Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/

Can my old rig handle a new GPU?

  • 17-01-2013 10:36PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,814 ✭✭✭


    Finally got time to start playing some of the game I've bought it the last few Stream sales.
    My current system served me well over the last 4 years:

    Asus Rampage Formula X48 LGA775 Motherboard - {2 x PCIe 2.0 x16 , support at full x16, x16 speed}

    Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.00GHz

    4GB of DDR2

    Sapphire HD 4870 1GB PCIE

    WD Caviar SE 250GB

    4 x Samsung 1TB SATA Spinpoint F1 HD103UJ

    Samsung T240 LCD { 24" ; 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) ; Analog RGB, DVI, HDMI }


    I'm hoping a new GPU will inject some new life into this system since I don't have the $$$ for a full new rig.
    Looking to spend ~200e-250e but will go over it the extra $$$ will give me better performance for longer.


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,925 ✭✭✭✭challengemaster


    It'll handle one alright, just certain aspects will be bottlenecks (cpu, pcie2) Do you have any sort of decent cooler on the CPU? If you overclocked it to 4 - 4.2Ghz it'd be less of a bottleneck, certainly.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,814 ✭✭✭BaconZombie


    My old cooler was failing so I replaced the stock one with an Akasa AK-CC7117EP01 K32 High Performance Intel Cooler.
    It'll handle one alright, just certain aspects will be bottlenecks (cpu, pcie2) Do you have any sort of decent cooler on the CPU? If you overclocked it to 4 - 4.2Ghz it'd be less of a bottleneck, certainly.

    Any recommendations on a replacement GPU?


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,435 ✭✭✭areyawell


    Better off with a new build i'd say. Something like a GT620 GPU for 50 quid, 7750 for 80 quid or 7770 for 100 quid and overclock the CPU. I wouldn't be putting mad money into that computer.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,814 ✭✭✭BaconZombie


    I was thinking of buying a mid to high range GPU now and them do a full build by the end of the year when I save up some more beer tokens.
    areyawell wrote: »
    Better off with a new build i'd say. Something like a GT620 GPU for 50 quid and overclock the CPU. I wouldn't be putting mad money into that computer.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,435 ✭✭✭areyawell


    I was thinking of buying a mid to high range GPU now and them do a full build by the end of the year when I save up some more beer tokens.

    I edited the previous post there to include one for around 100, 7770 is a decent card for 1080P gaming. If you buy the a high range GPU now your CPU is going to hold you back so theres no point really going above 100 euro.

    If you buy now theres probably going to be newer models at the end of year and the cards will be much better for the same price.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,925 ✭✭✭✭challengemaster


    There's two ways to look at it tbh.... Any high range cards that are out now, will still be pretty damn good for the next year or two, and you can always SLI/CF them at a later date too.... But there's also newer cards due to be released quite soon, and they'll push down prices....

    Really I'd probably be hanging on for the time being. There's quite a bit of new tech coming this year, with Haswell CPU's and new motherboards for that socket. Socket 2011 is getting a re-visit / revamped motherboards with some new CPU's there. GTX7xx and 8xxx cards are probably going to be released this quarter. If you hang on and save, you'll certainly get best value for your money.

    Have you tried playing anything that's giving issues with the current setup?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,325 ✭✭✭smileyj1987




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,864 ✭✭✭uberpixie


    You should stick to your plan: get a decent gfx card and then upgrade to a modern cpu later on.

    A 3ghz dual is still decent for most games and the 4870 is the bigger bottleneck to worry about....
    You will get a few months yet out of your pc with a new card.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭TerrorFirmer


    I have an E8400 and 7750 in my 2nd machine. It runs Battlefield 3 pretty well at mid-high at 720p, to give you an example of how it runs, might get you through another while before building a new PC. That said though, your 4870 is still a passable card, so I think the Q6600/7850 combo mentioned above is a definite hassle free viable path.

    It depends on what sort of games you play, too, some games like BF3 are far more GPU dependant, others are more CPU hungry, so if you kept it, the E8400 will show its age in certain titles, but its still passable for all games. If you can overclock it, go for it. You can always carry the same card to a new build a year down the line.....and go crossfire :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,925 ✭✭✭✭challengemaster


    There is absolutely no benefit in changing from an E8400 to a Q6600 for gaming. It's certainly a waste of money, and possibly a drop in performance.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,283 ✭✭✭✭BloodBath


    From the tests I've seen there is very little fps increase from dual core to quad core in even the latest games like BF3. It's minimal at best.

    I would say you would need to have that e8400 overclocked to at least 4ghz though to prevent bottlenecking a newer gpu.

    You should get away with a 7850 or 7870 without it being bottlenecked by that cpu too much, providing it's overclocked.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 514 ✭✭✭RUSTEDCORE


    Finally got time to start playing some of the game I've bought it the last few Stream sales.
    My current system served me well over the last 4 years:

    Asus Rampage Formula X48 LGA775 Motherboard - {2 x PCIe 2.0 x16 , support at full x16, x16 speed}

    Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.00GHz

    4GB of DDR2

    Sapphire HD 4870 1GB PCIE

    WD Caviar SE 250GB

    4 x Samsung 1TB SATA Spinpoint F1 HD103UJ

    Samsung T240 LCD { 24" ; 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) ; Analog RGB, DVI, HDMI }


    I'm hoping a new GPU will inject some new life into this system since I don't have the $$$ for a full new rig.
    Looking to spend ~200e-250e but will go over it the extra $$$ will give me better performance for longer.

    You can build a pc with 8gb ddr3 ram a quad core and a 1gb gddr5 graphics card for your budget from getting parts off ocuk

    AMD Athlon II X3 Tri Core 450 3.20GHz (unlocks to quad core in bios)
    GeIL Black Dragon 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C11 1600MHz
    Asus M5A78L-M LX AMD 760G (Socket AM3+)
    a GDDR5 GPU from here


    The 150 euro for the mobo / ram / gpu + 10 for courier charge leaves you with 90 euro or 75 pound to choose a gpu... im guessing you can use your current hdd/case/psu but even if you cant they are the cheapest parts.

    Windows experience index stats for this setup
    cpu 6.9
    Memory 7.3
    Graphics (an average 1gb GDDR5 card in this build) 7.2
    Gaming graphics 7.2


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,435 ✭✭✭areyawell


    RUSTEDCORE wrote: »
    You can build a pc with 8gb ddr3 ram a quad core and a 1gb gddr5 graphics card for your budget from getting parts off ocuk

    AMD Athlon II X3 Tri Core 450 3.20GHz (unlocks to quad core in bios)
    GeIL Black Dragon 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C11 1600MHz
    Asus M5A78L-M LX AMD 760G (Socket AM3+)
    a GDDR5 GPU from here


    The 150 euro for the mobo / ram / gpu + 10 for courier charge leaves you with 90 euro or 75 pound to choose a gpu... im guessing you can use your current hdd/case/psu but even if you cant they are the cheapest parts.

    Windows experience index stats for this setup
    cpu 6.9
    Memory 7.3
    Graphics (an average 1gb GDDR5 card in this build) 7.2
    Gaming graphics 7.2


    Theres no real difference between his Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 and the x3 so no point in doing that and the E8400 would be better for gaming. No real point updating the motherboard for a basically out of date processor. 4GB of ram is plenty but maybe a 7770 to tie you over till you get your new system and overclocking the processor.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 514 ✭✭✭RUSTEDCORE


    areyawell wrote: »
    Theres no real difference between his Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 and the x3 so no point in doing that and the E8400 would be better for gaming. No real point updating the motherboard for a basically out of date processor. 4GB of ram is plenty but maybe a 7770 to tie you over till you get your new system and overclocking the processor.

    depends which games


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,283 ✭✭✭✭BloodBath


    Stick with the e8400 until you can do a full beefy upgrade.

    Proof that there is still no advantage to 4 cores over 2 in even recent games.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4PDoy-mi0A

    Your only problem is potential bottlenecking.

    A 7850 should be fine and maybe 4 more gigs of ram.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,814 ✭✭✭BaconZombie


    I'm mainly playing Saint Row The Third, Skyrim, Just Cause 2 but planning on getting Fry Cry 3 and DmC Devil May Cry.

    I'm playing at 1920 x 1200 and seeing how high I can put the setting since it's having issues rendering stuff at a distance { i.e. cars, planes popping up very close to me and not in the distance }.

    The CPU is running at 3.5Ghz via the built in over-clocking, I could manual see if I can get better.
    I have an E8400 and 7750 in my 2nd machine. It runs Battlefield 3 pretty well at mid-high at 720p, to give you an example of how it runs, might get you through another while before building a new PC. That said though, your 4870 is still a passable card, so I think the Q6600/7850 combo mentioned above is a definite hassle free viable path.

    It depends on what sort of games you play, too, some games like BF3 are far more GPU dependant, others are more CPU hungry, so if you kept it, the E8400 will show its age in certain titles, but its still passable for all games. If you can overclock it, go for it. You can always carry the same card to a new build a year down the line.....and go crossfire :D
    BloodBath wrote: »
    From the tests I've seen there is very little fps increase from dual core to quad core in even the latest games like BF3. It's minimal at best.

    I would say you would need to have that e8400 overclocked to at least 4ghz though to prevent bottlenecking a newer gpu.

    You should get away with a 7850 or 7870 without it being bottlenecked by that cpu too much, providing it's overclocked.

    I've 2 x 2GB Stick in at the moment and it maxs out at 8GB.
    So is it better to use 4 x 2GB or 2 x 4GB in Dual?
    BloodBath wrote: »
    Stick with the e8400 until you can do a full beefy upgrade.

    Proof that there is still no advantage to 4 cores over 2 in even recent games.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4PDoy-mi0A

    Your only problem is potential bottlenecking.

    A 7850 should be fine and maybe 4 more gigs of ram.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,283 ✭✭✭✭BloodBath


    I've 2 x 2GB Stick in at the moment and it maxs out at 8GB.
    So is it better to use 4 x 2GB or 2 x 4GB in Dual?

    Either should be fine.
    The CPU is running at 3.5Ghz via the built in over-clocking, I could manual see if I can get better.

    4ghz+ is easy enough on these if you have the cooling with manual overclocking. I had mine at 4.3.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,925 ✭✭✭✭challengemaster


    BloodBath wrote: »
    4ghz+ is easy enough on these if you have the cooling with manual overclocking. I had mine at 4.3.

    Look earlier in the thread

    Basically he has an intel stock cooler with a neon green/yellow akasa fan.. :pac:

    I wouldn't push it much further without better cooling tbh.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,283 ✭✭✭✭BloodBath


    Get a new cooler as well then.

    I'm pretty sure the hyper 212 evo will work on that socket as well and will be good for future upgrades.


Advertisement