New GPU or CPU + GPU

[simontompkins]

Hi

really could do with some help on this one.

System:
AMD Dual Core X2 3800+ 2.01GHz
2GB Ram
6600 GT Graphics
Windows 7 32 Bit

As you can seen been a while since I built my PC. I'd like to play Skyrim. Well actually I can (800x600 everything turned off - it looks truly awful as you'd expect)

My question
Would a new graphics card let me run Skyrim at the highest settings or put another was how much does the CPU make to a new game like Skyrim.

What I'd like to do is spend £100/£150 on a graphics card. Will that be enough to ramp up the system.

The other route is to upgrade cpu and mobo but what does everyone think the balance should be. If you had a budget of £400 or £500 how much would you % would you spend on spend on CPU, MOBO and GPU.

I think the "best" CPU at the moment is the overclockable i5 2500k (£180) but that would leave only £220/£320 for mobo GPU and ram - is that a reasonable balance or better to spend less on a cpu and more on a GPU

I'm on a tight budget and would really rather upgrade the cpu and mobo at a later date so if you think I could just upgrade the GPU now that would be great

any thoughts much appreciated

 

[simontompkins]

Should add that I've got a 21inch monitor, spare 750 w power supply so that not a problem,

 

[singingigo]

I think you will want to double your RAM and get a faster CPU. Sounds like you will be gaming on 1600x900 or 1080p? In that case, a 5770 should be good enough. I know the temptation is to always want the best, but how about a cheaper Phenom x4 black?

 

[simontompkins]

I think you will want to double your RAM and get a faster CPU. Sounds like you will be gaming on 1600x900 or 1080p? In that case, a 5770 should be good enough. I know the temptation is to always want the best, but how about a cheaper Phenom x4 black?

Hi thanks for the reply

monitor native is 1680x 1050. Is that get the 5770 on its own or is that as well as the cpu and ram?

thank you for the phenom suggestion I'll take a look

 

[spentshells]

I'd say you need to upgrade everything if you are trying to play modern games.

 

[hapkido]

With a 500 pound budget, buy the i5-2500k (180 pounds), a p67 mobo (~100 pounds?), 8GB RAM (~40 pounds?), and the best video card you can afford. I'm not an expert on UK prices (only guessing based on the i5's price), but that should leave you ~180 pounds for a video card. You may be able to squeeze a 6950 or 560ti in, but should easily have enough for a 6870 or 560. Another option would be to downgrade the cpu to an i5-2500 or i5-2400, downgrade the mobo to h61 (since you wouldn't need a p67 for overclocking), and get a nicer gpu... or still get a 6870 or 560 and just save money.

I think you could max Skyrim @1080p with a 6870 or 560 and I think it would even be good enough for medium settings and good frames for demanding shooters like BF3.

You really do need a full system upgrade, though.