Need some help selecting hardware!

[KenPruitt]

Hey. I just found this while browsing. I'm looking at the one for $149.99.

Should I just go for this and keep my current motherboard?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...condition=used

 

[crashtech]

Another hard drive would help, too. Maybe the original idea of a platform update is the best plan, followed by the sale of the old stuff to fund purchase a dedicated fraps hdd.

AMD fans may suggest an 8320/8350, which will definitely work, but the Intel 1155 or 1150 platform leaves considerable room for improvement via an i7 CPU upgrade, while the future of AM3+ is much less certain.

 

[SiliconWars]

Hey. I just found this while browsing. I'm looking at the one for $149.99.

Should I just go for this and keep my current motherboard?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...condition=used

No, that's totally overpriced and is only about equal to an FX-6300.

There is an interesting video on youtube showing AMD FX processors handily beating much faster Intel ones while recording - I don't have the link but maybe somebody else has (found it - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu8Sekdb-IE)

If you were just gaming, go Intel all the way, but in your case you'd probably be better off going with an 8320 or 6350 FX.

 

[crashtech]

It would be easier for me to recommend AMD if we knew what the future was going to hold. I fear AM3+ may at last be scheduled for obsolescence. This probably isn't a big consideration for people that don't ever upgrade their CPUs, but it's nice to leave the option open if possible.

 

[Arkaign]

I actually think upgrading the existing CPU to an i7 is a great cheap way to do this. Grab one and run it at ~3.6Ghz with a 212, boom.

Going to an FX is alright, but would cost more and is a ton of hassle to change boards. Ditto moving to any Haswell or even Ivy worth buying.

$300 would buy a 1156 i7 and decent 2GB 7850 and a 212 Evo.

 

[crashtech]

I'd probably upgrade the 1156 also, but that's partly because I am lazy.

Couldn't he use a second hdd for fraps?

 

[KenPruitt]

No, that's totally overpriced and is only about equal to an FX-6300.

There is an interesting video on youtube showing AMD FX processors handily beating much faster Intel ones while recording - I don't have the link but maybe somebody else has (found it - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu8Sekdb-IE)

If you were just gaming, go Intel all the way, but in your case you'd probably be better off going with an 8320 or 6350 FX.

After watching that video, I've decided to go with the AMD FX 8350. Do you have a link to a motherboard that's compatible with it? I'm terrible on that kind of stuff, and I'm really scared of buying a Mobo that isn't compatible with the CPU.

 

[AtenRa]

After watching that video, I've decided to go with the AMD FX 8350. Do you have a link to a motherboard that's compatible with it? I'm terrible on that kind of stuff, and I'm really scared of buying a Mobo that isn't compatible with the CPU.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=35430474&postcount=23

 

[KenPruitt]

Alright. I have one last question; should I just keep using FRAPS, or should I consider investing in a Video Capture Card?

 

[frozentundra123456]

After watching that video, I've decided to go with the AMD FX 8350. Do you have a link to a motherboard that's compatible with it? I'm terrible on that kind of stuff, and I'm really scared of buying a Mobo that isn't compatible with the CPU.

I would take that video with some reservations, but the 8350 will certainly do the job. Depending on what games and resolution you play at though, I think you will need to upgrade the video card as well, especially if you plan to play graphically intense titles at 1080p or higher. As someone else said, that gtx 650 is slower than a hd7770, which is the card I am using. The 7770 is OK at 1080p, but just barely. I can play most games at Med/high settings, but I am sure it would struggle with some of the newer, graphically demanding games like Crysis 3 or Metro LL.

 

[crashtech]

It's an honest challenge to come up with the best way to spend this $300. Yet another scenario:

Used Lynnfield i7:..........$100
Used 1TB HDD :.............$ 50
Used 660ti:...................$150

I think there should be a separate HDD for FRAPS, ideally an SSD could be purchased for the OS and the current HDD turned to FRAPS duty. THis might be a future consideration.

 

[KenPruitt]

It's an honest challenge to come up with the best way to spend this $300. Yet another scenario:

Used Lynnfield i7:..........$100
Used 1TB HDD :.............$ 50
Used 660ti:...................$150

I think there should be a separate HDD for FRAPS, ideally an SSD could be purchased for the OS and the current HDD turned to FRAPS duty. THis might be a future consideration.

My computer knowledge when it comes to hardware is incredibly limited, so I wouldn't even know how to do any of that. But would it be better to use FRAPS, or invest in a Video Capture Card later down the road?

 

[crashtech]

My computer knowledge when it comes to hardware is incredibly limited, so I wouldn't even know how to do any of that. But would it be better to use FRAPS, or invest in a Video Capture Card later down the road?

Honestly, the above scenario is among the easiest so far suggested, since it does not involve removing the motherboard from your machine, nor necessarily even re-installing the OS. Maybe we should back up and find out more about what upgrade tasks you think you are able to achieve.

 

[Durp]

After watching that video, I've decided to go with the AMD FX 8350.

Successful shill video is successful.

 

[KenPruitt]

Honestly, the above scenario is among the easiest so far suggested, since it does not involve removing the motherboard from your machine, nor necessarily even re-installing the OS. Maybe we should back up and find out more about what upgrade tasks you think you are able to achieve.

Well, like I said, for the most part my computer handles whatever game I throw at it. It plays Skyrim seemlessly, and it also played Farcry 3 without a hitch. Also, (I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE OMGI'MSOSORRYIDIDN'T!!), I have a very bad habit of multitasking while I game. For example, while I'm blowing people up on Borderlands 2 (game plays on Max Settings flawlessly), I'm also listening to a lecture on YouTube in the background.

The only game I've ever had problems with was Batman Arkham City when trying to run it in DX11, but from what I heard, everyone was having problems with that, so I don't count it. But anything that would make all of that work better will be an upgrade in my book.

Also, I should mention that I just found an additional $100, so the budget is up to $400 now, and right now, this is what I've pretty much decided to do, assuming this MOBO can handle the CPU.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...039&CatId=7248

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...04561&csid=_61

 

[Euchrestalin]

If you live near a microcenter you can save some serious dough using that exact same cpu and motherboard.

http://www.microcenter.com/site/products/amd_bundles.aspx

 

[Makaveli]

I didnt' see anyone mention it but where is the bottleneck when you are trying to record in game?

Is it I/O or processor?

 

[KenPruitt]

I didnt' see anyone mention it but where is the bottleneck when you are trying to record in game?

Is it I/O or processor?

I have no idea. All I know is that when I try to record, the recording is slow and laggy. I don't know if it's the I/O or the CPU, nor do I know how to check. Like I said, I'm not a tech guy.

 

[Essence_of_War]

It might be prudent to figure out where your bottleneck is before you start throwing money indiscriminately at the problem

What does your CPU usage look like while you're doing in-game recordings?

Could you try recording to an SSD? Or to a separate HDD that isn't being used to run your games? How full is that HDD that you're presently using?

 

[KenPruitt]

It might be prudent to figure out where your bottleneck is before you start throwing money indiscriminately at the problem

What does your CPU usage look like while you're doing in-game recordings?

Could you try recording to an SSD? Or to a separate HDD that isn't being used to run your games? How full is that HDD that you're presently using?

I don't have a SSD, and my CPU usage looks fine. I see no lagging while I'm recording the game, it is when I play the video back that I see the lag. It's like it's not recording consistently. I should point out when my recording that it records fine when I record in 720p; it is when I record in full 1080p that the lag in the video becomes a serious problem.

As for my HDD, I'm recording to the same one I'm using. I have a 2TB HDD, and I have 1.4TB free.

 

[Euchrestalin]

Are you running with hyperthreading enabled? If so, your CPU could be bottlenecked but still not be showing that in the performance monitor.

 

[Essence_of_War]

OK. Do you have a spare HDD lying around? Would it be possible to try recording to that rather than to the same drive that the game/OS live on?

 

[Makaveli]

I don't have a SSD, and my CPU usage looks fine. I see no lagging while I'm recording the game, it is when I play the video back that I see the lag. It's like it's not recording consistently. I should point out when my recording that it records fine when I record in 720p; it is when I record in full 1080p that the lag in the video becomes a serious problem.

As for my HDD, I'm recording to the same one I'm using. I have a 2TB HDD, and I have 1.4TB free.

You said you like to multitask alot in game.

When you are watching the playback on your system what else is running?

Secondly do you have another drive you can record to that is different from the OS drive ?

We really need to figure out where the bottleneck is here before you can start looking at solutions.

 

[KenPruitt]

OK. Do you have a spare HDD lying around? Would it be possible to try recording to that rather than to the same drive that the game/OS live on?

I have two HDDs installed already. One is a 2TB, the other is a 160GB that's running Linux. I wouldn't know how to record directly to it, and I wouldn't know how to look to see if I had Hyperthreading enabled, or how to enable it.

 

[crashtech]

It's probably enabled if no one has fooled with the setting. Speaking of defaults, your drive controller may be in IDE mode, which can cause decreased performance. I've never bothered to change this without reloading the OS, though.

No matter the upgrade path you eventually pursue, a drive dedicated to fraps should be included. In fact, I'd add it first. Since you want to record at 1080p, a capture card is not feasible anyway.