What would be the best upgrade for the most performance boost

[camm1221]

My Specs:
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-MA770-DS3P
CPU: Phenom ii x4 965 3.4 ghz
RAM: 4GB DDR2-400
Graphics: gtx 650 2GB

Would it be most beneficial to upgrade the motherboard and upgrade to 8gb ddr3 and then upgrade my graphics but keep the CPU? I just want to get the most performance boost for my money. Any input is appreciated!

Thanks all

 

[CrimsonLuke]

Upgrade the RAM. The CPU is good and the GPU is alright (not amazing if you're playing intensive games though).

Or buy an SSD, install your OS onto that along with your most used programs and games and you'll definitely notice a performance boost.

 

[kwa-e]

Before answer your question, In what are you wanting a performance boost in?

 

[game junky]

That really depends on what games you want to play, what resolution you're playing at and what kind of settings you want to be able to handle. You're at a distinct disadvantage because of that CPU/GPU combination - your motherboard/chipset won't support DDR3 so based on what is still available on the market and your CPU is past it's prime and there isn't much better options supported by your board.

Assuming you want to keep your motherboard/CPU combination and assuming you're using a 64-bit copy of Windows 7/8, I would upgrade to 8GB of system memory regardless of what else you do. If you're wanting to get to high settings @ 1080p on big name titles released within the last 4 years (BF4, Skyrim/Dragon Age, D3, etc.), then you're going to have to consider replacing your motherboard and CPU to be able to handle the load (especially BF4 multiplayer on larger maps). I recommend making that decision before you buy your memory because a newer motherboard will support DDR3 which is actually a lot less expensive than the DDR2 you would be looking at. If you elect not to, here's the parts I would buy - aren't a lot of DDR2 options on the market anymore and a 750ti is a good bang for your buck option that will be close to the bottleneck of your CPU:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Yrx6FT

If you elect to swap your motherboard and you want to stay loyal to AMD (I admire your commitment) and you want to reuse your Case & Power Supply:

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/sdn7qs

 

[bicycle_repair_man]

Your motherboard only supports DDR2 RAM, so don't upgrade that until you've upgraded the motherboard.

I assume you want a gaming performance boost as this thread is posted in the PC Gaming forum, but to accomplish that you may need to change a few things. Are you hoping to play the latest AAA titles? What resolution and frame rate are you aiming for?

If you give us your budget we can make recommendations.

 

[camm1221]

I don't want to buy more ddr2. I feel like it's a waste of money. What I wanted was to upgrade my motherboard to one that supported ddr3 and keep my CPU and upgrade the graphics card. However I'm not sure if that's the bet choice. I want fps boost on games in general I play anything and everything and I like to play on the highest setting, but I just use my monitors resolution which is 1366x768 or something close to that. Ive played some games at 1080p and I'd like to play more but it lowers frames for what I consider minimal difference in visuals. I would like to shoot for 60 fps at 1080 or my monitors resolution I listed above on the highest setting for any games from WoW to BF4 to DayZ and so on. If you need any more info ask.

I also prefer intel for CPU and nvidia for graphics, but all input is welcomed I'm not that biased. I don't know what the budget is I just don't want to spend to much. I don't want to buy something that's full potential won't be used, but I wanna keep it fairly cheap

 

[bicycle_repair_man]

Completely agree about DDR2; it's a dead-end, don't waste your money.

One solution would be to buy an AM3+ motherboard that supports 125W TDP processors. This will remain compatible with your current X4 965 and give you the option to upgrade to an 8xxx series in the future. Just remember that when AMD release their new processors later this year, they will almost certainly use a new socket.

Once you have the board you should upgrade the RAM to 8GB DDR3 1600Mhz; buy two 4GB DIMMs so the RAM runs in dual-channel mode.

AMD are releasing the new 300 series GPUs later this year, so if you can live with your GPU for a while longer that's what you should do. Once these new cards have been reviewed you can decide if it's a worthwhile upgrade from the current R7/R9 series. Alternatively, a GTX 960 is a good choice, but wait and see what AMD bring to the table first.

 

[biggyinn]

^^^ also worth mentioning when the new cards start being stocked the previous ones are discounted
I tend to upgrade year 2 dependant on which systems turn it is (have two)

My previous was a x4 Phenom ii 965 Be ....although only on a asus crosshair 3 ....it did run DDR3 ...so get a more up to date AM3+ board with 970 or 990 chipset (both more or lees the same) and get minimum 2x4gb 1600mhz ddr3