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another upgrade advice topic

G

gotch1ya3

n00b
Joined
Oct 5, 2011
Messages
8
Hey guys,
I recently found myself a relatively high paying internship for the summer, meaning I have computer-part sized holes in my pocket :cool:
I'm looking to add/replace parts from my build last October/November

Here's what I currently have:
i3 2100 (stock....obviously) :(
HD 6870 1gb
8gb G.SKILL Ripjaws
ASUS P8P67 LE

Summary for those who don't want to read the rest: I'm looking to spend $800-$1000 over the next month on a 24-27" monitor(or 2) and corresponding upgrades that will allow me to play bf3 with settings on or near max @ 2560X1440

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
gaming
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
~$800-$1000 over the next few weeks (including a monitor)
3) Which country do you live in? If the U.S, please tell us the state and city if possible.
Hotlanta, GA
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. The word "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
In order of perceived importance: Monitor/CPU/GFX/heatsink/SSD Drive/RAM
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
PSU: Antec BP550.
I'd like to reuse my mobo, HDDs, existing GFX card if possible (add another for xfire), and RAM
6) Will you be overclocking?
Probably... Nothing heavy
 7) What is the max resolution of your monitor? What size is it?
Looking to upgrade to potentially 3x24" (unlikely, but a man can dream :rolleyes:). Realistically, I'd like to get 1 27" IPS (2560X1440) and call it a day.
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Tonight, after I get paid :D:D:D
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? USB 3.0? SATA 6Gb/s? eSATA? Onboard video (as a backup or main GPU)? UEFI? etc.
too late for this one...hopefully
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? Is it 32bit or 64bit?
Yes, 64 bit win 7


My thoughts at first were to get 3x 22" or 24" ($200ish Asus 24" monitors on newegg with some good reviews) monitors for an eyefinity setup. After reading about the costly upgrades needed to run games on high settings, I started looking at bitchin 27" monitors... I was leaning towards the Yamakasi Catleap Q270 after reading some positive reviews. I have read tons monitor reviews, nothing really stood out... I'd like to spend $400 max on a monitor, however that can be changed if I don't need to upgrade my PC as much as I think I do.

My thoughts on the PC upgrade were as follows:
1st paycheck- i5 2500k and a monitor
2nd- get another 6870
3rd- infinity and beyond! (seriously, tho... I up for anything if I have money left in the budget)

Thanks in advance for any/all replies!
 
Your existing PSU is barely good enough for your current setup. So I'd recommend getting a new PSU if you're actually serious about these upgrades:
$81 - Corsair 650TX V2 650W PSU

As for the second HD 6870 1GB, I wouldn't get one since you want near max settings. The 1GB of VRAM is actually pretty limiting in BF3, especially at higher resolutions like 1920x1080 and above. Then there's the ok-ish CFX support in BF3. I'd look at the GTX 670 if you really want to play at 2560x1440. Maybe the HD 7970 3GB if it's $350 or less.

CPU wise, I'd go for the GPU and PSU upgrade first and then the 2500K upgrade.
 
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Looking at your current rig, for gaming you have a fairly moderate machine. What's wrong with it exactly?

But if you still have money to blow, then get a new graphic card. Preferablly nvidia 670 which will cost you about $500 give or take. You want to reuse the graphic card for an upgrade which is completely counter intuitive because that's what you should be upgrading first for gaming - Then the CPU. 8 GB is enough for gaming.
 
thanks for the replies, guys

I have a few questions/concerns regarding your gfx card suggestions. I never planned on spending half my budget on a GPU, so I'm a bit hesitant pulling the trigger on a $400+ gpu...
Would getting the 670 or something similar boost my performance significantly more than, say, another 6870? I understand that it's definitely not the best option, but if I'm going to save $200 by going with another 6870 at a marginal performance upgrade, why wouldn't I do that? I could easily put that $$ towards my CPU, which would (correct me if I'm wrong) also help performance, no?

Any input on a monitor? That's my most important upgrade, as my current monitor(s) are in need of upgrading. As I stated before, I liked the prospect of a high quality and high resolution, yet cheap, 27" in the Yamakasi Catleap. But I've heard good things about various 24" Asus, Viewsonic, and Dell monitors...So I'm quite torn at the moment
 
which would (correct me if I'm wrong) also help performance, no?
Click to expand...

For gaming yes but will you notice the performance difference? NO

why wouldn't I do that?
Click to expand...

You can do anything you want - it's your money. But unless you are unhappy with the performance of your current system, you may be disappointed with your upgrade.
 
Just dropped $810 on a 670, a dell U2412, and the PSU that danny suggested

upgrade #1 should be complete by tuesday next week :D
Thanks for the help, guys
 
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