Upgrade and Computer-Building Advice Thread

[aliquidparadigm]

If you want to go cheap with a monitor...

Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130223 ($15 off with your chosen CPU, and a free game)
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817171053

This is where you get interesting, you can go all cheap or combo it up.

Combo: Second one. That's 2x5770 and a good monitor for $490, which, really, isn't half bad at all.

With 2x2GB Ripjaws.

With all that carted, I get a total of $1,041.63.

You'll need a better video card than just one 5770. I have 2 4870s (basically equivalent) and can run most games at 1920x1200 with 4AA/16AF and max settings, but that is going to change in a hurry with the next generation. If you start with 2x5770, you can upgrade it later to 3x and 4x as needed. 4x5770 will probably perform about the same as 2x5850 or 2x5870, but I haven't seen any numbers on that. I know 3x5770 > 1x5970, and at half the cost.

[Radiator]

Originally Posted by aliquidparadigm

If you want to go cheap with a monitor...

Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130223 ($15 off with your chosen CPU, and a free game)
PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817171053

This is where you get interesting, you can go all cheap or combo it up.

Combo: Second one. That's 2x5770 and a good monitor for $490, which, really, isn't half bad at all.

With 2x2GB Ripjaws.

With all that carted, I get a total of $1,041.63.

You'll need a better video card than just one 5770. I have 2 4870s (basically equivalent) and can run most games at 1920x1200 with 4AA/16AF and max settings, but that is going to change in a hurry with the next generation. If you start with 2x5770, you can upgrade it later to 3x and 4x as needed. 4x5770 will probably perform about the same as 2x5850 or 2x5870, but I haven't seen any numbers on that. I know 3x5770 > 1x5970, and at half the cost.

In your dreams , mate . CF/SLi will never scale THAT well ... or if it will , it wont be anytime soon . Plus I doubt there are many games that could even take advantage of that... bottomline is that it'd be a huge waste of money getting over 2 of any card .
If I were you , I wouldn't look below a HD 5850 ( and I'd buy that used , it'd be a hell of a lot cheaper , than in stores ) , and add a second one later on .

[aliquidparadigm]

Originally Posted by Radiator

In your dreams , mate . CF/SLi will never scale THAT well ... or if it will , it wont be anytime soon.

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.ph...1&limitstart=9

http://www.hardwareguru.com/article/...-review-test/5

Two separate reviews indicating the performance of 3x5770 is between 2x5850/2x5870. The rule of thumb for diminished scaling is 1-100, 2-175, 3-225, 4-250 (that is, 2 cards will be 175% the performance of one, etc.). 4x5770 will cost less than 1x5970, 2x5870 and 2x5850, so it's not at all a waste of money. There will be some games where it may not work, but, honestly, if I were putting together a computer for myself, I absolutely, without question, would go 4x5770. The only problem with doing so is that it's entirely dependent on how well a game and the drivers play with one another as to whether you see the 2x, 3x or 4x performance... but, really, that's the same argument as there is for 2x5970/4870x2/3870x2, etc.

[Radiator]

Guess we'll have to agree to disagree .
I'd ALWAYS go for the two faster card option .
4-way CF will scale more or less like that in only a handful of games , I'd reckon .

[aliquidparadigm]

You should've read the linked reviews, as one specifically address your concern. 4 of the 10 games tested had issues with 3-way CrossfireX, the other 6 worked as expected; those 4 which had problems still worked at a 2-way Crossfire capacity.

Like I said, for the cost, the 3-4 5770s is the best option available, even if there are issues with some games. If you've got the money to go with 2x58xx, that's obviously a more convenient and consistent choice--but it's not certain to be better, and that's the argument I'm making.

Feel free to disagree as to what your preference is, but there is no argument that, as stated,

4x5770 will probably perform about the same as 2x5850 or 2x5870 (ed. actually, right in-between the two), but I haven't seen any numbers on that. I know 3x5770 > 1x5970 (ed. and often 2x5850), and at half the cost.

The performance cannot be argued; the frequency of said performance can, but that was mentioned as well.



We can't agree to disagree because we aren't really having the same conversation. (c:

[Radiator]

Well 10 games are hardly all the new(-ish) games that are out and worth playing . Just because some of the games there did support 4way CF to some degree doesn't mean most games will .
A HD 5850 now and an extra one later on = a much safer bet . Obviously they're not worth 400 USD or anything near that (or whatever they ask for 'em in stores) but you could get one used that's in working order and has a warranty for like 300 USD I suppose , provided you can be bothered to look around .

[kooz]

i like playing high end games like crysis but i have a pretty low fps at average quality ( all medium and 2xAA )

will a new card solve this? if yes, what card do you recommend?


1. Make and Model: Acer Aspire m3641
a. Motherboard: ACER MCP73PV NVIDIA MCP73
b. CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 @ 2.5GHz
c. Case Form Factor: ATX
d. PSU: it says 250 watts, +12v = 1x 15A
e. GPU: ASUS radeon HD 4670

2. RAM: 2x 2GB DDR2

3. Disk Drive(s): 1x 750GB

4. Optical drive(s): 1x DVD

4. Image Quality: 1920x1080 as good as i can get from the budget, prefer AA above AF or texture quality

5. Case+: 1x 80mm fan, 4 usb plugged in mostly

6. BUDGET: 100-200


P.S. i will be on a holiday for 8 days from today so dont expect a reaction from me before i get back :P

thanks,
kooz

[aliquidparadigm]

Without swapping out the PSU as well, the only real feasible option for you would be a 5770.

It would, however, be a worthwhile upgrade; I'm amazed you can run Crysis with 2xAA at 1920x1080 at a presumably playable framerate.

Take a look at the chart below: keep in mind your card is rated lower than a 9600 GT.



edit: Upon further review of your budget listing, you should probably get a new PSU anyway; a 5770 is going to push your system, and even a shitty little 300w+ PSU would do you some good. You can grab a 5770 and Quality 430w PSU for just over $200 shipped. That PSU would also likely survive if you ever wanted to upgrade the rest of your system, too.

[kooz]

thanks for the fast reply!
i didnt know my card was that bad!
as a new card i was thinking about a 5670..but the 5770 seems better, and i was already thinking about a new psu.

and i forgot to tell, i live in europe.. sorry :P
prices are in euro's for me, and the cheapest 5770 i can find in european stores is €185 :/

any ideas on how to lower the costs?

nevermind, i found some cheaper ones, ill do some research :P

[aliquidparadigm]

I say this often, but people seem not to like the idea: you should try to find an eBay merchant who will ship internationally, because you're very likely to find one for cheap that way.