Sweet Spot for upgrading from a 955 Phenom at 3.8GHz for under $750-1000?

[alkemyst]

My complete rig is at http://www.30moons.com/pc_chiapet.php

Basically a AMD 955@3.8GHz, 8GB 1333 at CAS 6, 4890 1GB, Gigabyte GA-MA790XT-UD4P with a Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme/2 Scythe Ultra Kaze. PSU is Corsair CMPSU-750HX 750W.

I'd like to upgrade to a 512GB SSD separately as well, if I can do it all under $1k that would be great.

I am in a toss-up on what CPU. I want a better video card. I am leaning toward something like the veritable GENE motherboard. I'd like 16GB of low CAS. I plan to OC. I think my PSU is fine.

I game at 1920x1200, I'd like to max settings.

I am thinking even a 2500K would be fantastic. I haven't kept up with the market though as my machine has always been adequate. I have a 10 and 15 year old now so games are more important.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

I would go with a i5 and a 7950.

People are reporting 7950s for as low as 160 AR and mostly around $200 AR slightly less for lesser coolers.

$1k would be quite easy for even the latest i5, which is Haswell.

i5-4670k $230

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819116899

ASUS GENE $210

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131975


TF3 7950 $200

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127667


Keep your ram, makes little to no difference for gaming. Otherwise any 1600 kit should be good, don't over spend for ram. Mine were 1600MHz and will OC to 2400MHz on Haswell.

If used is an option and you want to spend less either the i5-2500k or i5-3570k are good options.


For your SSD Samsung seems to be getting a lot of praise these days, I personally like my M4 but since I bought mine awhile ago I'm not "in the loop" as far as quality/reliability goes for the Samsung, M4 was basically sold on those, not for its speed.

 

[Yuriman]

Balla's suggestions are solid. I personally would consider a cheaper board. Asus, ASRock and Gigabyte all have compelling offerings in the $140 range.

 

[alkemyst]

Balla's suggestions are solid. I personally would consider a cheaper board. Asus, ASRock and Gigabyte all have compelling offerings in the $140 range.

I can agree. I want USB ports, great sound, 2-4 sata ports and reliability. I don't need SLI/CF.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

You also might want to consider a new cpu fan, I had five of those on my water loop and I"ll never do that again, part of the reason I moved the rads outside!

 

[alkemyst]

You also might want to consider a new cpu fan, I had five of those on my water loop and I"ll never do that again, part
of the reason I moved the rads outside!

I am thinking the H100 by Corsair.

my RAM is actually OCZ OCZ3P1600LVAM4GK (2GB x 2) 1600MHz 7-7-7-24 @ 1333MHz 6-6-6-24-5-30-10-5 1T

and in 2010, I bought GeIL GV34GB1333C7DC (2GB x2) 1333MHz 7-7-7-24 to make it 8GB

I'd rather get to a RAM common ground.

 

[beginner99]

I would get a cheaper mobo and think twice about overclock because it pretty much sucks on haswell. If you're unlucky you can't even reach 4.2 Ghz and if would consider 4.5 Ghz to b above average plus the fact that the k-version chips lack support for some extensions.

 

[frozentundra123456]

With that overclock your rig is pretty decent still. Maybe you should just try a video card upgrade first, to something like a 7950. If that does not give the performance you want, go to a new mb and a 3570k or 4650k.

I don't know that much about motherboards, will the one you have take an FX?

 

[Nec_V20]

You could get:
CPU: i7-4770k
Mobo: Gigabyte Z87X-UD5H
GPU: Sapphire HD 7950

Total price for the above would be $780 at Newegg

This is what I have for my own new system and given that I took a long time to decide for myself, and that it is within your budget, I'd hardly be likely to recommend something else. Especially when the whole lot works like a charm in my machine.

 

[alkemyst]

With that overclock your rig is pretty decent still. Maybe you should just try a video card upgrade first, to something like a 7950. If that does not give the performance you want, go to a new mb and a 3570k or 4650k.

I don't know that much about motherboards, will the one you have take an FX?

It's only AM3 not AM3+

 

[JimmiG]

I would get a cheaper mobo and think twice about overclock because it pretty much sucks on haswell. If you're unlucky you can't even reach 4.2 Ghz and if would consider 4.5 Ghz to b above average plus the fact that the k-version chips lack support for some extensions.

Yeah, you don't need a super high-end motherobard to OC on Haswell.

Either your Haswell will be a great overclocker, which means you'll get away with low voltages. E.g. 4.6 GHz at 1.20V. In this case, the CPU won't draw much power and won't require massive power delivery from the mobo.

Or, your Haswell will be a crappy overclocker, which means you'll still use 1.2x V, because anything higher will cause too high temps. Only difference is you'll run at something like 4.2 or 4.3 instead of 4.5+. Same voltage = same power requirements as the 4.6+ GHz "golden" chips.

Even de-lidded at 1.323V, my $136 Gigabyte mobo and 450W PSU have no problem feeding the CPU. The CPU draws about 174W at full load.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

You mean the system draws 174w?

OC results: http://www.overclock.net/t/1411077/haswell-overclocking-thread-with-statistics

 

[nismotigerwvu]

It's sort of surprising to see how well the high end Phenom II's have held up. I mean this is a 5~6 year old chip that isn't completely and utterly hopeless. Sort of shows the decline of the high end market where if you would consider how hapless an Athlon XP would have been around the time of the release of the 955. I know the Core series was always a better absolute performer, but the Stars cores were a very solid design.

 

[JimmiG]

You mean the system draws 174w?

OC results: http://www.overclock.net/t/1411077/haswell-overclocking-thread-with-statistics

Just the CPU confirmed in two ways:

1. By setting the Max Turbo TDP in BIOS until it would no longer reach 4.5 GHz
2. By comparing the idle and full load wattages using a Kill-a-Watt

In both cases, the result was just over 170W. The entire system draws ~410W when stressing both the FPU and GPU in Aida64.

It's sort of surprising to see how well the high end Phenom II's have held up. I mean this is a 5~6 year old chip that isn't completely and utterly hopeless. Sort of shows the decline of the high end market where if you would consider how hapless an Athlon XP would have been around the time of the release of the 955. I know the Core series was always a better absolute performer, but the Stars cores were a very solid design.

Same with a decent Core2 Quad. Even for most games, a Phenom II or C2Q in the high 3.x GHz range is more than enough. It's only with a few specific games/applications that you really need more CPU power.

 

[Gillbot]

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2338547

 

[daveybrat]

I think your best bet would be to buy your 500GB SSD that you wanted and a new HD 7950 video card.

Your CPU should still be adequate enough for now and you can always upgrade the cpu/mboard down the road as well.

I'm still happily gaming on my PhenomII 960T @ 3.5GHz although i might unlock the extra 2 cores for BF4

 

[alkemyst]

I think your best bet would be to buy your 500GB SSD that you wanted and a new HD 7950 video card.

Your CPU should still be adequate enough for now and you can always upgrade the cpu/mboard down the road as well.

I'm still happily gaming on my PhenomII 960T @ 3.5GHz although i might unlock the extra 2 cores for BF4

I think I am going to do just that. My PC is still snappy, that SSD will make it even more so. My 4890 even still holds it's own at 1920x1200 still for most games.

 

[Ieat]

If you don't mind buying used. I would say its a no-brainer to get a used first gen i5/i7. They are super cheap now. It probably wouldn't cost you more then $50 to upgrade to one if you sold your old stuff. Although a PII is adequate for most games since most are gpu limited when and if you run into a game that isn't you'll probably regret not upgrading.

 

[Rvenger]

If you don't mind buying used. I would say its a no-brainer to get a used first gen i5/i7. They are super cheap now. It probably wouldn't cost you more then $50 to upgrade to one if you sold your old stuff. Although a PII is adequate for most games since most are gpu limited when and if you run into a game that isn't you'll probably regret not upgrading.

I would not get a used 1st gen. The mobo selection is ultra sparse and limited on features just like his AM3. Performance wise it would be a side grade.. I would suggest waiting on a good deal on a Haswell i5.

 

[mizzou]

subscribed.

i have pretty much the same PC as you and was curious what kind of upgrades are out there.

Don't forget to post your performance gains

 

[ShagglestheLion]

just pondering the idea of having 2 cpu sockets on a motherboard

w/AMD as the power horse.

you'd have to have 2 heatsinks inside your atx.

better make it a large.

 

[Ieat]

I would not get a used 1st gen. The mobo selection is ultra sparse and limited on features just like his AM3. Performance wise it would be a side grade.. I would suggest waiting on a good deal on a Haswell i5.

I think you underestimate the 1st gen i5/i7s especially when overclocked. Comparison with a PII clock for clock below. I consider that more then a side grade.

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/191?vs=81

Anyway I know first hand that a first gen i5 makes a difference vs a PII in a cpu intensive game. Even way back in 2009 while playing Dragon Age my PII 940 oc'd to 3.6 and a gtx 260 would choke in the main town Denerim. Upgraded to an i5 750 oc'd to 3.8 and the choking was gone.

Of course going Haswell would be best. But you have people on here telling him a PII is fine and he said he's leaning that way himself. I'm saying if you are going to upgrade your video card and do a reinstall on a SSD anyway, then get something better then a PII for almost nothing out of pocket.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

Just the CPU confirmed in two ways:

1. By setting the Max Turbo TDP in BIOS until it would no longer reach 4.5 GHz
2. By comparing the idle and full load wattages using a Kill-a-Watt

In both cases, the result was just over 170W. The entire system draws ~410W when stressing both the FPU and GPU in Aida64.

Wow I just tested my system again at 4.4GHz 1.095v in the bios I go from 115w idle (CF, ULPS disabled, two monitors) with a peak around 185w in non AVX 26.6 Prime95 in-place, with Intel's linpack at the same clocks I peaked at 220w.

So I'm looking at roughly, 70w draw in non avx and 105w draw in a brutal Linpack.


That's a huge difference :|