next upgrade path

[rcf1987]

I was thinkin about getting a 4850 for my rig would that be a wise upgrade option or is there something else I should get first?

 

[ChronoDetector]

Yes, a 4850 is good enough or if your willing to spend a bit more you can always get a 4870 or a 260 GTX

 

[rcf1987]

my budget is about 125$ how much of a performance increase can i expect vs my old 3870 ddr3 512mb

 

[Cowboy420]

my budget is about 125$ how much of a performance increase can i expect vs my old 3870 ddr3 512mb

I have the same and I think im going to hold off until newer cards come out, the 4870 prices are still dropping.

 

[ruu]

my budget is about 125$ how much of a performance increase can i expect vs my old 3870 ddr3 512mb

People say that you won't see that much of a difference in pure benchmarks but that there's a 30%-50% increase in games, depending on the game.

Check out a comparison run on Call of Duty 4 at various resolutions: linky

It'd be a solid, noticeable upgrade for sure, but there's some sense in the people telling you to wait. If the 4890 (or whatever it's called) does indeed come out in April, another round of price drops can be expected.

 

[cannondale06]

my budget is about 125$ how much of a performance increase can i expect vs my old 3870 ddr3 512mb

well there are tons of reviews online and the 4850 is significantly faster than a 3870. of course those reviews are done with a much better cpu than yours so dont expect the same results. you would do good to oc that cpu a little to get closer to the full potential of the 4850.

 

[hossdaddy]

what size monitor and resolution are you running. If its 22" or smaller the 4850 is all you need.