current one is ancient and some cheap no-name unit, so I'm looking for advice on what to pick up and how many watts I actually need. My setup is as follows: CPU-AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+, RAM is 4.00 GB Dual-Channel DDR2 @ 373MHz, motherboard is Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. GA-MA74GM-S2 (Socket M2), graphics card is Nvidia GeForce 9600 GT, hard drive is a Seagate ST500DM002-1BD142 ATA Device (SATA), and an ASUS DRW-22B3S ATA Device DVD drive. That’s everything, and I don't plan on upgrading this rig any further. The only extra thing is that I occasionally plug in an external hard drive to back up movies.

So, what exactly are you looking to pick up that we should be recommending from that specific store?

fadedorca66 said:And where exactly are you planning to shop if we're supposed to recommend a specific store?

Conor Media in Columbus😍>

You'll have to cover $13 shipping costs. Besides, Conor Media doesn't even have a website yet 🤣.

If you can actually find that exact same power supply there for less than $206 $13, then maybe go ahead and grab it from them.

Hey everyone.

I want to know if this power supply can handle the graphics card listed below (I have zero intention of overclocking the GPU).

http://www.bestbuy.com/?search=power%20supply

The rest of my build:
i5-3470 @3.6GHz
8GB RAM
120GB SSD
1TB HDD
Printer
Scanner
Speakers

Thanks.