Graphics card or CPU/MB/RAM?

[CraigRT]

I've been doing some research here and there.

Turns out, the ATi 4890/1G is not all that much more than what my HD4850/512 is worth. So I become interested.

Thing is, I'm really not sure if I should upgrade the graphics card, or keep my 4850 and upgrade CPU/MB/RAM first.

I like playing L4D2 on 1680x1050 and at times it drops below 30 fps. I dont know if its the HD4850 or my Opteron 170. I have 4GB of RAM.

The lower cost option is for sure the 4890 over getting all new hardware, but which will yield the best gains towards my example?

Thanks for any input.

 

[Arkaign]

Oh god, new cpu/mem/mobo for sure, 1000%. Won't even cost much, I saw Phenom II X2 245 for $59 with a mobo at Fry's. Toss in 4GB of ram, and you're set.

EDIT : Your DDR1 memory and Opty 170 will also fetch a surprisingly decent amount of $ on fleabay or the like. Your total out of pocket after reselling your current cpu/mobo/ram will be shockingly small.

 

[CraigRT]

Oh god, new cpu/mem/mobo for sure, 1000%. Won't even cost much, I saw Phenom II X2 245 for $59 with a mobo at Fry's. Toss in 4GB of ram, and you're set.

EDIT : Your DDR1 memory and Opty 170 will also fetch a surprisingly decent amount of $ on fleabay or the like. Your total out of pocket after reselling your current cpu/mobo/ram will be shockingly small.

I actually am in the midst of lining up an i7 860/1156 setup (I get the CPU for half price)
but I just wondered if given what I was doing, the 4890 made much sense. I may still snag the 4890 if I can afford it, after I do the i7 upgrade

 

[fffblackmage]

I'm not sure how fast Opterons are, but I'm guessing it's somewhat dated. Seeing how L4D has generally been pretty heavy on the cpu, upgrading the cpu/mobo/ram seems like a good idea.

 

[betasub]

Opterons from that generation are showing their age (even after Ocing to ~3GHz). Performance is on par with the equivalent X2 (in this case a Skt939 X2 4400+).

Dual-core 939 and 4GB DDR fetch good money on well-known re-sale sites.

 

[cusideabelincoln]

The 4850 should not drop below 30 fps. Valve games are typically CPU-heavy, so you would be best served with a system upgrade if you're looking for better L4D performance. Or you could try overclocking your chip. If it's at 2.6-2.8 GHz or higher, it should keep L4D above 30 fps.

 

[CraigRT]

Thanks guys. I'm trying to budget for both graphics and system upgrades for right now.

I'm sure this will run L4D2 better

i7 860
p7p55d-e or p55a-ud4p
4gb G.skill DDR3-1600
ATi 4890
Win7

 

[Modular]

The 4850 will be maxed out if it's paired with an i7 in most games, but the issue that you're having is most definitely related to your CPU as others have said.

 

[dflynchimp]

I'm not sure how fast Opterons are, but I'm guessing it's somewhat dated. Seeing how L4D has generally been pretty heavy on the cpu, upgrading the cpu/mobo/ram seems like a good idea.

Opterons were essentially higher grade Athlon 64 X2s of the K8 family (server quality) with double the cache (1MB vs 512kb). The Opteron 170 is basically a 1MB cache Athlon X2 3800+ (2GHz). It's a very respectible cpu, but has been pretty much obsolete ever since Intel's Conroe (Core 2 Duo) came out.

 

[CraigRT]

The 4850 will be maxed out if it's paired with an i7 in most games, but the issue that you're having is most definitely related to your CPU as others have said.

That's why I've included the 4890 as part of my upgrade plan. Might get it tomorrow, place I'm looking to buy from only has 1 more left in stock..

I think that setup should be top notch at least compared to what I've got now.

 

[Sylvanas]

4850 ---> 4890 is not worth it. A much better decision is to get a cheap Quad+mobo and Ram and youll see a bigger difference than if you only upgraded the 4850.

 

[CraigRT]

4850 ---> 4890 is not worth it. A much better decision is to get a cheap Quad+mobo and Ram and youll see a bigger difference than if you only upgraded the 4850.

I agree now, its been confirmed.
As I said, hoping to get the 4890 tomorrow and the rest will come together. Built this system back in 2006. Been a great running rig she has!