Computer upgrade in time for Overwatch!

[Jester Joe]

Hi all, after recently getting to play Overwatch for the weekend, I realize it is probably about time I get looking for upgrades for my computer, because while I can play Overwatch rather smoothly, it looks like...well, poop, on anything from low-medium settings, even with mixing some high settings in, it's still rather choppy, and then I only get like 15 FPS, so to the point, these are my current specs!

Operating System- Windows 10 64 bit

CPU- AMD FX-4300 Quad Core 3.80 GHz

Motherboard- Gigabyte GA-78LMT-USB3 (I hope this is the right information I grabbed)

RAM- 8 GB DDR3

Graphics Card- Nvidia GeForce GT 610

Power Supply- Allied ATX 300W Switching Power Supply, 115v/230v~

So I already know the Graphics card is pretty outdated since it's up to the 900s now, so I'm guessing that's a big upgrade needed there, but I'm not quite sure what else would be needed, and most importantly, how much it would cost. I'd like to keep it as cheap as possible, but I figure that's not gonna be easy, I mean, I'd like to stay under $300 but not sure how far that would get me honestly anyway, I just know you all prefer to have a limit of some sort, so yeah.

Or if the better choice would be to just get Overwatch on the PS4 if I'd have to replace nearly everything right away, I'd prefer to do it in steps so it's not as big of a strain.


Thanks for any help, and let me know if I'm missing anymore information!

[Miyagie]

325$ FX-8320 and a MSI GTX 960 (maybe spend 20-40$ more for a 4GB version or a R380)
But first check your PSU.

http://www.amazon.com/AMD-FD8320FRHK...ywords=FX+8320

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...%2Ck%3AFX+8320

[Jester Joe]

Okay, I checked the power source and this is what I got, I'm just gonna list off what seems needed, I took a picture of it though to stupid proof myself!

Allied ATX 300W Switching Power Supply, 115v/230v~

But $325 doesn't sound too bad so far, I'd imagine the order to purchase should be Power Source>CPU or Graphics card?

[Deleted]

325$ FX-8320 and a MSI GTX 960 (maybe spend 20-40$ more for a 4GB version or a R380)
But first check your PSU.

http://www.amazon.com/AMD-FD8320FRHK...ywords=FX+8320

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...%2Ck%3AFX+8320

Terrible advise about the cpu. The 8320 is almost as good as fx 4300, waste of money. Unless he jumps to intel platforms he won't see any sort of difference. I do agree on the gpu, atm r9 380 > gtx960. Should be able to grab one for under 200$ even the 4gb version. Oh you definately will need a new power supply along with that. Something like the following should do it, just check the gpu length, make sure it fits in your case.

A cpu upgrade to skylake would cost him like 450$.


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 380 4GB Video Card ($193.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $263.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-11-22 09:48 EST-0500

Depending how much you can push your budget you can go for a r9 390 for less than 100$ more. Definately worth it, the psu will accomodate either easily.

[Deleted]

If I was going to suggest a complete rebuild

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($123.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: MSI B150 PC Mate ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($82.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston FURY 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 380 2GB Video Card ($188.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $520.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-11-22 10:06 EST-0500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G-7bfPG2dE

Actually respectable chip in this build but GPU is your biggest weakness as most games are GPU bound.

[Jester Joe]

Terrible advise about the cpu. The 8320 is almost as good as fx 4300, waste of money. Unless he jumps to intel platforms he won't see any sort of difference. I do agree on the gpu, atm r9 380 > gtx960. Should be able to grab one for under 200$ even the 4gb version. Oh you definately will need a new power supply along with that. Something like the following should do it, just check the gpu length, make sure it fits in your case.

A cpu upgrade to skylake would cost him like 450$.


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 380 4GB Video Card ($193.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $263.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-11-22 09:48 EST-0500

Depending how much you can push your budget you can go for a r9 390 for less than 100$ more. Definately worth it, the psu will accomodate either easily.

So I should be able to safely upgrade the video card and power source without needing a CPU upgrade right away? Sorry I'm really dumb when it comes to things like this. Because I could easily get both of those, and since even the next poster suggested the same power source that would probably be my first grab.

Also side note, does anyone expect decent sales on Cyber Monday or whatever, or will everything just probably be out of stock, or will there not be much at all and I might as well not wait?

If I was going to suggest a complete rebuild

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($123.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: MSI B150 PC Mate ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($82.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Kingston FURY 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI Radeon R9 380 2GB Video Card ($188.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $520.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-11-22 10:06 EST-0500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G-7bfPG2dE

Actually respectable chip in this build but GPU is your biggest weakness as most games are GPU bound.

Honestly I'd rather refrain from rebuilding from scratch right away, I'd prefer to stretch it out over time so it's not a huge hit on my wallet right away, would that be possible with these parts? The same GPU has been suggested 3 times so I'd probably aim for that, but I'm still unclear of what parts can easily be changed on an individual level, and which ones need to be changed at the same time, like how if your CPU/GPU need more power you'll need a better power source right away type of thing.

[Deleted]

You can upgrade the GPU and PSU together, thats the best thing to upgrade for your system anyways, this is independent of your CPU.

Once you set in your new PSU, upgrade paths for other things are opened up so isn't an issue but it will power anything new however the suggested CPU, motherboard and ram I provided additionally don't use a lot of power, in fact less then your current CPU.

Go for the 4 GB model like kost mentioned if you can pick that up at a similar price which is decent value.

- - - Updated - - -

Also you can always buy stuff like new cpu, motherboard and ram at a much later point in time, nothing in your build will have issues with this potential upgrade path in like a year or 2 from now.

[Jester Joe]

You can upgrade the GPU and PSU together, thats the best thing to upgrade for your system anyways, this is independent of your CPU.

Once you set in your new PSU, upgrade paths for other things are opened up so isn't an issue but it will power anything new however the suggested CPU, motherboard and ram I provided additionally don't use a lot of power, in fact less then your current CPU.

Go for the 4 GB model like kost mentioned if you can pick that up at a similar price which is decent value.

- - - Updated - - -

Also you can always buy stuff like new cpu, motherboard and ram at a much later point in time, nothing in your build will have issues with this potential upgrade path in like a year or 2 from now.

Alright then, thanks for the help then all! It's just that I just bought a PS4 (and a N3DS for my girlfriend) recently, so I didn't want to dive into $550 right after that, 3 months gives me enough time to get the power source and GPU, and then past that I'll see what I'll come back to this to see what to nab next.

[Deleted]

So I should be able to safely upgrade the video card and power source without needing a CPU upgrade right away? Sorry I'm really dumb when it comes to things like this. Because I could easily get both of those, and since even the next poster suggested the same power source that would probably be my first grab.

The evga GS psu is a little better than the nex one and for 5bucks more you should get it. As for the cpu/mobo upgrade you don't have the budget i think right now. Getting into skylake means new ram as well as i said. Get the gpu/psu i'd reckon and whenever you come with more cash close to 400-500 you can upgrade cpu. You gpu atm is very very low end/low that will be a huge upgrade atm. If you wanted and could get the r9 390 instead of r9 380 it would be even better. It will simply last you longer beside the better performance atm.

[Kagthul]

still within the ~300$ range:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/fY4xwP
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/fY4xwP/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($123.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H110M-S2PV DDR3 (rev. 1.0) Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($67.98 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 950 2GB Video Card ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX TS 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($26.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $348.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-11-22 17:37 EST-0500

Skylake board that lets you keep your DDR3 RAM.

[ComputerNerd]

If relevant, here are the minimum and recommended specs for the beta as stated by blizzard.

https://us.battle.net/support/en/art...m-requirements

[Remilia]

Skylake board that lets you keep your DDR3 RAM.

It doesn't. Skylake only supports DDR3L, low voltage modules. Sure, the mobo can accept DDR3 because it's the same pins, but Skylake isn't going to like it. You'd have to undervolt the RAM sticks and hope it actually reaches low enough for Skylake chip to not complain. This isn't guaranteed due to RAM variability.

[Jester Joe]

The evga GS psu is a little better than the nex one and for 5bucks more you should get it. As for the cpu/mobo upgrade you don't have the budget i think right now. Getting into skylake means new ram as well as i said. Get the gpu/psu i'd reckon and whenever you come with more cash close to 400-500 you can upgrade cpu. You gpu atm is very very low end/low that will be a huge upgrade atm. If you wanted and could get the r9 390 instead of r9 380 it would be even better. It will simply last you longer beside the better performance atm.

Okay, sounds easy enough. I just have to make sure it all fits in the case in the end too right? I didn't know some GPUs are different sizes honestly.

still within the ~300$ range:
Skylake board that lets you keep your DDR3 RAM.

So the two choices for GPUs I have are between
The GeForce GTX 950 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127904
or
Radeon R9 380 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814125821

It's just different companies basically right? I mean, the Geforce is cheaper which is nice, but I'm assuming as it seems with PC parts, more money goes further, so the R9 would be a bit more powerful? Or are they about even? (Hoping this doesn't incite some fan war, I just honestly don't know which is objectively better to go for)

If relevant, here are the minimum and recommended specs for the beta as stated by blizzard.
https://us.battle.net/support/en/art...m-requirements

Unless I'm crazy, my graphics card is better than that minimum? I mean, even on the same exact graphic settings, the game looks a hell of a lot better on my girlfriend's laptop, baffled by that but I guess it just goes to show the difference (She has like, GeForce 750 or something in her laptop)

It doesn't. Skylake only supports DDR3L, low voltage modules. Sure, the mobo can accept DDR3 because it's the same pins, but Skylake isn't going to like it. You'd have to undervolt the RAM sticks and hope it actually reaches low enough for Skylake chip to not complain. This isn't guaranteed due to RAM variability.

So basically, when the mobo gets upgraded I do need new RAM. I hope the computer place near me would be up for buying the old parts to use for repairs or something in that case.

[Remilia]

The 950 is about 25-30% weaker overall than the 380.

[Jester Joe]

The 950 is about 25-30% weaker overall than the 380.

Which seems to be about the same as the price difference :P

Okay then, I'll go for the 380, might as well!