Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question
Solved

Cheap Upgrade Path For Gaming

Tags:
  • Gaming
  • AMD
  • CPUs
Last response: in CPUs
Share
June 11, 2014 2:47:37 PM

Greetings All,

Looking to for an upgrade path for my OLD system.
As always money is an issue and will part it out over time.
Help this poor boy gamer out.

Here's the current set up:
O/s - Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Motherboard - ASUS M2N-SLI
CPU - AMD Athlon 64x2 4000+
Memory - 6gb ram PC2-6400
Graphics - AMD Radeon HD6700
Display - Samsung SMFX2490HD

Is it even worth it?

Thanks,
-Spart-

More about : cheap upgrade path gaming

a b 4 Gaming
a b À AMD
a c 123 à CPUs
June 11, 2014 3:23:44 PM

its not worth it mate. the cpu is likely already bottlenecking the hd 6700 if its a 6750 or 6770.
so in essance you would need all new internals.
from a cpu/motherboard/ram/gpu and psu (you didnt mention what you had but i assume its around 400-450w)
you could do it on the cheap with an amd apu build all in you could probably do it for around 200-250 and keep your current gpu for now.

you would likely clear medium settings on most games switching between 720p and 1080p depending on the game.
m
0
l
June 11, 2014 3:29:37 PM

Try to get 8GB RAM. Also get a better CPU like the Intel core i5-4430 for around £120
m
0
l
Related resources
a b 4 Gaming
a c 172 À AMD
a c 902 à CPUs
June 11, 2014 3:55:54 PM

This is the absolute cheapest I could recommend. It would be far superior to your old CPU, and still have some upgrade options.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Pentium G3220 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor ($56.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock H81M-DGS R2.0 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($48.38 @ Newegg)
Memory: Avexir Core Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $165.35
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-06-11 18:54 EDT-0400)
m
0
l
June 11, 2014 4:14:44 PM

I am using a Seasonic S12II Bronze 620w power supply.
Graphics is a 6770
m
0
l
June 12, 2014 2:14:19 PM

I was thinking to upgrade the MB to an asus z97-a atx lga1150. $149
That'll give me a solid base to build upon.
I will be keeping my 6770 and the ps

Do I just get an i3 cpu to hold me over for a bit?

While I said I want to play games I am really only playing some online stuff at the moment:
LOTRO, DDO, Voyage Century, and I don't see me dropping any money on a game anytime soon.

Thoughts?

-Spart-
m
0
l

Best solution

a b 4 Gaming
a c 172 À AMD
a c 902 à CPUs
June 12, 2014 2:19:20 PM

z97 isn't necessary unless you overclock or run a dual gpu setup. An i3 4150 would be a good choice.
Share
June 12, 2014 2:24:24 PM

Yes get a Z97 then you can continue to upgrade. The motherboard will be usable longer without being updated.
m
0
l
June 13, 2014 2:26:44 PM

logainofhades said:
z97 isn't necessary unless you overclock or run a dual gpu setup. An i3 4150 would be a good choice.


Thanks for your response.
What MB would you suggest as a good base.
You can see by my original config that I hold onto stuff a long time.
Probably well past the time that I should have upgraded.

-Spart-
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
a b À AMD
a c 145 à CPUs
June 13, 2014 2:29:45 PM

spartacvs said:
logainofhades said:
z97 isn't necessary unless you overclock or run a dual gpu setup. An i3 4150 would be a good choice.


Thanks for your response.
What MB would you suggest as a good base.
You can see by my original config that I hold onto stuff a long time.
Probably well past the time that I should have upgraded.

-Spart-


Alright, for us to help you any further, we need your exact budget. We can't keep giving you options if we don't know how much money you have.
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
a c 172 À AMD
a c 902 à CPUs
June 13, 2014 2:39:40 PM

H97 pro4 if you want to only run a single gpu and do not want to overclock, Z97 extreme3 if you are not overly interested in overclocking, or only mild overclocking, and want a solid dual GPU setup. A Z97 extreme4 for better overclocking potential and dual gpu setups.
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
a b À AMD
a c 145 à CPUs
June 13, 2014 2:44:06 PM

logainofhades said:
H97 pro4 if you want to only run a single gpu and do not want to overclock, Z97 extreme3 if you are not overly interested in overclocking, or only mild overclocking, and want a solid dual GPU setup. A Z97 extreme4 for better overclocking potential and dual gpu setups.


If he never upgrades anything and he holds onto things, money would be better spent on a cheap H81 motherboard paired with a better CPU.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H81M-H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $44.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-06-13 17:43 EDT-0400

Depending on his budget, we can then choose the best CPU available.
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
a c 172 À AMD
a c 902 à CPUs
June 13, 2014 2:55:29 PM

Zircoben said:
logainofhades said:
H97 pro4 if you want to only run a single gpu and do not want to overclock, Z97 extreme3 if you are not overly interested in overclocking, or only mild overclocking, and want a solid dual GPU setup. A Z97 extreme4 for better overclocking potential and dual gpu setups.


If he never upgrades anything and he holds onto things, money would be better spent on a cheap H81 motherboard paired with a better CPU.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H81M-H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $44.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-06-13 17:43 EDT-0400

Depending on his budget, we can then choose the best CPU available.


This is true. Would be nice if Intel would release an H91 chipset and a B95 chipset soon.
m
0
l
June 13, 2014 3:27:38 PM

You only need to upgrade the cpu dude, get the AMD phenom ii x4 965 3.4ghz cpu + an aftermarket Cpu cooler and you got yourself a Mid-range Gaming Pc
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
a b À AMD
a c 145 à CPUs
June 13, 2014 3:35:29 PM

DPG-187 said:
You only need to upgrade the cpu dude, get the AMD phenom ii x4 965 3.4ghz cpu + an aftermarket Cpu cooler and you got yourself a Mid-range Gaming Pc


The highest Phenom it supports is the 945 : http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/M2NSLI/HelpDesk_CPU/

Those cost so much to buy used on eBay, it's not worth it. It would be a waste of money to spend any money on an AM2 platform.

Your Options:
$150+ for a used Phenom II X4 + Cooler
$250 for a NEW Intel i5 + H81 MoBo and DDR3 RAM

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($174.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H81M-H Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($35.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $255.96
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-06-13 18:35 EDT-0400

By a HUGE margin, the i5 would outperform the Phenom.
m
1
l
June 14, 2014 3:16:10 PM

Zircoban,

You make a very valid point. Thank you.
I agree with your assessment of a cheap H81 coupled with an i5 seems like the way to go forward.
My only addition would be to max out the ram.

What is your assessment of the particular board you proposed?

As far as how much to spend ... as little as possible to meet the need.
I pointed out that I am not playing the latest greatest games, I am playing some on-line stuff.
I tend to hold onto things and make do with what I've got until I have to upgrade and then one thing leads to another.

Given the H81 board you proposed can accommodate an i7 and will hold my current GPU, I see that as giving me some longevity.
I felt maxing out the ram will add to the performance boost that is an easy/cheap upgrade.

Thanks again for your input...

-Spart-
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
a b À AMD
a c 145 à CPUs
June 14, 2014 7:22:00 PM

spartacvs said:
Zircoban,

You make a very valid point. Thank you.
I agree with your assessment of a cheap H81 coupled with an i5 seems like the way to go forward.
My only addition would be to max out the ram.

What is your assessment of the particular board you proposed?

As far as how much to spend ... as little as possible to meet the need.
I pointed out that I am not playing the latest greatest games, I am playing some on-line stuff.
I tend to hold onto things and make do with what I've got until I have to upgrade and then one thing leads to another.

Given the H81 board you proposed can accommodate an i7 and will hold my current GPU, I see that as giving me some longevity.
I felt maxing out the ram will add to the performance boost that is an easy/cheap upgrade.

Thanks again for your input...

-Spart-


Is your case an ATX-size case? We need to know which ones to buy. It turns out the motherboard is actually Micro-ATX. You will be able to get a good Micro-ATX motherboard for $20-30 cheaper than an ATX one.

That motherboard in particular I don't know much on, I just chose it for the brand. It has all the features you would need and it is a great price. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

You can start out with 4GB of RAM, and easily just add a stick later. It would be best to spend your money now on the best CPU you can get, because upgrading the CPU is a lot harder than adding another stick of RAM.

I don't think you need an i7. i5s and i7s are both quad cores, because games don't use hyperthreading. Unless you are going to be editing video or something like that, there is no reason to spend any more money than an i5.

An i5-4690 or really any i5 will last for years to come, and you will be able to upgrade to better graphics cards years ahead and the i5 should be able to handle it, like how the Core 2 Quads from 6 years ago can still do okay on GPUs like the GTX 750.

What exactly is your budget, and what is your power supply?

m
0
l
June 14, 2014 7:44:14 PM

I have a full size tower, nothing spectacular
The ps is a seasonic S12II 620 Bronze
gpu is an HIS Radeon 6670 with 2gb

Budget is around $300.

thanks
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
a c 125 à CPUs
June 14, 2014 8:04:21 PM

You're only going to play Dungeons and Dragons Online, Voyage Century Online and The Lord Of The Rings Online: Helms Deep? If that's the case, yes your system is old, but do you need an upgrade? All those games require low system requirements, we're talking Pentium 4; your AMD Athlon 64x2 4000+ easily outperforms a P4.

Regardless I'm going to offer you an upgrade solution anyhow, since I do believe an upgrade from your current system would be ideal. Your $300 budget sounds great, and you should be able to go far with that.

Your current motherboard supports IDE and SATA hard drives/optical disk drives, for upgrades sake, I hope you have SATA HDD/SSD/ODD's and not IDE, otherwise you'll need a new HDD/ODD; since modern motherboards no longer support the legacy IDE connector. Please let us know whether your drives are IDE or SATA, so we can include the drives within your budget. Note however, if you require a new SATA HDD, you'll need to reinstall Windows.

Without further ado, I believe this would be a great upgrade for $300 if you do not need new drives:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($174.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H81M-DGS R2.0 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($48.38 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston Fury Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($69.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $293.35
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-06-14 23:01 EDT-0400

The above would give you 8GB DDR3 RAM, alongside an i5 and a new motherboard (although I'm also fond of Zircoben's build above.) If you need new hard/optical disk drives to accommodate the new SATA motherboard, then please reply and I'll fit them in your budget. I may reduce the RAM to 4GB instead of 8GB to include new drives.

Also are you using any PCI slots in your current motherboard?

All the best. :) 
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
a b À AMD
a c 145 à CPUs
June 15, 2014 1:32:42 AM

spartacvs said:
I have a full size tower, nothing spectacular
The ps is a seasonic S12II 620 Bronze
gpu is an HIS Radeon 6670 with 2gb

Budget is around $300.

thanks


There you go, Obnoxious just gave you your solution.

He makes a very important point about your hard drive. You can tell if it is SATA if it uses the small, less than 1 centimeter wide, thicker cables (http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=sata+1+cable&FORM=H...) that are usually red in those older computers. If it uses these, you are good to keep it for the new motherboard. If it uses ribbon cables, you can't use it.

I couldn't have said it better than Obnoxious.

Your video card is actually not bad- you should be able to play modern games at 1080p, just not at full graphics levels. If you want to get better graphics, I would recommend, instead of focusing on the CPU aspect of it, focus on the graphics.

Downgrade from the i5 to the i3, sell the HD 6770, and settle for 4GB of RAM for awhile. You should be able to pick up a GTX 750 Ti or an R7 260X, and that would give you a lot more video performance than buying an i5 for your 6770.

It all depends on what you want to do. If you want to be futureproofed more and buy a better GPU later, get the i5 build we are recommending. If you want to be able to play newer games now, the i3 and a new GPU would get on play at higher frames now.
m
0
l
June 15, 2014 6:35:39 AM

TY Obnoxious

I do have a SATA HD *chuckle* one of them is IDE LoL It still works!!! hahahaha
I was thinking about upgrading them now as well.
They are only 160gb each and are packed.
I was planning on reloading windows anyway.
Fresh equipment ...fresh install

I didn't see a cooler?
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
a b À AMD
a c 145 à CPUs
June 15, 2014 10:03:34 AM

spartacvs said:
TY Obnoxious

I do have a SATA HD *chuckle* one of them is IDE LoL It still works!!! hahahaha
I was thinking about upgrading them now as well.
They are only 160gb each and are packed.
I was planning on reloading windows anyway.
Fresh equipment ...fresh install

I didn't see a cooler?


The stock included cooler will do just fine for the i5-4430.
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
a c 172 À AMD
a c 902 à CPUs
June 16, 2014 7:06:29 AM

spartacvs said:
I have a full size tower, nothing spectacular
The ps is a seasonic S12II 620 Bronze
gpu is an HIS Radeon 6670 with 2gb

Budget is around $300.

thanks


Honestly, I would go with this and replace your GPU as well. The HD 6670 is pretty low end.

This a little over $300 but would give you better overall gaming performance.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4150 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ($118.48 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H81M-DGS R2.0 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($48.38 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Club 3D Radeon R9 270 2GB '14Series Video Card ($149.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $316.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-06-16 10:06 EDT-0400
m
0
l
a b 4 Gaming
a b À AMD
a c 145 à CPUs
June 16, 2014 8:47:13 AM

logainofhades said:
spartacvs said:
I have a full size tower, nothing spectacular
The ps is a seasonic S12II 620 Bronze
gpu is an HIS Radeon 6670 with 2gb

Budget is around $300.

thanks


Honestly, I would go with this and replace your GPU as well. The HD 6670 is pretty low end.

This a little over $300 but would give you better overall gaming performance.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4150 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ($118.48 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H81M-DGS R2.0 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($48.38 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Club 3D Radeon R9 270 2GB '14Series Video Card ($149.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $316.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-06-16 10:06 EDT-0400


You forgot the RAM... but that price could be covered by selling the HD 6670 on eBay or something, maybe at least to buy 4GB.
m
1
l
!