Seeking advice for a CPU + GPU combo

[LumosX]

Greetings, experts of Tom's Hardware. I've been reading quite a few discussions on here, but I've just now registered, for I've got a question to ask. Please forgive me if I've placed this in the wrong category though.

Anyways, here's what my problem is. I want to upgrade my PC, i.e. replace both the CPU and the GPU, and only them. However, I'm not certain what I should get and what will work out the best for me.

I've currently got a Phenom II X2 545 and a GTX 260. Both of them have been very useful over the past few years, but I find them struggling nowadays (Yes, I've got a low budget, yet I want to blow it all on a rig that can run Battlefield 4 smoothly when it comes out). Morality aside, though, my motherboard is an ECS GF8200A "Black Edition" (yes, laugh on) with the integrated GPU disabled. I'd really like not to change my mobo, and I'm thinking that since it's got "AM3 ready" on the box, and since my current Phenom is running greatly, I should select another processor that's got the same AM3 socket.

Here's what I'm planning.
- An NVIDIA GTX 660 as the GPU which will replace my 260. I've never used an AMD GPU though, so if there is a better alternative for the same (or lower) price, please tell me about it.
- An AMD FX-8350 as the GPU. It seems to use the AM3+ socket, so mounting it on my "AM3 ready" AM2+ shouldn't be a problem... right? Please shed some light on this, given that I'm quite uncertain about all of it. If there's also a better alternative to this, please tell me.

My budget is actually in this price range, and even these two are pushing it.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

If budget tight, consider the 650 Ti Boost which is only 7% lower in performance but only 2/3 the price

 

[L Helps]

you can only mount the fx 8350 or any fx series cpu on an am3+ mobo so not on an am3 or am2+

 

[Sakkura]

The best available CPUs the motherboard supports are the Phenom II x4 945 and the Phenom II x6 1045T. I would recommend the 945.

Edit: Athlon II x4 640 and 645 are also viable options.

 

[LumosX]

the FX-8350 is an AM3+ chip so your motherboard would need to be "AM3+ ready"

Thanks for the tip, I didn't know that, unfortunately. In this case, could you please recommend me either a CPU that would fit my AM3 socket, or a motherboard that would work well as a replacement?

If budget tight, consider the 650 Ti Boost which is only 7% lower in performance but only 2/3 the price

I don't think I've got access to a 650 Ti BOOST where I live. Are there any other viable alternatives? The regular 650 Ti seems to be 25% cheaper and with 25-30% less performance than the 660.

 

[L Helps]

The best available CPUs the motherboard supports are the Phenom II x4 945 and the Phenom II x6 1045T. I would recommend the 945.

+1 get the Phenim II x4 and a hd 7870 xt, they are based on the 79xx chipset and they arn't much more expensive then the normal hd 7870 wich beats the gtx 660 at almost the same price.

 

[LumosX]

So the Phenom II X4 will give me performance similar to the one offered by the FX-8350? 😛
Is changing my motherboard really a not that great alternative? My ECS GF8200A is quite old, so maybe I should upgrade it as well.

 

[L Helps]

So the Phenom II X4 will give me performance similar to the one offered by the FX-8350? 😛
Is changing my motherboard really a not that great alternative? My ECS GF8200A is quite old, so maybe I should upgrade it as well.

If you can afford it, sure. And If don't do something like video editing you might want to go with a fx 6300/6350 because the extra cores isn't used by games. A phenom will perform less but if you can't afford a new mobo go for it, there still good cpu especially for the money.
And again the best bang for the buck gpu is the hd 7870 XT(tahiti le).

 

[ethereal essence]

a great value amd gpu is the 7870 xt

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202024&IsVirtualParent=1

it is very close to the 300.00 7950, but at a 7870 price, with more stream processors and the architecture of the 7900 series

 

[L Helps]

a great value amd gpu is the 7870 xt

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202024&IsVirtualParent=1

it is very close to the 300.00 7950, but at a 7870 price, with more stream processors and the architecture of the 7900 series

*facepalm* just said that twice.

 

[Sakkura]

So the Phenom II X4 will give me performance similar to the one offered by the FX-8350? 😛
Is changing my motherboard really a not that great alternative? My ECS GF8200A is quite old, so maybe I should upgrade it as well.

The Phenom II x4 will not be as good as an FX-8350. But it's still a substantial upgrade over your current CPU. Whether it's worth upgrading the motherboard and grabbing an FX CPU is debatable. It'll cost significantly more, but it does offer more performance as well.

 

[ethereal essence]

a great value amd gpu is the 7870 xt

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202024&IsVirtualParent=1

it is very close to the 300.00 7950, but at a 7870 price, with more stream processors and the architecture of the 7900 series

*facepalm* just said that twice.

>.> no you didn't.....

my bad, i didn't read all the posts. Facepalm indeed