11-13-2010, 05:19 PM
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#1 |
 Join Date: May 2010
Reputation: 32
Posts: 458
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Christmas Upgrades, a few questions.
Hello, SPUF, you helped me last holiday season in building my computer, here's to hoping you can help me upgrade it this holiday season, huh?
 Anyway, I have a budget of about 200-250 bucks to spend this time around, and I would like some advice on what to pick for a new CPU+GPU. I might need a new power supply to support the added wattage, and that is what I mainly need help with here. I'm looking to go quad core Phenom with a video card that can run GTA IV swell enough. I play at 1024x768 currently but I'm looking for one that can run it 1280x1024 quite nicely. Current Specs as follows: Gigabyte GA-MA770T-UD3P AM3 Motherboard AMD Athlon II X2 240 @ 2.8GHz (DualCore) G.Skill 4GB DDR3 1333MHz RAM (sweet RAM, by the way!) Hard Drive is not important Radeon HD 4670 512MB GDDR3 And my power supply, is a Corsair CMPSU 400W w/ 30A on the 12V rail. So, any picks on AM3 quad core with an ATi video card I can use this holiday season? Also, please let me know if a PSU upgrade is necessary. EDIT: With some sly order history browsing, I found my PSU. It is still available. Linky. ANOTHER EDIT: I took a benchmark earlier and these are the results. Running all medium except water and reflections which is on high. Statistics Average FPS: 45.20 Duration: 37.41 sec CPU Usage: 94% System memory usage: 70% Video memory usage: 72% Graphics Settings Video Mode: 1024 x 768 (85 Hz) Texture Quality: Medium Shadow Quality: Medium Reflection Resolution: High Water Quality: High Texture Filter Quality: Anisotropic x4 Night Shadows: Off View Distance: 25 Detail Distance: 20 Hardware Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Video Adapter: ATI Radeon HD 4600 Series Video Driver version: 8.17.10.1041 Audio Adapter: Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio) AMD Athlon(tm) II X2 240 Processor File ID: Benchmark.cli Last edited by CptManhole: 11-13-2010 at 05:37 PM. |
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11-13-2010, 05:33 PM
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#2 |
 Join Date: Feb 2010
Reputation: 147
Posts: 776
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GTX460 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130563
Phenom II x4 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103656 275 or so after the rebate on the graphics card. little bit more than budget but should do wonders. You can overclock the cpu a bit too for more performance but quads now-a-days are being used more and more by new games. that 400watt corsair though it is only 400watts should handle a gtx460 with 30a on the 12v rail. |
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11-13-2010, 05:36 PM
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#3 |
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Reputation: 147
Posts: 776
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if you like ATI this 5830 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150497 would be sweet, about 10 more.
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11-13-2010, 05:38 PM
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#4 | |
 Join Date: Jul 2006
Reputation: 1931
Posts: 8,811
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Quote:
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11-13-2010, 05:38 PM
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#5 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Reputation: 32
Posts: 458
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Thank you, that will be considred.
And yeah, I plan to upgrade my CPU. Will my PSU be able to handle that Phenom AND the 5830? Yep, I'm an ATi guy.  (Main reason for not going nVidia for the upgrade is driver conflict. Don't want to have to scrounge through my folders. Blech.) |
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11-13-2010, 05:39 PM
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#6 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Reputation: 32
Posts: 458
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I don't overclock. Last time I tried to OC my video card, even slightly, my monitor flickered and instant BSOD every boot-up. Had to do a sys-restore.
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11-13-2010, 05:41 PM
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#7 | |
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Reputation: 1931
Posts: 8,811
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Quote:
Problem with the 5830 is its just not very good. For the same price you can get the 768MB GTX 460 which is better and also highly overclockable (important to someone on a budget like you). Cleaning up drivers is easy. things get better with time. Not only is this GPU far more OCable than anything youve probably dealt with in the past, the process is also easier. You can use easy to use, nice looking programs like MSI Afterburner and bump up the clocks. If you go too far all that will usually happen is the display driver will crash (assuming ur not on XP) and restart, not even the whole system. |
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11-13-2010, 05:45 PM
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#8 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Reputation: 32
Posts: 458
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Alright, I'll do the 460, but I hope I can figure out how to clean up drivers.
And I also hope nvidia doesn't release GPU-cooking drivers again! xD Hey Baron, didn't you help me last year, too? I was Dragoru back then, my first build? |
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11-13-2010, 05:47 PM
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#9 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Reputation: 32
Posts: 458
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And I've also heard, Baron, that Fermi cores are VERY good, is that correct?
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11-13-2010, 05:48 PM
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#10 |
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Reputation: 1931
Posts: 8,811
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lol idk man. Its possible.
yeah the GTX 460 is a quality card. The 768MB version less so compared to the 1GB one (mostly because it doenst have the same specs, not the VRAM) but its good for the price. |
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11-13-2010, 05:50 PM
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#11 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Reputation: 32
Posts: 458
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I'll be fine with less vram though, seeing as I, as aforementioned, play at either 1024x768 or 1280x1024.
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11-13-2010, 05:59 PM
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#12 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Reputation: 2739
Posts: 20,000
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I think that PSU could run a GTX460 fine, which is equal to a HD6850 from AMD(formerly ATI)... a GTX470 might be pushing it alittle, but its equal is the HD6870 which uses alittle less power...here are the HD6870/50 cards on newegg(the HD6850 should only be $180) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...e=&srchInDesc=
here is how those cards run http://www.anandtech.com/show/3987/a...ange-market/16 then I would say to go with a CPU with the fully unlocked multi...so you can simply set it to run at 3.6GHz(with 18x multi) or higher 955 Black Edition X4 Deneb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103808 740 Black Edition X3 Heka http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103699 715 Black Edition X3 Heka http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103679 ...and then get a good heatsink for it if you are still using the stock one I think these are fine http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...TabStoreType=1 here are some somewhat better PSUs Silverstone ST50F-ES http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817256061 SeaSonic S12II 520 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817151094 Corsair CMPSU-550VX http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139004 ...but I would just stick to what you already have if you are just going to run a single GTX460 or HD6870/50 card Last edited by T Rush: 11-13-2010 at 06:02 PM. |
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11-15-2010, 04:31 AM
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#13 | |
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Join Date: May 2010
Reputation: 32
Posts: 458
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Quote:
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11-15-2010, 05:02 AM
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#14 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Reputation: 32
Posts: 458
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Just ran a wattage calc on newegg. Recommended around 464 watts. Are you sure it's okay with 30a though?
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11-15-2010, 09:21 AM
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#15 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Reputation: 32
Posts: 458
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Anyone know if I can trust the wattage calculator? I don't want to have to buy a new psu.
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