BF3 Upgrade 8800 gt to Radeon 6770 Worth It?

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Ustauk

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With the coming of Battlefield 3, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and Skyrim, I was considering updating my video card. I'm worried I might be more CPU limited then anything, but I don't have the money for or want the hastle of upgrading my CPU/Board/RAM. I currently have a Galaxy 8800 GT 512 MB video card, AMD 3800+ X2 2 GHz CPU, 2 GB (2 sticks) DDR PC3200 memory, and an ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 motherboard. I can't remember my power supply off hand, but I did upgrade it for the 8800 GT a while back. Would upgrading to a AMD Radeon 6770 be a worth it, or am I too CPU limited? I'm not so much interested in jacking the resolution, as my current monitor only supports up to 1680x1050 resolution. I'd like to dial up the image quality settings. I noticed to get really smooth frame rates in Bad Company 2 the other day, I had to drop a lot of settings to low. Would upgrading the graphics card help, or is my CPU too old? Also, I'm still running XP; would a jump to Windows 7 be worth the loss of RAM to gain DirectX 11?

Thanks!
 
You'll be CPU limted (if only because the CPU is so old and running at a low clock speed :().. What do you mean by loss of RAM? Utilization of RAM is much different from Useage of RAM. For purely graphical benefits, I don't know if it's worthwhile to go to Win7. IMO, it's mainly for user experience.
 
Also I started with a 5770(same card) on BC2 at 1080i and I had to drop a setting or 2 to get it near 30fps. Mine wasnt cpu bound, when i dropped in a GTX460 it took off. I know you're at a lower res but I still think at least 1 step up in video card would be better like a 6850.
 
jeremyshaw said:
You'll be CPU limted (if only because the CPU is so old and running at a low clock speed :().. What do you mean by loss of RAM? Utilization of RAM is much different from Useage of RAM. For purely graphical benefits, I don't know if it's worthwhile to go to Win7. IMO, it's mainly for user experience.
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This, I think he means he has 4 gigs of ram and a 6770 has 1 gig of vram so he will get 3 gigs of system memory or less because 32 bit can only utilize like 3.8 gigs of ram.
 
I mistook you for another friend of mine on [H] that has a similar rig, just the opposite end of the spectrum. Pentium Dual-core E3300, ATI Radon HD 4850, 2GB of RAM. All I hear out of his mouth is Skyrim as well. ;)

As for your upgrade, really, really consider saving some money and changing out your CPU, mobo, and RAM. Buy one component per month if you have to; it's going to be worth it. Trust me. If you really need it, I have a 1155 Sandy Bridge MSI motherboard, 2x2GB of DDR3, and a 6770 sitting here doing nothing. A cheap Pentium Dual-core 1155 CPU and you're off to the races.
 
Time to upgrade. Your 939 setup is not going to play any newer games at enjoyable speeds.
 
mannyman said:
This, I think he means he has 4 gigs of ram and a 6770 has 1 gig of vram so he will get 3 gigs of system memory or less because 32 bit can only utilize like 3.8 gigs of ram.
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iirc, all of the AMD X2 chips were 64bit? I dunno, I may be wrong on that. Either way, the 939 platform is aging :(
 
youll never play BF3 on XP. BF3 only supports DX10 and DX11.

looking at skyrims requirements alone, that system wont cut it.

skyrims min specs say
dual core 2ghz+ (your 3800 is exactly 2ghz)
3gb ram

so ya, time for an all new system.
 
mannyman said:
This, I think he means he has 4 gigs of ram and a 6770 has 1 gig of vram so he will get 3 gigs of system memory or less because 32 bit can only utilize like 3.8 gigs of ram.
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What I meant was (though I may well be mistaken about it) that Windows 7 has a bigger resident footprint then Windows XP, and I thought that may affect my performance if I didn't upgrade my RAM. I believe the Athlon X2 does support 64 bit, but I haven't gotten around to upgrading yet. Is there a resource penalty for running Windows 7 over XP? Thanks.
 
another-user said:
youll never play BF3 on XP. BF3 only supports DX10 and DX11.

looking at skyrims requirements alone, that system wont cut it.

skyrims min specs say
dual core 2ghz+ (your 3800 is exactly 2ghz)
3gb ram

so ya, time for an all new system.
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that and they are probably refering to newer architecture thats faster clock per clock than the old school amd x2's
 
another-user said:
youll never play BF3 on XP. BF3 only supports DX10 and DX11.

looking at skyrims requirements alone, that system wont cut it.

skyrims min specs say
dual core 2ghz+ (your 3800 is exactly 2ghz)
3gb ram

so ya, time for an all new system.
Click to expand...

Damn, I didn't check the Battlefield requirements enough. And I just put down $10 on a preorder :( I'll have to see about upgrading to Windows 7; its about time anyways. And my poor rig is getting to old , and the bank (my wife) is not likely to authorize any cash outlay for it :( .I guess I'll upgrade to Windows 7 and see if any of the new stuff will run :(
 
No real resource penalty for upgrading to 7. I am all about getting the most bang for your buck. If your planning an upgrade in the next year or so I would try a 6850 or whatever card you want to go. See how it fares and then if your not satisfied or the games will not run properly go ahead and start planning your big upgrade.

Honestly though you could upgrade the memory/board/cpu for a little more than what a decent video card costs these days. Seems like every day now somebody's got a kit on sale for right at $300.
 
I have a pretty old system as well, so I can totally understand where you are coming from.

I also run WinXP with a C2D E6400 @ 2.9ghz. I have had a 8800GT which recently died, rma'd, then sold. Anyways, I got a GTS 450 but I am still debating with going with an ATI card maybe.

I noticed almost no increase in fps though, I am pretty sure I am cpu bound. I notice almost no FPS difference going from a 8800GT to GTS 450. I am sure it is because of my cpu.

Also, just so you know, you cant play BF3 on WinXP. It only supports win7, which is incredibly stupid but.....anyways...

I can almost guarantee you, just like me, you need a CPU upgrade to notice any FPS difference if you upgrade video cards. I probably dont plan on playing bf3 so.....not a huge issue for me but...
 
Ustauk said:
Damn, I didn't check the Battlefield requirements enough. And I just put down $10 on a preorder :( I'll have to see about upgrading to Windows 7; its about time anyways. And my poor rig is getting to old , and the bank (my wife) is not likely to authorize any cash outlay for it :( .I guess I'll upgrade to Windows 7 and see if any of the new stuff will run :(
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Don't waste your time.

Cancel the preorder. Start saving money for a new computer (at least motherboard/cpu/ram/videocard). Don't buy a videocard now as you will be able to get the same or better for the same price or less in the future.
 
Your 8800GT is already limited by your CPU. I know because I used to run a 3800+ X2 @ 2.2ghz and a 8800GTS 640 and when I upgraded to a q6600 I noticed a huge performance increase in all the games I played. Start saving for a new cpu/mobo/ram. You can get a cheap quad AMD X4, 8 series mobo and 4GB DDR3 (cheap these days) for much less than $200.
 
Another Godd option for you since you are budget limited would be to check the for sale forums here. A while back I built a budget system for my neighbor and I was able to ge a decent socket AM2+ Mobo and a 955BE for 65$ that plus 7$ for a cheap cooler at micro center or off the egg would be a pretty solid upgrade for you.
 
^ Just upgrade a bit to some used part and you'll save a lot of money and be able to play newer games.
 
Sorry bud but the upgrade isn't worth it on this system. You need a newer system. Cpu mobo and ram, use the current videocard until you can save up for something else. Maybe you can sell your old parts for a little cash to help. I loved my socket 939 system. It was really a great system back in the day. My best advice for you is to keep up with current tech by doing small upgrades every year to year and a half so that your not spending so much. Your also selling and recouping money in the process while your components have a higher value since they haven't depreciated much. If possible talk to the wife and apply for a new egg credit card and pay the components off little by little. Be careful though, the dark side may consume you and you may max that damn thing out and build a monster rig, at which point your wife may kill you in your sleep :D

Just kidding of course :p
 
I had a Core 2 Duo E6600 at 3.2Ghz with a Radeon 5870 and I didn't realize how CPU limited i was in Bad Company 2 until i built my brother. I built him a Phenom x6 1090T and with a 4870 and it blew my FPS out of the water. he was getting around 60-70FPS with a slower videocard. Battlefield games are very CPU intensive so i suggest you'll need a whole new computer for BF3. After building his I realized I needed a new computer so I upgraded to a Core i5 2400, 8GB DDR3, with 2 5870s in crossfire and i play BC2 at around 100FPS now. So try to have the wife put a little money aside each month for an upgrade. :)
 
yeah most of those games you listed will not even be playable with your cpu. for example here is a 3.0 Phenom 2 X2, which will blow your cpu away, only getting 33 fps in Deus Ex: Human Revolution. you will be lucky to get 15-20 fps in a game like that.



upload gif
 
going to need to upgrade, your cpu will hold you back if u buy the 6770
 
I think that 8800gt may be able to last a while yet longer. I've got several friends who still use 9600gt's at 1680x1050 and below, and the 8800gt isn't horribly far from it in performance. But that socket 939 will hold you back, since even BC2 used quad cores well. I would suggest a newer mobo/cpu/ram and try to sell your old parts to family or something for cheap. Maybe you can make some of the money spent for the upgrade back.

You could always try this for upgrading the cpu/mobo/ram. Not much more than that 6870 is, at around $227. I didn't check for any mail-in-rebates, but that may make it lower.
Phenom II X4 2.8ghz & Mobo
CPU Cooler (oem cpu, so it needs it)
8gb of GSKILL ddr3
 
Asacolips said:
I think that 8800gt may be able to last a while yet longer. I've got several friends who still use 9600gt's at 1680x1050 and below, and the 8800gt isn't horribly far from it in performance. But that socket 939 will hold you back, since even BC2 used quad cores well. I would suggest a newer mobo/cpu/ram and try to sell your old parts to family or something for cheap. Maybe you can make some of the money spent for the upgrade back.

You could always try this for upgrading the cpu/mobo/ram. Not much more than that 6870 is, at around $227. I didn't check for any mail-in-rebates, but that may make it lower.
Phenom II X4 2.8ghz & Mobo
CPU Cooler (oem cpu, so it needs it)
8gb of GSKILL ddr3
Click to expand...

I still use a 9600GT with my Phenom 955.
I can play BC2 fine but I'm pretty sure I'll need to uppgrade for BF3.
 
needmorecarnitine said:
Don't waste your time.

Cancel the preorder. Start saving money for a new computer (at least motherboard/cpu/ram/videocard). Don't buy a videocard now as you will be able to get the same or better for the same price or less in the future.
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I agree with needmorecarnitine. Also you might want to enter this...http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1631160. You can build a decent high end AMD rig for less money, leaving you more $$$ for a great video card. Both ATI & nVidia are nearing the end of the life cycles of their current cards. They have released almost every profit market niche and, have both released their dual GPU behemoths. With the OEMs milking out every Mhz variation of the top cards. When these new cards come out, current card prices usually fall quickly. Sometimes dramatically. Play your dollars right, and you might walk away with great last gen. CrossFire or SLI rig!!!
 
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Decent 939 gear sells fairly well on Ebay. Break it up and at the end of it you might have around $100 to put towards a new rig.

I sold all my 939 gear off (Opteron 180/DFI NF4/DDR500 ram) at the end of 2008 and made well over $400!

More than paid for most of the current rig I'm using.
 
Like everyone else is saying start from the ground up my friend.

Save your money get a more recent mobod/ram/cpu/psu at the least and go from there. Buy one thing a month if you have to.

I know how it sucks to be on a budget but start hanging out in the FS/FT section. You can find good deals just gotta keep looking.
 
Good old s939...

Was that the mobo with AGP and PCIe?

I think I had one once apon a time...
 
Aditlojs said:
Good old s939...

Was that the mobo with AGP and PCIe?

I think I had one once apon a time...
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Nope, it was the mobo with Pci-E and an XGP slot ;) Difference is XGP has very narrow compatibility compared to true AGP. Think of it as AGP emulation mooching off of the Pci-E slot.

I do agree with everyone else though. At least buy an Athlon II x2 240 or Athlon II x4 620, cheap AM3 mobo and 4gb DDR3 memory ( which can all be done for around $120 - $150 ) then think about a GPU upgrade down the road the next time you have the money but with the new hardware your 8800GT will offer you more power and you will easily be able to hold off a little longer. Not to mention that selling your current hardware will return about $80 to $100 which almost covers the price of the upgrade.
 
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just wait for BF3 beta next month soon so try it out on same sig to see if BF3 can handle or not so you will know what need upgrade whole or some part like CPU, GPU.
 
Aditlojs said:
Good old s939...

Was that the mobo with AGP and PCIe?

I think I had one once apon a time...
Click to expand...

Yup, I've actually upgraded from a Radeon X800 AGP to a 8800 GT PCIe using this board when the 8800 gt first came out. The board even had a AM2 riser/upgrade card you could buy for it (http://download.asrock.com/manual/AM2CPU Board.pdf); I like the board enough that'd I'd get one of those, but I can't seem to find them anywhere online for a reasonable amount of money.
 
I upgraded my RAM to 4 gb and went up to Windows 7, but I ran into a nasty bug. I think its directly related to my slow CPU, but even people with faster processors have had it, according to the Battlefield forums. Aircraft, tanks, and APCs all are visible and work properly for me. Infantry units, including my own player model, enemy soldiers, and friendly troops, will vanish from the screen. I can see the marker icon above the enemy or friends heads, and weapons fire, but no character models. This is especially noticeable on larger 64 player servers, but even affects me on lower maps. I can make my character model/gun reappear by pointing straight up at the sky or straight down to the ground, and sometimes if I turn away from where the primary action is. The frustrating thing is that the tanks and jets work great. I can accept not playing on a 64 player server, but if a bloody Xbox 360 or PS3 can play a 32 player map, I should be able to play at least a 16 player map without being shot by an invisible enemy :( Hopefully the major patch there working on will help me; I'll take some chop in the game, but having no infantry appearing is crippling :(
 
I literally just built a rig from the X2. Unfortunately it was because my Asus A8N SLI went to heaven. (thus the 8800GTS in the slot currently).

I had the X2 4800. (which I will sell to you) and it handled games really well, but really, with black friday you can go slightly old AMD route or SB and get away with a nice rig under $300. It might be best to wait for Ivy or Piledriver and grab used gear from people upgrading.
 
skeeder said:
I literally just built a rig from the X2. Unfortunately it was because my Asus A8N SLI went to heaven. (thus the 8800GTS in the slot currently).

I had the X2 4800. (which I will sell to you) and it handled games really well, but really, with black friday you can go slightly old AMD route or SB and get away with a nice rig under $300. It might be best to wait for Ivy or Piledriver and grab used gear from people upgrading.
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you just built a pc with a 4800 X2? um I got rid of a 5000 X2 over 3 years ago because it could not handle some games smoothly back then and was a noticeable bottleneck for any higher end gpu at that time. I am not sure how you can come to the conclusion that a 4800 X2 can handle games fine unless you are playing mostly older titles or have low expectations. a 4800 X2 does not even meet requirements for many newer games.
 
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