Computer Newbie Battlefield 3 Requirements

[imt0ogoodforyou]

I'm pretty new to computer gaming and hardware and I need help with finding the best hardware for my current setup (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pavilion+Desktop+-+8GB+Memory+-+1TB+Hard+Drive/4672416.p?id=1218525518716&skuId=4672416&st=p71254&cp=1&lp=1) in order to play battlefield 3 on high/decent settings. I'm not willing to pay more than $150 for a graphics card and no more than $80 for a new power supply as well. Any suggestions? Someone please help lol

 

[fergie]

What resolution do you aim to play at?

 

[fergie]

I doubt you will find a card for $150 that will max it. This Radeon HD 6870 is pretty good or if you could stretch to a GTX 560ti that would play it well. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150521

 

[imt0ogoodforyou]

Let me change my question a bit, I just want to be able to play battlefield 3 at a high graphics setting, not necessarily maxed out, smoothly with the budget I have.

 

[imt0ogoodforyou]

And I'm not really sure what resolution, I have an HP 2011X monitor though

 

[wr6133]

You can play it on decent settings a 550ti at 1920X1080 with decent frame rates, thats what i do now, it's within your budget.

To max it out or make ultra your budget needs to be ALOT higher.

 

[imt0ogoodforyou]

You can play it on decent settings a 550ti at 1920X1080 with decent frame rates, thats what i do now, it's within your budget.

To max it out or make ultra your budget needs to be ALOT higher.

Would I need to upgrade my power supply? Also which 550ti model specifically?

 

[wr6133]

Any will do find one that suits your budget if you can get one thats factory overclocked or if confident overclock a stock one yourself. It needs a PSU with 1, 6 pin a decent 500w would do.

What country you in that would help if you want product links

 

[imt0ogoodforyou]

I live in the US and I'm most familiar with using newegg

 

[wr6133]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500194
ZOTAC AMP! ZT-50402-10L GeForce GTX 550 Ti
$139.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151093
SeaSonic M12II 520 Bronze 520W
$79.99

The card is the AMP edition so has been OC'd a bit by factory.

You wont max out with it but will play good frame rates at decent quality and its all in your budget

 

[casualcolors]

550ti is not really a gaming card. The 6870 would be a better value even.

 

[imt0ogoodforyou]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500194
ZOTAC AMP! ZT-50402-10L GeForce GTX 550 Ti
$139.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151093
SeaSonic M12II 520 Bronze 520W
$79.99

The card is the AMP edition so has been OC'd a bit by factory.

You wont max out with it but will play good frame rates at decent quality and its all in your budget

And just to clarify this will fit within my current computer and be compatible , correct?

 

[wr6133]

It will fit and work. The PSU listed has the correct connections, you just take out old PSU, put in new one connect the connections, shove card in PCIe slot and attatch the power connector.

@ Casual... i looked at the AMD's they were all over budget. 550ti ain't bad it just isn't great, with a mild OC it actually improves alot. I got mine as a temp solution till I get something better (prob a 680 when non-ref designs come around), and was actually surprised that a £89 card manages what it does.

 

[casualcolors]

It will fit and work. The PSU listed has the correct connections, you just take out old PSU, put in new one connect the connections, shove card in PCIe slot and attatch the power connector.

@ Casual... i looked at the AMD's they were all over budget. 550ti ain't bad it just isn't great, with a mild OC it actually improves alot. I got mine as a temp solution till I get something better (prob a 680 when non-ref designs come around), and was actually surprised that a £89 card manages what it does.

That's fair. I might think twice recommending it as a solution to someone who is likely going to keep what they buy for a while though =/. Hard to say. Like I think you (or someone at least) already said, hard to get a gaming card for 150 bucks, even as well optimized as BF3 is.

 

[imt0ogoodforyou]

I just realized that my brother works at bestbuy and he has a really good discount on hardware so are there any other video cards that could max out BF3? Sorry for changing the question so many times and stuff

 

[casualcolors]

"max out" as in really max it? Not in your price range. Those cards start at more than 3 times your price bracket. If you can get a nice discount on an AMD 6950 or a 560ti, it would certainly play the game on all high settings with a few on ultra, 0x multisampling and you'd keep 60 fps.

 

[wr6133]

+1 on a 560ti

 

[imt0ogoodforyou]

Could I could get a specific link for the 560ti as well?

 

[wr6133]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125363

Thats a Gigabyte version