Partial upgrade

[Triamp9]

Hi Ladies and Gents,

I've been out of the upgrade loop for a while so your advice would be appreciated.

I'm looking for an interim upgrade before the appearance of the Oculus Rift consumer version arrives hopefully next year. I just need a bit of a boost for now so that my current system copes a bit better with 2560x1440. My needs are solely for gaming. Elite Dangerous, some flight sims. Mostly pretty resource hungry stuff.

At the moment I have:-
Asus P8 Z68-V gen 3 motherboard
Intel I5 2500k 3.3 overclocked to 4.7 ghz
Gigabyte Windforce HD7950
8gb Kingston Hyper X
Corsair 850 watt power supply

I'm wondering what would be best to upgrade out of the above until a major overhaul next year. Basically is it worth upgrading my graphics card and maybe adding another next year or would I be better off with a new motherboard/cpu. I have a feeling my current motherboard/cpu are still pretty good and wouldn't bottleneck a GTX 970 hopefully.

I have about £400 to spend now on either of the above. I really need to incorporate whatever I buy now in to the major upgrade next year.
Graphics card wise I've been looking at the GTX 970 (Gigabyte or Galax).

If it's best to go the motherboard/cpu way then this looks good:-

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=BU-012-GI

For now I'm looking to get my games nearer a consistent 60fps at 1440p. Which would be the better option given my budget?

Thanks in advance.

 

[stulid]

Hi,

Your CPU+board+RAM are still good and you have a great overclck on them.

Your 7950 is what a R9 280 (non X) is today and is possibly what is holding you back at 1440P.


So in summing up I think a GTX970 or R9 290 and maybe an SSD will give you a great boost.

 

[ED209]

to be honest your current system seems fine.

I would replace the GPU with a 970 as this can then go towards your new build later in the year and be easily moved over then save the rest of the money towards your new build.

other option you can do is get a SSD but this will not help with FPS but with general running of the system

I have a I7 950 3ghz running @ 3.8ghz and 6GB of ram with a X58 mobo and im not replacing that for awhile yet and just got a 970 the other day

 

[Triamp9]

Many thanks,

think I'll go for the GTX 970 then. I like the look of the Gigabyte G1 but am hearing rumours of coil whine with these. Also the Galax modded by Overclockers looks good. Any other good alternative?

 

[ED209]

I have not tested mine yet but I have got this.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-263-EA&groupid=701&catid=1914&subcat=1010

hoping to give it a try over the weekend

got it on the black Friday for £252

if your after a SSD you could get this

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-036-CR&groupid=701&catid=2104&subcat=2394

or if your after a bigger drive this

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-037-CR&groupid=701&catid=2104&subcat=2394

but I have this 1 below and im happy with it

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-168-SA&groupid=701&catid=2104&subcat=2394

 

[Triamp9]

Thanks again ED. I like the EVGA stuff so there's another option for me. I think I will pick up another SSD at the same time.

Only another couple of posts for free postage!!!

 

[ED209]

Thanks again ED. I like the EVGA stuff so there's another option for me. I think I will pick up another SSD at the same time.

Only another couple of posts for free postage!!!

that's very true and your welcome lol.

I've got to wait another 2 months before I get free postage but reached the 250 post limit already so just a waiting game till free postage.

the EVGA card is nice and I do like it a lot just not had the time to fit it and had to hide the haribo from the kid! lol

 

[Triamp9]

Lol! Don't let the squeaker near the Haribo!!!!

I've been searching the forum for info on whether you have to do anything to qualify for the free postage once you hit the criteria or is it done automatically? (doubt it!)

 

[stulid]

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/sh...&posted=1&utm_source=forums&utm_medium=banner

Is all explained there.

 

[ED209]

Lol! Don't let the squeaker near the Haribo!!!!

I've been searching the forum for info on whether you have to do anything to qualify for the free postage once you hit the criteria or is it done automatically? (doubt it!)

if you login to your account on the OCUK website and then click on "you and your account" on the top left there is a section where you need to put in your forum username and password which will link the 2 accounts and give you the free delivery

 

[Triamp9]

Yayyy!!! Thanks gents...that should do it.

 

[ED209]

Yayyy!!! Thanks gents...that should do it.

glad its sorted, ive used OCUK for years but never signed up to the forum to get the free delivery and sometimes this has put me off ordering stuff which I can get free delivery else where.

I like that OCUK have staff of the forums that will help with orders, reply to questions and the customer service from what I have seen recently has been really good so would like to stick with them rather than go else where so thought I may as well sign up and wait the 3 months to get the free delivery

 

[Triamp9]

I've been an OCUK customer for years just not a prolific poster on the forums.

In general they've been pretty good, no complaints really. Other places can be a bit cheaper but I've remained loyal.

The new graphics card will be my first purchase for some time though. Still can't decide which 970 to go for but will probably order tomorrow. The EVGA I'd like is out of stock at the moment so I'm still torn between the MSI and the GALAX Infinity black edition.

Either will be epic I'm sure!

 

[ED209]

might be worth a quick call to them if you want the EVGA card and see when they are getting stock in again as I think in a post on the black Friday ones Gibbo may have said they will be getting some in next week if your ok to wait for the card and in no rush for it.

ive been looking at getting a new card since April this year but then decided to wait for the 970s to come out and get 1 of them instead.