Want to know what the best price/performance upgrades are for a home build.

[Kageru]

This is my first post, so let me start by saying I apologize if the format or placement of the thread was wrong.

Now, for my question; I'm looking to upgrade some pieces on my current build but I'm really torn on what will give me the most bang for my buck. My specs will be listed at the bottom. The PC is primarily for gaming and while it was pretty good 4 years ago when I built it, it's starting to show its age a little. I want to try and extend the life of this build, rather than starting a new one, since I'm too broke to start fresh. What should I target as the primary concerns for upgrading and in what order? I'm hoping that I can get this rig up-to-speed for high-end gaming without breaking the bank.

My current specs are as follows:

Case: Antec 900 with USB3.0
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD3 AM3+ AMD 990FX + SB950 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD
CPU: AMD FX-8350 Vishera 8-core (4.2 GHz Turbo)
Graphics Card: GeForce GTX 760, 256GB, GDDR-5.
PSU: Rosewill Lightning-1000w
SSD: Samsung Pro-Series 256GB.
HDD: WD 1TB 7200RPM
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
Monitor: Samsung S20B300 19"

My immediate thought is that my monitor is pretty lack luster. I don't know much about monitors, but everything I've seen suggests that could be a quick option. The other obvious potential upgrade for me would be the graphics card. In that regard, I've heard the GTX970 is the best step up from my current 760. Are these both worthwhile upgrades, or would I see a greater impact by focusing elsewhere?

My budget is limited, so ultimately I'd like to try and keep things under $600 (Canadian dollars), but would really like to know the best direction to use that money. If going a little over would mean for a substantial upgrade, I'd be willing to do so.

Thanks for any and all help you guys can offer, it's much appreciated!

 

[BadActor]

Hopefully prices will drop on the GTX 970 with the release of the Pascal cards. You might be able to pick up one of those and a 144 hz monitor for around $600.00 CAD. The other option might be to get a GTX 1070 and run it until you can afford upgrading the CPU/motherboard and monitor.

 

[Kageru]

Hopefully prices will drop on the GTX 970 with the release of the Pascal cards. You might be able to pick up one of those and a 144 hz monitor for around $600.00 CAD. The other option might be to get a GTX 1070 and run it until you can afford upgrading the CPU/motherboard and monitor.

Being as I know very little about monitors, what are the key features I should be looking for in regards to gaming? I see all kinds of words like refresh rate and IPS and 144hz and I have no idea what is what, so it makes selecting the ideal monitor pretty tough.

 

[BadActor]

Monitor choice is tough because it's so subjective. It also depends on the games you play and your other hardware. If your CPU and GPU can't deliver over 60 FPS at the settings and resolution you want you want, then a 60 hz monitor is a good choice. The IPS panels tend to look better and have better viewing angles than a TN panel, but are usually a little more expensive and will generally have higher response time which can be a factor if you play first person shooters. If you want to run the highest settings with all the eye candy, you'll need a high end video card, and this is where monitors with 2k or higher resolution and high refresh rates come in. If you decided to go with the GTX 970, I would pair it with a monitor such as the Asus VG 248 QE, which is a TN panel with a 144 hz refresh rate and low response time.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/building-a-pc-everything-you-need-to-know-about-mo/1100-6421341/

 

[TehPenguin]

With the 1080&1070 coming the 980ti already dropped almost $100 on some sites and the trend should continue.

Keep your eyes open for a 970 because it might hit the $200USD bracket. Then I'd upgrade your RAM to 16GB(~$70USD) and get an i5-6500(~$200USD). IF the 970 gets as low as 200 then this should be exactly within your budget and give you a VERY noticeable boost.

EDIT: just saw your MoBo does not support Intel CPUs. OK, so no upgrades there that are worth mentioning but don't worry, even with your current CPU the FPS increase will be very noticeable.

 

[Kageru]

Monitor choice is tough because it's so subjective. It also depends on the games you play and your other hardware. If your CPU and GPU can't deliver over 60 FPS at the settings and resolution you want you want, then a 60 hz monitor is a good choice. The IPS panels tend to look better and have better viewing angles than a TN panel, but are usually a little more expensive and will generally have higher response time which can be a factor if you play first person shooters. If you want to run the highest settings with all the eye candy, you'll need a high end video card, and this is where monitors with 2k or higher resolution and high refresh rates come in. If you decided to go with the GTX 970, I would pair it with a monitor such as the Asus VG 248 QE, which is a TN panel with a 144 hz refresh rate and low response time.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/building-a-pc-everything-you-need-to-know-about-mo/1100-6421341/

I do plan to grab the 970 in the next little while, going to wait and see if the price comes down any time soon before buying. Unfortunately the VG248 is currently in the $300+ price range and I'm not eager to spend that much. Is there any decent 120/144 hz options under $250? I'm having little luck finding any on my own. Currently the ASUS VP247H-P is on for $180 at Best Buy and that is looking appealing. How does is stack up against the VS239?

 

[Kageru]

With the 1080&1070 coming the 980ti already dropped almost $100 on some sites and the trend should continue.

Keep your eyes open for a 970 because it might hit the $200USD bracket. Then I'd upgrade your RAM to 16GB(~$70USD) and get an i5-6500(~$200USD). IF the 970 gets as low as 200 then this should be exactly within your budget and give you a VERY noticeable boost.

EDIT: just saw your MoBo does not support Intel CPUs. OK, so no upgrades there that are worth mentioning but don't worry, even with your current CPU the FPS increase will be very noticeable.

Definitely going to go with the 970 in the near future. Now it's just a matter of beefing up the RAM and monitor. Any thoughts on monitor options that would pair well with it, ideally below $250 (roughly $200 USD)? I'm having trouble finding anything beyond 100hz in that price range.

 

[BadActor]

The VG248Qe $250.00 on Amazon atm, but Acer has one and it get good reviews. It's priced just under $200.00.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009642&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-PCPartPicker,%20LLC-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

 

[TehPenguin]

I do plan to grab the 970 in the next little while, going to wait and see if the price comes down any time soon before buying. Unfortunately the VG248 is currently in the $300+ price range and I'm not eager to spend that much. Is there any decent 120/144 hz options under $250? I'm having little luck finding any on my own. Currently the ASUS VP247H-P is on for $180 at Best Buy and that is looking appealing. How does is stack up against the VS239?

Honestly, don't bother with 144hz. Many people claim it is better but frankly, I do not see a difference between 16ms and 7ms (60vs144fps). Additionally, the 970, while an amazing GPU, it will not allow you to run the newer titles at 144fps so why bother? Gaming at 60fps is still amazing and more than enough for 99,9% of the population, imho.

Save money and get a good 60hz monitor.
Example:
BenQ GL2460HM, 24" ~$140USD