Upgrade from 9800 GT?

[TyphX]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: any time from now to the end of this year.

USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Mostly gaming. I might get skyrim/BF3, and i want to run them on high or maxed out settings.

CURRENT GPU AND POWER SUPPLY: Current GPU: MSI N9800GT ( overclocked, but extremely unstable due to age, secondhand from friend) current PSU: stock 250W PSU, but i have an antec earthwatts 450W laying around that has too many cables for my case right now, but if the new card needs it, i can hook it up.

OTHER RELEVANT SYSTEM SPECS: AMD Phenom X3 720, 2.8 Ghz, Motherboard came with the computer, OEM. socket AM2+, DDR2 RAM
EDIT: Forgot to add, 4gb of RAM.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Anyplace that ships to the U.S cheap.

PARTS PREFERENCES: I prefer Nvidia cards, but i'll be fine with a AMD/ATI card (if the performance/price difference is good enough) any price around $100

OVERCLOCKING: Yes. Maybe SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe for a future build, but current Mobo has no support for SLI/Crossfire.

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1600x900

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Something that has free shipping (or cheap shipping), DX11, and will last for a good 1-2 years, with a good cooler for mild overclocking.

 

[GreenDutchAlien]

Well for 100 dollar you won't find much of an improvement, maybe for 35 bucks more ; http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121391. Free shipping though. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150573 You'll need the 450W for those. You won't get max settings though i'm afraid.

 

[swidd]

I would go for a used GTX 260 on ebay.

 

[GreenDutchAlien]

The op wants dx11, but if he would settle for dx10 it would be a nice card, tho i rather don't buy second hand.

 

[purple stain]

For $100 your not going to be able to come close to maxing out those games.The best you can do is play them on medium settings.
I suggest O.C.ing your CPU since it's a BE, therefore realativly easy.The performance gain from that should allow you to get more much needed performance for CPU demanding games such as BF3 and others.

Staying somewhat within your budget this is the best you can get.

Sapphire VaporX 5770 $110=$90 after MIR + Free Shipping

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102898



This would be the best bang for your buck if you can raise your budget a little

Sapphire 6850 $150=$135 after MIR + $7 Shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908

 

[TyphX]

Well for 100 dollar you won't find much of an improvement, maybe for 35 bucks more ; http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121391. Free shipping though. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150573 You'll need the 450W for those. You won't get max settings though i'm afraid.

i migght be able to stretch the budget to USD $200, if you'd have better suggestions for that. the first link was deactivated, but the second seems like a good option.

 

[TyphX]

For $100 your not going to be able to come close to maxing out those games.The best you can do is play them on medium settings.
I suggest O.C.ing your CPU since it's a BE, therefore realativly easy.The performance gain from that should allow you to get more much needed performance for CPU demanding games such as BF3 and others.

Staying somewhat within your budget this is the best you can get.

Sapphire VaporX 5770 $110=$90 after MIR + Free Shipping

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102898



This would be the best bang for your buck if you can raise your budget a little

Sapphire 6850 $150=$135 after MIR + $7 Shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102908

I may be able to go up to USD $200, if you have any suggestions for that price, and when i checked in cpu-z, i'm pretty sure i don't have a black edition but thanks, i might try to unlock it even though it's non-BE.

 

[purple stain]

The 720 is a BE.I'm sure of this.

Do you have a aftermarket cooler?

http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDetail.aspx?id=522&f1=&f2=&f3=&f4=&f5=&f6=&f7=&f8=&f9=&f10=&f11=&f12=

You said you have a 450watt earthwatts laying around didn't you? How old is it?

How many watts does it support on the +12/v rail(s)?

For $200 you could get a 6870.

MSI Twin Frozr II 6870 $200=$180 after MIR + $8 Shipping

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127545

 

[TyphX]

The 720 is a BE.I'm sure of this.

Do you have a aftermarket cooler?

http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDetail.aspx?id=522&f1=&f2=&f3=&f4=&f5=&f6=&f7=&f8=&f9=&f10=&f11=&f12=

You said you have a 450watt earthwatts laying around didn't you? How old is it?

How many watts does it support on the +12/v rail(s)?

For $200 you could get a 6870.

MSI Twin Frozr II 6870 $200=$180 after MIR + $8 Shipping

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127545

i just pulled it out, turns out it's a 500W. it's about 2-5 years old, i got it from a friend.
the max amount on the 12v rails is 130W each.
yes the processor has an after market cooler, i read the reviews and it's much better than stock , and i didn't know before that it was a BE. thanks on that,
do you have any Nvidia solutions?, i'm still a little skeptic with AMD's driver support. the 6870 seems like a fine choice though.

 

[purple stain]

Nvidia doesn't really have anything worthwhile to offer sub $200 when compared to AMD.The 6850 and 6870 are the number one cards to get sub $200.The only other option is the GTX560.But if performs the exact same as the 6870 and it is known to have the same issues as the 6870 when it comes to SLI/Crossfire.But this GTX560 is a very good version...

Asus GTX560 $200=$180 after MIR + Free Shipping

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121446

Also comes with Batman Arkham City.

 

[purple stain]

So it's a 500 watt PSU but it's only capable of delivering 260watts on the +12/v rail?

Whats the model number?

Does this look like the PSU?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371004

 

[jyjjy]

What is the actual model of the PSU?
As for the card at 1600x900 an HD6850 or GTX 460 would both be more than enough to max out most games for a while to come.
I would probably get this;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121391
Great cooling, nice rebate that puts it much closer to your original budget, free shirt if you care. It should OC easily and well at which point it will match or beat a stock HD6870.

 

[TyphX]

So it's a 500 watt PSU but it's only capable of delivering 260watts on the +12/v rail?

Whats the model number?

Does this look like the PSU?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371004

(facepalm) i read the wrong thing, max load is 408W on the 12V rails .
Model number EA-500

 

[GreenDutchAlien]

If it's this one you're fine, combined 39A on the 12V. http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=35

 

[GreenDutchAlien]

Euh, 34 that is. Still no worries.

 

[TyphX]

If it's this one you're fine, combined 39A on the 12V. http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=35

Yep, it's that one.

 

[purple stain]

Found it here.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371035&Tpk=EA-500

Yours must be an older version because that one is capable of 444watts.Either way it's plenty for any of the cards that are being discussed here.

 

[GreenDutchAlien]

Right, to curiuos not to ask, can't restrain myself any longer ; " never solder your cat to a gpu ", what in heavens name made you choose that as a statement ? Tried it before ? What happend ? The gpu went spinning ? What ? :lol:

 

[TyphX]

Found it here.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371035&Tpk=EA-500

Yours must be an older version because that one is capable of 444watts.Either way it's plenty for any of the cards that are being discussed here.

yeah, the older one i have is only 80 Plus (no bronze, silver, gold, or platinum). so should i get the 6850 or the 6870 or the 460?

 

[TyphX]

Right, to curiuos not to ask, can't restrain myself any longer ; " never solder your cat to a gpu ", what in heavens name made you choose that as a statement ? Tried it before ? What happend ? The gpu went spinning ? What ? :lol:

lol, we were over my friend's house for halloween, when he was making this awesome costume for his cat, he was soldering some old chips and stuff to the costume, which was supposed to look like the interior of a computer, (he took some sections off a old motherboard to look like parts of the mobo (pci busses, ram slot.) and stuff and put that over a cloth that had a silicone design, one of the chips fell off later (3dfx chip, looked pretty cool) when he was putting on the costume, and there was still a little hot solder on and it stuck to his cat's fur. We had to chase the cat to try and pull the chip off before the solder cooled lol. gotta ask him for the pictures

 

[jyjjy]

Did it look something like this

 

[purple stain]

80 Plus is the lower end of Bronze.

It really depends on what you feel is best for you.Take a look at this benchmark.BFBC2 is the closet thing you can use to compare how a card will perform in BF3.

http://www.guru3d.com/article/ecs-geforce-gtx-560-review/19

 

[GreenDutchAlien]

@TyphX ; and they say i'm weird ! ! ! Miaaaaaaaauw ! Bloody briliant. Didn't have a laugh like that for a couple of weeks. Thank's so much for clearifying that out. :lol:
I do assume though you guys spoiled the cat after that with sweets and stuff ? MUST love cats !

 

[TyphX]

@TyphX ; and they say i'm weird ! ! ! Miaaaaaaaauw ! Bloody briliant. Didn't have a laugh like that for a couple of weeks. Thank's so much for clearifying that out. :lol:
I do assume though you guys spoiled the cat after that with sweets and stuff ? MUST love cats !

np, lol, and yes,me and my friends love animals (not in the PETA way, )
He ended up buying the cat a lot of toys and a huge pet bed .

 

[TyphX]

Did it look something like this
http://i.imgur.com/3SYMG.jpg

no,lol, but that would be awesome.