Recommended upgrades for my PC?

[DarklordKyo]

I may be in line for a part time job, and I was thinking of using it to buy parts to upgrade my PC. I don't want to use PC Parts Picker, or something similar, because I've heard it can be dicey when it comes to accuracy. The following are my specs, and my aim is, if possible, something that can run Witcher 3 (1080p 60 if possible, but I'm willing to settle for 30 FPS, 720p, or both if necessary):

CPU
AMD FX-4300
Vishera 32nm Technology

RAM
8.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 799MHz (11-11-11-28)

Motherboard
MSI 970A-G46 (MS-7693) (CPU 1)

Graphics
BenQ GW2750H (1920x1080@60Hz)
2048MB ATI AMD Radeon HD 7800 Series (XFX Pine Group)

P.S. I'm planning to switch to an NVIDIA GPU, so I would prefer that as far as graphics cards recommendations (preferably with 4gb of VRAM, if only because I also plan on getting Evil Within eventually).

 

[MASTACHIEFPWN]

Interesting time to upgrade, but as of right now Nvidia is not the path you want to go down if you are willing to compromise graphical performance.

It looks like you could do with a CPU upgrade- I'd recommend an FX 8300 (120 USD) or FX 8350 (160 USD), seeing as how you wouldn't need a new MOBO with those, most likely. If you wanted to go team blue, the i5 6400 is like 170-190 USD, but you'd need a new compatible motherboard with that, and possibly another copy of Windows (Which I assume you're using) if you don't have a full retail version. However, I'm not sure exactly how low-powered the 4300 is, so this need might not be too immediate, if you really don't want to pay for it.
EDIT: Turns out most AMD cpus sort of level out when it comes to gaming; the major benefit you'd get from a CPU upgrade would be better multitasking/video editing and multi-core heavy tasks.

As for a GPU- don't go NVidia if you are on a budget. Their new line currently is aimed at enthusiasts (And they are absolute overkill for 1080p graphics), with prices starting a 380$, and seeing as how you seem to be alright with compromising graphics, you could probably spend that money elsewhere. I wouldn't recommend buying an 900 series card, unless you get it used. (You could probably snag a 960 which can run the Witcher 3 1080p at like 35-40 FPS for around 140$-150$, if you get it used). They've yet to announce a 1060 or 1050, which are there more midline cards.

If you want a new GPU, I'd recommend waiting until the RX 480 is released in early July, they retail for about 200$, and should be at least as powerful as an NVidia 970 (They claim it to be more, but we haven't seen any independent benchmarks as of yet) ABSOLUTELY DO NOT buy a new Nvidia 900 series card right now. You would just be throwing your money away when better options are on the horizon.

As for the Vram part- you likely won't need 4gb if you get a used card, especially if you don't crank the settings to maximum. I've not played the evil within, but my 960 only has 2gb of vram, and I've never had any problems going in that direction. The RX480 has 4gb of ram on the 200$ edition, and all the new Nvidia cards have at least 8 I think. TEW looks like it only requires 1gb of Vram, as well, but it recommends 4.

It looks like you could use some better RAM, as yours is pretty low speed. You can get an 8gb DDR3-1600mhz kit for like 35-45$.

On top of all of this, you may need a higher watt power supply, but I don't know for sure. AMD's higher-order processors are power-hogs (Much like their recent GPUs predating the 400-series), but I don't know what wattage PSU you have, so I can't say for sure.

So, for a quick breakdown of recommendations

FX 8300 (120$)
RX 480 (200$) OR Used NVidia 960 (140$)
RAM (40$)
PSU* (~50$ for a trustable one)
*Again, I'm not entirely sure you'd need one.

 

[DarklordKyo]

On top of all of this, you may need a higher watt power supply, but I don't know for sure. AMD's higher-order processors are power-hogs (Much like their recent GPUs predating the 400-series), but I don't know what wattage PSU you have, so I can't say for sure.

My power supply is 650 watts, that okay?

 

[DarklordKyo]

If you want a new GPU, I'd recommend waiting until the RX 480 is released in early July, they retail for about 200$, and should be at least as powerful as an NVidia 970 (They claim it to be more, but we haven't seen any independent benchmarks as of yet) ABSOLUTELY DO NOT buy a new Nvidia 900 series card right now. You would just be throwing your money away when better options are on the horizon.

As for the Vram part- you likely won't need 4gb if you get a used card, especially if you don't crank the settings to maximum. I've not played the evil within, but my 960 only has 2gb of vram, and I've never had any problems going in that direction. The RX480 has 4gb of ram on the 200$ edition, and all the new Nvidia cards have at least 8 I think. TEW looks like it only requires 1gb of Vram, as well, but it recommends 4.

As for GPUs, last time I got a used one, it didn't come with everything, so it didn't run at max. On top of that, apparently, due to it's shitty optimization, you kinda need something like a 970 with 4gb VRAM for 1080p 60 for Evil Within.

As for the 960's performance on Witcher 3, is that with high or low graphical settings?

On that note, how long till the 900 series starts lowering in price? (now that the 1080 is out).

 

[MASTACHIEFPWN]

If you want a new GPU, I'd recommend waiting until the RX 480 is released in early July, they retail for about 200$, and should be at least as powerful as an NVidia 970 (They claim it to be more, but we haven't seen any independent benchmarks as of yet) ABSOLUTELY DO NOT buy a new Nvidia 900 series card right now. You would just be throwing your money away when better options are on the horizon.

As for the Vram part- you likely won't need 4gb if you get a used card, especially if you don't crank the settings to maximum. I've not played the evil within, but my 960 only has 2gb of vram, and I've never had any problems going in that direction. The RX480 has 4gb of ram on the 200$ edition, and all the new Nvidia cards have at least 8 I think. TEW looks like it only requires 1gb of Vram, as well, but it recommends 4.

As for GPUs, last time I got a used one, it didn't come with everything, so it didn't run at max. On top of that, apparently, due to it's shitty optimization, you kinda need something like a 970 with 4gb VRAM for 1080p 60 for Evil Within.

As for the 960's performance on Witcher 3, is that with high or low graphical settings?

1. Your PSU should be good, so you can safely scratch that off the list.
2. Medium-High on the Witcher 3. (Details on high, shadows and some more minor stuff on medium). If you're against getting a GPU used, definitely wait for the RX 480, you'll pay 100$ less for that than you would a new 970, and get equal or more power.

I think I do recall reading about TEW's shitty optimization.

 

[DarklordKyo]

As for GPUs, last time I got a used one, it didn't come with everything, so it didn't run at max. On top of that, apparently, due to it's shitty optimization, you kinda need something like a 970 with 4gb VRAM for 1080p 60 for Evil Within.

1. Your PSU should be good, so you can safely scratch that off the list.
2. Medium-High on the Witcher 3. (Details on high, shadows and some more minor stuff on medium). If you're against getting a GPU used, definitely wait for the RX 480, you'll pay 100$ less for that than you would a new 970, and get equal or more power.

I think I do recall reading about TEW's shitty optimization.

Ehh, fair enough, guess I'll wait till I have a good enough job to consider building an entirely new machine before I switch to NVIDIA.

Honestly, the only real reason for me to do so is because Arkham Knight apparently runs even crappier on AMD hardware (and, to get 1080p 60 on that, I'll apparently need a rig eight times as powerful as a PS4, give or take).

 

[MASTACHIEFPWN]

Also- scratch what I said about the AMD CPUs- it turns our the 8300 is insignificantly better with gaming, so you wouldn't get much out of that. If you wanted to upgrade CPUs, I'd recommend switching to intel later on down the line, or waiting for AMD to give more information about their ZEN processors.

As for GPUs, last time I got a used one, it didn't come with everything, so it didn't run at max. On top of that, apparently, due to it's shitty optimization, you kinda need something like a 970 with 4gb VRAM for 1080p 60 for Evil Within.

1. Your PSU should be good, so you can safely scratch that off the list.
2. Medium-High on the Witcher 3. (Details on high, shadows and some more minor stuff on medium). If you're against getting a GPU used, definitely wait for the RX 480, you'll pay 100$ less for that than you would a new 970, and get equal or more power.

I think I do recall reading about TEW's shitty optimization.

Ehh, fair enough, guess I'll wait till I have a good enough job to consider building an entirely new machine before I switch to NVIDIA.

Honestly, the only real reason for me to do so is because Arkham Knight apparently runs even crappier on AMD hardware (and, to get 1080p 60 on that, I'll apparently need a rig eight times as powerful as a PS4, give or take).

It's been patched quiet a bit recently. Looking at the benchmarks, it looks like an R9 280 is able to handle it on high with gameworks settings (Likely what is killing AMD cards) off at 50+ FPS, so the 480 should do just fine at 1080p.

 

[DarklordKyo]

Also- scratch what I said about the AMD CPUs- it turns our the 8300 is insignificantly better with gaming, so you wouldn't get much out of that. If you wanted to upgrade CPUs, I'd recommend switching to intel later on down the line, or waiting for AMD to give more information about their ZEN processors.

If I don't upgrade my processor with the graphics card, wouldn't it cause a bottleneck?

 

[TotalerKrieger]

Also- scratch what I said about the AMD CPUs- it turns our the 8300 is insignificantly better with gaming, so you wouldn't get much out of that. If you wanted to upgrade CPUs, I'd recommend switching to intel later on down the line, or waiting for AMD to give more information about their ZEN processors.

If I don't upgrade my processor with the graphics card, wouldn't it cause a bottleneck?

I had thought the FX 4300 would cause a pretty bad bottleneck when paired with a high end graphics card. However, after watching the video linked below, I don't think it will matter much for most games. A significant bottleneck does exist in games that are very CPU intensive, but in more GPU intensive games like the Witcher 3 the bottleneck isn't really noticeable (5 FPS?). You could consider upgrading to a FX 8300 CPU later on, but the GPU will be by far the most effective upgrade.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIdRaox8UJ4

You should first determine what PSU model you have before making any upgrades (650W is more than enough if the unit is decent quality). Assuming that the PSU doesn't need to be upgraded, I would concur with MASTACHIEFPWN and go for the RX 480 (or GTX 1060 if you are set on team green). I don't think you need to upgrade your RAM right away. This article suggests that upgrading to higher frequency RAM won't make any difference whatsoever.

https://gaming2016.com/can-ram-improve-fps/

 

[Monk5127]

Do you have a budget for these parts? Hard to recommend anything without that along with knowing what country these parts will be purchased in.
Also your PSU? Now you say it's 650w but not all PSU are created equal. Can you provide the Make/Model of the PSU? If you're struggling to find it post an image of the label on said PSU or type everything that appears on the label.

Something to note about your motherboard too. The MSI 970A-G46 has a very poor VRM setup, meaning it's not such a great idea to put a 8xxx chip into it, making your current platform a dead end from a CPU upgrade perspective. (VRM info found here: http://www.overclock.net/t/946407/amd-motherboards-vrm-info-database )

 

[DarklordKyo]

Do you have a budget for these parts? Hard to recommend anything without that along with knowing what country these parts will be purchased in.
Also your PSU? Now you say it's 650w but not all PSU are created equal. Can you provide the Make/Model of the PSU? If you're struggling to find it post an image of the label on said PSU or type everything that appears on the label.

Something to note about your motherboard too. The MSI 970A-G46 has a very poor VRM setup, meaning it's not such a great idea to put a 8xxx chip into it, making your current platform a dead end from a CPU upgrade perspective. (VRM info found here: http://www.overclock.net/t/946407/amd-motherboards-vrm-info-database )

The model number is ULT-LSP650, if that helps. As for the budget, that'll be decided if I get the part time job (as for the country, I live in the US, so the prices will be in USD).

 

[DarklordKyo]

I had thought the FX 4300 would cause a pretty bad bottleneck when paired with a high end graphics card. However, after watching the video linked below, I don't think it will matter much for most games. A significant bottleneck does exist in games that are very CPU intensive, but in more GPU intensive games like the Witcher 3 the bottleneck isn't really noticeable (5 FPS?). You could consider upgrading to a FX 8300 CPU later on, but the GPU will be by far the most effective upgrade.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIdRaox8UJ4

You should first determine what PSU model you have before making any upgrades (650W is more than enough if the unit is decent quality). Assuming that the PSU doesn't need to be upgraded, I would concur with MASTACHIEFPWN and go for the RX 480 (or GTX 1060 if you are set on team green). I don't think you need to upgrade your RAM right away. This article suggests that upgrading to higher frequency RAM won't make any difference whatsoever.

https://gaming2016.com/can-ram-improve-fps/

The model number is ULT-LSP650, if that helps. Also, don't worry, I didn't have that many plans on shelling for fast RAM at this present point. I did see a youtube video made by Blunty that showed that quantity can easily eclipse quality when it comes to RAM. If I end up getting a RAM upgrade, I'll go for a good balance between price and performance and shell for quantity after deciding that ratio.

On the topic of the CPU bottleneck, does this mean that I won't be able to run that Steam-released, official Genesis emulator if I upgrade the card without upgrading the CPU?

 

[TotalerKrieger]

The model number is ULT-LSP650, if that helps. Also, don't worry, I didn't have that many plans on shelling for fast RAM at this present point. I did see a youtube video made by Blunty that showed that quantity can easily eclipse quality when it comes to RAM. If I end up getting a RAM upgrade, I'll go for a good balance between price and performance and shell for quantity after deciding that ratio.

On the topic of the CPU bottleneck, does this mean that I won't be able to run that Steam-released, official Genesis emulator if I upgrade the card without upgrading the CPU?

Unfortunately, Ultra is a bad power supply brand....I personally would not make any upgrades to that PC without upgrading to a more reliable PSU.

Ultra falls into Tom's Hardware Tier 5 of PSU quality which is described as:

Avoid IMMEDIATELY. These units are highly unsafe to use. No such protections added, very thin gauge wiring used, false advertising and too much to list. Reference to a higher tiered unit for a better, money saving and a much safer unit. For your safety's sake, please don't order or pick one up for use in your system. These units are a potential fire hazard and could even kill you, let alone your system.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

This description might be a bit exaggerated, but there is no way that your PSU is actually producing 650W. Who knows what it actually produces on average. I would not risk putting more stress on it by upgrading your graphics card...it may work fine for a while but the risk of losing your new hardware (along with the rest of the PC) is very real.

From a forum post asking about the quality of your PSU:
64A on the +12V is equal to 768W, that is impossible for a 650W unit. Their website says 38A which is 456W. You've got a 500W unit labeled as a 650W unit; assuming it can actually deliver the 38A of +12V cleanly.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2247863


It is better to be safe than sorry, IMO. Here are some decently priced PSUs that are good quality:

EVGA G2 Series is great (I have the 750W version in my PC) (650W for $90):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438054

TS series from XFX is well reviewed and seems to be good value (750W for $90):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207033

...or (650W for $80)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207034

Antec True Power would also be a good choice (750W for $90)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371073

----
For the Genesis emulator, Steam recommends an AMD Phenom II X4 940. With a FX4300 you are above recommended specs by a very large margin. You won't notice any bottleneck (maybe if you have some ridiculous monitor with something like a 200Hz refresh rate, but at 60Hz it just isn't going to happen).

 

[Marik2]

You can use this site to help you out
http://www.logicalincrements.com

 

[DarklordKyo]

You can use this site to help you out
http://www.logicalincrements.com

This site is manually updated right? It's not updated by some error-prone bot?

 

[Marik2]

You can use this site to help you out
http://www.logicalincrements.com

This site is manually updated right? It's not updated by some error-prone bot?

yes it's manually updated every couple of months

 

[DarklordKyo]

snip

Back on the topic of my power supply, I'm hearing a clicking noise from it (the type of clicking noise you get from taping a trading card to a bike wheel, but lighter) when I run Hand of Fate. My power supply is on the ropes, is it?

 

[TotalerKrieger]

snip

Back on the topic of my power supply, I'm hearing a clicking noise from it (the type of clicking noise you get from taping a trading card to a bike wheel, but lighter) when I run Hand of Fate. My power supply is on the ropes, is it?

Yea, a clicking noise in the PSU that appears when the PC is under stress isn't good. If your PC is still under warranty, I'd see if you could get the PSU replaced or upgrade it yourself to something more reliable. Re-reading my previous post, I noticed that I came across a bit alarmist/elitist which was not my intention. I just didn't want to recommend upgrades that might brick your PC without taking proper precautions.

 

[DarklordKyo]

Yea, a clicking noise in the PSU that appears when the PC is under stress isn't good. If your PC is still under warranty, I'd see if you could get the PSU replaced or upgrade it yourself to something more reliable. Re-reading my previous post, I noticed that I came across a bit alarmist/elitist which was not my intention. I just didn't want to recommend upgrades that might brick your PC without taking proper precautions.

Well, I'll have to do the latter since I got it custom built at a Tiger Direct store that (like the rest of them) has long closed down. If I end up getting a new power supply, will I have to fully replace it cables & all?, or are power supply cables standardized enough that I can just slide the PSU out, slide in the new one, and just hook it up there?

 

[TotalerKrieger]

Yea, a clicking noise in the PSU that appears when the PC is under stress isn't good. If your PC is still under warranty, I'd see if you could get the PSU replaced or upgrade it yourself to something more reliable. Re-reading my previous post, I noticed that I came across a bit alarmist/elitist which was not my intention. I just didn't want to recommend upgrades that might brick your PC without taking proper precautions.

Well, I'll have to do the latter since I got it custom built at a Tiger Direct store that (like the rest of them) has long closed down. If I end up getting a new power supply, will I have to fully replace it cables & all?, or are power supply cables standardized enough that I can just slide the PSU out, slide in the new one, and just hook it up there?

A new PSU will come with all the cables you need. Modular PSUs also have detachable cables to make things more convenient/less cluttered. Connectors are standardized and should work with your PC and potential upgrades so long as you buy a decent quality PSU.