Time to upgrade Motherboard, Processor and RAM (Advice needed)

Epicus07

Solid State Member
Messages
11
My current set up doesn't support my Radeon 6850 (long story).

I'd like to get the best upgrade I can so that i can game at high settings.

I'd like to pick it up everything I need for $400 or less.

Any recommendations or things to look out for during Black Friday sales.

How would you prioritize the parts if you had to make sacrifices?
 
I think this is one of those cases where we need to know why the 6850 won't work...
 
It worked for 3 months. Then sometimes when I would boot up there would be no video. A random number of restarts would restore video until shut down. Got progressively worse until nothing would restore video. RMAd card. Still didn work. Bitched so they sent me a new card during second RMA. Still didn't work. Tested card in friends computer. It works for them. My old 9800gt works flawlessly in my computer but new one still won't. Upgraded BIOS. Worked for one boot until I turned off and tightened everything down and plugged in all cables. Couldn't gEt it to work again. Rebuilt on cardboard checking standoffs to no effect.
 
The issue isn't with the video card. You've got a problematic motherboard at the very least, possibly even a bad slot on the board itself.

I'd suggest trying another power supply - just in case - but the Antec is a fine unit, I trust the brand myself as well.
 
Thanks OG,

That is the conclusion i came to as well. Which is why I'm looking for recommendations.

Is it worth the money shelling out for an i7? will an i5 perform just as well?

Would you go AMD? Intel?

What parts might show up during Black Friday?

I'd like to do some research so that I can come up with the strongest build on a tight budget.

What areas are worth skimping on? (Fast processor, cheap mobo, nice memory etc)

What are you favorites?
 
Black Friday parts are just about everything.

Tight budget builds aren't too hard these days. AMD excels at the value prospect, coming out with a decent motherboard, quad core CPU and the RAM hardly ever goes over $250. Intel can compete, but you have to make some sacrifices elsewhere if you want to meet the same goal (again, it's pretty slim anymore however)

For AMD, a Socket AM3+ motherboard, quad core Athlon II (Phenom isn't even necessary to be honest) and a set of cheap G.Skill RAM (which doesn't perform like cheap RAM)

For Intel, LGA 1155, same G.Skill RAM, and probably a low end i5 or an upper end i3. Both will handle four threads, but only the i5 is a true quad core.
 
Back
Top Bottom