Want to play new games ... upgrade later?

[raildogg]

Hey everyone, I have not played some of the newer games for a couple of years because I'm using integrated graphics. Yesterday, I ordered a Radeon 7850 2GB so I can play some other games besides the older games I've been playing. I'm just wondering if my strategy of holding off for another year or so is based on good reasoning. One side of me says to wait till Haswell but another side says my current system needs a big overhaul or replacement.

I'm currently using the following system:

AMD Athlon II X4 635
Gigabyte 880-GA UD3H
4GB RAM (another 4GB coming soon)
128GB SSD
Integrated graphics
Seasonic 520W
Windows 7
Cooler Master Elite 335
23" LCD 1080P

I am thinking that the 7850 that is coming will allow me to play the latest games, though at reduced settings. As long as its above medium settings, I'm OK with that. I guess the only way to know how potent this system will be is to actually play the games.

Thank you.

 

[raildogg]

I should add that I'm considering the Phenom II X6 1055T and the Phenom II X4 965 if the games don't play too well on the current system when the 7850 arrives. They are both $85-$90 upgrades and they may make a difference.

In terms of what games I'll be playing, they'll be the new Sim City 5, some of the newer C&C games, other newer RTS games, BioShock Infinite and similar titles. I don't really care for Crysis or BF3.

Just looking for a cost effective way of doing things

 

[k1114]

I would hold off on a major upgrade. The card you ordered should give you a lot more usable life, and you should be able add more ram for peanuts.

 

[Hubb1e]

I think you're fine as you stand now. You could try getting some overclock out of the 635 but the games you're interested in should run fine on the 635 at 2.9ghz. The 965 is only 500mhz faster than the 635 (plus the extra cache helps) so to make that into a real upgrade you'd need to consider an overclock on it. As cheap as the 965 it's almost worth it but that's up to you to judge how much $80 is worth to you.

 

[mfenn]

I would hold off on a major upgrade. The card you ordered should give you a lot more usable life, and you should be able add more ram for peanuts.

Agree. The CPU is certainly the weak spot for your build, but at the same time you're not playing really intense shooters either.

 

[raildogg]

K1114, I am satisfied with this computer's performance so it should be good for a while. It's the gaming aspect of it that might not be too good, from the CPU side. Thanks.

Hubb1e, I have a Cooler Master Elite 335 case with only one rear fan so I'm not sure if overclocking would be a good move. I could add a front fan and get a CM Hyper 212 but I'm not sure how much of a increase from 3.4 to 3.8 or so would be (with the Phenom X4 965). Right now, I'm thinking a stock 965 would be a substantial increase but I will first see how the 635 performs. Thanks.

mfenn, Yes, it is a great CPU in terms of multitasking and overall system performance but gaming is another story. But I might be able to use it for a while still. Thanks.

 

[sm625]

That's a decent system. I wouldnt even bother upgrading the cpu. Just use it till haswell.