What should I upgrade?

[Westwoodo]

This is my current build it's 4 years old and I think it's time to upgrade it slightly:

Noctua NH-D14 Dual Radiator and Fan CPU Cooler
Intel Core i7-2600K 3.40GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor - Retail
2TB Samsung HD204UI Spinpoint F4 SATA-II 3.5" Hard Drive
Samsung SH-S222AB/BEBE DVD Writer
Liteon Ihas 524
Coolermaster HAF X NVIDIA Edition Full Tower Case
ASUS P8Z68-V PRO Intel Z68 (REV B3) Socket 1155 DDR3 PCI-Express Motherboard
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
750W Corsair HX Series Modular ATX2.2 SLI/Crossfire Compliant Power Supply
8GB Corsair Memory XMS3 DDR3 1600 MHz CAS 9 Dual Channel Desktop - CMX8GX3M2A1600C9 2 x 4gb
128GB CSSD-F120GB3-BK Force 3 SSD
1280MB MSI GTX570 TF3 PE/OC
23" Dell UltraSharp U2312HM Widescreen IPS LED Monitor
and a Lg 19 inch monitor as a second screen

I was looking at upgrading my ram from 8gb to 16gb or changing my graphics card? Possibly both depending on the boost I would receive?

I play Heroes Of The Storm a lot but I wouldn't mind playing newer games at a decent frame rate? Such as mad max, metal gear solid, tales of zesteria?

Could someone point me in the right direction as to what I should get?

Thanks in advance and this is my first post so go easy =D

Edit: My cpu and gpu are not overclocked.

 

[EarthDog]

Welcome!

1. I dont see a point in going to 16GB if you are not close to maxing out 8GB. Find out if you are before making this move.
2. A video card will certainly help improve FPS!

What is your budget for this upgrade in total?

 

[Westwoodo]

Welcome!

1. I dont see a point in going to 16GB if you are not close to maxing out 8GB. Find out if you are before making this move.
2. A video card will certainly help improve FPS!

What is your budget for this upgrade in total?

1280MB MSI GTX570 TF3

I am looking at about £200 tops?

Would I see much of a boost by upgraring my ram? I like to run firefox and windows media player whilst I play.

 

[EarthDog]

Would I see much of a boost by upgraring my ram? I like to run firefox and windows media player whilst I play.

...

1. I dont see a point in going to 16GB if you are not close to maxing out 8GB. Find out if you are before making this move.

In other words, if you are not close to maxing out 8GB, there is no point to upgrade to 16GB as there will not be any performance gains.

For about $300 USD, I would look at something like the GTX 960 or GTX 970 from NVIDIA, or R9 280x/R9 290.

 

[Westwoodo]

...In other words, if you are not close to maxing out 8GB, there is no point to upgrade to 16GB as there will not be any performance gains.

For about $300 USD, I would look at something like the GTX 960 or GTX 970 from NVIDIA, or R9 280x/R9 290.

To find out how much ram I am using do I just check through task manager with everything running that I use at once?

I haven't been keeping up with the gpu race for a while are nvidia's better than amd's or is it just preference?

Thanks for the help!

 

[EarthDog]

Yes.

There are + and - to each... for all intents and YOUR purposes they will be the same really.

 

[Westwoodo]

Yes.

There are + and - to each... for all intents and YOUR purposes they will be the same really.

I will have a look in a bit at my ram use, looking at gpu's has asked more questions than it has answered, at the moment my smaller monitor is using a DVI to VGA adapter and my other monitor is using a dvi cable my issue is gpu's don't seem to have vga adapters now and there is two sorts of dvi around. My question is if I use the dvi port on a new gpu for my old monitor can I use a displayport cable going to my main monitor? If that makes sense?

Also which of these 4 graphics cards is the best?

Some have 2gb of memory and some have 4gb logically the 4gb one is better but I thought it was better to ask.

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/2gb-...hz-gddr5-gpu-1216mhz-boost-1279mhz-cores-1024

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/2gb-...hz-gddr5-gpu-1279mhz-boost-1342mhz-cores-1024

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/4gb-...mhz-gddr5-gpu-1216mhz-boost-1279mhz-cores-102

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/4gb-...-1216mhz-boost-1279mhz-cores-1024-dp12-hdmi-d

Last question if I get one of these graphics cards what can I expect to run realistically?

Thank you again!

 

[EarthDog]

If you are looking at the 960, get the 4GB version for 1920x1080 resolution ("size" of the monitor does not matter, its the resolution that does).

 

[Johan45]

Have you OC'd that chip. You have it listed at stock

 

[Westwoodo]

If you are looking at the 960, get the 4GB version for 1920x1080 resolution ("size" of the monitor does not matter, its the resolution that does).

Okay is there any difference between the 2 4gb ones I listed that I should be aware of.

Have you OC'd that chip. You have it listed at stock

No it's stock I have put that twice.

 

[EarthDog]

Just clockspeeds really.

 

[Johan45]

Okay is there any difference between the 2 4gb ones I listed that I should be aware of.


No it's stock I have put that twice.

Sorry didn't see that, but you have a decent cooler you could get quite a bit more out of that CPU and I agree the 570 is getting old. Not enough memory. Either one of the 4Gb would be good the single fan will exhaust out the back of the case the dual inside but a better cooler.

 

[Westwoodo]

Sorry didn't see that, but you have a decent cooler you could get quite a bit more out of that CPU and I agree the 570 is getting old. Not enough memory. Either one of the 4Gb would be good the single fan will exhaust out the back of the case the dual inside but a better cooler.

I have never really looked in to oc'ing everyone mentions it but my cpu was fine when I got it and I never really thought about tinkering with it.

My case is massive but is one of the 4gb ones better than the other?

 

[EarthDog]

My case is massive but is one of the 4gb ones better than the other?

In what respect? We have already mentioned, generally, there isn't a difference. As Johan said, the coolers are different. One exhausts out of the case (but isn't as good and generally louder), and the other in the case (generally better and quieter). I wouldn't worry about heat dump from a midrange card in a large case. Outside of that, I mentioned clockspeeds are different.

Can you be specific as to what more you would like to hear?

 

[Westwoodo]

In what respect? We have already mentioned, generally, there isn't a difference. As Johan said, the coolers are different. One exhausts out of the case (but isn't as good and generally louder), and the other in the case (generally better and quieter). I wouldn't worry about heat dump from a midrange card in a large case. Outside of that, I mentioned clockspeeds are different.

Can you be specific as to what more you would like to hear?

That has explained it I didn't get that the one isn't as good a cooler as the other, which one has the better cooler and are the clock speeds on both 4gb ones the same?

 

[EarthDog]

Actually, after looking at the pictures of the cards (shakes fist at Johan, ), neither of them exhaust fully outside of the case... both are aftermarket coolers, and are quiet. 6 of one, half dozen of the other at this point. Sorry about that...!

 

[Westwoodo]

No worries it happens to the best of us!

 

[Dlaw]

I would also go with either of the 4GB models, but I would choose the EVGA card simply because the warranty period is generally longer on EVGA products. Plus, they come with a kick-@$$ case badge! lol.

Seriously though, there isn't much difference between them. Choose whichever you prefer for whatever reason.

 

[Westwoodo]

This thread can be closed I have bought a new graphics card I got a Msi R9 280 4gb for £147.

Thank you to all that have helped me!

 

[EarthDog]

We do not close threads when they are done... you can mark it as solved however!

Congrats and enjoy!