Help for Gaming PC Upgrades

[AGENT_P6]

Hey guys, the title says it mostly
I have a somewhat decent gaming computer but I'm considering possibly a faster hard drive upgrade, maybe a 2nd video card for crossfire (if that's possible with this rig, which is what I need u guys to assist me with) and any other ideas u guys can throw at me that will get me some better performance.

I don't know a heck of a lot about computers and upgrading do please keep it fairly layman friendly. I'm looking mostly for you guys to check out the specs of my PC in the link below, and provide me with links to video cards, sata/SSD etc that are compatible/fit into the PC I have.

So here it is:http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/ca/en/ho/WF06b/12454-12454-3329740-64546-64546-5080764-5110074.html?jumpid=reg_r1002_caenc-001&lang=en&cc=ca

I'm currently having a bit of trouble getting high frame rates on maxed out settings for my games at 1920x1080. I can get around 60fps if I dumb it down to console gaming standards but that's not what I bought this PC for! I bought it cuz console wasn't giving me enough performance (and the gaming comminuty in general can be a bit immature.

So yea, looking for performance upgrade options if its not too much trouble.

 

[Termie]

That HP looks like a Micro-ATX case, and the board only has one full-speed PCIe slot designed for graphics cards. So that rules out crossfire and leaves you only with the option to replace your video card. The other issue is that the case probably won't fit a large video card - likely about the length of the motherboard (~8", but you'll have to measure). You have a fairly solid AMD processor (1065T), but it's not overclockable on OEM machines like an HP, so that could eventually be a limiting factor as well.

As for a faster hard drive, the only option you should consider is using a solid state drive (SSD), which start at around 60GB - too small to use as your only drive, but fine as an OS drive. They are compact enough that you won't have a problem mounting it somewhere in your case and keeping your old hard drive for storage. All of this will require some minor adjustments to the BIOS, but HP should enable at least the option of multiple hard drives.

So which 8" graphics card and 60GB SSD do I recommend? Well, here you go:

(1) Evga GTX560: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130660.

At about $170 after rebate, it's a pretty good value and about 50-60% faster than your current card. It will require two power connectors, but EVGA includes an adapter if you only have one. I'd double-check to make sure the label on the side of your power supply says it has at least 400w (preferably 450w). Below that and you're pretty much out of luck powering graphics cards in this class.

(2) Crucial M4 64GB SSD for the OS: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820148441

Proven reliable, plenty fast, and affordable at $110. Be aware that this will require a reinstallation of your OS, and HP likely did not provide you with a full backup copy of Windows 7, so you may need to buy it (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832116986)

So there you have it...good luck!

 

[fourdegrees11]

According to that chart you only have one PCI x16 slot, which means one graphics card. You need to pull out the power supply and see what its rated for, look for a chart with 12V rail markings. There should also be a 6 pin power connector on your 6770, which would be good, but you'll need two 6 pin connectors from your power supply to run a much better GPU. I think a 6850 is the best gpu you can get with one 6 pin connector? Which would only offer a minor improvement over what you have.

edit: you might have to include something like this into your budget

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817338038

 

[AGENT_P6]

Yikes! Now I see why building PCs from the ground up is so much more popular among PC gamers. Im stuck with one PCI-E x16, Need to purchase my OS all over again for the new SSD, a small case limiting the graphics card options, no overclocking...GRR!

Well the amount I would pay for a SSD and windows 7, a new graphics card and possibly a new power supply if needed (and maybe a better fan as well to cool down the hotter hardware?) I'd be racking up enough of a bill that I might as well cut the crap and build one from the ground up anyway! I think due to my limited options I'm gonna stuck it out with this one and maybe just use it for the media software I have, as well as storage space etc.
Then when I save up some cash Im gonna do it right next time and get a custom PC that keeps my options for upgrading wide open.

As I was considering buying my HP I had a hunch I was gonna get a bite in the ass about upgrading later on, but alas I'm too uneducated in gaming computers/upgrades etc. so I guess u live u learn.

Thanx a lot for your replies tho, I actually learned a few valuable things from them.

 

[fourdegrees11]

You could salvage your CPU, 6770 (for X-fire), RAM, HD, and DVD drive for a new build. You would need a case, power supply, motherboard, and another 6770. Skipping the SSD for now should save you from buying the OS.

 

[fourdegrees11]

Getting an AM3+ MB could give you a potential future CPU upgrade with Piledriver, and you would have no issues adding a highend GPU in the future with a large case and nice PSU.

 

[AGENT_P6]

Getting an AM3+ MB could give you a potential future CPU upgrade with Piledriver, and you would have no issues adding a highend GPU in the future with a large case and nice PSU.

I don't really know what you're talking about. I'm don't know a lot of these terms. What's AM3+ MB? What's Piledriver? I do know what a GPU, CPU and PSU is at least tho lol.

 

[AGENT_P6]

Also, how much is my 5400rpm drive bottlenecking performance? Like would a 7200 offer a much noticeable performance increase? What about 10000?

And also kinda unrelated but: is it normal that since downloading the latest radeon driver my computer now recognizes it as the 5700 model? Should I roll back the driver?
I read up a bit on the two models and apparently they are almost identical in performance but I just find it odd that my computer says I have a different GPU than I actually do.

 

[RavenSEAL]

I don't really know what you're talking about. I'm don't know a lot of these terms. What's AM3+ MB? What's Piledriver? I do know what a GPU, CPU and PSU is at least tho lol.

:|

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/computer-hardware-channel.htm

 

[AGENT_P6]

:|

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/computer-hardware-channel.htm

I know I know I'm a n00b
But hey, everyone's gotta start somewhere right? I'm just learning all about computers and stuff so forgive my ignorance.

I figured it out tho it's a motherboard (hence "MB" *facepalm*)

I don't have ANYWHERE near the knowledge of most of you guys on this forum so I know I'm a bit out of my league here...I'm mostly here to learn and lean on the community for troubleshooting until I can stand on my own two hemispheres then I can give back too with some advice after I've done my obligatory fair share of moronic posts and subsequent facepalms

Well at this point it looks like my best option is to either salvage the hardware from my current PC and get a custom one made, or just keep what I have now grin an bear the toss up between performance and quality when gaming and still get a custom one made. Budget isn't really a concern as I have exceptional credit XD and a decent job.

I'm still interested in hearing any other thoughts/suggestions tho. My goal is basically to get something that can easily play pretty much any game at max settings w/60fps &1920x1080. If I can achieve that I'm happy. And of course I'll be learning a whole lot of valuable new things along the way

 

[Termie]

I know I know I'm a n00b
But hey, everyone's gotta start somewhere right? I'm just learning all about computers and stuff so forgive my ignorance.

I figured it out tho it's a motherboard (hence "MB" *facepalm*)

I don't have ANYWHERE near the knowledge of most of you guys on this forum so I know I'm a bit out of my league here...I'm mostly here to learn and lean on the community for troubleshooting until I can stand on my own two hemispheres then I can give back too with some advice after I've done my obligatory fair share of moronic posts and subsequent facepalms

Well at this point it looks like my best option is to either salvage the hardware from my current PC and get a custom one made, or just keep what I have now grin an bear the toss up between performance and quality when gaming and still get a custom one made. Budget isn't really a concern as I have exceptional credit XD and a decent job.

I'm still interested in hearing any other thoughts/suggestions tho. My goal is basically to get something that can easily play pretty much any game at max settings w/60fps &1920x1080. If I can achieve that I'm happy. And of course I'll be learning a whole lot of valuable new things along the way

It seems you have a number of basic questions - you might consider posting in the General Hardware forum with your whole list, as the video card lovers in this forum won't be that focused on all your questions.

To answer a few of them:
(1) You have a CPU compatible with AMD's AM3 motherboard chipset, and AMD3+ is the version that will accept CPUs in yet-to-be-available processor families, such as Piledriver.
(2) Your card is in the 6700 series, but is almost identical to the 5770, and the driver may simply report it as being a 5700. That doesn't mean it isn't working correctly as a 6770, but you might try uninstalling all AMD driver software first and then reinstalling the 6700 drivers. I wouldn't worry too much, though, as the 5770 and 6770 have exactly the same GPU attached to the cards.
(3) Your 5400rpm hard drive is very, very slow, but a 7200rpm drive is only 33% faster (roughly speaking), while an SSD would be an honest 2-3 times faster. In other words, don't buy a new hard drive.
(4) As to your goal of playing all games at 1080p and max settings, well...good luck with that! In brand new games like Battlefield 3, max settings at 1080p require about $700 in video cards, which I'm assuming is about what you paid for your computer. A more realistic goal would be to play all games at your native resolution of 1080p, and go from there. Some will work at medium settings, some high, some max.

Honestly, I think the best thing for you to do is get some experience working on your computer. And to do that, you need a project. Upgrading video cards is the best way to start. Unfortunately, most video cards could tax your power supply or not fit. So that's why I'm going to recommend that you buy the following video card:

Sapphire HD6850: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16814102908

I've linked to a Canadian source for you. No, this isn't the most cost-effective upgrade, as it's only about 33% faster than your card: http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/296?vs=291

But it will play today's games at more reasonable settings, it requires only one power connection (which you already have on your 6770), and this particular model is only slightly over 8.5" (215mm) long (others are over 9"). That means it will almost certainly fit in your case, as your OEM 6770 should be 210mm long.

Remember, this is not your most cost-effective upgrade, but it will get you working on your computer, learning how things work, and it's 99% guaranteed to work (ok, maybe 98%).

Don't feel bad, though...long before I was building my own computers (and those for all my friends and family members), I was jamming high-end video cards into cramped Dell desktops, trying to get every last bit of performance out of a computer that was basically locked down, and almost impossible to modify. That's how I found Anandtech back in 2005, and that experience is fundamentally not that different from building your own computer, which you should try some day (and I don't mean ordering a custom computer, by the way, as you won't learn as much from that).

As an aside, I personally wouldn't recommend disassembling your HP to move parts to another case with a new motherboard. I would be concerned about damaging components that weren't made to be easily moved around - the last thing you'd want is to invest in all sorts of new parts only to damage something and have no working computer to turn to.

Anyway, have fun, and good luck!

 

[fourdegrees11]

I know I know I'm a n00b
But hey, everyone's gotta start somewhere right? I'm just learning all about computers and stuff so forgive my ignorance.

I figured it out tho it's a motherboard (hence "MB" *facepalm*)

I don't have ANYWHERE near the knowledge of most of you guys on this forum so I know I'm a bit out of my league here...I'm mostly here to learn and lean on the community for troubleshooting until I can stand on my own two hemispheres then I can give back too with some advice after I've done my obligatory fair share of moronic posts and subsequent facepalms

Well at this point it looks like my best option is to either salvage the hardware from my current PC and get a custom one made, or just keep what I have now grin an bear the toss up between performance and quality when gaming and still get a custom one made. Budget isn't really a concern as I have exceptional credit XD and a decent job.

I'm still interested in hearing any other thoughts/suggestions tho. My goal is basically to get something that can easily play pretty much any game at max settings w/60fps &1920x1080. If I can achieve that I'm happy. And of course I'll be learning a whole lot of valuable new things along the way

Not to get too off track, but I recommend buying a few components every pay check instead of loading up a credit card, anyway.

Working on a computer is pretty easy for the most part. The biggest concern for me is to not static shock components, since I live in a dry environment. Most people ground themselves, I wear nitril gloves (the gloves they have at a docs office) instead.

All you have to do is get compatible components, and connect/plug them all in. Your OS should boot right up from your reused HD. The only real worry would be having a defective new item that wont let the system boot. Here's an example of a semi budget revamp of your system

ASRock AM3+ MB $80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157272

Antec NEO ECO 620W PSU $70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371031

Rosewill CHALLENGER Computer Case $50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811147153

Extra 6770 for crossfire $110
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102941

Or if you want a simpler GPU solution, a single 6950 for $270
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161372

Disconnect/remove everything from your current case, install and connect everything in new case, done. I'm sure there's youtube videos showing someone do this.