Upgrading AMD System ($600-700)

So I'm looking for some input on some upgrades I'm going to buy for my existing amd machine. Originally I was planning to spend $1500 on a new sandy bridge computer, but I think I'm going to wait till Ivy Bridge and lga2011, and spend 2000 on a super system that will last me for quite a few years. In the meantime, I want to spend about $600 in upgrades for my current computer. These are my specs:


CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640
RAM: 2x2 GB ddr3 1333mhz
Hard Drive: 1tb 7200rpm sata II
Video Card: HD 4770 512mb Direct X 10.1
Motherboard: Asus M4A785rd-v evo
PSU: 500w
Case: Xion 403
1xDVD Burner
1xDVD Drive


The only things I'm sure on is a new case, because mine is pretty cramped. I also probably need a new power supply, because I'll also need a new video card. I'm also looking into getting an SSD. Along with that a sata3 controller card because I only have sataII. Maybe a new cpu?

I'm starting to do some more gaming, and I'm on a 1080p resolution, and I lag on Flight Simulator X a bit on high settings. I play MineCraft, Age of Empires, and I am thinking of getting Call of Duty and possibly Team Fortress.

I'm saying $700 max because I need some money for my new build in 2 years! Thanks! (I prefer NewEgg, but Amazon works too!)

Keep in mind ivy bridge is probably coming q1 2012. lga2011 will probably be ridiculously overpriced like the intel extreme edition processors, so dont wait for that (late 2011 anyway)

Of the games you listed, the only ones that are close to demanding are FSX and call of duty. You will need a better cpu for fsx and a better gpu for call of duty. For the other games you can probably already max out. Also please list your monitor resolution.

My suggestion is to go with just a graphcis card upgrade for now, get something like radeon 6850. Your cpu is still pretty decent considering how most games are mostly gpu-dependent. You wont even need a new psu. The rest of your money save for next year`s total system upgrade. i just dont feel you can get a worthwile upgrade without going intel, a phenom ii x4 955 would just not be a worthwhile upgrade.

so again, upgrading your graphics card will give you an enormous performance boost, your cpu i dont recommend changing. wait till ivy bridge i would say.

@Overclocked Toaster, I believe I mentioned I had 1080p resolution

@browsing the world, I oced it to 3.6 stable, but I believe I backed it off ro 3.4 to keep temps in mind. My case is cramped and is loud because it only has 2 80mm fans. It looks pretty nice however

So I should just upgrade my gpu for now you think?

These are terrible suggestions. You telling him to spend a ton more for very little improvement over just getting a GTX 460 1GB for $150 as I suggested above. The 460 can be easily overclocked faster than the 6870 and costs significantly less.

Why on earth would you suggest a new PSU when it can already handle an overclocked Athlon II and HD 4770? Why does he need a new case?

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/for [...] dy-15.html

When they are both overclocked the 460 is 6% slower than the 6870 in overall performance but 1% faster at 1080p.

Sounds good, on the cpu, you can go that route, but you may be able to get more out of the chip now by overclocking. I'm only running a 640 myself on an AM2 board with a GTS 450 and can max bfbc2 at 1680x1050, and most of my other games. At that point, I would grab the 460.

Case looks nice, never used that brand before.

I used one of these in a build I helped someone with and it was great to build in.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811119206

A little more than the other one, but was impressed.

*Edit* Also, don't count AMD out, you should have bulldozer chips coming out later this year too, so keep an eye out before just deciding on the newest intel thing.

I would not go 550ti. The 460 is going to be a faster card. For example....

http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] 892-6.html

Also, if you are pushing the power supply that close to it's limit, it's likely time for a new PSU. But higher pixel rate, check the frame rates, the 460 in the benchmarks many times is stronger than the 550ti.

Yes you should be able to run the 460 on your current PSU as a 35W increase is almost nothing.

Nobody here knows if you're pushing your PSU to the limit but the total power draw as max load of your system should be 300-350W. I wouldn't bother getting a new PSU until you try your current one out.

Read this and stop being obsessed with getting a new PSU:
http://www.overclock.net/power-sup [...] ost9110838

Tom's is one of the worst places to get PSU advice. Google this: "site:jonnyguru.com tom's hardware"

I was about to say the 460 can use up to twice as much power... Either way your system doesn't use much juice.

Alright. I'm actually finding out whether or not z68 is compatible with ivy bridge. If it is I will probably just build a cheap sandy bridge machine. I have someone who would buy this machine, so it would work out! Thanks for the suggestions though! I will definitely keep them in mind if I decide for sure that I want to upgrade this system!

I am only a member on this site, I don't work for Toms. So your argument may become invalid. Tell you what, you go buy a cheap no name power supply, and run your system with a GTX 460, tell me what the system looks like after your power supply goes out on that 350 watt supply. I personally burned up a board with junk power supply. Never again. Personally, I've been working on computers for about 10 years. If you want to chance your system on a 350 watt power supply, knock yourself out. Me, no way. The thing is, if you skimp on power supply, and it goes, it may take your system with it. Using a cheapo power supply like a 350 watt with a GTX 460 is like playing russian roulette with your pc. If you want to do that, go ahead, but don't come crying to us when your computer dies.

GTX 460 ran fine on a with a Phenom II X4 on a 10 year old Antec TP380.

Again I recommend reading articles in the link I posted instead of listening to anyone on Tom's. Or better yet go to jonnyguru.

Can you please tell us which power supply you were using and what your setup was? It's not really believable that this actually happened when you're so vague. It's also hard to believe a 500W PSU can fry your system unless it has 40 amps over 12V (which is hard to find on crappy units).

It's not the best but solidly mediocre and should power a GTX 460 without any problem.

You shouldn't have even tried that in the first place since it's a 12 x 17 or 204W PSU. His PSU is fine for the 460.

Yes he should save $40 to get a card that's just as fast.

Unless you're suggesting that he buys a card that has the the same performance for $40 or 27% more.

But yeah.... pay 27% more for 1% less performance. That's a great suggestion.

Find me a 5850 for that price, they are all gone.

The 5770 isn't bad for $100 if you don't buy an overpriced model but the 460 is significantly faster. In fact overclocked 460 is faster than HD 5770s in CF.

No, it's faster than the 5850:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews [...] GB/34.html

PC-Titan

For $161 shipped that's a good price but you apparently have to include a wrong statement even when you find something useful!

The 460 hands down.

How about this http://www.tigerdirect.com/applica [...] =A271-6872 steal it! better than a 460 and is VERY good can't beat a deal like that .

This link clearly shows the 460 is faster than the stock HD 5850 when overclocked:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews [...] GB/34.html
The 460 obviously beats the 5850 unless I'm reading this chart backwards

CF 5770s perform on par with a HD 5850:
http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews [...] e_review/5
I just showed the overclocked 460 beating the 5850.

The HD 5850 doesn't overclock very well so the overclocked 460 will still have similar performance:
http://www.techspot.com/review/206 [...] age12.html

The 6850 runs hotter than the 460:
http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] 76-22.html

So you're suggesting a card that costs $35 more, runs hotter and doesn't perform any better? In fact it's significantly slower when they are both overclocked as I showed.

I don't think anybody considers a HD 6870 at $200 a great deal. Lets not play the rebate game either.

Just click these links and it'll settle everything:
Head to head
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/291?vs=313

Overclocked performance
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews [...] GB/34.html
http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/for [...] dy-15.html

@boeing if you actually clicked the my links it would give you a clear perspective.

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/295?vs=313 for the most part the 5850 wins that not even overclocked overclocking is bad for a card runs way more hotter, and you can overclock a 5850 like a said your a nvidia fanboy deal with it.

Dude obviously you know a 460 overclock beats a 5850 stock but a 5850 overclock beats a 460 plus the x treme sapphire is over clocked, face it your a lyer.

Good, much better off than a 5850 then 150 is a good deal what ComputerNugget posted, a 5850 is like a jet on a run way on call of duty MW2.

Well im undecided at this point.

Okay lets break this down.

1. You said that no matter what the 5850 beats the GTX 460 when I showed an overclocked 460 beating a 5850.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews [...] GB/34.html
2. You say an overclocked 5850 is beats an overclocked GTX 460 when they have roughly equal performance.
http://www.techspot.com/review/206 [...] age12.html
The overclocked 5850 is slightly slower than the stock 5870.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews [...] GB/34.html
The overclocked 460 is also slightly slower than the stock 5870.

Do you have anything worthwhile and factually correct to contribute?

If you're going to use dual GPUs in your future computer get 2 x GTX 460s since it's cheaper and performs just as well if not better than the HD 6850. You would save twice the money on two cards.

its not always about overclocking though. sometimes you just wanna have things the way they are.