Gaming PC upgrade options?

[scirocco16v]

Hey guys, I'm new on here but a friend directed me to the site for advice on uprading my PC. Here are my current specs:
Board: Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3R
Proc: Intel Core2 Duo E6550
GFX: EVGA GeForce GTX 550Ti
Case: Antech Sonata III w/ Earthwatts 500W PSU
Ram: 4GB

I'd prefer to not spend over $400 and my goal is to run BF3 on at least medium with an excellent frame rate. Currently I'm running on all low with reduced resolution (monitor is 22" 1650x1080). It looks like my major bottleneck is my CPU but realistically, I'll likely need a new board to make the upgrade worthwhile. A buddy will give me a PSU that is 750W so I should be able to avoid that cost. Lastly, I don't want to replace the GFX card as I recently upgraded to this one and it seems to be more than enough for my needs. Also, I'm runing WIN 7 64. Thanks for your help and all input is appreciated!


Moved from PC Gaming

Anandtech Moderator
KeithTalent

 

[hapylol]

Yea your CPU is definitely a bottleneck. I would recommend-

CPU- I5-2500k ~190
Mobo- Asrock z77 Pro3 ~120

That is probably the best upgrade you could make. If you want to utilize the rest of your budget you could upgrade ram to 8GB of gskill, Corsair Vengance, or Mushkin.

 

[PrayForDeath]

Yes, definitely upgrade that CPU first. What resolution do you game at? Your video card isnt great, but i suppose it can be good enough if all you need is medium settings.

 

[stevty2889]

Yea your CPU is definitely a bottleneck. I would recommend-

CPU- I5-2500k ~190
Mobo- Asrock z77 Pro3 ~120

That is probably the best upgrade you could make. If you want to utilize the rest of your budget you could upgrade ram to 8GB of gskill, Corsair Vengance, or Mushkin.

He'll need to pick up some new RAM too..his old motherboard is using DDR2, new one requires DDR3

 

[Stuka87]

Even at 1680 with lower settings that card won't run BF3 at 60fps. You are really looking at a whole new system in order to accomplish what you want.


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[MustangSVT]

sell that video card. it will hold you back no matter what cpu you get.

 

[JujuFish]

Even at 1680 with lower settings that card won't run BF3 at 60fps. You are really looking at a whole new system in order to accomplish what you want.


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No, it won't hit 60, but it hits 48fps for 1680 on medium.
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/541?i=398.401.458

 

[JamesV]

You need a new core system for sure (mobo, cpu, memory). My last PC was an E6600 build comparable to yours, and I'm not too familiar with your video card, but it should be possible to create a 2500k build for around $400 with some deals and free shipping. You could also look to AMD alternatives, which generally are cheaper, but not my area of expertise.

Make sure this PSU you are receiving is compatible with any CPU you purchase, and try to reuse your case, DVD, HDD, monitor, keyboard, mouse, OS, cables, etc.

This will be hard to do; you'll probably find you need a cable that wasn't supplied, or run into something you didn't think of. The guy that is giving you a PSU is the one you want to consult with; assuming someone who would save a PSU and offer it to a friend has some good technical knowledge.

 

[richaron]

It's arguable what's bottlenecking this system. You might be better off selling the whole thing & building a whole new budget computer for ~$600.

But I think it would be dumb to spend $400 on CPU/mobo/ram & try to game using the gtx550ti. And your 500W psu will be fine for anything you might add.

 

[Upgrade_Itch]

I recommend a used i5 or i7 FIRST GEN (i5 760 or i7 860) and a p55 express board. If you can locate one of these COMBOS in fantastic condition for about $160 or less.

Then you can reuse DDR3 ram u prolly have and buy a 560 TI 448 or a Radeon HD7850 new.

This combo would run about $400 or so. Give or take $25. You'd be set with some decent gaming.

 

[mfenn]

It's arguable what's bottlenecking this system. You might be better off selling the whole thing & building a whole new budget computer for ~$600.

But I think it would be dumb to spend $400 on CPU/mobo/ram & try to game using the gtx550ti. And your 500W psu will be fine for anything you might add.

I agree with rich and everyone else. Your current system is pretty well balanced for BF3, but the flip side of that is that you really need to upgrade the mobo, CPU, RAM, and GPU to get a good performance improvement. Here's the closest I could come for $400:

i3 2120 $115 AP - performs like a Core 2 Quad
Biostar H61MLC $50
Patriot DDR3 1600 8GB $42
GTX 560 Ti $195 AR
Total: $402 AR AP

 

[Stuka87]

No, it won't hit 60, but it hits 48fps for 1680 on medium.
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/541?i=398.401.458

Thats in single player, not multi-player. Multi-player is a whole different animal.

 

[scirocco16v]

Thanks for all the replies! I've been watching Craigslist for a board/proc combo but nothing has come up yet. I'd be fine with the 48.6 FPS on medium. I'm sure it's far better than what I'm currently dealing with on all low + reduced resolution.