Upgrade or new build?

[f5alcon]

I can't decide if I should upgrade my video card on my main system or build a new system. I am in the process of setting up a new racing rig, but I can probably get by for awhile with just console racers on PS3 and XB1, but a new system I could add PC racing games in right away.

 

The new system would be a dedicated gaming system hooked up to a TV at 1080p and would only do games that could be played with a controller/joystick/wheel,since it wouldnt be at a desk for decent mouse and keyboard control. Games would be iracing, project cars,asetto corsa, GTA V, Witcher 3. I could also use steam in home streaming to have it power games that I need to play at a desk for mouse and keyboard control as well. Final Fantasy 14, shooters, strategy games. 

 

My main system does gaming and the occasional video or audio rip from disc to my HTPC, but not often. Is on 4-16 hours a day. a decidated gaming system would only be on when gaming. 

 

Current system:

AMD Phenom II X6 1055T OC to 3.2Ghz. (tuniq tower 120)

Asrock 880G AM3(can't be updated to AM3+, so no processor upgrade is possible)

 

Modern games I hit minimum requirements but not recommended on some

 

MSI twin Frozr II GTX 465 OC to 800Mhz (roughly GTX 470 performance)

12GB DDR3 1333mhz

256GB Samsung 830 SSD

500GB seagate HDD

Antec neo ECO 620w

 

Upgrade would be to a GTX 960/970 (970 would be faster but may be CPU bottlenecked)

 

 

New build idea:

Intel core i5 4690k

coolermaster nepton 240m (never have done water, but am tired of difficult air cooling installs where i have to get crazy angles to tighten the screws)

gigabyte ga z97MX gaming 5 micro atx

8GB kingston fury black DDR3 1866

512GB crucial MX100 SSD (only for gaming no need for data storage)

EVGA 750w G2 

Asus 970 strix or msi 970 twin frozr V

Fractal Design Node 804 or define R5 or phanteks ethoo pro (I like the smaller size of the node, but the mid towers are top rated cases.)

 

A new system is a lot better but a lot more expensive. 

[Aniallation]

Upgrade would be to a GTX 960/970 (970 would be faster but may be CPU bottlenecked)

@f5alcon just get a GTX 970 if you have the money for it. Otherwise get an R9 280 or 290. Your power supply will be able to handle pretty much any single GPU card. In newer AAA titles, Phenom II X6 bottleneck isn't a big deal.

[minibois]

-snip-

New system, but scavenge some parts from your old system (like some RAM, HDD, SSD and maaaybe.. The PSU..)

 

 

Take a look at the 290X too by the way, great card around the same price as the 970

[Imakuni]

I can't decide if I should upgrade my video card on my main system or build a new system. I am in the process of setting up a new racing rig, but I can probably get by for awhile with just console racers on PS3 and XB1, but a new system I could add PC racing games in right away.

 

The new system would be a dedicated gaming system hooked up to a TV at 1080p and would only do games that could be played with a controller/joystick/wheel,since it wouldnt be at a desk for decent mouse and keyboard control. Games would be iracing, project cars,asetto corsa, GTA V, Witcher 3. I could also use steam in home streaming to have it power games that I need to play at a desk for mouse and keyboard control as well. Final Fantasy 14, shooters, strategy games. 

 

My main system does gaming and the occasional video or audio rip from disc to my HTPC, but not often. Is on 4-16 hours a day. a decidated gaming system would only be on when gaming. 

 

Current system:

AMD Phenom II X6 1055T OC to 3.2Ghz. (tuniq tower 120)

Asrock 880G AM3(can't be updated to AM3+, so no processor upgrade is possible)

 

Modern games I hit minimum requirements but not recommended on some

 

MSI twin Frozr II GTX 465 OC to 800Mhz (roughly GTX 470 performance)

12GB DDR3 1333mhz

256GB Samsung 830 SSD

500GB seagate HDD

Antec neo ECO 620w

 

Upgrade would be to a GTX 960/970 (970 would be faster but may be CPU bottlenecked)

 

 

New build idea:

Intel core i5 4690k

coolermaster nepton 240m (never have done water, but am tired of difficult air cooling installs where i have to get crazy angles to tighten the screws)

gigabyte ga z97MX gaming 5 micro atx

8GB kingston fury black DDR3 1866

512GB crucial MX100 SSD (only for gaming no need for data storage)

EVGA 750w G2 

Asus 970 strix or msi 970 twin frozr V

Fractal Design Node 804 or define R5 or phanteks ethoo pro (I like the smaller size of the node, but the mid towers are top rated cases.)

 

A new system is a lot better but a lot more expensive. 

Well... why don't you just buy the 970? Get it, see if it suits your needs. If not, then you can finish the build later. Either way, you'll be getting a 970, so might as well just do it now.

 

Also, get the Asus model. It's cheaper, and it's easier to color match it later.

[Aniallation]

Also, get the Asus model. It's cheaper, and it's easier to color match it later.

Uh, no. 

 

With 970 either go totally cheap and get the Zotac or get one that's actually good, the Gigabyte Gaming G1

[Imakuni]

Uh, no. 

 

With 970 either go totally cheap and get the Zotac or get one that's actually good, the Gigabyte Gaming G1

It seems we have a dude here that does not understand what is he talking about... oh well.

[f5alcon]

Thanks for the replies. For my current case, a HAF 912, I would have to remove the drive cage to fit the asus or the gigabyte gaming G1, but aside from relocating my hard drive that shouldnt be too much of a problem, or just get the Zotac which is short enough. 

[Imakuni]

Thanks for the replies. For my current case, a HAF 912, I would have to remove the drive cage to fit the asus or the gigabyte gaming G1, but aside from relocating my hard drive that shouldnt be too much of a problem, or just get the Zotac which is short enough. 

Don't get the Zotac. Please. It has one of the worst coolers possible, as well 0 OC headroom and worse out of the box performance. Oh, and no 0 db feature.

 

Just get the Strix. It's only a couple dollars more.

[Aniallation]

It seems we have a dude here that does not understand what is he talking about... oh well.

 

Don't get the Zotac. Please. It has one of the worst coolers possible, as well 0 OC headroom and worse out of the box performance. Oh, and no 0 db feature.

 

Just get the Strix. It's only a couple dollars more.

 

And that dude is you. The Zotac is perfectly fine, I would know because there's one running in my dad's PC in the room next to me. 

 

You clearly don't know what you're saying if you're complaining about no 0db fan feature. Any current GPU, even a reference 290X, will be inaudible inside a case, because it will be drowned out by the CPU fans and most of all case fans. Reviewers complain because they run their cards on an open test bench and therefore the difference is slightly noticeable, but again, unless you run your PC on a test bench or the motherboard box, that's not an issue worth hating on a card for.

 

The Strix is not a night and day difference from the Zotac. The performance difference out of the box is unnoticeable, and although it may be able to overclock better, silicon lottery still applies.

 

@f5alcon there is nothing wrong with the Zotac. The cooler is more then adequate for the TDP of a 970 chip, it definitely can overclock, and there are worse 970s out of the box. 

 

If I actually wanted to suggest a bad 970, I would have suggested the MSI 970 4GD5T. 

[f5alcon]

If I am just upgrading GPU fan noise doesn't matter, the 200mm fans are not quiet. If I do a new build, I would want 0db. The GPU and PSU fans on that build would both be off under low load and I would have the radiator and case fans set to be off until 40C. 

 

The other thing about building new now, is I have my wife's permission to do it now, and maybe not later,lol. 

[Imakuni]

And that dude is you. The Zotac is perfectly fine, I would know because there's one running in my dad's PC in the room next to me. 

 

You clearly don't know what you're saying if you're complaining about no 0db fan feature. Any current GPU, even a reference 290X, will be inaudible inside a case, because it will be drowned out by the CPU fans and most of all case fans. Reviewers complain because they run their cards on an open test bench and therefore the difference is slightly noticeable, but again, unless you run your PC on a test bench or the motherboard box, that's not an issue worth hating on a card for.

 

The Strix is not a night and day difference from the Zotac. The performance difference out of the box is unnoticeable, and although it may be able to overclock better, silicon lottery still applies.

 

@f5alcon there is nothing wrong with the Zotac. The cooler is more then adequate for the TDP of a 970 chip, it definitely can overclock, and there are worse 970s out of the box. 

 

If I actually wanted to suggest a bad 970, I would have suggested the MSI 970 4GD5T. 

Zotac's cooler IS bad. It may be able to handle the card, but it isn't a good cooler. Tests have shown it hitting 82ºc at stock, in an open test bench. As a comparison, the same guy (so test conditions were the same) was getting 62ºC on the G1.

 

0db = less noise and power consumption. And less dust buildup, due to air not moving.

 

Plenty of reports from people having trouble with OC zotac's cards. Linus himself, while he managed it, he commented it wasn't as easy as with other cards, and that he ran into problems.

 

Last, but not least, all you need is 7$ to get the Asus, and don't have to worry about ANY of the problems I mentioned. If you wanted to go "cheap", get a 290(x) instead.

[f5alcon]

I bought the gigabyte gaming G1. I am debating buying thermal pads for the rear memory so that the backplate helps with cooling and doing a custom bios for voltage and lower fan speeds, but it will depend on how cpu bottlenecked I am, will just test my OC performance and see if there is much gain.