PC Upgrade Help Wanted

Hey everyone, here’s the situation. A relative of mine is looking to upgrade his rig, though he isn't exactly a hardcore gamer or someone chasing high-end specs. Over the last year or so, his rotation has mostly consisted of playing World of Tanks, with the occasional session of Skyrim or Hitman—nothing particularly demanding.

Right now, he’s struggling to hit even 20 to 25 fps on low settings when running World of Tanks. My initial thought was to just swap out the graphics card, keeping the budget around $667. We might also need to look at a new processor if things get complicated, or perhaps something else entirely, but I haven't pinned down a total budget yet since we haven't decided if a CPU swap is actually necessary.

I'd appreciate it if you could take a look, give me your honest assessment, and offer some advice—thanks.

Current configuration:

Time of this report: 1/7/2015, 19:31:17
Machine name: FILIP-PC
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.140706-1506)
Language : English ( Regional Setting : US ) system Manufacturer
System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
System Model: GA-990XA-UD3
BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 945 Processor (4 CPUs), ~3.0GHz
Memory: 8192MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 8190MB RAM
Page File: 3288MB used, 13088MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 32bit Unicode

Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce GTX 260
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_05E2&SUBSYS_058510DE&REV_A1
Display Memory: 4068 MB
Dedicated Memory: 869 MB
Shared Memory: 3199 MB
Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: LG 24 EN43(Digital)
Monitor Model: Samsung monitor ID
Monitor Id: SAM0659
Native Mode: 1920 x 1080(p) (60.000Hz)
Output Type: HDMI
Monitor Name: LG 24 EN43(Analog)
Monitor Model: LG 24 EN43
Monitor Id: GSM59DD
Native Mode: 1920 x 1080(p) (60.000Hz)
Output Type: HD15
Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,n vwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Driver File Version: 9.18.0013.4052 (English)
Driver Version: 9.18.13.4052
DDI Version: 10
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 8/19/2014 21:44:20, 17555104 bytes

I was thinking about picking up this card:
http://www.newegg.com/example-gpu-link

You’ve got a solid board for AM3+ CPUs, but unfortunately, most people are just playing World of Tanks, World of Warcraft, and Skyrim—which, I guess, are basically the three worst games for AMD processors since they tend to run much smoother on Intel... you've really got three ways to go here:

1) Since WoW and Skyrim are pretty hungry for clock speeds, you could grab a beast of a cooler if you don't have one already and overclock that CPU as much as it'll take. Along with that, you might want to pick up an R9 280 (~$67 cheaper and maybe a tiny bit faster than the GTX 760) or even an R9 280X. The processor is still going to be a bottleneck even at 3.7-3.8GHz, but you'd at least have a better GPU right out of the gate and can upgrade the CPU later on.

2) If you can stretch the budget a bit, you could go with an FX 8320 paired with an R9 270 plus a cooler if needed, which would be around ~$733(maybe ~$833 including the cooler). The graphics card is a little weaker this way, but you get a much better processor and roughly the same gaming performance (plus it'll actually handle CPU-heavy titles better and give you more overclocking headroom).

3) This is a bit more extreme if you're planning on sticking strictly to those three games for a while... you stretch the budget, grab a Pentium G3258 + Asrock H81M-HDS, a good cooler, and an R9 270. You'd overclock the Pentium to about 4.5GHz and sell off your old gear. This would probably give you the best results in those three specific games, though it's definitely more work.

One last thing, though—what kind of power supply are you running?

crimsonstag84 said:You’ve got a solid board for AM3+ CPUs, but unfortunately, most people are just playing World of Tanks, World of Warcraft, and Skyrim—which, I guess, are basically the three worst games for AMD processors since they tend to run much smoother on Intel... you've really got three ways to go here:

1) Since WoW and Skyrim are pretty hungry for clock speeds, you could grab a beast of a cooler if you don't have one already and overclock that CPU as much as it'll take. Along with that, you might want to pick up an R9 280 (~$67 cheaper and maybe a tiny bit faster than the GTX 760) or even an R9 280X. The processor is still going to be a bottleneck even at 3.7-3.8GHz, but you'd at least have a better GPU right out of the gate and can upgrade the CPU later on.

2) If you can stretch the budget a bit, you could go with an FX 8320 paired with an R9 270 plus a cooler if needed, which would be around ~$733(maybe ~$833 including the cooler). The graphics card is a little weaker this way, but you get a much better processor and roughly the same gaming performance (plus it'll actually handle CPU-heavy titles better and give you more overclocking headroom).

3) This is a bit more extreme if you're planning on sticking strictly to those three games for a while... you stretch the budget, grab a Pentium G3258 + Asrock H81M-HDS, a good cooler, and an R9 270. You'd overclock the Pentium to about 4.5GHz and sell off your old gear. This would probably give you the best results in those three specific games, though it's definitely more work.

One last thing, though—what kind of power supply are you running?

It isn't actually for me, but for a relative of mine. In short, the goal is to spend as little as possible while squeezing out the best possible performance for the money. As for the power supply, it should handle just about anything; it's a Corsair TX650W.
P.S. Regarding the graphics card, I wouldn't even consider anything other than Nvidia...

1 x AMD FX-Series X6 6300 3.5GHz,14MB,95W,AM3+, FD6300WMHK
1 x XFX R9-270A, R9-270A-CDFC, Double Dissipation Edition 925M Boost
1 x ZALMAN CNPS 5X Performa, socket 775/1155/1156/AM2/AM2/AM3

$706
It's a bit over budget, but honestly, it'll blow whatever they're running now out of the water. 🙂

If there's a decent cooler involved, just overclock that CPU to 4GHz, grab a slightly better GPU, and call it a day. 🙂

Sell the old chip. 🙂

So, what’s everyone’s take on this setup?

Personally, I’d be leaning toward grabbing this:

VTX R9 280 3GBD5-2DHXE graphics card$583

plus

an AMD FX-Series X8 8350 processor (4.0GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3+) box edition$506

If you're absolutely set on buying from Micro Center...

-> it’s the same CPU, and you can always overclock it to 4GHz later, $133 which might be cheaper.

EDIT:

http://tpucdn.com/reviews/Sapphire/R...rfrel_1920.gif

It's slightly faster than the R9 280 and uses a bit less power, plus the price gap isn't even as big as $33.

crimsonstag84 said:If you're absolutely set on buying from Micro Center...

-> it’s the same CPU, and you can always overclock it to 4GHz later, $133 which might be cheaper.

EDIT:

http://tpucdn.com/reviews/Sapphire/R...rfrel_1920.gif

It's slightly faster than the R9 280 and uses a bit less power, plus the price gap isn't even as big as $33.

I honestly don't see how that card could be considered an upgrade, considering it's stuck with a measly 256-bit bus on the 2GB model, whereas this other one offers 3GB and a 384-bit bus for even less money...

Well, it doesn't *have* to be. If there's a cheaper option available, why on earth wouldn't you take it?

Ryan Gonzalez4 said:So, what’s everyone’s take on this setup?

Personally, I’d be leaning toward grabbing this:

VTX R9 280 3GBD5-2DHXE graphics card$583

plus

an AMD FX-Series X8 8350 processor (4.0GHz, 16MB, 125W, AM3+) box edition$506

No way. A VTX at that price point isn't worth it, and that CPU just doesn't offer enough value for the money.

8320e + Cooler Master DS (if it fits) + R9 280 windforce + you absolutely have to overclock it to at least 4.2 - 4.4 GHz (you shouldn't run into any issues doing that with an 8320e)

WoT actually runs smoother on Intel, but since you already have a solid motherboard, it would be a waste not to grab an 8320/8320e and push some OC. You can really feel the difference in WoT when you do.click

Kimberly Gomez34 said:No way. A VTX at that price point isn't worth it, and that CPU just doesn't offer enough value for the money.

8320e + Cooler Master DS (if it fits) + R9 280 windforce + you absolutely have to overclock it to at least 4.2 - 4.4 GHz (you shouldn't run into any issues doing that with an 8320e)

WoT actually runs smoother on Intel, but since you already have a solid motherboard, it would be a waste not to grab an 8320/8320e and push some OC. You can really feel the difference in WoT when you do.click

I agree, this looks like a solid setup. That's a nice graphics card.

Just slap an r7 260 x in there and you'll see a massive jump in performance. Everything else looks solid enough to keep you gaming for quite some time. You could hunt down a used 7870 on eBay, or maybe grab a gtx 660 or a 560ti and call it a day. Don't bother stressing over the processor right now; it’s still perfectly capable.
I'm telling you, don't swap the CPU yet. If that board and a decent cooler aren't cutting it, you have plenty of headroom to overclock it significantly. Your biggest gains will come from a dedicated graphics card. A gtx 260 is fine, but it's dated and simply can't hold its own against modern hardware.

700-$267That's a decent upgrade. Enjoy your games.

By the way, what's with this sudden hate for WoT? Everyone is playing it. lol

mellowtiger83 said:Just slap an r7 260 x in there and you'll see a massive jump in performance. Everything else looks solid enough to keep you gaming for quite some time. You could hunt down a used 7870 on eBay, or maybe grab a gtx 660 or a 560ti and call it a day. Don't bother stressing over the processor right now; it’s still perfectly capable.
I'm telling you, don't swap the CPU yet. If that board and a decent cooler aren't cutting it, you have plenty of headroom to overclock it significantly. Your biggest gains will come from a dedicated graphics card. A gtx 260 is fine, but it's dated and simply can't hold its own against modern hardware.

700-$267That's a decent upgrade. Enjoy your games.

By the way, what's with this sudden hate for WoT? Everyone is playing it. lol

I even saw them being advertised on TV 🤣

I've never seen a game get promoted on American television programs before.

crimsonstag84 said:If you're absolutely set on buying from Micro Center...

-> it’s the same CPU, and you can always overclock it to 4GHz later, $133 which might be cheaper.

EDIT:

http://tpucdn.com/reviews/Sapphire/R...rfrel_1920.gif

It's slightly faster than the R9 280 and uses a bit less power, plus the price gap isn't even as big as $33.

A buddy of mine suggested this setup instead, claiming the synergy here is much better:

Sapphire R9 285 2GB OC, 2GB GDDR5 256 bit, 28nm, 2xDVI + HDMI
Intel Core i3-4160 Processor (3.60GHz,512KB,3MB,54 W,1150) Box
Gigabyte GA-H81M-S2PV, Socket 1150, Intel ® H81 express, 2 x 1.5V

What's your take?

Ryan Gonzalez4 said:A buddy of mine suggested this setup instead, claiming the synergy here is much better:

Sapphire R9 285 2GB OC, 2GB GDDR5 256 bit, 28nm, 2xDVI + HDMI
Intel Core i3-4160 Processor (3.60GHz,512KB,3MB,54 W,1150) Box
Gigabyte GA-H81M-S2PV, Socket 1150, Intel ® H81 express, 2 x 1.5V

What's your take?

Nah, you already have a great motherboard. It'd be a waste to swap platforms right now, especially just to move down to a low-end H81 chipset when your current board is more than capable. You could always look into an FX 8320 later on; that would be a solid upgrade for you.

Ryan Gonzalez4 said:A buddy of mine suggested this setup instead, claiming the synergy here is much better:

Sapphire R9 285 2GB OC, 2GB GDDR5 256 bit, 28nm, 2xDVI + HDMI
Intel Core i3-4160 Processor (3.60GHz,512KB,3MB,54 W,1150) Box
Gigabyte GA-H81M-S2PV, Socket 1150, Intel ® H81 express, 2 x 1.5V

What's your take?

To put it simply, the i3 is significantly weaker than the fx 8320, though it might actually hold its own better specifically for WoT. Furthermore, regarding features and expansion potential, that motherboard is pretty underwhelming compared to the one you're already using for the other socket.

Which SSD should I go with if my budget is capped at 120 GB?

http://www.amazon.com/example-ssd-link-1

Or perhaps

http://www.amazon.com/example-ssd-link-2

My intention is simply to host the Windows 7 64 operating system and a handful of essential programs on the drive itself.🤔

Brian Campbell36 said:Which SSD should I go with if my budget is capped at 120 GB?

http://www.amazon.com/example-ssd-link-1

Or perhaps

http://www.amazon.com/example-ssd-link-2

My intention is simply to host the Windows 7 64 operating system and a handful of essential programs on the drive itself.🤔

I'd go with the Intel option. It’s got two extra years of warranty. Sure, Samsung might be slightly faster, but you won't feel the difference in daily tasks. Just pick Intel.😁

Anyone interested in 12 GB of DDR3 RAM running at 1333 MHz? Or maybe we could do a trade for 16 GB if I chip in some extra cash.

I could use some advice on this, too. I'm finally trying to get this PC build wrapped up after dragging my feet for six months now, haha.

What are you even doing on your PC that requires 16GB of RAM?

fadedorca66 said:What are you even doing on your PC that requires 16GB of RAM?

Gaming, mostly, but I do some work too.

What's up? I guess 12GB is plenty for most stuff, though you might actually hit that 16GB limit if you're doing heavy multitasking or running things like VMs and massive software suites