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Worth sticking with old Am3...

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  • 04-04-2012 6:48pm
    #1
    TerrorFirmer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    Really wanted to upgrade my machine, but it's proving less economical than I thought. It's a x4 9600B, 4gb Ram, and a GTS250. It's actually fine really but I've been getting somewhat back into the odd PC game so while I don't need a powerhouse I definitely am not happy with the GTS250. But then I figured my CPU is also a little behind, though I think I'm alright with 4GB ram.

    Is it worth shelling out 100 odd quid for say, an X4-965? Or would a somewhat cheaper X3 be just as good in games clocked at the same freq - won't be doing anything other than games and browsing. Course then I'm still limited in 4GB (I have a ****ty foxconn board and there's only two banks and I've 2x2gb), and I kinda thought bout upping the ram to 6, not realizing there was only 2 banks, and 2x4gb DDR2 would be ludicrous to purchase. I know DDR3 is ridiculously cheap but didn't want to have to buy a new board as well.

    So yeah anyway, it'd be either X4 965 or X3 460 (both around 3.4Ghz), 4GB ram and probably a 560Ti. Should I be worried bout only 4GB ram?

    Wasn't really looking to spend more than about 250 on cpu and 560ti...


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    #2
    dan_ep82
    Registered Users Posts: 2,720 ✭✭✭dan_ep82


    4GB is enough for gaming with the games out now,may be a problem in the future.

    I take it you mean 2nd hand going by your budget?


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    #3
    deceit
    Registered Users Posts: 2,315 ✭✭✭deceit


    If you leave page filing on you wouldnt have any worries, maybe the odd drop in new games coming out in the future when needs to use pf but other than that should be fine.

    With my set up using eyefinity and bf3 with firefox consuming 1gb ram I've ran out of ram using 8gb twice this week (no pagefiling as i'm on an ssd) so will give you an idea of what could epect with future titles with more detail.


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    #4
    Monotype
    Registered Users Posts: 6,710 ✭✭✭Monotype


    Are you sure the motherboard supports the X4 965? The 960T is the best one to go for if it's supported. It should be reasonable difference from the first generation phenoms. The biggest step that you'll see in games will be with a new graphics card above anything else.


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    #5
    TerrorFirmer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭TerrorFirmer


    Ya it does support all the AM3 cpu's, just a pain it doesn't support DDR3 but I suppose I can keep an eye out for a second hand set of DDR2 in 2x4GB. If not I think 4GB will probably be grand. This is my board by the way.

    I think I'm getting a 945 for 70 posted so I think that'll do me. I need to check its the 95w tdp one cos the board won't support past that. I know it wouldn't be much more to get a cheap i3 but it just seems unnecessarily expensive to get a new board as well. Mostly because I'm not really going to be gaming a huge amount, switched to my Xbox a few years ago, but I will be playing some older games like Resident Evil 5, Company of Heroes, stuff like that - mostly in 3D, so my new card has to be Nvidia.

    I think with all the hassle I will have to consider a new board though. What would anyone recommend for a serious budget- not that I don't have the money, but I just can't justify spending a whole lot on it, really, as it won't get a huge amount of use. I was looking at either a low end i3 or the new bulldozer - both very affordable.

    Basically I want something that's reasonably faster than my current X4, and significantly faster than my pretty aged GTS250.


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    #6
    Monotype
    Registered Users Posts: 6,710 ✭✭✭Monotype


    If the 945 works, then you should be fine with that. Depending on what cash is left... what about a 6850 or 6870?
    Amazon are selling a 6850 for £89 which is excellent value. It will run all games but you'd need to turn down the details on demanding ones.
    The 6870 has a bit more power but is still good value when you pick one up for <€150.
    Next up from that you'd be looking at the €200 region of the 560ti or 7850. Alternatively, wait for nVidia to release more cards.

    Edit: Oops, missed the 3D part. Em... for nVidia the only worthwhile cards really are the 560ti and the 680 and the 680 is probably well beyond your budget.
    €192 for the 560 ti @ dabs.
    http://www.dabs.ie/products/asus-geforce-gtx-560-ti-822mhz-1gb-gddr5-pci-express-hdmi-7TNV.html
    I think dabs have a sale where you get €10 off if you spend 200 with a coupon code so you could buy an extra 8 euro worth of stuff and get it for 190.

    Edit 2: There's the 550 ti too but it's nearly the same price as a 6850 which is a good bit better.
    http://www.dabs.ie/products/asus-geforce-gtx-550-ti-900mhz-1gb-pci-express-hdmi-7NH9.html


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    #7
    TerrorFirmer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭TerrorFirmer


    I think I might go now for a 2nd hand X4 840. That should be OK for my needs.

    However I'm in a pickle with the video cards, kinda. Nvidia seems to be a shambles as usual with the budget lines, so while I'd love to go ATI, I want Nvidia for my Vision setup.

    2nd hand, I could get a GTX280 for about 90 euro, but then I've got a juice guzzling monster that's not really much different then the slightly more expensive 550Ti -and that'd be brand new.

    Might just go with the 550ti? Realistically I won't be playing BF3 or anything at the moment, mostly stuff like Bioshock 2, Resident Evil 5, etc. But I have noticed already that even my current old Phenom x4 combo and GTS250 can struggle at times at 1080p dx10 in resi5. So as much as the bang-per-buck irritates me right now in the nvidia side of things, a 550ti is probably actually grand?


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    #8
    Monotype
    Registered Users Posts: 6,710 ✭✭✭Monotype


    Just be aware that the Phenom 840 is actually an athlon. Which is good for a high clocked athlon when you want the lower power but doesn't have the L3 cache.

    RE5 doesn't look like it consumes much resources as the 550ti is easily able to handle it at 1920x1080.
    http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/3936/palit_geforce_gtx_550_ti_1gb_sonic_video_card_in_sli_review/index6.html

    Bioshock is built on the Unreal 3 engine so you should be fine with that too, probably.

    Maybe keep your eyes open if you're not buying straight away as there may be people selling off their 560tis for an upgrade. If you got one for €150 or so, it would be great, although it probably won't be until there's more nVidia cards.


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    #9
    TerrorFirmer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭TerrorFirmer


    I decided in the end sticking with the old board was madness. I decided instead to go for a z68 board and the G620 - granted not the fastest out there but the price: performance is excellent for a paltry 60 euro, and it'll suffice perfectly right now - I can drop in an i3 or i5 later when I've the need, which I don't at the moment with the likes of Bioshock and Resi5. I sure do miss the days of the likes of the E2140 and E2160 and being able to get those suckers nearly twice their stock clock on air. I also got a 550ti OC for 109, so overall I'm content for now.

    Thanks guys for the help and advise!


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