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New build vs. upgrading. NEED advice!

McRackin

McRackin

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
284
I'm thinking of building a new system or upgrading the one I currently have (which is now approaching 3 years old). My current system specs are located in my sig. To be honest, my current setup does everything that I want it to, except it can't keep up with the newer games. I've tried the BF3 beta and it hardly keeps up with the game on low settings. If I could throw in a graphics card and play BF3 on mid-high settings I would be happy. If that's impossible with my current mobo config or the cost difference of upgrading everything is hardly worth not buying a whole new system altogether, I would prefer a new system.

I was ready to spend roughly 1500 on a new system, but I would ideally like to spend 200-250 on a video card and call it a day. If high settings in BF3 can be achieved with just a new video card I would be very happy, and so would my bank account. I'm ready to spend the money if it isn't though.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!
 
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I believe your Phenom X4 9650 will be a bottle neck for any newer GPUs, specifically the 560 Ti or 6950 HD which is what's recommended to play BF3 with plenty of eye candy. With that said, a $1500 budget will get you a system that is significantly faster than your current setup. As in, night and standing 10 ft from the sun difference.
 
What Skillz said +1.

BF3 is heavily CPU dependent. Upgrading the CPU in your PC would help but you're better off with a new build in the long run.
 
I would hold off on a new build until BD- even if Intel is still faster, prices should be better then.

You could buy a new card now, then consider a mobo/cpu/ram if the card doesn't cut it. You'll need a new card regardless, and your psu looks strong, so no real reason to not buy.
 
Mr34727 said:
I would hold off on a new build until BD- even if Intel is still faster, prices should be better then.

You could buy a new card now, then consider a mobo/cpu/ram if the card doesn't cut it. You'll need a new card regardless, and your psu looks strong, so no real reason to not buy.
Click to expand...

Actually, prices on current Intel CPUs will remain pretty much at their current levels (if their history is any indication). In fact, only the i7-2600K will be reduced in price much, if at all - and only because of a new i7-2700K, not because of AMD Bulldozer. There will be no true clock speed update to the i5-2500K for the foreseeable future (which is why the i5-2500K will remain at its current $220 price).
 
So everyone feels I should dump 1500 on a new system rather than 250 now on a vcard and wait?
 
McRackin said:
So everyone feels I should dump 1500 on a new system rather than 250 now on a vcard and wait?
Click to expand...

The problem is your CPU will bottleneck many newer GPUs. If you're fine with that, then go with a newer card then. If you want the full performance of your new GPU, then get a new PC.
 
You can get a very capable BF3 system for under $1000, maybe under $800 depending on what you are re-using. Much better than trying to just shoe-horn a new video card in there.
 
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