Thread: Upgrade time, what should I get?

This is what I have now:
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6300 @ 1.86GHz
2.12 GHz Performance Rated at: 3.71 GHz
2.0 GB RAM
Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 (build 2600)
ATI Radeon Graphics Processor (0x724B)

I intend to keep my Antec case and hard drive. I want to be able to run some newer games particularly BC2 and Borderlands. What do you guys recommend? Keep in mind I'm not a rich man here.

Thanks.

Well from what some guys posted about me getting a Nvidia GTX 480, I say a quad core processor then the GTX 480

I just upgraded from an E6600 dual core to a Q6600 quad core (very limited selection of quad cores for my motherboard) and installed a new EVGA GTX 460. Runs BF:BC2 very smoothly on medium settings.

I got the Q6600 on ebay for $88 shipped. The GTX 460 was a little more.

Get an i7, New Ram, and a ATI 5770. And invest in a 700W+ PSU!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-225-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-423-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-222-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817341018

Something like that....

and before anyone flames that was a 5 min newegg run...I am sure there are better options but that should give a start.

i7 definitely. I debated the 930 vs 860, which are the same price, for a while and eventually went with an 875k instead. There are a few trade offs between the 930 and 860, one does better at some tasks than the other and vice versa. The i7 875k is a fully unlocked processor though which will give me more versatility than the 930. The 800 series is rated at 95W and the 900 at 130W. The biggest difference and trade-off between the 900 and 800 series processors though are the sockets. The 900 series uses 1366 and the 800 series uses 1156.

1156 mobos start at a lower price point than the 1366 mobos, but with 1366 you get tri-channel memory and potentially tri-SLI if you plan to go that way. The tri-channel vs dual-channel differences for memory aren't that great right now, but it really depends on what else you're using your pc for. You can get USB 3.0 and SATA 6G support with either mobos. Currently, both will be using a third party solution, usually the SATA 6G controller chip from Marvell which does its job by borrowing bandwidth from the PCIe bus. Don't buy 6G HDDs though since they are physically incapable of realizing the SATA 6G speeds at the moment. Only SSDs can come close to that right now and the 6G SSDs are super expensive.

This is what I just put together yesterday (had ordered last week). I still have to finish backing up my old data and then integrating my current HDDs into the new build as storage. The PSU is an extra I had laying around and is more than enough for this build. I might replace it when I eventually get a second GTX 460 though since it'll be close to pushing it. My PSU in my previous build is a 700W OCZ. I bought the Corsair when my OCZ died, but it was two month short of the 3 year warranty so OCZ replaced it with a new one hassle free (<3 OCZ customer support). Graphics cards, I don't care for the ATI vs Nvidia argument, just go with whichever brand you want to support. I went with a GTX 460 as opposed to a GTX 480 due to a combination of heat, power consumption, and price. The 460 is almost half the price, doesn't run nearly as hot, and uses up to 100W less at TDP. Running two in SLI is a great option also.

i7 875k http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819116368
CORSAIR H50 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835181010
ASUS P7P55D-E PRO http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131621
G.SKILL Ripjaws 8GB (2 X 4GB) DDR3 1333 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231311
ASUS SATA DVD Burner http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827135204
EVGA GeForce GTX 460 (01G-P3-1371-AR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130566
Antec 900 ATX Mid Tower http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129021
OCZ Vertex LE x2(RAID 0) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227526
CORSAIR 650W http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005

Originally Posted by hogjowels

This is what I have now:
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6300 @ 1.86GHz
2.12 GHz Performance Rated at: 3.71 GHz
2.0 GB RAM
Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 (build 2600)

ATI Radeon Graphics Processor (0x724B)

I intend to keep my Antec case and hard drive. I want to be able to run some newer games particularly BC2 and Borderlands. What do you guys recommend? Keep in mind I'm not a rich man here.

Thanks.

How to build 550.00 gaming rig
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...lock,2659.html

The problem with Tom's rigs is that they are spending 1/2 of the budget on their GPUs...Because they can. I do like the $550 option but with the $2k option $700 is going to the VCards. When one 5770 would do for any game currently out there. SLI and Crossfire is cool but for the amount of power, cooling, and fan noise you get the performance doesn't equate for me.

...and I love my triple channel memory! might be all in my head but I think it is cool. (giggles)

Originally Posted by FireAtWill

The problem with Tom's rigs is that they are spending 1/2 of the budget on their GPUs...Because they can. I do like the $550 option but with the $2k option $700 is going to the VCards. When one 5770 would do for any game currently out there. SLI and Crossfire is cool but for the amount of power, cooling, and fan noise you get the performance doesn't equate for me.

...and I love my triple channel memory! might be all in my head but I think it is cool. (giggles)

Half ?

Component
Model
Price (USD)
CPU
AMD Athlon II X3 435
$75
CPU Cooler
Cooler Master Hyper TX3
$20
Motherboard
Asus M4A77TD
$85
RAM
Crucial 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR3-1333 (PC3 10600) Model CTKIT12864BA1339
$58
Graphics
PowerColor AX5770 1GBD5-H Radeon HD 5770 1GB
$150
Hard Drive
Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7,200 RPM SATA 3.0 Gb/s
$55
Sound
Integrated
$0
Network
Integrated
$0
Case
Cooler Master Elite 330 RC-330-KKN1-GP Black
$40
Power
Cooler Master eXtreme Power Plus RS-500-PCAR-A3 500W
$40
Optical
Samsung Black 22X DVD Burner SATA Model SH-S223C
$22
Total

$545