Upgrading PC for Gaming, need help

[brandopb]

Hey guys, recently I've been wanting to upgrade my computer, so it'll be able to handle newer games like Sims 3, Guild Wars 2, SWToR, etc. I'm trying to refrain from building a whole new PC and just upgrading/salvaging this current one I have.

Here is a test I ran to see if Guild Wars 2 can be ran on my PC, unfortunately it failed:

It looks like all I need is to upgrade to a dual core processor. I have a socket 775 LGA. Is something along the lines of this processor something I could use? -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116391

I'm not very computer savvy and I'm looking for a is a quick and hopefully not too costly upgrade. Any tips/suggestions are greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[HEXiT]

the best value core 2 quads are the 8300 and 8400 they will both do 3 ghz easily problem is there getting really hard to find new.. they can host up to 1333 ram if your motherboard supports em and uk price is about £110 us about $140. but just because you have a 775 socket motherboard it doesnt mean you will be able to upgrade to a core 2 quad so check compatibility. if it does support em make sure you upgrade the bios b4 you put in the new chip.

gfx wise try to get in the region of a 450 or better... and remeber 1s you get out of entry level you will need a decent psu... recommended minimum is 550w from a decent brand, like seasonic, coolermaster, corsair, antec... stay away from brands like akasas as there build quality and voltage protection aint great...

 

[rolli59]

If you tell us the name of your motherboard then we can find out CPU support!

 

[brandopb]

If you tell us the name of your motherboard then we can find out CPU support!

This of any use?

 

[rolli59]

915G not good news stuck with Pentium4 http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-Intel_(chipsets)/index.html

 

[brandopb]

Hmm, would a rig like this one fit my gaming expectations?

http://www.amazon.com/CyberpowerPC-GUA250-FX-4100-Gaming-Desktop/dp/B005TJKGTM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1334457040&sr=8-3

Looks like the video card is the only slight downfall, but can't beat that price.

 

[alfred6]

the best value core 2 quads are the 8300 and 8400 they will both do 3 ghz easily problem is there getting really hard to find new.. they can host up to 1333 ram if your motherboard supports em and uk price is about £110 us about $140. but just because you have a 775 socket motherboard it doesnt mean you will be able to upgrade to a core 2 quad so check compatibility. if it does support em make sure you upgrade the bios b4 you put in the new chip.

gfx wise try to get in the region of a 450 or better... and remeber 1s you get out of entry level you will need a decent psu... recommended minimum is 550w from a decent brand, like seasonic, coolermaster, corsair, antec... stay away from brands like akasas as there build quality and voltage protection aint great...

I don't know much about older CPUs, but I just wanted to comment that you should not replace your GPU with anything at the moment (not that you were going to). The 9800GT is legit and can still play new games (Battlefield 3, Starcraft 2, etc.). Getting a 450 or 550 would not be a big improvement. In fact, you could see a drop in performance, as I did.

As a reference, I had a 9800GT 1gb and then I bought a GTX 460 1gb and it was not much better (sadly). Obviously if you bought a GTX y80 (replace the "y" with a 4, 5 or 6), you'll see improvement.. but that'll cost a ridiculous amount. Since you're talking about keeping your old mobo, I'm pretty sure you're not OK with spending 300-500 dollars on a graphics card. Haha. Good luck! The 9800GT is awesome!

 

[cyansnow]

Hmm, would a rig like this one fit my gaming expectations?

http://www.amazon.com/CyberpowerPC-GUA250-FX-4100-Gaming-Desktop/dp/B005TJKGTM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1334457040&sr=8-3

Looks like the video card is the only slight downfall, but can't beat that price.

it's average but average at best. the cpu has some good overclocking potential but at stock is a bit of a slacker. it would most likely play any game on low-medium settingts at 1080p.

 

[xkarat3x]

What is the resolution of the monitor youre using?

I think that computer would do you plenty as long as you replace the GPU and arent expecting to play every game on ultra.