Upgrading my video card- what should I get?

Slew Foot

Lifer
Sep 22, 2005
12,379
96
86
My brother built my frankenputer a couple years ago but hasnt been up to date with the latest info. Here are my current stats:


MB: ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel
C2duo e8400 3.0 ghz
4 gb ram
ATI radeon 4870


Looking for something nvidia (my dad manages their supply chain now haha).
What would be a good video card to upgrade to? Price isnt a huge concern but Im looking for good value. Any other upgrades I should look into?



Alternatively. should I just get a totally new computer? Is there an easy way to port over my current HD in Win 7 to a new computer?
 
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DominionSeraph

Diamond Member
Jul 22, 2009
8,386
32
91
I don't see any worthwhile upgrades on that platform. I also don't see any upgrade as being significant this side of an i5 2500k with a GTX 570. (A GTX 560 Ti is maybe 80% more than a 4870, so it's decent, but I call 100%+ a real upgrade.)

You have a pretty good budget gaming rig in that. What's it running slowly?
 
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Rifter

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,522
751
126
If i was going to upgrade from what you have i would go to a whole new system.
 

Slew Foot

Lifer
Sep 22, 2005
12,379
96
86
There it is. Ive been convinced to go with a whole new system, thanks ATOT!

It runs older stuff pretty well but it wont run newer stuff with all the bells and whistles. That and ive got a pile of cash to burn.
 

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
1
0
its time for a new pc if you actually want to fully utilize any gpu much faster than what you already have.
 

happy medium

Lifer
Jun 8, 2003
14,387
480
126
You have a great overclocking motherboard and good memory.

I would sell the e8400 and 4870 for about 120$ and look for a q9550 used for about 170$( overclock it ) and a 200$ gtx560ti.
Thats 250$ after the sale of you old stuff and your performance will double in more modern games.

VS

New cheap motherboard for 120$, 55$ ram, 250$ cpu/cooler and 200$ videocard and will get you about the same performance for 2.2x the price.
 
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DominionSeraph

Diamond Member
Jul 22, 2009
8,386
32
91
You have a great overclocking motherboard and good memory.

I would sell the e8400 and 4870 for about 120$ and look for a q9550 used for about 170$( overclock it ) and a 200$ gtx560ti.
Thats 250$ after the sale of you old stuff and your performance will double in more modern games.

VS

New cheap motherboard for 120$, 55$ ram, 250$ cpu/cooler and 200$ videocard and will get you about the same performance for 2.2x the price.

You failed to figure in that he can sell the motherboard and RAM when upgrading. Hell, DDR2 sells used for more than DDR3 costs.

A new platform gets him SATA III for a SSD and a more surefire overclocker in a i5 2500k. $170 for a Q9550 or $220 for i5 2500k is not in the Q9550's favor -- it's just barely even on the IPC side and the 2500k clocks higher.