Need suggestions/advice for a system upgrade

[BKR]

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.
- Primarily gaming followed up with web browsing, occasional photo editing, and occasional adobe graphic work

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread
-Flexible so what can I do starting with $550-$650. I’m currently running a Q6600 with HD 4890 and looking to upgrade the core of my system. I.E., CPU, Mobo, RAM, SSD

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.
- USA

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.
- No preference

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
- Antec P150 Case
- Corsair GS600
- Sony DVD
- WD1600JD (might be able to dump this drive)
- WD7501AALS (might be able to dump this drive)
- Samsung SyncMaster 2494
- Window 7 Home Premium
- Keyboard/Mouse

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.
- Most likely default

8. What resolution will you be using?
- 1920 x 1080

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
- ASAP

 

[krnmastersgt]

Any particular games you care to list? If you're mainly an MMO player for instance more focus on CPU might be preferred to spending half the budget on a video card, or if you play demanding FPS games a stronger video card might be necessary.

 

[lehtv]

This should be pretty easy. With that budget you don't need to make compromises on either CPU or GPU performance.

OC build
i5-3570K $215 AP
Asus P8Z77-V LK $106 AR AP (atx, sli/cf, 4 dimm, overclock)
G.Skill Ares 1600 2x4GB $45
MSI 7870 2GB $280 AR

= $646 + shipping

No OC build
i5-3450 $190 AP
Asrock H77M $75 (matx, no sli/cf, 2 dimm, no oc)
G.Skill Ares 1600 2x4GB $45
MSI 7950 3GB $315 AR

= $625 + shipping

Ofc feel free to settle for 7870 with the no OC build. Either way you're going to get a >100% boost in framerates.

 

[BKR]

Any particular games you care to list? If you're mainly an MMO player for instance more focus on CPU might be preferred to spending half the budget on a video card, or if you play demanding FPS games a stronger video card might be necessary.

Primarily shooters, RPG, Strategy...got out of the WOW/MMO stuff. I'd like to run current titles like skyrim, batman ac, max payne, witcher 2, etc.

 

[BKR]

This should be pretty easy. With that budget you don't need to make compromises on either CPU or GPU performance.

OC build
i5-3570K $215 AP
Asus P8Z77-V LK $106 AR AP (atx, sli/cf, 4 dimm, overclock)
G.Skill Ares 1600 2x4GB $45
MSI 7870 2GB $280 AR

= $646 + shipping

No OC build
i5-3450 $190 AP
Asrock H77M $75 (matx, no sli/cf, 2 dimm, no oc)
G.Skill Ares 1600 2x4GB $45
MSI 7950 3GB $315 AR

= $625 + shipping

Ofc feel free to settle for 7870 with the no OC build. Either way you're going to get a >100% boost in framerates.

Thanks for the help! Let me add a couple of questions into the mix. If I'd also like to get an SSD in that budget is it possible without significant compromise on performance elsewhere? Also if I was to use the lower end of the budget at $550 what changes would you recommend to the components you've selected here?

 

[lehtv]

If you want to add an SSD or stay at $550, you should get the no OC build along with a Sapphire 7850 2GB for $240. That's exactly $550 without the SSD.

For an SSD, check out this Slickdeals promo, valid today only (?). $80 for a Kingston HyperX 120GB. It's not quite as good as a Samsung 830 for example, but it's hard to say no to that price

If you wanted an SSD without paying more than $550 total, that'd mean settling for an i3-2120. It's still fast enough to drive a 7850, but will need to be upgraded when the 7850 is upgraded.

EDIT: SSD sold out now unfortunately. Replace with Samsung 830 64GB $75 or Intel 330 120GB $95 AR

 

[mfenn]

If you want to add an SSD or stay at $550, you should get the no OC build along with a Sapphire 7850 2GB for $240. That's exactly $550 without the SSD.

For an SSD, check out this Slickdeals promo, valid today only (?). $80 for a Kingston HyperX 120GB. It's not quite as good as a Samsung 830 for example, but it's hard to say no to that price

If you wanted an SSD without paying more than $550 total, that'd mean settling for an i3-2120. It's still fast enough to drive a 7850, but will need to be upgraded when the 7850 is upgraded.

EDIT: SSD sold out now unfortunately. Replace with Samsung 830 64GB $75 or Intel 330 120GB $95 AR

:thumbsup: to this. I would definitely recommend getting the SSD. It will do as much or more to breathe new life into the system as the CPU and RAM. I would definitely spring for a 120/128GB drive like the Intel 330 that lehtv recommended.

 

[BKR]

I did not get a chance to upgrade my system back in July. Would the specs that were suggested in this thread from July still be the best options for an upgrade now? Has anything changed since those were proposed?

 

[lehtv]

It's changed a little bit, but are you planning to get overclockable or non-overclockable components, and is your budget still the same?

 

[BKR]

My budget is approx the same lets say between 500-600. I don't think I'll be overclocking this system. I'm looking to take advantage of anything I can get on Cyber Monday.

 

[lehtv]

OK.

i5-3470 $180 @ ncix
Asrock H77M $60 @ newegg
Samsung DDR3-1600 2x4GB $35 @ newegg
Samsung 830 128GB $104 @ newegg (There was an Intel 330 180GB for $100, too bad it's out of stock )
Asus GTX 660 OC DirectCu II $190 AR @ ncix

Total: $569 AR

 

[Termie]

lehtv - I'd be careful about suggesting NCIX. That Asus GTX660 is backordered, and the price on that 3470 is not guaranteed.

NCIX is the king of bait-and-switch. Therefore, the OP should budget another $40 or so to buy those items in stock from Newegg.

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115234
GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814125443

 

[BKR]

Thanks for the updated information. So it looks like most of the components stayed the same which works for me. What is the main diff between the previously suggested video cards and the card now?

 

[lehtv]

My bad, didn't notice it was back order. 660 is roughly equivalent to 7850. Since other 660's are over $200, 7850 and 7870 are more attractive choices:

Sapphire 7850 2GB $195 ($180 AR) + far cry 3
PowerColor 7870 PCS+ 1150MHz $250 ($230 AR) + far cry 3

 

[BKR]

Thanks so much for the help. If I have access to a Microcenter would you recommend picking up mobo/cpu combo there?

 

[lehtv]

Oh yeah definitely. 3570K for $170 plus an entry level Z77 board, either the MSI Z77A-G41 ($30 AR in combo with 3570K) or Asrock Z77 Pro3 ($55 in combo with 3570K). Since this is less expensive than the i5-3470 and H77 board suggested previously, I'd definitely get the 7870.

 

[BKR]

Thanks for the advice. I would also gain the ability to OC with those combos correct?

 

[lehtv]

Yes but you will have to spend on aftermarket cooling if you want to overclock. You can reach 4.2-4.4 GHz with a simple Hyper 212 EVO or similar. It isn't necessary though, a current midrange graphics card will never be bottlenecked by a stock i5 3570K.