New system...?

[Fizban140]

I am planning on making a new PC for BF3, but I still have a pretty decent computer. I have a couple options in mind right now.

1. Upgrade my current PC so it can run BF3 better. I would likely save a lot of money doing this but I am not sure the best way to go about upgrading.

2. Get a whole new PC and sell my current one to friend/family for cheap.


3. Maybe a little of both, salvage what I can out of this PC (RAM, PSU) whatever and then get new parts from there and help friend/family make a new PC with my old parts.

Currently I have

4 gigs of RAM
640 GB HDD
A large enough case
Mobo
Phenom II X4 940, overclocked to 3.8
CPU fan
Radeon 4890
PCP&C 750W PSU

Budget isn't really a concern (within reason, I mean...I am not rich but this a hobby I am willing to spend money on). I bought this system with one goal in mind. Get as much performance as possible for my dollar, sadly though I feel like it wasn't that fast of a computer and it had trouble running TF2 at a stable FPS even when I got it. Maybe I am just picky but I want to run at a stead 40+ FPS without a drop, ever.

Anyways what are my best options here in regards to bang for my buck and performance. I know I have a lot of options, I think idealy I would just get a new PC and then upgrade the old one a little and sell that. Would it be possible to get my current PC to run a game like BF3 at a decent setting with some minor (less than $200) upgrades?

 

[gammerx]

The 4890 is pretty close to a 6870 now. Maybe you want to add another HDD if you need it but maybe not. I think the slowest part of your computer is the processor. Wait for SB-E and BD to come out and take a look at your available options.

Most likely you should get a new p67/z68 mobo and a 2500k. Then also get g.skill ddr3 1600 2x4GB for RAM. the case, HDD, PSU and GPU all seem fine, but maybe you want to completely redo it?

 

[wintermint]

Why are you having trouble with TF2 on a HD 4890? Did you see if there's any drivers update for your pc components/monitors? What resolution are you playing at anyway.

Instead of upgrading your system, how about downloading MSI Afterburner. It allows you to overclock your graphic card. As you already know, there will be more heat so I hope your case is well ventilated. I would bump by small increments mainly for core clock and shader clock I believe. You can also bump the memory clock. I don't think it did that much for me. The first two are more beneficial.

 

[Fizban140]

My FPS jumps around and drops low in TF2 on high settings, so I play on medium low.

1920x1080 is my resolution

 

[Fizban140]

I am going to reinstall windows, but still wondering what I should do about my PC.

What if I take the PSU (or would I need a new one?) and case and make a new PC and then give my brother the parts for a PC for a birthday gift. Would that work out to be cheaper, or would I actually save money if I just helped him buy a newer PC? I am just trying to judge how upgradeable this PC is really.

 

[gammerx]

maybe upgrade to an am3+ mobo and ddr3 ram. I would probably wait a bit for bulldozer though so you can decide. also PCIe 3.0 is almost here

 

[Fizban140]

Oh, when are those things supposed to come out?

 

[gammerx]

october-december