PC Hardware → Re: Need Help Upgrading Son's Computer

Not at all - in fact, the price of the video card increased since I posted. It was some kind of special that's now expired. We're back to square one - don't even know which video card to look at now.

Good since there have same HD 7950 with faster core speed. AMD up the speed to fight with the Nvidia Video card.

GIGABYTE GV-R795WF3-3GD Radeon HD 7950 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
»www.newegg.com/Product/P ··· 14125414

It also comes with:
AMD Gift - 4-in-1 Game Coupon (You do not need to add this to cart. Just add the video card to card and it comes with free gift.)
»www.newegg.com/Product/P ··· 00995140

quote:

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Free 4-in-1 Game Coupon
- FarCry3
- HitMan
- Sleeping Dogs
- Medal of Honor WarFighter Limited Edition (20% off digital deluxe)

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You could go for an Nvidia card:

EVGA 02G-P4-2670-KR GeForce GTX 670 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
$359.99
»www.newegg.com/Product/P ··· 14130782

Why? Because instead of using your cpu to do the physic, you could use Nvidia PhysX to do it instead. But thats ONLY and ONLY IF the software supports it.

Games using havok Engine »www.havok.com/ that own by Intel. I'm pretty sure it doesn't use Nvidia PhysX support.

If you go Nvidia you get PhysX tech. But you also pay more for that.
If you go AMD you will get 1792 Stream Processors vs. Nvidia 1344 Cuda. And you get those free 4 games.

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PSU I would pick:
OCZ Fatal1ty 550W Modular Gaming Power Supply compatible with Intel Sandybridge Core i3 i5 i7 and AMD Phenom
»www.newegg.com/Product/P ··· 17341022
»www.ocztechnology.com/oc ··· ply.html

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Just FYI, AMD and Nvidia cards are completely different, architecturally. Comparing those two numbers doesn't work.

I wasn't using those number for video game wise. I was using it more like if he was to use software that either support Stream Processors or Cuda to render.

And who knows. Maybe his son will become a hacker =D and crack passwords: »www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/20 ··· -second/

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I know you guys are recommending him a low-end card for a good reason. I only check the list OP is getting is correct.

quote:

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He's done some brief research, and believes that his budget and desires are best met with something like the following items that he's considering purchasing. I'd appreciate any input, recommendations, and advice.

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It sounds like to me his son works, and or save up money. A lot of thing could happen to that pc. New cpu, new monitor etc., in the future.

If OP is under the assumption he needs to replace his PSU, and thus his case also, to upgrade to a discrete GPU, he may be mistaken, depending on GPU (and he does NOT need the 7950, son's research aside, based on his given requirements).

I don't know how old his son is, how much money he makes, or how well he knows computers. What I do know is that he is looking to play L4D2 at higher framerates on his current rig.

Based on his given requirements, he would be best served by purchasing a low-end GPU like the Radeon 6670/7750, or GeForce GT 640.

There is no need to upgrade everything about the computer to do this, and definitely no need to go with a GPU like the Radeon 7950. If I may dip into the forbidden realm of analogies for a second, that's like going from a Fiat to a Dodge Challenger or Chevy Camaro when all they really need is a Chevy Cruze. Don't assume the customer knows the relative power of the car they are asking for. ("Hi, I just need a car that gets better than 30 mpg to commute 20 miles round trip every day"--not a prospective Challenger/Camaro owner).

I agree seems a waste of money to replace all of that. I'd say go with the card you picked and he should be good for LFD and most other games.

Spending whatever the PC cost in the first place plus all the new parts is nuts.

Since, we don't know that much from OP. I am hoping he comes back and give us more Info. That's the thing. We DON"T know what they going to do later on in the future.