Best bang for the buck - RAM or GPU?

monsh

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Aug 14, 2015
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Hi gang,

I'm in a quandary... I have an old DIY system that has served me well for many years (since 2010), but now I need to add some inexpensive punch to it in order to game without being compelled to pluck out my eyeballs from lag/stuttering.

I know the system is probably in need of a complete overhaul (MOBO/CPU/RAM/GPU, and probably the case too!) but I'm tight on dollars and a cheap b@$t@rd to boot. Here's my rig...try not to laugh or rip me to shreds:

MOBO - ASUS P7P55D Deluxe Intel P55 Socket
CPU - Intel Core i5-760 2.8Ghz 8M LGA1156 CPU (running W7 64bit)
RAM - 8 gb DDR3-1333 (4x2)
GPU - XFX AMD Radeon HD 5770 1gb
PSU - 650w

Believe it or not, I've had relatively good success with most games to date, but recently fighting through ARK: Survival Evolved I find just how woefully underpowered I am.

I was thinking of either upgrading my RAM to 16GB (DDR3-1600 4x4), or upgrading my GPU to a MSI Radeon R9 270X 4gb. Both put me at $100-$150 which is tolerable (the GPU is an open-box special). Which of these options will likely get me to a better state? I'd eventually planned to do both, but finances dictate that I choose one option for at least the next month or two. Is there another recommendation that would be better - either than scrapping my rig of course :no:

Cheers,
Shane
 
Solution
You're right, a new system would be preferable. However given your budget and options, the gpu would help a lot. 8gb vs 16gb ram won't make much if any difference in gaming, however the 270x and 5770 are worlds apart in performance.

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1078?vs=1043

Many people were having issues with that game and poor optimization regardless of hardware but I'm not sure what's been fixed or not in terms of updates. Those problems were stemming from experiences around 2mo ago with the game's initial release. Here are some tweaks that are supposed to help improve performance.

http://segmentnext.com/2015/06/10/ark-survival-evolved-tweaks-guide-to-improve-performance-and-graphics/

In gaming overall, I'd still say the...
You're right, a new system would be preferable. However given your budget and options, the gpu would help a lot. 8gb vs 16gb ram won't make much if any difference in gaming, however the 270x and 5770 are worlds apart in performance.

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1078?vs=1043

Many people were having issues with that game and poor optimization regardless of hardware but I'm not sure what's been fixed or not in terms of updates. Those problems were stemming from experiences around 2mo ago with the game's initial release. Here are some tweaks that are supposed to help improve performance.

http://segmentnext.com/2015/06/10/ark-survival-evolved-tweaks-guide-to-improve-performance-and-graphics/

In gaming overall, I'd still say the gpu is going to be your best investment.
 
Solution

monsh

Reputable
Aug 14, 2015
3
0
4,510
Thanks for the quick response. There is a new system in my future, but still about 6 months out. I was guessing that the GPU was the best option, but it's nice to get a validating opinion.

Surprisingly enough, I've been playing ARK for a couple of months with my current build. It hasn't been great by any means, but I still plug along.