Motherboard and processor upgrade

[brpeden82]

My current option is add a phenom II x4 955 or do platform upgrade to sandy bridge i5.

my current system is

amd athlon II x2 245
4GB DDR3 1333
500GB
Geforce GTX460 768MB
Asrock MA770DE Mainboard
Seasonic 520 watt powersupply
17" 1280x1024 monitor

I play crysis, crysis warhead, battlefield bad company 2, call of duty black ops, just cause 2

i currently run at crysis 35 to 40 fps and just cause 2 at 60 fps. battlefield at kinda lags though.

 

[Alvin Smith]

What is your current (operating) clock rate ?

OC?

What cooler do you have ?

Just from looking, at what you have ...

TOO BAD you did not get the 1GB version of the 460 ... The diff is more than just RAM ...

TOO BAD you can't SLI a second 460, on that mobo ...

The processor family and the number of cores is not relevent ... The CPU clock speed and GPU type *ARE*.

You need a better GPU and ... To make your proc run faster or get one that CAN (3.3GHz+)~~(3.65GHz).

Looks like you need about another 0.5 GHz CPU speed and about 50% more GPU compute power.

Answer the questions that I just asked.

The system you have, is really good enough, for most gaming, at moderate feature settings ...

All the stuff in your system is "pretty new" and "reasonably appropriate" ...

You need to make sure that you have cooled and OC'd it (CPU and GPU) to it's optimal potential !!!

GO TO THE OC FORUM (Just down the hall) ... Ask them if they can squeeze a bit more juice outa that rig.

REGARDLESS ... My advice would be to cool it and clock it as best as you can and live with it until this time next year (at least) ... What you have is a decent system, for reasonably moderate gaming ...
... USE IT ALL UP, FIRST !!!

 

[brpeden82]

currently running at stock 2.9 speeds nad i have a xigametek HDT-s964 92mm cooler

 

[brpeden82]

what video card do you suggest i get

 

[Alvin Smith]

what video card do you suggest i get

Well ... it kinda makes me wince, that your current card is so new ... Seems a real shame to axe it, so early in life.

... My recommendation, to you, at this time, is to purchase a Hyper 212+ cooler and a 2nd fan (for push-pull cooling) and to seriously CLOCK THE SNOT out of your current proc ...

... That MAY be ALL you need to do ... and ... the better cooler is a really good and inexpensive first step that will be portable enough to move to ANY current socket/platform ... including SANDYs.

... If the Hyper-212+ (OC) tweak does not provide the boost you were hoping for ??

... You could go for a FERMI 470.

... Seems like you are very close, just as you are ... good cooling and MAX OC should do it !

... Total cost ??? $42 USD ... Comes with paste and ALL mounting hw for two fans (all u need).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065&cm_re=coolermaster_120mm_fan-_-35-103-065-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103069&cm_re=coolermaster_120mm_fan-_-35-103-069-_-Product

So ... do this FIRST !

 

[brpeden82]

at some problems i tried to overclock to say 3.6 ghz i run crysis and gave a kernel panic. i know the board isnt the best overclocker board ithibk the voltage was like 1.4

 

[Alvin Smith]

I would ask on the OC forum, if you have the time ...

... My knowledge is not as good as theirs, for AMD OC ...

.. They might tell you to get a new mobo ... I dunno ... could just be the correct voltage and "formula".

... All I know, for sure, is that that chip should be able to push 3.6GHz, with proper cooloing and a decent BIOS ... And ... That the rest of your kit is not terrible.

If not ... Give a budget on the proc and mobo ... Micro-ATX or Full ATX, etc.

We'll see what we can do.

 

[brpeden82]

I bought me a AMD Phenom II X4 955

 

[Alvin Smith]

And ... A hyper 212+ ??? ... Push-Pull ?

... PS ... You can save $60 (or more) by going with an Athlon-II x3 or x4 ...

... You seem to be ignoring the whole point of going with AMD, for a gaming rig ...

... all the chips (except a very few) will clock (OC) to 3.6GHz, or higher ...

... You will only lose, on average, 5fps (out of 125fps) by dropping to an Athlon-II, all else being equal.

... BUT ... The Phenom-II is great and you won't regret it ... at all .. I only mentioned the Athlon-IIs in case budget is extra tight.

... Have fun ... Exploit the OC potential of (even) that chip !

 

[Alvin Smith]

Just FYI ... A little reference data, from a recent thread, that may interest you ...
... This is all "pasted in" ... in chunks .. so ... might make sense ... might not.
***************************************************************
Scroll way down and look at the comparison ...

Altho WE are currently discussing the Propus 940 vs. the 965BE .... I have chosen to benchmark the Propus 945 against the 955 (because the NON OC'd Timings are MUCH MORE INDICATIVE of the true (OC results) ...
... FYI ... The 955 clocks just as well (identically) to the 965, using the Hyper-212+ (vast majority of individual cases) ... Likewise ... A propus 640 should clock to ~3.6GHz (stable) ... Higher than a stock 645) ... And a 635 would even be fine, but the 640 is guaranteed @3GHz, on standard clock/cooling, which would be enough (by it's self) for a decent fps frame rate. (at only $99).

CHECK OUT THIS BENCHMARK COMPARISON ATHLON-II vs. PHENOM-II

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/188?vs=88

Here is the chip I am recommending ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103871&cm_re=propus-_-19-103-871-_-Product

*************************

just published:

Best Gaming CPU: Under $110

http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] 843-2.html

Best Gaming CPU for $100: None
Honorable Mention:
Athlon II X4 635
Codename: Propus
Process: 45 nm
CPU Cores: 4
Clock Speed: 2.9 GHz
Socket: AM3
L1 Cache: 4 x 128 KB
L2 Cache: 4 x 512 KB
HyperTransport: 4000 MT/s
Thermal Envelope:
95 W

Athlon II X4 635 2.90...
Newegg.com $97.99

There are a few gaming titles out there that will take advantage of a fourth CPU core---real-time strategy games, mostly--making the Athlon II X4 a potentially attractive choice to enthusiasts who multitask while they play, and are willing to overclock this processor. Moreover, as a general-purpose CPU (during the hours you don't spend gaming), the quad-core solution is going to be superior. Now found as low as $100, this CPU is well within the grasp of the budget-oriented gamer.

Read our review of the Athlon II X4, right here.

***********************************
Pulled this from the first article:

There are minor loses in gaming performance along the lines of a 1-10FPS drop compared to the Phenom IIs and other quads with larger cache sizes but at the same clocks in many well threaded programs such as Handbrake the Athlon IIs should be equal their more expensive Phenom brothers.

1 to 10 variable FPS for another $60? I dunno man... Just doesn't seem like a big deal to me. For 5 FPS, I would rather wait till I upgrade to the next processor generation. Besides, I'm building this for RIFT mostly (MMORPG) - I think it is a well threaded program?

 

[brpeden82]

my rig last last year was a AMD ahtlon II x4 630 and a HD4870 1GB. Yeah im disappointed in the Geforce 460 768MB. I had the dual core Athlon laying around so i used it. i was just trying to squeak all the fps out of crysis i could by buying the gtx 460. i didnt want it to be lagy at all..

 

[Alvin Smith]

Well ... from the initial reviews, right here, on the 460s ... The conclusions (and the benches) made the clear and emphatic point that, the 1GB version of the 460 was a LOT more card for just a LITTLE more money ...

... My recollection is that the "under 1MB" version was more of a multi-tasking/multi-monitor business solution and that the 460 1GB was for budget gamers and graphics students.

... TWO(x2) 460(1GB) in SLI is/was (supposedly) about the best fps-per-dollar solution out there. (at least, that seemed to be the case when the 460s were first released).

... You kinda bit yersef in the arse, cheaping out on the 768MB version ... too bad ..
... But MANY games REALLY want a fast CPU clock ... That means SOME commitment to a "fairly" agressive OC regime.

.

 

[Alvin Smith]

... And ... BTW ... I should inform you (and remind myself) that I (Alvin) am NO GAMER !!...
... I mostly do "wanna-be" graphics/edit pro workstation builds, for cash-strapped students.

... I play Hoyle Card Games and traditional board games, etc., but must avoid the game consoles and fps shooters because I get sucked in and never do anything else ... I just have to avoid them, altogether ... or perish !!

MY POINT IN THIS ADMISSION ???

There are LOTS of young hot-shot gaming techs who have fanatical (and very fresh) knowledge regarding the latest hw developments, and performance and scaling of various componensts, visa-vis particular games and details/rez/features.

... Those "super-freaks" often graze, over on the THG OC and GPU forums ... The depth and the "currency" of THEIR knowledge is superior to my own.

Most of what I know is through "forum osmosis", and incidental exposure to benchmarks and comments, in various reviews, etc. ... I can build a great "trailing edge" budget gaming rig but I leave the bleeding edge of first adaptation to the younger, nore zealous technicians ... I'm a 52yo Corporate Accounts, Tech., with MANY more responsibilities and interests.