"Updating" my Computer for bf4

Kr1

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Nov 7, 2013
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18,510
Hello there techies

So I'll be frank and say I'm a total noob regarding hardware (and software aswell).

The reason for my post is that i would like to upgrade my pc's performance, mainly in the gpu department and was wondering if that is even possible. I was thinking about getting a R9 280x.

So my specs are as followed:

Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2600K CPU @ 3.40GHz (8 CPUs), ~3.7GHz

Chip type: AMD Radeon HD6970

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z68AP-D3

Ram: Kingston 4096 MBytes (x4=16gb)

Power Supply: 500W(?)



I'm quite sceptic that my rig can handle the 280x, but i have absolutely no idea where i stand and was really hoping to get some sound advice. Because my budget is pretty tight (i'm a uni-student working in a call-center...) the max amount i can spend right now is about 250€.

Help would be very much appreciated!

Best

 
Solution
http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/323050.aspx

no mention of it's EPN line of PSUs, though FSP aren't exactly quality brand PSU manufacturer either based on the list above. but if it's running your 6970 just fine, feel free to give it a try.

i'd disregard what your friend is saying about your CPU. it's still fine for gaming. like BF3, BF4 doesn't gain much from a better CPU. even a Phenom II X4 or an i7-920, which are older than your CPU handles it just fine;

http://www.techspot.com/review/734-battlefield-4-benchmarks/page6.html

note large MP maps may result in lower performance though, but nothing unplayable in your case.

Hazle

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only thing you should worry about is that PSU. if it's a quality brand and model & you don't run it overnight a lot, that's one problem off your chest.

http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/battlefield_4_vga_graphics_performance_benchmark,7.html
http://www.techspot.com/review/734-battlefield-4-benchmarks/page3.html

if you are still worried about the PSU, there's some good news; a 7950 is a real good upgrade over the the 6970, at least for BF4, leaving you some money for a PSU. try to find a 7950 Boost edition in your budget if you're taking this path.

everything else looks fine by me.
 

Kr1

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Nov 7, 2013
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18,510
Thank you very much for your help!

I was also worried about my CPU, because some friends told me ill need at least 4.4ghz for a decent GPU (i.e. a 280x/HD7970) and OCing the i7 2600K would require a new cooler etc.

I just opend up my pc to check the PSU:
its a fsp600-80epn (http://www.fspgroupusa.com/fsp60080epn85/p/852.html)
do you think this will suffice?
since i have to pay my electrical bills myself, i shut down my pc as often as i can, especially when i sleep.
Again many thanks.
 

Hazle

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http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/323050.aspx

no mention of it's EPN line of PSUs, though FSP aren't exactly quality brand PSU manufacturer either based on the list above. but if it's running your 6970 just fine, feel free to give it a try.

i'd disregard what your friend is saying about your CPU. it's still fine for gaming. like BF3, BF4 doesn't gain much from a better CPU. even a Phenom II X4 or an i7-920, which are older than your CPU handles it just fine;

http://www.techspot.com/review/734-battlefield-4-benchmarks/page6.html

note large MP maps may result in lower performance though, but nothing unplayable in your case.
 
Solution

Kr1

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Nov 7, 2013
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Well the comparison was done in 2008, maybe its a more recent PSU (hope).
Nice thank you i'll trust your judgement and just get the 7970 which is within my budgetrestrictions.
 

Hazle

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the thread started in 2008 but has been updated on a regular basis. the last update as pointed out at the end of the post was in September 26th, 2013. i highly suggest you keep the link just in case. hopefully, you won't need it now, but when you need to replace the PSU, it'd be pretty handy over reading several reviews of different brands and models.
 

Kr1

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Nov 7, 2013
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18,510
oh didnt see that! Ctrl-D in that case.
Your answers were really helpful, i appreciate that a lot.
may all your future plans be free of technological torment. i bid thee farewell.
 

Kr1

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Nov 7, 2013
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18,510
and I'm back again. So the store in which i wanted to buy the HD 7970 just sold out and they dont know when to they get new ones.
All they've got now are r9 280x and 290x which dont have any free games and are more expensive.
So i've checkd for some nvidia cards and found this one:
EVGA GTX 760 SC 4GB (4096MB GDDR5, 6008/1085MHz)
is it compatible with my hardware and would you recommend (in the benchmarking test it did fairly poor, but it was the 2gb edition)?
 

Hazle

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the 760 trades blows with the 7950 Boost edition (not to be confused with a non-Boost 7950 usually for around $200-220), so i say they're about equal. the former, if i recall came with 2 games(?) with little to no choice, and the latter has a wider selection for a bit more than the 760 sans promo. all comes down to which you prefer, but i'd recommend the 760 if you don't mind the game selection or have no need for them just for the sake of saving up a few buckaroos.

don't worry about compatibility. unless you're trying to fit in a very old part into a modern machine, the only thing that should concern you when it comes to the GPU is your PSU and clearance for your GPU in your case. we've discussed the former, and as for the latter; if you can fit a 6970, then you should be able to fit in a 7970 unless you decide to get one with a ridiculously long cooler, which are not all that common.

unless you don't have a debit/credit card in hand or you're not from the US, have you tried online retailers like Newegg, TigerDirect, NCIX, MWave and maybe even Amazon? if you're from elsewhere like NZ or Australia, try looking into PCpartpicker.com; they can track down available stocks from online retailers in some countries, though they're not always up to date.