Question about GPU/CPU Combo??

[tesjes]

So I built my budget gaming PC....my first....and I started playing some games. I am kinda new to PC gaming and really enjoy it. Well now I want to upgrade already and not even a year!!! I have about a 250 - 300 budget. My monitor is an Acer G235H and I usually like to play at 1920 X 1080. Usually play Mafia 2, BFBC2, and COD BO. I would like to get the new BF3 when it comes out. I have to play BFBC2 at 720 and kinda wanted to max it out. Well here is my current set-up.

Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #: N82E16822136073 2 RUNNING RAID 0

ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
Item #: N82E16827135204

Rosewill RCX-ZAIO-92 92mm Sleeve Bearing Fan CPU Cooler
Item #: N82E16835200056

COOLER MASTER HAF 912 RC-912-KKN1 Black SECC/ ABS Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Item #: N82E16811119233

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
Item #: N82E16832116754

Acer G235HAbd 23'' WideScreen LCD monitor
Item #: N82E16824009266

SAPPHIRE 100287VGAL Radeon HD 5670 (Redwood) 512MB 128-bit DDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
Item #: N82E16814102871 RUNNING STOCK NOT O.C.

ASRock M3A770DE AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813157176

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL8D-4GBRM
Item #: N82E16820231275

AMD Athlon II X3 450 Rana 3.2GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Desktop Processor ADX450WFGMBOX
Item #: N82E16819103886 RUNNING STOCK NOT O.C.

CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible ...
Item #: N82E16817139005

My question is would I be able to upgrade to a Radeon 6850/6870 without my CPU bogging down? What are your suggestions for the best GPU I can get with this processor or would I be better off to upgrade that too. Just want some input.

Thanks in advance.

 

[tesjes]

Here is the one I was considering. Or would another brand be better.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102948

 

[christop]

Yes you should be fine with the gpu upgrade.

 

[GreenDutchAlien]

Nice card for the money. Sapphire is a good brand. I think any better card is a waist because of the cpu, but this will do fine.
Btw if your mobo is the same as this one you can make it a 4 core. http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/301149-10-athlon-rana-2ghz-512kb-cache-socket
Assuming you mean 250-300 dollars a 6950 is also very nice but maybe to much for the cpu.

 

[tesjes]

Sweet!! I have to play with the voltage a little to get the 4th core to work. It recognizes it as a 4 core but only displays 3 active cores in CPUZ and the Task Manager. Weird....

 

[tesjes]

Best answer selected by tesjes.