Upgrading opinions?

[blackfallen]

Alright so i game a lot, since im grabbing battlefield at midnight tonight, and various other games coming in the future, would it be worth upgrading my current CPU? Maybe a hexcore, or should i wait for Ivy and switch to intel?

Bulldozer is out of the option.. i dont want my room to go up another 10 degrees :\

Current Cpu is AMD Phenom X3 720 @ 3.4 ghz

 

[richierich1212]

Why don't you try gaming on your 720 and see how it performs first? Have you tried overclocking higher?

 

[nyker96]

newegg is selling 1035T for just 125AC right now. I think it's a great option for you. Plus some report that the multiplier on it oddly is unlocked like the BE editions. and they clock close to 4ghz just like other x6s.

 

[blackfallen]

i have had my 720 since launch of it so it has served me well i must say. I have overclocked it higher but it eventually got unstable around 3.6 so i knocked it down to 3.4 ghz. I have a a 5870 overclocked to 1 ghz so im fine gpu wis. Id post it in my sig if i knew how to make a sig

 

[lehtv]

AFAIK BF3 is relatively CPU heavy and likes quad cores. A sandy bridge i5 really destroys the X3 720 in games as well as in general: http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/288?vs=83. Whether it's worth upgrading to really depends on how much you're willing to spend. A Phenom II X6 on the other hand would improve overall performance but would have very little effect on gaming performance: http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/147?vs=83

 

[blackfallen]

holy, makes my CPU look like a joke my only complaint is if i go intel then i have to buy a brand new mobo ram and CPU where as amd i may be able to get away with just a CPU which would give me better performance for the price i pay. tough decisions

 

[lehtv]

A H61 microATX mobo and 8GB RAM can be had for just $92 shipped. Combine with i5-2400 for $190 (2500K would require a P67/Z68 mobo to be overclocked). Could even stick to 4GB RAM if you really wanted to stretch the penny

As noted, an AMD upgrade won't really improve gaming performance noticeably

 

[mrjoltcola]

You may see a bit of increase with a 4th core, but 5th and 6th cores wont be felt in gaming, so don't look to hexacore for gaming. If anything, 6-cores will require you to buy a new cooler to get the same overclock. You care about overall IPC / per-core performance, while getting a minimum of 4-cores, but really, it is the speed of those first two cores that are critical. Since you happen to have the 3-core, the 1100T would still be a decent upgrade, but your X3 is no slouch as far as AMDs go, so I'd recommend you stick with the X3 and put your $$ towards a faster GPU.

No AMD is going to be big step up for gaming from your X3 overclocked, unfortunately, so if you are set on faster CPU the smart money is Sandy Bridge 2500K + a P67 board, or find a Microcenter and get the combo deal with a Z68 board.

An X3 + a GTX 560Ti or Radeon 6950 should chew up BF3 just fine, so I'm curious what GPU and screen res you are running?

 

[blackfallen]

i have a gigabyte 5870 overclock to 1ghz and i play at 1080p, so i already know its more gpu limited

 

[mrjoltcola]

Well a 5870 is still considered a fast card today, so I take back my 560ti suggestion, as it wouldn't be an improvement.

Don't get caught up too much in the hype of hexa-cores (or even quad core for that matter). A three core has a lot of grunt and will run BF3 with the right GPU setup much better than a hexacore will run it with the wrong GPU setup.

If it were me, and my immediate budget was $125, I would do, in this order:

1) Try the game, see how it plays.
2) Buy a 2nd 5870, crossfire it and probably make that X3 last a long time.
3) Save up a couple of paychecks and upgrade to Sandy Bridge 2500K later down the road, then you've got dual 5870s that will also pick up more framerates with an overclocked 2500K driving.

 

[Arachnotronic]

I'm going to be honest. A buddy of mine was running a triple-core Athlon II for the longest time, and even after upgrading to a GTX 280, we ran into some serious bottlenecks in a LOT of games (anything UE3, BF3 beta, etc). Unlocking his 4th core, we saw MASSIVE improvements.

Don't listen to the BS -- quad cores are absolutely necessary for high end games in this day and age. If you can afford it, pick up a 2500K + P67 mobo. If not, buy a Phenom II X6 for your board.

 

[Hubb1e]

I've got a Q6600 at 3ghz and a 5850 on a 19x12 monitor and the BF3 beta played well on my machine until I got to the big map where things would slow down slightly. I'm assuming that's CPU and not GPU? Would I benefit from an upgrade? I'm hesitant to upgrade now that Bulldozer is a no-go and Ivy is coming soon. This Q6600 has lasted me for a very long time though and it's due for an upgrade. I'll also probably upgrade to a 7000 series GPU when they drop as well.

The 2500K and Z68 package has been hard to ignore but if I don't need it I'd rather wait.

 

[Puppies04]

Misread....

 

[blackfallen]

Yea i have decided i will upgrade around christmas to intel 2500k or 2600k. I checked my cpu and ram usage during bf3 conquest maps :/ 99-100% utilization for my cpu and 3.8 gb of ram being used

 

[mrjoltcola]

Wise decision. Since you already have a X3, it really doesn't make much sense to invest in more AMD right now with the 2500K around. The 1100T is nice, and looks good on paper, but you are much more likely to get 4.5-4.8 Ghz out of a 2500K, so that 400-800Mhz will further differentiate the Sandy from the Phenom. Plus It is good to wait and will make you look forward to Christmas.

Prices might drop on the 2600K with the 2700K having arrived, though the best deal going right now is Microcenter's $80 off motherboard combo. You get a 2600K for $280 and a Z68 motherboard like a ASUS P8Z68-V LX for $45 out the door.

Good luck.