New GPU or lost cause?

[inux94]

Hello everyone!
I'm thinking about upgrading my old PC my wife uses (She's mainly playing Sims 3/black ops/wow) and it's getting abit old since the GPU starts to get really loud on the main menu on sims 3/black ops on intense moments.

Here's ze specs!
Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 940 processor @ 3.0 GHZ
RAM: 8GB RAM
Fatherboard (motherboard, I'm calling my stuff fatherboard, fathership etc): Gigabyte GA-MA770-UD3
Graphics card: ATI Radeon 4890

The question is, which GPU is recommended to upgrade with or should I just scrap it and get a decent new?

[haxartus]

6870 will be a nice upgrade and it's not fast enough to be seriously bottlenecked by the CPU.

[DeltrusDisc]

A GTX 560 would also be a decent upgrade. Hell I bet a GTX 550 Ti would be good enough for those types of games. Sims 3 is very very low on the overall graphics requirements.

[inux94]

A GTX 560 would also be a decent upgrade. Hell I bet a GTX 550 Ti would be good enough for those types of games. Sims 3 is very very low on the overall graphics requirements.

It runs fine on most parts of black ops, just in sims it gets crazy like it's BF3 on 16x AA in 1080.


GTX 550Ti won't be bottlenecked by the CPU?

6870 will be a nice upgrade and it's not fast enough to be seriously bottlenecked by the CPU.

Awesome, I'll have a look

[taekvideo]

Definitely recommend the 6870.. you can get a sapphire one for $150 after rebate @ newegg.

[inux94]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161389

This? And are you sure that my motherboard isn't too old to handle it?

[haxartus]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161389

This? And are you sure that my motherboard isn't too old to handle it?

I prefer Sapphire or XFX.
MSI Twin Frozr is also very nice, quiet and fast, but it costs $200.

[inux94]

Thank you, picked Sapphire

Still afraid that my Mobo is too old D:

[taekvideo]

Oh geez the sapphire one just went up $10 sometime today lol.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102948
Would recommend that one... don't really like his or xfx

edit:
also your mobo can use it fine yea.

[Sephiracle]

Thank you, picked Sapphire

Still afraid that my Mobo is too old D:

No, your motherboard is fine.

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/pro...px?pid=3302#sp

Says your PCI-X is 16x 2.0 standards

[inux94]

I'll be getting the MSI cause it's got the afterburner etc, and it's got twin fans.

Now, does anyone know if my mobo's PCI 1.0 or 2.0?

No, your motherboard is fine.

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/pro...px?pid=3302#sp

Says your PCI-X is 16x 2.0 standards

Thank yOU!

[Sephiracle]

I'll be getting the MSI cause it's got the afterburner etc, and it's got twin fans.

Now, does anyone know if my mobo's PCI 1.0 or 2.0?

See above post.

[haxartus]

If it's PCI-E 1.0, the performance loss would be minimal even on high end GPUs.

[Dizey]

Ahhh that Radeon 48XX series. Where the game loading screens are like a countdown to blastoff. Blastoff being when the fans on them go full throttle, making the room sound like a rocket ship or jet plane near by.