Upgrade for £300

Erich Kriegler · 17 Dec 2015 at 20:44

GPU - MSI HD 7850

CPU - Intel Core i3-3220

Mobo - Gigabyte Z77-D3H Intel Z77 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard

PSU - Corsair Builder Series CX 500W V2 '80 Plus Bronze' Power Supply

Ram - 8 gig

Looking to spend around £300 to upgrade this for gaming. Would it be best to buy a 1150 or 1151 mobo and new CPU?

mickyflinn · 17 Dec 2015 at 21:01

Second hand 3570k and a new gpu like a gtx 970.

Poneros · 18 Dec 2015 at 04:36

You can't fit both those in £300, I'd just get a 390. This one is at a great price right now: https://www.overclockers.co.uk/powe...hics-card-axr9-390-8gbd5-ppdhe-gx-178-pc.html

Snookums · 18 Dec 2015 at 12:38

Second hand 2500k and a second hand 780ti. 780ti's come on par with 980's just lack the VRAM and it's older architecture but if you're playing at 1080p it won't matter.

Long story short. Keep the board and buy an i5 for it. Get the best GPU you can with the rest. A 2500k on fleabag shouldn't cost you anymore than £100.

Edit: just noticed you have mm access. You'll get it all even cheaper.

Poneros · 19 Dec 2015 at 08:41

780 ti is not that close to a 980 (980 10-15% faster in general) and it also suffers from Nvidiaitis where support is poorer for older cards, e.g. boosted Tessellation will make the 780ti crawl while the 980 won't sweat it, and thanks to Nvidia you'll find this to be a problem in more than one game (in Witcher 3 alone the 980 ti will at all times keep AT LEAST a 10fps advantage over a 780 ti - that's very significant).

Disco_P · 19 Dec 2015 at 12:38

There will probably be a 3570K appearing on the MM in a few days for ~£70

Then a GPU with the rest of the money. 290, 290x, 390, 390x, 780, 780 ti, 970 all very viable choices. 290 or 780 both offer amazing value for money when being sold second hand.