AMD gaming system upgrade

[BEEANNER]

Im looking to upgrade my current AMD gaming rig.

At the moment im using the following:

ECS AMD790GXM-AD3 mobo (never really cared for this board for some reason)
AMD Phenom II x4 965 proc
SAPPHIRE 100242-1GL Radeon HD 4850 1GB video card
2 - Corsair CM3X2G1333C9 2GB DIMM DDR3
WDC WD10EACS-00ZJB0 1TB, SATA300, 3.5", 5400rpm Slave drive
Seagate ST3250310NS 250GB, SATA150, 3.5", 7200rpm main drive
Xigmatek 750w NRP-MC751 power supply

Monitor res is 1920x1200


Im not 100% sure where to start on upgrading. I want to stay with my AMD proc and Corsair memory if at all possible (unless it would be a vast improvement to swap those). My budget atm for upgrades will be about 500.00 Im not a huge overclocker, but wouldnt mind getting components that would help me with minimal overclocking.

I am a heavy online gamer IE: Rift, World of Warcraft, EQ, EQ2, ect.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[g048989h]

Video card and two more gigs of ram. 6970 if you want to stay with amd or 560Ti if nVidia is OK with you. PSU should be OK for either card, although I am not familiar with that brand in a PSU and don't see where you listed model. It should have enough to run those cards with zero issues.

 

[batuchka]

Hmm that is an 8/8 Cfable board so if u think you won't game past 1920 x 1080 the HD 6870, GTX 560 and 1GB HD 6950 looks value for money - there are $199AR HD 6870s floating around Else 2GB HD 6950 for 30"/Eyefinity

 

[rohn_avni]

hey i am planning to get ati 4650 1 GB
i am tight on budget..
how is this card?
currently i have 9400 GT, 4650 is definatly better than 9400 GT??

can i play GTA 4 on medium setings on 4650?

 

[batuchka]

Ouch - i would really suggest moving away and topping up for GTS 450 or HD 5770 to be honest hehe

 

[rohn_avni]

but my budget is only 80$......

how abt 5670??

 

[batuchka]

$90AR if u could eek out a wee bit more
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814162063&cm_re=GTS_450-_-14-162-063-_-Product
Ya the HD 5670 is definitely a far better buy than HD 4650 @@

 

[rohn_avni]

109& way too much for me right now!!!

how much performance gain i will get over my 9400 after buying 4650???

 

[batuchka]

Both are too lightweight and u have to turn down res/settings way too much for a playable experience - ok $79.99 XFX 5670?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150504&cm_re=HD_5670-_-14-150-504-_-Product

 

[rohn_avni]

ya that is a good one but only 512 mb!!!

 

[batuchka]

Thats fine - for a card like 5670 i wouldn't turn up res to 1920 x 1080 anyway where 1GB of video RAM may be useful ^^
Another option:
$60 HD 4830 ^^
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131381&cm_re=hd_4830-_-14-131-381-_-Product

 

[rohn_avni]

ok thanks i will get 5670 now.....

 

[batuchka]

Yep u are welcomed ^^

 

[someguynamedmatt]

Lol, anyway... back to the original thread...

Performance-wise, it looks like our setups are basically the same. I'm running a 965 on an MSI 790FX-GD70 with an HD 5770, 4gb ddr3-1333.

If you're looking for more gaming performance, then I'd definately go with a GTX 570 or 580, and you won't need another graphics card for a long, long time. I'd pick up some more RAM while you're at it (I just ordered an 8gb kit of G.Skill Sniper DDR3). It's at its cheapest right now, and

Other than that, I don't see much else worth upgrading right now. I'm about to order an HT Omega Striker 7.1 sound card, but I don't see any reason for you to spend $80 on one. And I agree, I don't really care for your motherboard, either. :SS

Some suggestions:
EVGA 570
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130593&cm_re=geforce_gtx_570-_-14-130-593-_-Product
EVGA 580
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130587&cm_re=geforce_gtx_580-_-14-130-587-_-Product
^Only get that if it's the only thing you're going to get; at $500, it's one helluva card, though. I'd definately recommend EVGA over most other brands, and their ratings back that up.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226095&cm_re=ddr3-_-20-226-095-_-Product
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231311&cm_re=ddr3-_-20-231-311-_-Product
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231417&cm_re=ddr3-_-20-231-417-_-Product
Maybe you don't need 12gb of memory, but it can't really hurt, can it?

 

[BEEANNER]

I appreciate all the responses. Will decide between a 6950 or a 6970 and will add more ram as well.


If I were to switch to another mobo, what would you guys recommend. At this time I dont foresee myself doing crossfire or anything. But I could possibly later down the road.

 

[batuchka]

For your case i would hold out till AM3+ mobos are out which any AM3 chip could be slotted in ^^

 

[BEEANNER]

I was actually wrong on what my video card was. I currently have a xfx 4890 radeon card. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150438


Would there be any benefit to running 2 - 4890 cards in crossfire mode? Or would it be more cost effective to just go with a newer 6950 card?

 

[batuchka]

For power/performance and raw performance the CF scaling HD 6K >>> HD 4k so i would hit a HD 6950 single 1st ^^

HD 5850CF = HD 6850CF
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3987/amds-radeon-6870-6850-renewing-competition-in-the-midrange-market/9

HD 5850CF >> HD 4890CF
Tom's Hardware - Benchmark 2D Power Draw

HD 6950 totally different beast all together hehe

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

I will attest to the gtx 570 on the nvidia side. I helped a guy with a system, and using that,4 gb of ram, and 1090t, he could max the crysis demo at 1920x1080. Seemed like a good card for the price. If you do go with the 6950, the rumors are it can be flashed into a 6970. Anyone know if that's a for sure thing?

 

[batuchka]

The 2GB versions could be flashed but 1GB versions rumored to have unlocking disabled.....but yet to be proved hehe