Is it worth me getting a new GPU yet?

[HBAndrew]

Hi, I currently have quite an old system, but I have been told that I should get away with just upgrading my graphics card.

I have seen a lot of games say minimum specs dual core but I was told with a decent GPU that wouldn't really matter I should still get near max settings in most games, I am planning to get an ASUS Radeon 4850 (my first ATI).

Current specs:
Athlon 64 3000+
2GB ram
GF 6600GT
X-fi Platinum
ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe

Should I just go ahead and get the graphics card, will it really be just fine for now? Or should I try and save for who knows how long and get an all new system at once?

Thanks

 

[SS-89]

what res are you playing at? I hazard that you wouldn't be able to play at max settings as the gfx card would be severely cpu limited.

 

[willhub]

What size monitor do you have? Note your CPU will be a huge bottleneck to any modern GPU from as far back as the 7900 series I rekon, a 4850 deffenitly will be bottlenecked by that CPU.

 

[AbsenceJam]

You need a full upgrade I'm afraid, that CPU will bottleneck the GPU terribly so it wouldn't be worth the purchase.

For £250 you can get an E2180, 2GB RAM, P35 Mobo and a 4850 - worth considering.

 

[HBAndrew]

19" LCD I mostly play at 1280x1024 or 1280x960 windowed, 1024 if I have to. I don't mind if it's a little bottlenecked for now. As long as I can at least play newer games on half decent settings until I get quad core.

 

[willhub]

19" LCD I mostly play at 1280x1024 or 1280x960 windowed, 1024 if I have to. I don't mind if it's a little bottlenecked for now. As long as I can at least play newer games on half decent settings until I get quad core.

What decent games at what settings?

 

[HBAndrew]

Gears of War, which currently runs perfect on about mid settings, Crysis, anything else recent worth getting, been getting a little behind where I've had a crap system so didn't care to look at games for a while.

Any game I can currently play on low-mid settings with minimal lag, could I expect them to still run good on higher settings with a 4850? As I thought all the CPU did was was calculate stuff, making the GPU no less slower when storing the same amount but higher quality textures.

Also AbsenceJam where is this system for £250? I may have enough by saturday but don't want something that will be useless within a year.

How badly will my CPU bottleneck the card, enough to really worry about yet?

 

[willhub]

Gears of War, which currently runs perfect on about mid settings, Crysis, anything else recent worth getting, been getting a little behind where I've had a crap system so didn't care to look at games for a while.

Any game I can currently play on low-mid settings with minimal lag, could I expect them to still run good on higher settings with a 4850? As I thought all the CPU did was was calculate stuff, making the GPU no less slower when storing the same amount but higher quality textures.

Also AbsenceJam where is this system for £250? I may have enough by saturday but don't want something that will be useless within a year.

How badly will my CPU bottleneck the card, enough to really worry about yet?

You have to piece together the system yourself and build it.

 

[synixx]

How badly will my CPU bottleneck the card, enough to really worry about yet?

A lot. for example in 3dmark06 (not the best example) with my old 8800gts 320mb with a 4000x2 2.1ghz I got around 7500 in XP, compared to it at 2.45ghz which got 8300 in vista, and they are both dual core (at 1280x1024).

 

[HBAndrew]

Ok thanks for the pretty much instant replies guys, really good.