Would I benefit from a CPU upgrade

[mjones0014]

Hello,
I am wondering if I would benefit from a CPU upgrade. Currently I have an AMD Phenom X4 9600 Black edition. I have a Asus M3A78-EM Motherboard which has a AM2+ socket. My video card is a Radeon HD 4870 with 512 Mb. Basically I am wondering if a better CPU would improve my performance in some games. I can't hold 60 frames in any game really.

Thanks

 

[jnkweaver]

Hello,
I am wondering if I would benefit from a CPU upgrade. Currently I have an AMD Phenom X4 9600 Black edition. I have a Asus M3A78-EM Motherboard which has a AM2+ socket. My video card is a Radeon HD 4870 with 512 Mb. Basically I am wondering if a better CPU would improve my performance in some games. I can't hold 60 frames in any game really.

Thanks

I think it is the graphics card not the CPU that you have to upgrade. I would be shocked if you are CPU limited with the 4870.

 

[barto]

For the AM2+ socket, there's really nothing that will give you more power/better performance. I think it's time for a new build.

 

[mjones0014]

Just looked up the CPU support list for the motherboard and apparently it can take some AM3 cpus. Does this change your opinion barto?

http://www.asus.com/Motherboard/M3A78EM/#support_CPU

 

[jnkweaver]

Framerates are mostly the GPU not CPU. You have PCIe 2.0 so you have alot of bandwidth. Look at a new GPU.

 

[chromic]

i think Phenom x6 1090T would be your best bet for CPU

 

[mjones0014]

Ok. I was just wondering if it could be the CPU because the computer isn't very quick out of games either.

 

[barto]

Just looked up the CPU support list for the motherboard and apparently it can take some AM3 cpus. Does this change your opinion barto?

http://www.asus.com/Motherboard/M3A78EM/#support_CPU

It's interesting that an AM2+ socket would support AM3 cpus. But yes, apart from a BIOS update, you could get a better CPU. However, I do think that the other guys are right as well. A better GPU would help as well.

 

[mjones0014]

Sorry I'm such a computer noob. But how does one go about checking/upgrading their BIOS?

 

[Cazalan]

That board supports 3.2/3.4Ghz Phenoms. (Phenom X4 955)
That would give a nice gain over the 2.3Ghz 9600.

http://www.asus.com/Motherboard/M3A78EM/#support_CPU

It's getting harder to find those CPUs though.

 

[barto]

Start and then search "msinfo32 " no quotes. The first thing that comes up will be a hardware summary. On the right side about 1/3rd of the way down, "BIOS Version/Date". For example, my motherboard: Phoenix Technologies, LTD, P10, 12/30/2009. The version is P10 with the release date.

Also, you can see where your CPU shapes up against other CPUs here on Tom's CPU Hierarchy.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-review-overclock,3106-5.html

My personally opinion, if you buy a new CPU and GPU, you might as well start a new budget build.