Upgrade CPU or GPU?

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Larrif

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Jan 29, 2014
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I'm a budget gamer that usually upgrades one part every year to keep my system able to play the newest games at a reasonable level. I play anything from Indie games to Arma 3 to Battlefield 4.

I passed up upgrading the CPU last year in order to get a DDR3 capable mobo and DDR3 RAM.

My question for you is, should I upgrade the CPU or Video Card? I'm looking to spend $150 - $200 and I'm considering:

CPU: AMD FX-8320 x8 3.5GHZ
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113285

or

GPU: MSI N660 TF GeForce GTX 660
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127699

Any other suggestions would be great.

My Current Build:
CPU: AMD Phenom II x4 925 @ 2.8Ghz
GPU: MSI Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1GB
RAM: Crucial Ballistix Tactical 8GB DDR3 1600
Mobo: AM3+ Socket
 
Solution
spdragoo
GPUBoss.com puts the GTX 660 slightly higher, but doesn't claim it's the winner (says it's too close to call). CPUBoss.com says the FX-8320 is a clear winner over the Phenom II. So, based on that, I'd say upgrade the CPU.

The only caveat is what resolution you plan on playing at. If your monitor is limited to HD/1080i (1920x1080) resolution or lower, then you'll see more benefit from a CPU upgrade. If you plan on higher resolutions, then go for the GTX 660 -- you could also consider the R9 270 ($180, newegg.com) or 270X ($200, newegg.com), they're listed as slightly better than the GTX 660 on GPUBoss.com (& are both declared "winners" over it), & would be in your budget as well.
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spdragoo

spdragoo

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Oct 17, 2011
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GPUBoss.com puts the GTX 660 slightly higher, but doesn't claim it's the winner (says it's too close to call). CPUBoss.com says the FX-8320 is a clear winner over the Phenom II. So, based on that, I'd say upgrade the CPU.

The only caveat is what resolution you plan on playing at. If your monitor is limited to HD/1080i (1920x1080) resolution or lower, then you'll see more benefit from a CPU upgrade. If you plan on higher resolutions, then go for the GTX 660 -- you could also consider the R9 270 ($180, newegg.com) or 270X ($200, newegg.com), they're listed as slightly better than the GTX 660 on GPUBoss.com (& are both declared "winners" over it), & would be in your budget as well.
 
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