What upgrades would I have to put into my PC in order to play newer games?

Caeruleum · Jun 22, 2015

Here are my specs:

AMD FX-4300(Vishera Quad-Core)
MSI 760GMA-P34(FX) Mainboard
AMD R7 250
8gb DDR 3 RAM
300W PSU

A PSU replacement is pretty obvious here, but I'm not sure on the wattage for a new one. I'm also aware this build is pretty cringeworthy for gaming, but about 50 FPS for Skyrim on High settings is good enough for me. I'm looking to run all games at 1920x1080 res. with high to ultra settings and I have about $550 to spend.

infamousIlusionist · Jun 22, 2015

Caeruleum :

Your main thing to upgrade would be a GPU and then CPU but your CPU is fine for now. so with that money try do a PSU and then a GPU.
I will Put something together for you now.
I asume thats US dollars

Caeruleum · Jun 22, 2015

infamousIlusionist :

Caeruleum :

Your main thing to upgrade would be a GPU and then CPU but your CPU is fine for now. so with that money try do a PSU and then a GPU.
I will Put something together for you now.
I asume thats US dollars

Yes 550 USD

nubbsauce · Jun 22, 2015

You would need to upgrade your CPU, GPU, and PSU. For 550, you can be well off as well! Here is something I threw together for you.

Build #1: (Current Gen GPU/CPU)

PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139042
GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127872
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113284

Total: $795

Build #2: (No CPU upgrade)

PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139060
GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202144

Total: $495.02

The second build will be more than enough to run anything at 1080p and 1440p. And that Power Supply is more than enough for just 1 card. After that, I would recommend upgrading your CPU to either their 6-Core or 8-Core processor and get a Water-cooler for it so you don't turn your computer into an apartment heater.

Let me know if you have any questions!

infamousIlusionist · Jun 22, 2015

So heres a suggestion . Get a GTX 980 for $500 plus a good PSU ($64) and that goes over budget and then wait for the line CPU upgrades next year?
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/mY6fcf

OR this : (The Gigabyte card is pretty large so if your case can't support it go for the MSI [ https://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-gtx970gaming4g ] )

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/fgFLXL

If you want to go and move across to intel then:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/9jB6ZL
but this is over budget. and I would rather wait till new line next year.

NB: the 970 will run a lot of top games on high and even ULTRA

Hope this helped

infamousIlusionist · Jun 22, 2015

nubbsauce :

You would need to upgrade your CPU, GPU, and PSU. For 550, you can be well off as well! Here is something I threw together for you.

Build #1: (Current Gen GPU/CPU)

PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139042
GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127872
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113284

Total: $795

Build #2: (No CPU upgrade)

PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139060
GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202144

Total: $495.02

The second build will be more than enough to run anything at 1080p and 1440p. And that Power Supply is more than enough for just 1 card. After that, I would recommend upgrading your CPU to either their 6-Core or 8-Core processor and get a Water-cooler for it so you don't turn your computer into an apartment heater.

Let me know if you have any questions!

PSU isnt bad , would recomend going for a tier 1

Iamsoda · Jun 22, 2015

Caeruleum :

infamousIlusionist :

Yes 550 USD

Get the fx 6300, gtx 970, and a good 600watt PSU.

nubbsauce · Jun 22, 2015

infamousIlusionist :

nubbsauce :

PSU isnt bad , would recomend going for a tier 1

The PSU is pretty good and it throws over 50A to the 12V Rail so it will be enough to handle a 980ti or the 390Xs for future upgrades.

Caeruleum · Jun 22, 2015

Here's what I'm currently looking at:

https://pcpartpicker.com/parts/partlist/

nubbsauce · Jun 22, 2015

Caeruleum :

I don't see anything in the list. Or are you want to use that.

Iamsoda · Jun 22, 2015

Caeruleum :

Switching from the AMD to intel CPU you will need a new Motherboard. I would suggest just selling and starting over with a new build. Also I wouldn't touch the new amd 390 it isn't worth it. All it is, is a re brand with more vram. Either get a gtx 970, an amd r9 290x, or a gtx 980.

Iamsoda · Jun 22, 2015

nubbsauce :

Sounds like he is doing a new build?

Caeruleum · Jun 22, 2015

nubbsauce :

Sorry, here are the parts:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139048&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121899&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113286&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

coozie7 · Jun 22, 2015

The very low output of the current PSU makes me think this is a prebuilt system, which are notorious for using poorly ventilated and sometimes small cases, can you provide details of the case/system?
The motherboard does support a nice wide selection of CPUs: http://www.msi.com/support/mb/760GM-P34-FX.html#support-cpu, probably the best balance between cost/benefit would be to up it to a FX6300 and have a go at overclocking it, which will require a better CPU cooler and, in turn a fairly well ventilated case.

Graphics upgrade is, again, possibly limited by the case design but this is a very good part from AMD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202143 be aware it's VERY big, and demands plenty of cooling airflow from the case. I'm running one of these beasts and it's good, but not quite as good as this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121899 Better 1080 performance and lower power consumption means less heat and less noise but it's about $50 more, your choice. Just bear in mind, when the various fanboys start spouting frame rates, anything over 60 FPS is wasted for most of us and the cheaper R9 290 can do that at 1080 in most games with all the eye candy turned on.

Powersupply varies, 600 Watts will easily be enough for a GTX970 but look at 700Watts for the R9 290, either way try to stick to the upper tiers: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

nubbsauce · Jun 22, 2015

Caeruleum :

nubbsauce :

Sorry, here are the parts:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139048&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121899&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113286&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Everything checks out to me. BUT I would do a google search on that PSU searching for the 12V Rail Amps. If it is over 40A you are golden for that 970.

Iamsoda · Jun 22, 2015

Caeruleum :

Looks great. Consider getting a cooler master 212 ($>30) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065 so you can over clock that CPU for more performance.

That PSU is ok, but I would get one of these which are better.

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/silverstone-power-supply-st60fesb
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/seasonic-power-supply-ss600et
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/antec-power-supply-ea650green
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/antec-power-supply-neoeco620c
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/silverstone-power-supply-st60fes
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-110b20750vr

Caeruleum · Jun 22, 2015

coozie7 :

The very low output of the current PSU makes me think this is a prebuilt system, which are notorious for using poorly ventilated and sometimes small cases, can you provide details of the case/system?
The motherboard does support a nice wide selection of CPUs: http://www.msi.com/support/mb/760GM-P34-FX.html#support-cpu, probably the best balance between cost/benefit would be to up it to a FX6300 and have a go at overclocking it, which will require a better CPU cooler and, in turn a fairly well ventilated case.

Graphics upgrade is, again, possibly limited by the case design but this is a very good part from AMD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202143 be aware it's VERY big, and demands plenty of cooling airflow from the case. I'm running one of these beasts and it's good, but not quite as good as this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121899 Better 1080 performance and lower power consumption means less heat and less noise but it's about $50 more, your choice. Just bear in mind, when the various fanboys start spouting frame rates, anything over 60 FPS is wasted for most of us and the cheaper R9 290 can do that at 1080 in most games with all the eye candy turned on.

Powersupply varies, 600 Watts will easily be enough for a GTX970 but look at 700Watts for the R9 290, either way try to stick to the upper tiers: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

Here's the case:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146102

Iamsoda · Jun 22, 2015

Caeruleum :

coozie7 :

Here's the case:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146102

One reviewer put a 12 inch card and it fits he said. Your card is only 11 inches.

nubbsauce · Jun 22, 2015

Caeruleum :

nubbsauce :

Sorry, here are the parts:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139048&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121899&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113286&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

With what you listed here, you are all good to go! I checked the 12v Rail Amps and it puts out 46A to a single rail with a total of 554W. So you should be fine. Just do not overclock your GPU.

What upgrades would I have to put into my PC in order to play newer games?

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