can I run these

panos theodorakis

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Mar 5, 2014
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Hi all I have this pc http://and I'm going to change the graphics card with an Asus r7 260x oc 2gb and a psu 500 w so I want to tell if I can run them and with what settings(low med high ultra) and what about fps ooh I will overclock it and I have a monitor 23" full hd so I am wordering if I can run crysis 3 bf 4 and other games like thief (the latest)
 
Solution
260x 150w/12v=12.5a
i3 84w/12v=7a
your chipset/mem tdp should draw around 4a
this is a max load draw of 23.5a on the 12v rail
a psu with a power draw of 23.5a, on your 12v rail, you can verify buy checking the sytem rating on your psu itself

since you have an i3 you cannot overclock your cpu and since you have a factory build you might not be able to overclock your gpu either
here are some benchmarks for the 260x
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/R7_260X/12.html
this is for max settings crysis 3 however it should be able to run with descent fps on med settings
260x 150w/12v=12.5a
i3 84w/12v=7a
your chipset/mem tdp should draw around 4a
this is a max load draw of 23.5a on the 12v rail
a psu with a power draw of 23.5a, on your 12v rail, you can verify buy checking the sytem rating on your psu itself

since you have an i3 you cannot overclock your cpu and since you have a factory build you might not be able to overclock your gpu either
here are some benchmarks for the 260x
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/R7_260X/12.html
this is for max settings crysis 3 however it should be able to run with descent fps on med settings
 
Solution
Pretty sure you cannot overclock an HP. You would need a K series processor (i5 or i7), a z series chipset, and a large aftermarket heatsink... and none of those are options with consumer desktop systems. You would either need to build your own computer, or order a custom computer built for gaming.

However, the rest should be fine. An i3 processor and r7 GPU is not going to allow you to play blockbuster games at extreme settings, but you ought to be able to play most games at high settings, and larger games at medium settings without issues. You will have to look up benchmarks on specific games with your processor and GPU to get an idea of what to expect. I imagine the i3 processor is going to be more of a bottleneck then the graphics card for newer games.

Make sure your tower uses a standard ATX power supply. It should, but I cannot really tell with the pictures I am seeing online. If it does not use a standard ATX power supply then you may be out of luck.
 
The most common mistake (one I used to make as well) is getting a cheap PSU in order to get a better GPU. Make 100% sure you are only buying from XFX, Corsair, Seasonic, or Antec. If you don't, at the very least do extensive research to ensure your PSU won't burst into flames the second you start to play a game. Your PSU is THE MOST IMPORTANT part of your computer.

Anyway, back to the question at hand. You can run those games, but only at low settings. Here are a ton of R7 260X benchmarks, on high graphics settings, at a similar resolution: http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/radeon_r7_260x_r9_270x_280x_review_benchmarks,20.html

As you will see, it can't play many of the latest games at high. It will run them at low.
 
even overclocking a mid-low end gpu will only raise fps by a max of 5 in most average games lower in higher end games, as you cannot truly overclock your gpu as your bios is locked and cant adjust the voltages. you will have to use a software like msi afterburner and even then depending on the card you will not be able to adjust the clocks either
 


First of all, you can only overclock your GPU to a point. At best you MIGHT be able to get the performance up to the next level up on the GPU... but that would be optimistic. Another thing about overclocking is that it is based on percentages. Lets say a high end r9 GPU is rated at a 5, and an r7 GPU is rated at a 2, if you did a 10% overclock then it would bumpt the r9 to a rating of 5.5, while the performance of the r7 would only be raised to 2.2. Those numbers are pulled out of my a$$, but you get the idea: when you start with less then overclocking makes less of a difference.

The other issue here is that not only will your i3 processor not be able to be overclocked, but it is also going to be a limiting factor in many newer games. Even if you bought a big monster GPU like an nVidia Titan, you are going to have a hard time playing newer games at high levels simply because your CPU cannot handle the workload.


All that said, don't let that discourage you. Everyone needs to start somewhere, and this will certainly be a large upgrade for your computer which will be very noticeable. Start with a decent PSU, then get as big of a GPU as you can afford. Then save your pennies and get yourself a case, motherboard, and gaming processor, and move your ram, HDD, PSU, and GPU to your new rig.

Most of us gamers do not start out with high end systems right away. You typically start with a basic computer (like you have currently), and find an upgrade cycle that fits your budget/needs. I personally have 3 cycles going on in my PC at home. The GPU is replaced every 3 generations (3-4 years, can't wait for the GTX800 series later this year!), the core system (CPU, mobo, RAM, and HDDs) is replaced every 4-6 years (waiting for skylake/skymont in a few years), and then other components like the case, PSU, keys, mice, and monitor are replaced typically every 7-10 years (as needed). Staggering upgrades like this allows you to grow your system in a way that you are never too far out of date, and so that you never break the bank replacing everything all at once.

Also, put the word out there that you are getting into computers. You will be amazed at what people are getting rid of and are more than willing to give you for free or cheap. Take those parts, put together working computers, and sell them for a small profit. Use the knowledge and money from those efforts to fund your gaming addiction. Doing that you will have a decent game rig in no time, you just need to start somewhere.
 


Assuming you have no graphics card already, you will see a HUGE performance boost. You won't be able to play everything maxed, but you will actually be able to play games.