Upgrading AMD CPU

PrinceBoxcar

Honorable
Dec 26, 2012
11
0
10,510
So I have a Phenom II x4 965 BE and a Radeon HD 7770. My motherboard only supports AMD CPUs, but it does support AM3+. I noticed some poor performance in games like Rome 2 and Battlefield 4. With large armies or cities in Rome 2, my fps drops below 30. So which upgrade would get me the best results? Upgrading my CPU to an FX 8350 or my GPU to a 7870? (Possibly 7950)
 
Solution
A 965BE can handle a HD 7950 and would get really good fps all the time @ 1080p. I'm not saying it's the best cpu to pair with a 7950, but it's plenty strong enough. The 7950 is twice as powerful as a 7770 easily. Getting a 7950 would be the best upgrade for sure. The FX 6300 is only $119 and would make a great upgrade for a lot cheaper than a 7950 if you're on a tight budget.

swilczak

Distinguished
Get a 7950 then overclock your cpu a bit to reduce the bottleneck. A 7770 isn't going to get you good frame rates in demanding games. In the future you could always get an 8320 or 8350, which is a good upgrade from your current cpu.
 

CTurbo

Pizza Monster
Moderator
A 965BE can handle a HD 7950 and would get really good fps all the time @ 1080p. I'm not saying it's the best cpu to pair with a 7950, but it's plenty strong enough. The 7950 is twice as powerful as a 7770 easily. Getting a 7950 would be the best upgrade for sure. The FX 6300 is only $119 and would make a great upgrade for a lot cheaper than a 7950 if you're on a tight budget.
 
Solution