What spec to upgrade for a better experience?

[violentos]

What spec to upgrade for a better experience?

I am currently playing the game on Low specs, and it's still a little clunky/laggy.

My current specs are:

AMD X2 245 Processor 2.90GHz
4GB DDR2 (Ram)
Windows Vista
AMD Radeon HD 6670

I would love to play this game on Medium specs with full FPS. Right now I can't even handle Low. What would my best bet be here? I could probably use DDR3 Ram and a new processor.

 

[prometheus34572]

Its kinda hard to tell you to get a new video card. I mean it would help but the problem you have is you have a Dual-Core processor there, that will basically be a bottleneck to a higher end video card, which means youd basically be wasting money on a video card you cant even fully take advantage of. GPU usage will literally be capped, just bottlenecked by your processor.

Buying a new GPU will in fact help you but not much because of that processor. TO really get a boost in performance I'm afraid you will have to upgrade pretty much everything there. YOu will need a Quad-Core processor to avoid bottlenecking anything, but then to support that new processor you will need a new motherboard along with that, and with that new motherboard you will also need DDR3 RAM sticks as they dont support DDR2 anymore. After all that you will need a new video card and a new Power supply to power it up if your PSU atm is not up to the task.

But yeah I'm afraid that's the harsh reality here. You can still go out and get a new GPU, you will see a boost, but I'm not sure if it will give you what you expect to achieve.

 

[username_3581677]

price break for a good gaming rig is $800 to $1500.00

I recently stepped up to an Nvidia gtx660ti and I have to say prolly the best or second best bang for the buck Graphics card in the here and now. I had Gtx 560 2g in SLI now I use one of those cards for physics only(and yes I do get better fps etc on games like batman AA for all the naysayers)

The 660 has a much more crisp fps even though the SLI 560s kept up just less crisp less smooth. \

I can not wait to get s second 660ti to sli!!!!!


if you want some builds speced let us know. There are quite a few of us on here that could get you a nice system built and play on high specs to ultra(minus uber sampling) for that price point stated earlier

 

[GuyNwah]

I am currently playing the game on Low specs, and it's still a little clunky/laggy.

My current specs are:

AMD X2 245 Processor 2.90GHz
4GB DDR2 (Ram)
Windows Vista
AMD Radeon HD 6670

I would love to play this game on Medium specs with full FPS. Right now I can't even handle Low. What would my best bet be here? I could probably use DDR3 Ram and a new processor.

Usually, the graphics card is limiting, but here you have both a somewhat inadequate graphics card and CPU that could limit you if you upgrade. Everything else is OK, unless your disk is so full that you get excessive seek and write delays.

Most PCs of that "shape" can take upgrades to the CPU and the GPU. It would help to know whether that is a commercially made PC (need the make and model) or whether you put it together yourself (in which case we'd need the motherboard model).

Don't even think about replacing the RAM unless you replace the motherboard. You can't use DDR3 RAM. DDR2 and DDR3 are not interchangeable. The important thing with RAM is to have enough, not how fast it is. 4GB is enough for this game.

 

[violentos]

Thanks for the advice guys! I guess I just have to decide if it's worth getting a new CPU or not. I just bought the graphics card a little over a month ago, so I would hate to get a new one again so soon.

I find it amusing that my current specs can handle a game like Assassins Creed Brotherhood at full high specs, running at full FPS, and it looks absolutely gorgeous, but then I can't handle the lowest setting in The Witcher 2 and it just looks blah!

 

[prometheus34572]

Thanks for the advice guys! I guess I just have to decide if it's worth getting a new CPU or not. I just bought the graphics card a little over a month ago, so I would hate to get a new one again so soon.

I find it amusing that my current specs can handle a game like Assassins Creed Brotherhood at full high specs, running at full FPS, and it looks absolutely gorgeous, but then I can't handle the lowest setting in The Witcher 2 and it just looks blah!

Well if you want to play this game with better Framerates and higher settings, I'm afraid you will have to upgrade that video card. It is pretty low end.

And the reason other games run better is because their engines are just lighter on resources, most of them are just console ports even so they actually use trickery/illusions to give better graphics, like post processing effects, filters etc. Witcher 2's engine doesn't use bs to achieve great graphics, it uses realtime/dynamic systems that really require raw processing power from the GPU. Similar games that have such engines would be Metro 2033, Stalker games, Crysis, etc.

 

[Gilrond-i-Virdan]

If you care about better drivers I'd go with Nvidia cards.

 

[prometheus34572]

Further research. Your HD6670 is actually below the recommended required AMD video card for the game which is the HD4850. Significantly weaker. You do pass the minimum requirements though but in todays games that usually means you will be able to run low settings fine or barely.

http://www.hwcompare.com/10903/radeon-hd-4850-1gb-vs-radeon-hd-6670-oem-1gb/

With video cards the first number only tells you the series it belongs to, its the second number that tells you the performance. With AMD cards you generally want to aim for 8 and above, while with the newer series of Nvidia cards you want 6 and above.

 

[violentos]

Most PCs of that "shape" can take upgrades to the CPU and the GPU. It would help to know whether that is a commercially made PC (need the make and model) or whether you put it together yourself (in which case we'd need the motherboard model).

I put it together myself. The motherboard model number is M3N78-VM from Asustek.

 

[prometheus34572]

I put it together myself. The motherboard model number is M3N78-VM from Asustek.

You will be able to upgrade to one of the Phenom II Quad-Cores, which will definitely do.

Not sure what they mean by this though
"*DDR2 1066 is supported by AM2+ CPU only"

Think its pretty much just saying if you want to run DDR2 1066 RAM sticks you will need a AM2+ processor, yeah. So your current RAM should be fine. You can get up to 8GB though if you want.

 

[GuyNwah]

I put it together myself. The motherboard model number is M3N78-VM from Asustek.

Socket AM2+, supports CPUs all the way up to the Phenom II x4 965 and x6 1055T. So you can do a big CPU upgrade if you can get a good deal (they're starting to get scarce, after AMD rolled out its newer CPUs).

You'd be looking at going from a 65W to a 125W CPU and from a 66W to a 117W or more GPU. You'll have to consider your power supply size, because it's going to have to supply the additional 9 to 13 amps at +12V that you'd need.

 

[violentos]

Alright, I'll check out the prices online and see if it's worth it! Thanks to all of you for your suggestions and wisdom!

 

[violentos]

Just one last question if anyone is still tracking this thread: I found a Phenom II processor, the 1055T, but it says the socket is AM3. Will that work for me? https://www.insight.com/search/ppp.web?fromSearch=true&fromIB=&materialId=HDT55TWFK6DGR

 

[GuyNwah]

The Phenom II processors are AM2+ compatible. The difference is that AM3 motherboards support DDR3 RAM, which you don't have anyway.

(You can't put an AM2 CPU in an AM3 motherboard. It won't fit. But an AM3 CPU will work fine in an AM2 or AM2+ motherboard that has BIOS settings and adequate power for it. I have two PCs with AMD CPUs that are set up that way: AM3 on AM2+ mobo.)

The ASUS Web site lists CPU compatibility for your motherboard, and the 1055T is definitely on the list. You will probably need to flash a BIOS update for the new CPU to be recognized -- before you swap in the new CPU.

 

[violentos]

Sounds good. The only problem I have now is finding the 1055T. It's not in any of the stores in my town, so I would have to order online and wait for delivery. Oh woe is me! There's one used on Amazon that may be worth ordering.

 

[prometheus34572]

Sounds good. The only problem I have now is finding the 1055T. It's not in any of the stores in my town, so I would have to order online and wait for delivery. Oh woe is me! There's one used on Amazon that may be worth ordering.

I know how you feel. I only have one Pc store near me and most of the time they dont have the stuff I need so ordering online is the only option and I hate ordering online and waiting =/. Sometimes they package even arrives in terrible condition, or the part itself is defective and need replacing, more waiting!.

 

[GuyNwah]

The 955 or 965 (4-core) may be more readily available. 4-core is not much of a step down from 6-core, and it doesn't matter at all to the game.

Don't overpay. Pay too much, and you could have a whole new motherboard and CPU for the cost of the older CPU.

 

[violentos]

Amazon.ca has 2 in stock, new. But it's $190. I looked everywhere online, and prices don't get much better than this. There is a used one on Amazon.com for $126, but international shipping would come into effect as well and the seller is new and has no ratings. I checked out ebay as well and even for a bidding auction it's at $160 currently with 3 days 15 hours left on the auction, and that's for a USED one!

I'd like to order online today, but what do you guys think? Is it worth the price?

 

[GuyNwah]

That's ghastly. Used and surplus prices are driven by scarcity and the chutzpah of dealers, not by any rational market considerations.

Canada? Amazon.ca has a 965 (only 4 cores, but faster clock) for $118.53. I'd favor that one. It's not much more (in CDN) than the last few 965's in the States are going for.

 

[violentos]

The 965 does seem good. I just don't know how much of a difference in performance it is from a 965 to a 1055T. If it's fairly similar, then I will most likely get the 965. I don't mind paying an extra $50 for the 1055T though if it proves to be better.

Update: I did some research, and it sounds like the 965 is better for gaming anyways. So I will purchase it now!

Last Update: I found a cheap 965 on newegg.ca, and they had a $20 off coupon for it that ends tomorrow! With shipping I only paid $98. Not too shabby!