Help PLEASE upgrading my pc

reply to post by LvSLoLo


Maybe you're right, I'm very tired right now so I don't know whether to crap or wind my wristwatch at this point lol. The recommendations I made still stand though.

Im not an expert, I have just been building pc's for over a decade.

The system you have sounds like a pretty decent setup for all the components you have. If you do upgrade any of it beyond say the gtx 275 to like a 560ti, that might even be held back by the mobo/cpu combo.

In stuff like this, I would go to toms hardware and open up a thread there, the peeps there know their stuff and can guide you more reliably then here.

One more piece of advice is to get Belarc's adviser and run it. Whenever you ask for help like that, having the specs it grabs will help out a lot.

Ok here are the things ive decided to get:

www.ebuyer.com...

www.ebuyer.com...

www.ebuyer.com...

Im still looking at graphic cards but here are a few im trying to choose between:

www.ebuyer.com...

www.ebuyer.com...

www.ebuyer.com...

www.ebuyer.com...

www.ebuyer.com...

Any recommendations?

Still open to suggestions lol on the graphic card i mean

Ill be buying the parts for my pc this or next week but ive changed my mind on the processor ive read that AMD are useless for games and from what ive read neerly everyone suggests the intel i5 2500k what do you guys think? its £60 more than what i was paying for the 6 core amd processor but if its alot better for gaming then seems worth it. Just the problem is ive never had a intel pc before and i dont know if they can be trusted? and most of all im not rich so i dont know what motherboard to buy if i do get the i5 2500k i can only find ones for £100 or more PLEASE HELP ME


www.amazon.co.uk...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330833025&sr=8-1

www.amazon.co.uk...=pd_sim_computers_4

The last link is the cheapest motherboard that supports the processor I THINK, its affordable but hopefully can find something a bit cheaper with the processor costing more.

reply to post by LvSLoLo


The AMDs are far from useless in any regard. However, the Intel skt1155 is definitely the stronger platform. The Z68 chipset is generally the one you want to go for (your linked motherboard is Z68).

There are advantages and disadvantages to each. I wont run through them in detail. Basically, an AMD motherboard will generally have longer service life in that a socket "upgrade" can generally be done through the bios. This means that even when they come out with new CPUs, you will not necessarily have to buy a whole new motherboard. Intel will generally release a few (if that) iterations of their processors for a single socket. When they change the socket though, you will need to get a new motherboard along with a new CPU.

Performance wise, the 2500k is a stellar processor for the money. But, for now, the CPU isnt really going to be your bottleneck for a while. If you can afford the extra money, the 2500k is a better performer overall. The k series is also proving to be quite good at OCing. If you do not plan on overclocking, you can get the 2400 and would likely never notice the difference. These CPUs are not even close to bottlenecking on something like a 560ti.

edit: As for the GPU, the ones you linked will work fine for you. If you dont mind being limited to directX 10, the 4890 can be had for $60us. Its a monster card for that amount, and in Xfire (for $120us) would be very difficult to beat for the money. Of course, you may have to buy used. And there can be some issues when using more than one GPU core. But, the best bang for your buck available right now. Just will have to make sure your PSU could handle it, of course.

edit2 (tired ): The single biggest general use upgrade is going to be an SSD. The performance difference is leagues beyond anything else you could do for the money. It will not help in-game, but it will help load times, general usability, and windows load times. The usual suggestion is to use it for your boot drive, and then have main storage on a large capacity platter drive.

Originally posted by xXxinfidelxXx
reply to post by LvSLoLo

 

That's why I would never recommend the Zotac GTX295 for anything other than a low-end HTPC. The funny thing is, I checked my CPU load while fraps was running, and it was only at about 60%, but I could feel the heat radiating off my case lol. The card was pretty much puffing like the train that couldn't lol.

Something else is going on, the GPU itself is not your bottleneck. The 295 is still considered a high end card, even in gaming.

edit: Ok.. The 295 isnt even close to being your bottleneck (read through your posts). Everything else in your system isnt even close to being on par with that GPU. Also, the 295 can likely use much more than a 450w PSU. Of course, wattage is significantly less relevant than amps delivered on the rails. Generally, if you get a 750w PSU made by Corsair, you will be fine with 2 physical GPUs along with any extras that suck down power (fans, water systems, etc). I would never recommend anyone run that GPU with that low of a PSU, ever. I hope it is at least a good one! A good rule of thumb is never exceeding 80% constant load of the PSU for long-term stability and long life. The less load, the better. Also, liquid cooling is not necessary for overclocking though it helps achieve higher overclocks due to lower temps. The OC you have on that system, even with something like a Prescott, could be done easily with a mid-range air cooler.

Im not saying any of this to be mean, just educational.

Ok so the intel would be perfect for now but the AMD bulldozer would be better in the long run? i want a gaming system that will last me a few years if its possible ive never heard of the 4800 cards how would they put up against bf3 on ultra? ive been told to buy 2 6870 how would they fair up to the GTX 560TI and the crossfire cards you mentioned?

reply to post by sinohptik


Sorry that was a brain fart (the 295 is just the number I had stuck in my head) what I have is a Zotac Geforce 7600. Sorry about that. By the time I realized that I messed that part up, it was too late to edit the post.

Originally posted by LvSLoLo
Ok so the intel would be perfect for now but the AMD bulldozer would be better in the long run? i want a gaming system that will last me a few years if its possible

ive never heard of the 4800 cards how would they put up against bf3 on ultra? ive been told to buy 2 6870 how would they fair up to the GTX 560TI and the crossfire cards you mentioned?

Well, honestly, its a bit of a crap shoot between AMD and Intel. In "the field" the Intel is the generally recommended platform, and AMD is recommended for "enthusiasts." Take that as you will. You will honestly be happy either way.

I do strongly suggest an SSD. Strongly. It looks like the Marvell controller is the best on the market right now, but I have also had no issues with Sandforce driven units. Honestly, I havent had any issues with any SSD. Just make sure the firmware is where it needs to be.

The GPUs are the area where you might need to look at upgrading before anything else. The smart way to go about it is to get the most powerful single GPU solution you can, and then Xfire/SLi it a bit down the road. The 48XX series of cards is a bit older. Benchmarks online can be a useful comparison, but remember too, GPU drivers make a TON of difference in performance so some data is outdated when comparing a bit older generations to newer ones.

Before going any further, what is your budget for the GPU specifically and what PSU do you have to power it?


Infidel, that definitely makes a WORLD of difference Anyway, depending on that specific mobo (cant remember off the top of my head), you can get some really great CPUs like the q9550 (quad core, referred to as "Yorkfield") or even something like an E8600 (dual core, referred to as "Wolfdale"). I see that you enjoy OCing. If you want to stick with the skt775 platform, the "best buy" OCing mobo is easily the gigabyte UD3P/UD3R.

Well the parts ive found i want are.

Intel Sandybridge i5-2500K Unlocked Core i5 Quad-Core Processor £160.50

Asus P8Z68-V LX Motherboard £75.97

G-Skill 8GBXL Ripjaws X for Intel Sandybridge Platforms DDR3 PC12800 1600MHz 8GB Kit £37.60

MSI nVIDIA GTX560Ti OC 880MHz 4200MHz 256Bit DDR5 TWIN FROZR II Graphics Card £175.77

howmuch of a diffirence is there between the i5-2500k and the AMD 6100 bulldozer for gaming? if i get the bulldozer id save around £85 that could go towards a few games or monitor but if the i5-2500k kicks its ass by a long way for gaming id rather pay the extra money but then again like i said earlier i want something that will last me down the line so when games start to stress the GPU i can SLI them.

Originally posted by sinohptik

Originally posted by LvSLoLo
Ok so the intel would be perfect for now but the AMD bulldozer would be better in the long run? i want a gaming system that will last me a few years if its possible

ive never heard of the 4800 cards how would they put up against bf3 on ultra? ive been told to buy 2 6870 how would they fair up to the GTX 560TI and the crossfire cards you mentioned?

Before going any further, what is your budget for the GPU specifically and what PSU do you have to power it?

 

Well my budget for graphic card is between £175 and £220 but from what ive read the MSI GPU Ive chosen would be a beast and atm my PSU is 700Watt

reply to post by LvSLoLo


Of course, the difference between the AMD FX series (BD) and skt1155 in gaming will depend entirely on the game. Generally speaking, the Intel platform is better. This depends on far too many factors to give you hard numbers for across the board. I would personally run the Intel.

For that budget, the 560ti is definitely a great choice. Of course, whether it is MSi, or any other manufacturer doesnt make too much of a difference. They all (generally, again) use the same reference card. Meaning, the only difference between all the 560ti's on the market will be the cooler and warranty. I personally think factory overclocked cards are a waste of money as you can do all that yourself, but its really personal preference.

The wattage on the PSU isnt necessarily what I was looking for Who made it? Not all 700w PSUs are made equal. Very, very, very far from it actually. Again, the wattage delivered isnt the important number, its the amperage delivered on the rail(s).

Are you going to get an SSD? Like I said, that will give you a larger performance jump than anything else, and will do so across the board. The only area it wont make much of a difference will be framerates in games, etc.

reply to post by sinohptik


What is SSD? ive never heard of that before and i dont know the PSU brand ill check if it has any writing on the side once my headache has decided not to kill me. BTW the games id be playing would be the latest things like bf3, dirt3, max payne 3, c&c generals 2 all the high spec games and defonatly no call of duty lol.

Originally posted by LvSLoLo
reply to post by sinohptik

 

What is SSD? ive never heard of that before and i dont know the PSU brand

ill check if it has any writing on the side once my headache has decided not to kill me. BTW the games id be playing would be the latest things like bf3, dirt3, max payne 3, c&c generals 2 all the high spec games and defonatly no call of duty lol.

Sorry about that! There are so many abbreviations with PCs arent there? SSD stands for "Solid State Drive." This refers to a new technology for Hard Drives (HDD). Traditionally, data is stored on actual platters that spin inside the hard drive. This is then picked up by magnetic heads. The setup actually looks like several record players stacked on top of each other. SSD uses "solid state" memory. This type of technology is used in things like the iPhone. It could be looked at as similar to your RAM in operation.

The advantages are GREATLY increased read and write times. There is no way to convey how big of a general use performance jump there will be with your PC. Its pretty impressive... A current recommendation would be the 128gb Crucial M4. The 64gb version can be had for a bit less (around $100us). These would be used almost solely as your boot drive (due to space).

Definitely check on the PSU. It is the heart of your computer and is the most critical piece to be reliable. If it goes in a "bad way," you can literally lose everything in your PC, including the data.

And good to hear you have moved on from CoD They have been milking that IP for far too long now while other developers are actually putting time and effort into their games!

Thanks man ill have to look into the SSD atm i have a 500gb hard drive seems to be doing well just need a huge upgrade to the rest of my pc just hoping i can do it soon i rly wanna start gaming on pc instead of xbox. The only reason i bought the last 2 call of duty games is from being nagged by friends but doesnt take long to realise what they are a steaming pile of and its not something id waste money on buying for a beast pc especialy with battlefield 3 to enjoy in ultra settings instead of the BS the xbox gives me

Originally posted by LvSLoLo
Thanks man ill have to look into the SSD

atm i have a 500gb hard drive seems to be doing well just need a huge upgrade to the rest of my pc just hoping i can do it soon i rly wanna start gaming on pc instead of xbox. The only reason i bought the last 2 call of duty games is from being nagged by friends but doesnt take long to realise what they are a steaming pile of and its not something id waste money on buying for a beast pc especialy with battlefield 3 to enjoy in ultra settings instead of the BS the xbox gives me

At least for now, dont necessarily look at the SSD as storage. Look at it in the same vein as things like the RAM, CPU, etc. They just arent big enough right now! Then you would have your 500gb for all your storage stuff (music, games, etc). Just note that Steam (store.steampowered.com...) can be finicky about what drive it has stuff installed to. They may have fixed this, but I dont know. Also note that Steam frequently has incredible deals on games.

Although I own consoles, the PC is obviously a stronger platform. Price-wise it is actually cheaper, in the long term, to own and maintain a PC. Rather interesting when I did the math for that a while back. Just have to do it "right." It obviously gives much, much higher textures, etc than a console. Its literally better in every regard. And the tech in the 360 is extremely outdated at this point. You can also use xbox 360 controller with your PC. If its wired, the drivers will updated automatically. Wireless, youll need a dongle. Good call overall though, a game-specific device I think is on its way out in a decade or two possibly. The only thing keeping it going is the sheer profit, and the second tier market (used games, etc).

Ok ive just looked at my PSU and all it says is Intel EVO PSU 700watt theres no other writing on it im not sure if that is the real brand or just random writing.

www.amazon.co.uk...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330891242&sr=8-1

I think that is it.

Originally posted by LvSLoLo
Ok ive just looked at my PSU and all it says is Intel EVO PSU 700watt theres no other writing on it im not sure if that is the real brand or just random writing.

www.amazon.co.uk...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330891242&sr=8-1

I think that is it.

edit on 4-3-2012 by LvSLoLo because: (no reason given)

I had not heard of the brand so tried some research, and came away pretty empty handed. The most relevant number with a PSU is how many amps it delivers. When they do not offer this information, I see major red flags. I also dont like modular designs in even the best of companies, much less one like this (it introduces a lot of noise into the lines). A standard, quality ~750w PSU will throw out 70-75 amps on the rail(s). The only data I could find for EVO labs was from 2009, saying their 750w PSU of that time was putting out 40 amps. That amperage is something you should see from a quality 450w PSU.

So, I think you will be fine overall for now.. but I would personally hesitate to overclock too much. And, without a doubt, when you SLi further down the road, upgrade your PSU. It can even be a 750w one, just make sure it is putting out the proper amperage. Companies like PC Power & Cooling and Corsair make great power supplies across the board. Others like seasonic, antec, etc can make great PSU's, but usually some of their offerings will be lacking in quality as well.

Ok thanks ill find a new PSU they are pretty cheap lately ive found the things i wanna buy ill post links after ive ate my dinner see if they are worth it and what im looking for.