Should I upgrade video or PC??

[jpinks]

I want to upgrade my system, but am concerned if my system will possibly be a bottleneck for a 5870 or 5970 card. With my current specs should I get one of these or go to a 280 nvidia?? Heres my current specs. Also concerned on card size. I have heard lots of people running into the cards being to big for the case. I dont think thats going to be a concern with mine, but if anyone has experience with this one let me know too.

Xeon 3360 Quad 2.83Ghz
4GB DDR2 1200
8800GTS 512
Asus Rampage Formula X48
PC Power&Cooling 750watts
Thermaltake Armor Series VA8003BWS case

 

[happy medium]

First, it is not hard to overclock,you should try it. Your cpu is the same as mine at stock.
Here is some help...

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=47089

Your system should be fine for a 5870 if you game @ 1920x1080 and above.
The armor is a large case ,it should fit if not you might have to move the harddrive (or cage) out of the way.

If you game @ 1650x1050 a 5850 will play any game at high detail.

 

[jpinks]

Yeah I have a mild overclock on my CPU. Its at 3.0, I was concerned about heat on the OC so I have stayed mild and cant complain about its performance. I was concerned mostly with my X48 Motherboard possibly or Ram causing a bottleneck if I update the card that far. I got a new monitor for Christmas thats 1920x1080 so thats part of the motivation.

 

[zerocool84]

The Armor is larger than the Antec 900 I have and my 5870 has a little over 1" until it runs out of room and hits the HD cages. You might have to move around your HD's to make room for one.

Your Xeon 3360 is basically a Q9550 which I have and it works great. No need for you to upgrade at all.

 

[happy medium]

jpinks ..So how big is your monitor? 24inch?

 

[jpinks]

25.5 its a Asus monitor. VK266H. My 8800 GTS seems to struggle with it a bit

 

[zerocool84]

25.5 its a Asus monitor. VK266H. My 8800 GTS seems to struggle with it a bit

Yea with newer games it will. My 9800GTX+ struggled as well on newer games which is why I upgraded to a 5870 and everything runs great.

 

[mhouck]

as others have already said, you cpu is fine. An x48 will not limit you at all in terms of the pci express slots being 2.0 x16 and it can hold 8 gbs of ram or more if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Arkaign]

GPU! Although if you can wait just a little longer, you'll probably see better prices.

 

[jpinks]

GPU! Although if you can wait just a little longer, you'll probably see better prices.

LOL I know I always seem to get caught waiting for the next card. I did that with the 285's after hearing about what ATI had coming. Now its wait for Fermi.

 

[lavaheadache]

Your system should be fine for a 5870 if you game @ 1920x1080 and above.
.

I never understand comments like this. As if gaming at a lower resolution with "said" hardware makes it more of a reason to upgrade. I realise that lower resolutions and settings place a larger emphasis on cpu bottlenecks but it's almost like what you are saying is that if he traded his monitor in for a 1280x1024 panel his cpu would leave something to be desired and warrant an upgrade.

I guess I'm just trying to say that it is an awkward statement to make and don't know why people say it all the time.

 

[Acanthus]

Video card upgrade. Honestly you wont gain much from going i7 without spending a fortune.

 

[happy medium]

I never understand comments like this. As if gaming at a lower resolution with "said" hardware makes it more of a reason to upgrade. I realise that lower resolutions and settings place a larger emphasis on cpu bottlenecks but it's almost like what you are saying is that if he traded his monitor in for a 1280x1024 panel his cpu would leave something to be desired and warrant an upgrade.

I guess I'm just trying to say that it is an awkward statement to make and don't know why people say it all the time.

If you read the sentence I wrote below it ,you would understand.

Just in case you don't.

I already said his system was fine for a 5870.

I wasn't going to recommend a 5870 for lower resolutions then 1900x1080.
A 5850 is more then a enough for 1650x1050.
I told him his case is large and should be fine.

So what is it you dont understand?
I think I covered all the bases.

So how is this statement awkward to you?

And what did you post that helped the OP in any way?
Nothing, now I think thats awkward.

Good day.

 

[zerocool84]

I never understand comments like this. As if gaming at a lower resolution with "said" hardware makes it more of a reason to upgrade. I realise that lower resolutions and settings place a larger emphasis on cpu bottlenecks but it's almost like what you are saying is that if he traded his monitor in for a 1280x1024 panel his cpu would leave something to be desired and warrant an upgrade.

I guess I'm just trying to say that it is an awkward statement to make and don't know why people say it all the time.

Well the higher rez you play at the more horsepower you'll need to run it at the same quality as a lower rez. He was saying that he should get a 5870 if he games at that rez since he'll need the power for it. If he games at a lower rez he can get by with something less expensive.

 

[happy medium]

Well the higher rez you play at the more horsepower you'll need to run it at the same quality as a lower rez. He was saying that he should get a 5870 if he games at that rez since he'll need the power for it. If he games at a lower rez he can get by with something less expensive.

See ? he got it. Thanks ZEROCOOL.

 

[lavaheadache]

ummm, I'm not an idiot you know. You guys can slap each other high 5's all you want and think he alley opped you. I think maybe I misinterpreted what you said. I thought you were saying that his cpu was fine for a 5870 @ 1920x1080 but (and this is where my misunderstanding came in) if he were at a lower res his cpu would bottleneck his system.

my bad

 

[happy medium]

ummm, I'm not an idiot you know. You guys can slap each other high 5's all you want and think he alley opped you. I think maybe I misinterpreted what you said. I thought you were saying that his cpu was fine for a 5870 @ 1920x1080 but (and this is where my misunderstanding came in) if he were at a lower res his cpu would bottleneck his system.

my bad

No problem ,just bustin balls a little.:biggrin:

 

[lavaheadache]

high 5.... lol

 

[zerocool84]

high 5.... lol

I thought the thing to do now-a-days was to rub cocks together?

 

[happy medium]

mabe if your in one hole and I'm in the other.
HAHAHHA/ end thread.

 

[jpinks]

Pulling the trigger on this card today. Finally have the time. But I havent owned an ATI card in YEARS!! Last one I had seemed to always have driver issues. Has ATI gotten better on this or will it still be quirky???

SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100281VX-2SR Radeon HD 5870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 This is the card I am getting as it's supposedly shorter like only 10 inches long. Any feedback on it?

 

[brownstone]

It's expensive!
I'm in the same boat as you, same monitor and a 4830 trying to power it. Just out of curiosity, where are you planning on getting the card from? I'm chomping at the bit for a 5850/5870, but I'm trying to make myself wait in hopes that the prices drop sometime...soon. It's killin' me!

 

[jpinks]

Well I usually go Newegg myself as I havent had any RMA or other issues from them unlike some others (coughtigerdirectsucks). But yeah I would love to see the price drop. Though I just got done reading the Grey Screen and hangs thread OY VEY!!! Just what I didnt want to see.

 

[brownstone]

yeah, I ran across that myself and it didn't instill me with any confidence, but waiting is becoming increasingly difficult! I've got upgrade fever!

 

[jpinks]

Mine is more necessity. I think my 8800GTS is having issues running things (as well as the monitor I just got ). It all of a sudden just wont run Arkham Asyl and ME2 over 10fps. I dont understand why. I have completed Arkham and it ran great now it just chugs at 1680x1050.