Upgrading PC for BF3

[Oberst]

Hey all,

well I am looking into purchasing BF3 and I ran my computer specs to see how I performed and it looks like I am almost in the middle between Minimum to Recommended specs. I have had this PC for close to 3 years now and the only things i've had updated are my hard drives (2 previously got fried out.) but now I am in need to upgrade this thing to modern times. As for the results of the test it said all of my things on my PC would be fine to run on BF3 except for the Video Card and CPU. So now I am working to see if I can find something suitable to upgrade to but won't break the bank either. I would say a budget of around $500 would be realistic, i'm looking for the best bang for your buck stuff available. Any help would be appreciated, here are my current specs.

 

[DatSurferguy]

download CPUID and i think the file is called CPU-Z. That will tell you your system info in a easy window to nav through. then screenshot that and post it here.

 

[I'm your huckleberry]

Well you could kind of go one of two routes. You cold with the 2500k+asrock extreme3 gen 3 z68 mobo+8gb 1600 ddr3 ram+gtx 460/6850 gpu. Now this route will give you pretty much the best cpu you can get currently at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, cpu isn't a huge deal for bf3 as much as gpu. Thus, if bf3 is your sole purpose in life, then putting more into a gpu (say, $250-300), you could go with a 7850 gpu+8gb 1600 ddr3 ram. Now, there are two routes you could with as far as mobo+cpu:

i3 2100+BIOSTAR TZ68K+ mobo

or

fx4100 or phenom ii x4 + am3+ motherboard.

Which is better is kind of a tossup for these two. All should behave similarly in bf3. The i3 cpu route gives you the option to upgrade to a true quad core i5/i7 in the future, but with an am3+ mobo, you can also upgrade to amds new line of cpus when they are released. The better graphics card will definitely be a stronger performer if bf3 is your main goal.

 

[FinePrint]

im with hckleberry, personally tho i think you should go with an intel motherboard and cpu, an i5 2300 i think it is? or 2500 if you can spare the cash, an memory is cheap for 8gb like 50$. you need to spend 250-300 at least to play at a fresh framerate on high settings. Roughly 600$ for everything

 

[archaznable]

i would like to add up to upgrade your video card gtx 560 would be your best choice if you want to run BF3 on a high settings

 

[Oberst]

I talked with a friend regarding things I could get. So far I am leaning on a sandybridge i5 2500k, an asus motherboard and a Radeon 6950 with 2 gb memory for around $640. I'll include the links later but so far it seems solid.

 

[I'm your huckleberry]

I am glad you are taking your friends advice. Unfortunately, given your budget constraints, I was unable to recommend that cpu. However, if you are able to stretch your budget, it is a wise move.

As for the gpu, depending on how much the 6950 is, it might be a better move to get a 7850 if the prices are about the same (which they are on newegg before rebate at least). 7850 has slightly better performance out of the box, but it should overclock better and use less power. Now, your friend may have mentioned that you can unlock a 6950 into a 6970 which was possible, but most cards that are left are unable to (in case you were banking on this for added performance). Sounds like this system is going to rock though!

 

[FinePrint]

Is it a bundle deal? If so, great! If not, if you want you could upgrade to a GTX570 or 580, they tent to stick with intel chips, and are great cards. Good luck!

 

[I'm your huckleberry]

Well, depending where you can find a gtx 580, the lowest one in stock at newegg is only slightly below a gtx 670 which will stomp it. So, given the fact that a 580 is a good bit more than a 6950, that probably isn't even a consideration. 570s aren't a bad option as they have come down in price a good bit, but it again depends on the price range you are considering for gpu alone. Another option, though it has its drawbacks, is this guy:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130759

Slightly more vram than a 570, should match 570 performance, cheaper than a 570, though it produces lots of heat and requires some good wattage.

 

[Oberst]

Taking into account for my budget, I don't want to stretch it out too crazy so I did a little bit of my own research and came up with these 2 items. Would like to know what you guys think about them,

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727

Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138341

As for the 7850, would you be referring to this? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161405

If so, I wouldn't mind paying the extra $5 if it does perform better! Haha.

 

[pillar]

I would suggest going with the following card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161406
Same specs as the card that you posted, but free s&h & $5 less than the 1 that you posted. With this $$ you save, you can afford to spend some $$ on the s&h on the motherboard. Unfortunately, Newegg hasnt really been nice when it comes to free s&h on mobos. However, that shouldnt deter ya from getting a great motherboard for an amazing price & be willing to put down some $$ for the s&h on the motherboard.
If you really have to, take some time & work on setting aside more $$. Besides BF3 is still gonna be around. I dont forsee the game dying anytime soon.
Also, only get the i5-2500k if you plan on overclocking that sucker to beef up your gaming. If you dont plan on overclocking the cpu, then I would suggest that AMD cpu that you. Its $100 less & you can save that $$ towards the motherboard (never skimp on the motherboard). You want to leave options available for later on.

 

[Oberst]

I'm not looking to overclock the CPU, so I'll stick with the AMD. That frees me up an extra $100. I can raise my budget to $700 but I won't be able to purchase these items till summer has passed. I can agree with getting a more reliable motherboard, noob question here but does ASUS make motherboards for AMD processors? If so do you have any recommendations? And I'll check out the GPU you linked, thanks.

 

[I'm your huckleberry]

That is a good budget cpu, but it does not compare to the sandy bridge 2500k. Obviously it is about half the cost (unless you have a microcenter near you where you can get the 2500k for cheap), but it is the current cpu champ in performance/price.

And 7850 looks good. That appears to be a non reference cooler which would explain the price increase over reference, though it has a bigger MIR. I think the reference cooler does a good job from what reviews have said and is fairly quiet already.

 

[Oberst]

Updating Thread:

So I am thinking since I will not need to OC my CPU, that ill shoot for an AMD combo as it will be more cost-effective. I have found a barebones kit online that I think will have most of the stuff in it i'll need, i'll transfer my PSU from my current Desktop to the new one since the one I am using is a 500w. I will just add the GPU into this combo and then I think i'll be set. Here are the links:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Barebones Combo: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2428843&CatId=332

Total Price: $395 before rebate with Tax.

GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102987

Total Price: $213 with Tax.

Overall price for both: $608. I would like to see what you guys think about this, so long as my PSU is okay from this desktop I imagine this is probably the best deal I can find.