Graphics card stuff

[Unit_108]

So i'm using and older graphics card, the ATI Radeon HD 6770 ( http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2389466,00.asp ), and I can pump out Battlefield 4 at medium graphics with about 35 FPS, and I am wondering about cheap replacements that can get me to ultra, or at least  a way to modify my current card to work harder (Overclock?). Any suggestions on what I could do to get better FPS, especially when running Bandicam. If I got better frames I would always be recording. My processor and RAM are just fine (AMD Phenom II X4 965 and 12gb RAM). (Uses less than 50% of processor)

[CptnCrunch87]

How about the R9-270? I'm using an overclocked GTX770 myself and I have no idea how well Mantle is currently working but I'm pretty sure that this would be a reasonably priced card for your needs!

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121823

Edited March 17, 2014 by CptnCrunch87

[OddJob001]

Price range?

[MtDeW]

get the R9 270x 4gig and you will be happy!i about shit when I hit 10000 fps on cod 4and cod 5

[Unit_108]

150$ ish

[Archie]

http://www.hwcompare.com/

Here's a site were you can compare cards, could be helpfull

[SidTri]

Look through these.  

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%2050001402%204017&IsNodeId=1&name=EVGA

 

I have the GeForce GTX 670 FTW, and am VERY happy with it.  I don't like overclocking things because I like to keep the load and temperature down.  I like things to last.  I've had my GTX 670 for over a year, probably closer to a year and a half.  I will probably keep it for another year or more before upgrading.  A GTX 670 will cost you though.  

 

I can run BF4 on mostly medium quality with CONSISTENT frames above 60.  It's usually closer to 100 as long as you stay above 30 you're fine.  I have been recording recently using dxtory and am still NEVER dropping below 60 frames.  

 

Don't go below 2 Gigs of RAM on the card.  

 

See how the cards in the 150ish range on newegg compare to cards like the GTX 670 on the site that Archie linked.  

Edited March 17, 2014 by SidTri

[OddJob001]

BTW, DO NO OVERCLOCK WITH BF4. 

 

You will have problems.  BF3 didnt like it either.  I had an manufacture OC'd card and had to actually underclock it to get BF3 to work.

[Unit_108]

I may have to wait till some point this summer to upgrade, when I graduate high school and go full time with a job. I may be able to invest in a 250$ card at some point.

[Woobnut]

Odd, what kind of problems do you see with overclocking? I have a 7850 overclocked and have no issues as far as i can tell.

[OddJob001]

Odd, what kind of problems do you see with overclocking? I have a 7850 overclocked and have no issues as far as i can tell.

 

Couldnt tell you anymore.  I got a new card that is not OC'd (evga 770GTX 4GB ACX).  However for BF3 I would get crazy texture flickering and screen tearing.  It was a known issue with BF3 to not run an OC'd card.  Maybe they fixed that for BF4.

I could stand corrected for OCing with BF4.

Edited March 19, 2014 by OddJob001

[OddJob001]

I may have to wait till some point this summer to upgrade, when I graduate high school and go full time with a job. I may be able to invest in a 250$ card at some point.

 

A $250-$290 card will be eons ahead of a $150 card and will last you probably another 3-5 years (depending on your comfort for frames per second) as opposed to 1-2 years for the latter.

[mouselad]

@@OddJob001

 

i have this card OCed but only by 50 mhz... I have no issues.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150605

[Unit_108]

So, getting $200 in tax returns, what card will get me the best power and best price over all? just want 60 frames in high settings.

[Sicarius23]

You gotta look at the big picture.

 

If your Processor sucks and you put a good card in, you're going to have a bottle neck at the CPU, meaning upgrading your card isn't going to help.

 

What're the full specs of your current build?

[Unit_108]

You gotta look at the big picture.

 

If your Processor sucks and you put a good card in, you're going to have a bottle neck at the CPU, meaning upgrading your card isn't going to help.

 

What're the full specs of your current build?

My processor runs fine, like i said, it uses less than half to run the game. I have the AMD Phenom II X4 965, 12GB ram, current card: ATI Radeon HD 6770 (HP) (I may be able to cross fire for cheap.) I pushed my card to Ultra on bf4 at about 27 frames.

(cross firing may be a good idea, its cheaper and i can already run ultra and sacrifice frames)

Edited April 2, 2014 by Unit_108

[DuckyofDeath123]

That CPU will be fine, it's not that far from my now antiquated I7-960 in terms of performance and the game runs smoothly for me.

 

Listen to Oddjob. You want a mid-range card to run this game at medium settings and high framerates, or high settings and average framerates.

Buying a cheap card will not help you much. It'll be slow still, and cost you a chunk of cash. Better to save a little longer and buy one that costs a bit more and does a lot better.

[Sicarius23]

My processor runs fine, like i said, it uses less than half to run the game. I have the AMD Phenom II X4 965, 12GB ram, current card: ATI Radeon HD 6770 (HP) (I may be able to cross fire for cheap.) I pushed my card to Ultra on bf4 at about 27 frames.

(cross firing may be a good idea, its cheaper and i can already run ultra and sacrifice frames)

 

Your 965 is what's holding you back, actually. Your video card isn't too old that it's bad, and you have more than enough RAM.

 

I used the 955 I think, when Phenom II launched, and it was great in 2010. But it's the weak link in your issue.

 

So, you can buy another card, that you won't see any performance out of, or you can start saving for a new build.

Edited April 2, 2014 by Sicarius23

[Unit_108]

Your 965 is what's holding you back, actually. Your video card isn't too old that it's bad, and you have more than enough RAM.

 

I used the 955 I think, when Phenom II launched, and it was great in 2010. But it's the weak link in your issue.

 

So, you can buy another card, that you won't see any performance out of, or you can start saving for a new build.

I still think I will crossfire, and wait till I can get a new build, that way I have the cards on hand. Im sure ill see some improvement, but Im not expecting a masssive improvement, just maybe a bit more of a stasble framerate and better video rendering when I edit. Maybe it mey help me with frames when recording, well just have to see. I may also over clock the processor just a little. I do however have a Father who is great with computers and have him help me look for new build idea's.

[DuckyofDeath123]

That cpu is going to be the bottleneck once he upgrades, but it is not right now I dont think. It Might be if you record while playing by the way, but just for playing i do not believe it is.

[acucats07]

I still think I will crossfire, and wait till I can get a new build, that way I have the cards on hand. Im sure ill see some improvement, but Im not expecting a masssive improvement, just maybe a bit more of a stasble framerate and better video rendering when I edit. Maybe it mey help me with frames when recording, well just have to see. I may also over clock the processor just a little. I do however have a Father who is great with computers and have him help me look for new build idea's.

If there is a way you can save 1200-1800 for a build I could help you pick out some of the parts. My build from last April was around 1800 but it included OS and a new monitor. It would have been around 1500-1600 without that.

 

I expect my build to last another 3-4 years although I may upgrade my GPU. I will probably be buying another SSD soon.

[Twinkie 13]

Well if you are like me and can only afford to upgrade a piece at a time I would go with the highest single GPU I could afford first. I read somewhere that the AMD +3 platform may be discontinued soon.  If so those parts will drop in price.  They are good parts.  I run a FX-8150 at 4ghz.  For the money you cant beat AMD.  Now I am not trying to start a war on which is better Intel or AMD.  Yes Intel pound for pound will out perform most AMD parts but for the money 8 cores will last a long time especially when more programs are coded to use more that one core.  I have always heard that a single card solution is better than a dual card solution for the same frame rate because of less complications.  Just my 2 cents, thanks for reading.

[Unit_108]

Would getting my Phenom II X4 965 clocked to 4Ghz help?

[DuckyofDeath123]

It will help a little. It might also break, so the golden rule of OCing is don't do it unless you can afford to replace things that break.

Honestly, nothing about the bits you mentioned of your rig is much good except RAM (which is fine as long as you have enough, regardless of speed).

Your cheapest option is trying to OC the CPU and not breaking it. Next step would be spend a small sum (200 - 250 USD) on a mid range GFX card.

 

Either way your long term plans should include saving up about 1K to replace the entire rig in a year or two tops.

 

By the way, I went though some more websites - that CPU you've got is only about half as fast as my 5 year old i7, not sure why the one site I checked first indicated they should be "similar" in performance - they're not. But I am still pretty sure that, with no recording and appropriate gfx settings you could run that game a lot better.

At your framerate, running at anything other than Low settings is just silly - it's going to look like crap anyway if it becomes a slide show. You wanna boost your framerate? Tune that stuff down.

[Twinkie 13]

well I looked at newegg.com and found a few things you might want to look at.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128565   for a cheap get you upgraded 970 mobo for 48.29 us after rebate

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113286   for a AMD FX-6300 3.5 ghz 6 core cpu for 119.00 us

 

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157281   for a 990FX chipset mobo for 104 us

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135345   for a 990FX  chipset mobo for 79.99 us (39.99) off right now

both of these motherboards will have more options and pci-e slots for further upgrading.  I would choose a 990FX chipset if you can afford it.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113285   for the FX-8320 3.5ghz 8 core cpu for 159 us

 

I would upgrade the mobo and cpu first.  That will give you the best gain for the most applications right now.  The video card you have ranks here as of today.  http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=Radeon+HD+6770&id=284

You could get  a GTX 760 for 249.99 us here also  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121775

 

you are looking at around 245.00 us for the more expensive of the cpu and mobo options I listed.  168.00 us for the cheaper cpu and mobo I listed.  All in all not a bad price.  I would double check the manufacturer site for these motherboards about compatibility of your ram to work with them.  If your ram does work with either of them you will be in great shape.  Best of luck.  If you need any more help/assistance I'll be glad to help.

 

Twinkie