Looking to upgrade. Little Noobish!

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sandcracker21

Member
Hey all. This is my rig from alienware (Aurora R-3):

Intel Core i7-2600K(8MB) Overclocked to 4.1GHz
8GB DDR3 at 1333MHz
Nvidia GTX 590
1TB SATA 3Gb/s (7,200RPM) 32MB Cache
875W Multi-GPU Approved PSU (OEM Dell brand?)

Its running Windows 7 but I have NO IDEA what MB is has. My question is this:

This rig was amazing for three years now. With Far Cry 4 and Shadow of Mordor, I can no longer run games at max. Even high is giving me some hiccups. I want to upgrade to a SSD since they are affordable now. BUT: what is the most bang for my buck??

Should I get a new GPU? Perhaps the gtx780? Or go with an SSD? More RAM is probably overkill for gaming right now... just not sure what my MB can handle and I'm not an expert on this....


Sorry for the long post and thanks for helping me out!
 
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C4C

C4C

Well-Known Member
Definitly a beter GPU. Your right about the RAM overkill but faster RAM could help you (if the Mobo supports it). The SSD can be done but it won't help except in boot and launching apps. You could potentially buy a nicer Mobo and a new case in the future. I'm assuming this is pre-built given the PSU..

There should be a little sticker on the Mobo that tells you the model
 
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ninjabubbles3

Active Member
A GTX 970 or 980 would be a good upgrade option.

Download Speccy to see your motherboard.

An SSD is a good option too.

We,need a budget though

Look inside your case and see what PSU it has.
 
Darren

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
Unless you're getting close to your RAM usage being maxed out when gaming I wouldn't make that high on the priority list.

GPU should be your first upgrade for performance. The PSU you already have is probably fine, especially if you've had a GTX 590 on it for this long.

SSD is a good idea but keep in mind it won't actual give you better game performance in terms of FPS, just quicker loading times on whatever's installed on it.
 
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sandcracker21

Member
If I change to a GTX 970 would it be plug and play? The MB is an "Alienware 046MHW"

(Sorry for my inexperience)
 
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ninjabubbles3

Active Member
Unplug the PCIe connectors from the old card, remove the card by pressing the tab at the end of the PCIe slot, plug in the card, and reconnect the PCie connectors
 
Cyberspanner

Cyberspanner

New Member
A GTX970 would be a good upgrade for your current GTX560, your PSU should run it nicely but if you have the extra money invest in a GTX980 as it is on average 20% faster than the GTX970 shown in benchmarks. Your i7 will support both and you will definitely Be able to max out those games you mentioned, just to make sure what resolution is your monitor?
 
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Jonathonhendrick

New Member
a gtx 970 will be great. Much better than your current card. I would upgrade your monitor and ram as well. your ram speed is below par even for laptops. same with your monitor. you can litterally get a full hd monitor for 100 bucks brand new. and yes your new gpu will plug right in!
 
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