Upgrade CPU or GPU first?

2006-10-08 18:41:21

#1

StormEye: Sniper; +50|7094|Malibu

Ok. Here is the deal.
Currently I have:
AMD FX-51 2.2 Ghz 940pin CPU (Personally overclocked to 2.3xx Stable) <-Edited to add Clock Speed
2 gigs of Corsair XMS 3200 Low Latency RAM
1 x XFX 7800 GTX PCI-Xpress (factory overclocked to 490 Mhz clock speed) Personally overclocked to 506 Mhz (Stable) <-Edited to add PCI-Xpress notification for clarification
PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 510-SLI ATX12V 510W <- Edited to include PSU

I think 2 gigs of RAM is fine when I'm playing BF2 or any other game in that manner.
Lately I've been thinking about upgrading CPU and GPU but not sure which one first.
If CPU is gonna be the choice, I am thinking of getting either 'AMD Opteron 254 Troy 2.8GHz Socket 940' or 'AMD Dual-Core Opteron 280 Italy 2.4GHz Socket 940'. There is minimum price difference between these two (well minimum for me).
If GPU I will wait and see about the DX10 cards.

Any suggestions?

Last edited by StormEye (2006-10-11 00:53:21)

2006-10-08 18:44:06

#2

GotMex?: $623,493,674,868,715.98 in Debt; +193|7212

GPU, definitely. Unless you could upgrade to say, a quad core processor, it won't make as much of a difference as a new GPU. You're not processor limited in your current state.

2006-10-08 18:48:46

#3

Jbrar: rawr; +86|6991|Winterpeg, Canada

Gpu

2006-10-08 18:49:44

#4

Volatile: Member; +252|7154|Sextupling in Empire

Jbrar wrote:
Gpu

2006-10-08 18:51:29

#5

MECtallica: Member; +73|6954|jalalabad

C2d

2006-10-08 18:56:03

#6

Invaderzim: Chicken wing?; +49|6898|Newcastle NSW Australia

At the moment you dont need to upgrade anything. Maybe when direct x 10 comes along you might need a new gpu but for now a GTX will do you fine

2006-10-08 18:59:17

#7

StormEye: Sniper; +50|7094|Malibu

Invaderzim wrote:

Thanks guys for your advice. I guess its gonna be the GPU to upgrade first and I'll see if I actually do need to upgrade by seeing the performance comparison latter on.

And you sir, Invaderzim, that is a very disturbing signature to the right. LoL

2006-10-10 00:19:18

#8

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|7050|132 and Bush

Your biggest in game performance increase will be with an upgraded GPU.

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2006-10-10 05:59:14

#9

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|7031|SE London

Won't it be quite hard to upgrade your CPU if it's a s940? But then if you've got an s940 MB don't you only have AGP, which probably means you're not getting the best out of the GPU you've got and would prevent you from an SLI route.

I'd say wait, your system is fine. Leave it till you can switch your MB to something more modern, preferably a conroe.

2006-10-10 06:02:54

#10

boozie: Member; +0|6914

Generally speaking games bottleneck at the GPU, but bf2 is one of the most intensive cpu games out there. Don't know enough to tell you which, but safest bet is gpu.

2006-10-10 09:48:16

#11

slo5oh: Member; +28|7110

StormEye wrote:
Ok. Here is the deal.
Currently I have:
AMD FX-51 2.2 Ghz 940pin CPU (Personally overclocked to 2.3xx Stable) <-Edited to add Clock Speed
2 gigs of Corsair XMS 3200 Low Latency RAM
1 x XFX 7800 GTX (factory overclocked to 490 Mhz clock speed) Personally overclocked to 506 Mhz (Stable)

I think 2 gigs of RAM is fine when I'm playing BF2 or any other game in that manner.
Lately I've been thinking about upgrading CPU and GPU but not sure which one first.
If CPU is gonna be the choice, I am thinking of getting either 'AMD Opteron 254 Troy 2.8GHz Socket 940' or 'AMD Dual-Core Opteron 280 Italy 2.4GHz Socket 940'. There is minimum price difference between these two (well minimum for me).
If GPU I will wait and see about the DX10 cards.

Any suggestions?

What mobo are you running that on? I didn't think there were any 940 boards that would OC at all. Then again 2.2 to 2.3xx isn't far. That chip should be able to OC up near 3Ghz... but the 940 based mobos hold you back.
Yes 2gigs is enough ram. 7800GTX should be enough video to give you over 100fps at 1280x1024 (that's what I was getting with my 7800gt). You'll spend WAY too much $ upgrading that 940 based system.
Is your system AGP or PCI-E?

2006-10-10 11:36:39

#12

StormEye: Sniper; +50|7094|Malibu

BTW my video slot is PCI-Xpress. Also I can go SLI.
I forgot what the motherboard is called but it used to sell on Newegg.com (not anymore though. sad) that actually has PCI-Xpress for 940 pin CPU. Currently I am out of the country and I am not with my computer right now to check the actual model name and number for the mobo.
And yes, the mobo is holding me back about OCing over that thing without having to crash quite often.

I am not trying to upgrade because of the performance in BF2 (I play all settings on high with AA/AF and no problem what so ever) just wondering about the future when I actually have to upgrade for the newer games.

2006-10-10 11:45:07

#13

StormEye: Sniper; +50|7094|Malibu

cailuc wrote:
Suggest you upgrade life.

If you are suggesting me to upgrade my life, why don't you look back on yourself and ask the same question on yourself for asking me that question here in Tech Forum. You are the one who probably needs that upgrade on yourself since you are acting immature.

2006-10-10 11:48:20

#14

Leprechaun56: Proud Infantry Whore; +31|7033|U.S.A

StormEye wrote:
cailuc wrote:
Suggest you upgrade life.
If you are suggesting me to upgrade my life, why don't you look back on yourself and ask the same question on yourself for asking me that question here in Tech Forum. You are the one who probably needs that upgrade on yourself since you are acting immature.

Yea dude, go back to the nursery. Id upgrade Graphics

Last edited by Leprechaun56 (2006-10-10 11:49:04)

2006-10-10 11:55:41

#15

Deadman: Member; +34|6892|England

Not sure why you want to upgrade, your system should be more than adequate for BF2.
I'd hold off on a GPU right now.

2006-10-10 12:12:17

#16

Twist: Too old to be doing this sh*t; +103|6973|Little blue planet, milky way

Deadman wrote:
Not sure why you want to upgrade, your system should be more than adequate for BF2.
I'd hold off on a GPU right now.

QFT

2006-10-10 12:37:06

#17

XxUNDEROATHxX: =(1C4L)=underOATH; +52|7106|Chandler, AZ

Your GPU is pretty good right now. I would suggest you upgrade your CPU as it is an original AMD FX 940-Pin, and it is only single core. Your GFX Card is planty to get you by until you feel like upgrading to a DX10 card....

Right now is a good time to get a new Intel Conroe CPU and a new mobo, and then wait until DX10 cmoes out until you get a new GFX card...

Just my opinion...

2006-10-10 12:41:28

#18

XxUNDEROATHxX: =(1C4L)=underOATH; +52|7106|Chandler, AZ

Also, now that I've re-read your post....

You may want to upgrade your GPU instead, because your not going to get much of an improvement with the 940 platform. That platform is outdated and will not give you nearly the performance than that of a conroe setup (which would require new board, chip, and RAM)...

But ya, hold off on buying your GFX card until DX10....

2006-10-10 12:43:02

#19

StormEye: Sniper; +50|7094|Malibu

XxUNDEROATHxX wrote:
Your GPU is pretty good right now. I would suggest you upgrade your CPU as it is an original AMD FX 940-Pin, and it is only single core. Your GFX Card is planty to get you by until you feel like upgrading to a DX10 card....

Right now is a good time to get a new Intel Conroe CPU and a new mobo, and then wait until DX10 cmoes out until you get a new GFX card...

Just my opinion...

You are the first one to suggest me to upgrade CPU.
However, I would like to stick with AMD for now. Also if I change my pin set, I have to get new Mobo and RAM and everything, and I do not think I want to do that yet since DX10 is on the way and stuff you know.
I was thinking of upgrading the FX-51 to either 'AMD Opteron 254 Troy 2.8GHz Socket 940' or 'AMD Dual-Core Opteron 280 Italy 2.4GHz Socket 940' IF I decide to upgrade CPU instead. Which one do you think is a better choice?

Edit: Nvm you posted a new reply that is contrary to the quoted one above.

Last edited by StormEye (2006-10-10 12:44:04)

2006-10-10 12:53:36

#20

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|7050|132 and Bush

StormEye wrote:
cailuc wrote:
Suggest you upgrade life.
If you are suggesting me to upgrade my life, why don't you look back on yourself and ask the same question on yourself for asking me that question here in Tech Forum. You are the one who probably needs that upgrade on yourself since you are acting immature.

Ignore the kids my friend.

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2006-10-10 13:32:42

#21

boozie: Member; +0|6914

everyone gives advice to hold off to buy dx10 card when they come out. The thing is I'm not entirely sure the people you are advising have any idea what price dx10 cards are going to release at. Not everyone wants to drop $400++ on a gfx card. It's not going to be cheap for quite some time. There are some nice cards on the market right now that will hold you over for a good amount of time.

2006-10-10 13:40:07

#22

StormEye: Sniper; +50|7094|Malibu

boozie wrote:
everyone gives advice to hold off to buy dx10 card when they come out. The thing is I'm not entirely sure the people you are advising have any idea what price dx10 cards are going to release at. Not everyone wants to drop $400++ on a gfx card. It's not going to be cheap for quite some time. There are some nice cards on the market right now that will hold you over for a good amount of time.

Ya thats true.
However, I am the one who wants to drop $400++ on a GFX card.

2006-10-10 14:34:47

#23

Mad Ad: Member; +178|6960|England, UK

What exactly cant you play with your current rig?

2006-10-11 00:02:14

#24

Slayer: ---hates you; +1,137|7206|Hell, p.o box 666

I cant see any need to upgrade your GPU or CPU atm Sure, the intelfanboys will say something else, but your CPU is a monster. The GPU is still the latest G71 chip by Nvidia, so there is no need to upgrade it to a 7900GTX or 7950GX2. Will be a waste of money. If you want to upgrade the GPU, just wait till DX10 cards release, get 600 $+/- and go for it. Atm, I wouldnt upgrade anything with your specs.

2006-10-11 00:27:14

#25

claor: Member; +39|6864|Australia

Invaderzim wrote:
At the moment you dont need to upgrade anything. Maybe when direct x 10 comes along you might need a new gpu but for now a GTX will do you fine

agree 100%

BF2S Forums Upgrade CPU or GPU first?

Jbrar wrote:

Invaderzim wrote:

StormEye wrote:

cailuc wrote:

StormEye wrote:

cailuc wrote:

Deadman wrote:

XxUNDEROATHxX wrote:

StormEye wrote:

cailuc wrote:

boozie wrote:

Invaderzim wrote:

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