Upgrading an older pc

[jdelrio22]

Here are the parts to my current system:

Enermax 800w PW
Asus p5q mobo
4gb ddr2 ram
1tb 7200rpm hdd
450gb 7200rpm hdd
Intel Core 2 Q extreme oc to 3.3ghz
Ati 4890 graphics card
Soundblaster PCIE sound card (titanium)

Obviously simply changing everything would be the right thing to do - put in a new processor, DDR3, and a new graphics card

I am thinking that for now I am going to start to upgrade in pieces since my processor is still pretty good for what I do (gaming).

So the order of upgrades I am thinking is:

Graphics card
Hard drive (SSD)
Mobo/processor/ram
bluray writer (I use my pc to stream and play movies on my larger tv - I also like to play games while putting a film on for my roommates)
New monitor (current 1600x1080 screen)

So at this resolution I don't need a $400 graphics card but at the same time I would like to be able to once in a while use the 1900x1200 larger tv.

With that in mind I am looking at possibly something around the $150-$200 range.

I saw that newegg has an XFX 7850 1gB card for sale ($150 after rebate) and since I haven't kept up with the new hardware trends was curious if this is a good choice. Are there other cards in that price range/nVidia cards that I should consider?

Last thing is room - the 4890 takes 2 slots and it is kind of a tight fit so if there is anything bigger than a 4890, then I can't fit it in.

 

[Termie]

You have correctly concluded what would be the best order of upgrades for your system and intended use (gaming). The graphics card should definitely be the first step, and then an SSD.

The XFX HD7850 1GB for $142 is a very good deal: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150617

Keep in mind, however, that 1GB is quickly becoming limiting in some games at 1080p, so if you intend to game at that resolution in the future (even if not currently on your monitor), you may want to spend more to get a 2GB card, and while you're at it, you'll get a better cooler than what's on the XFX. I'd recommend the following HIS model for $190AR: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161405

It's 9.25" long - make sure you have enough space for it, given that your 4890 is apparently a tight fit in your case.

Overall, look for 50-75% improvement in game performance, along with a 30-40w reduction in both idle and load power use.

 

[jdelrio22]

Thank you for the input, I am now leaning towards that 2Gb version. Would I see that much more of a gain if I increased my budget to $300?

I have kept my card for a little under three years now and since I don't do upgrades very frequently, would I gain that much more spending another $100?

 

[riversend]

So adding an additional 50% to your cost you would want to see an additional 50% in performance ideally. You might be fine with less of an increase, but you will want to run some comparisons to know what you are getting. In general, different chipsets (AMD or Nvidia) will see gains over the other in certain games (say BF3 or GW2), but you are unlikely to see an across the board 50%.

Take a look at this bench. You can get a nice dual fan 7850 for ~$190 pretty regularly, and it looks like 660 Ti's are running in the neighborhood of $300.

The 7850 will allow you to make use of the 1920x1200 tv, and then you can save some cash for the rest of the upgrades you want to do. I would not get anything less than 2GB on the card. Depending on how fast you upgrade the rest of the rig, you could sell the 7850 later and get a newer model when the time comes.

 

[mfenn]

So adding an additional 50% to your cost you would want to see an additional 50% in performance ideally.

Take a look at this bench. You can get a nice dual fan 7850 for ~$190 pretty regularly, and it looks like 660 Ti's are running in the neighborhood of $300.

This is a good way to look at it. Some games show a big improvement (almost double in Shogun 2) but others show next to no improvement. See which games are important to you and go from there.

 

[Leyawiin]

Future proof yourself a bit. Go HD 7850 2GB. Its worth the extra money in the short and long run (I could fill 1GB in many games on my old 1680x1050 monitor). Second would be an SSD.