Upgrade or Not?

[JSuttsPCs]

I have a computer with an i7 3770k and a GTX660. I want to be able to record and play battlefield 4 on ultra. Will I be okay? 

 

                                                                            if not

 

I planned to add a second GTX660 and I think it would be fine but my motherboard isn't SLI compatible.

 

So do I buy a new graphics card and motherboard 

 

                               or

 

Wait and buy a new PC in around a years time?

 

Be great if you could help

[Qpm5]

I think your rig is good for bf4 but to play ultra you will want to get a new video card. Your cpu will be good for years to come though

[WoodenMarker]

You should probably upgrade to a 7970/280x. 

What are the rest of your specs? A dedicated hdd helps for recording gameplay. 

[JSuttsPCs]

I think your rig is good for bf4 but to play ultra you will want to get a new video card. Your cpu will be good for years to come though

Yeah I love the cpu, its just the fact that I want to be  able to get goof frames both when i'm recording and when i'm not. I think it would either cost £250 for a mobo and second 660

or just buy one £350 GPU with the money after selling my old 660 

[JSuttsPCs]

You should probably upgrade to a 7970/280x. 

What are the rest of your specs? A dedicated hdd helps for recording gameplay. 

I have a 120gb SSD which BF4 will be saved on and a 2TB WD Green which i save my gameplays on. 8gb ram and an 850w psu so no problem to add things.

[WoodenMarker]

I have a 120gb SSD which BF4 will be saved on and a 2TB WD Green which i save my gameplays on. 8gb ram and an 850w psu so no problem to add things.

It sounds like a 7970/280x would be the way to go. 

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-r9280xgaming3g

[JSuttsPCs]

It sounds like a 7970/280x would be the way to go. 

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-r9280xgaming3g

Has Linus done benchmarks with this card yet?

[kinkywink]

Has Linus done benchmarks with this card yet?

yeah there are some, not much but some, at the end of the unboxing of the r9 280x..

also, linus (i think it was him anyway) suggested for recording to use a ssd for boot drive, hdd for mass storage but also for when your recording, record your current footage onto another it doesnt need to be a massive ssd just something to hold it for while your recording, then when your done, transfer to your mass storage drive

[LifesCompanion]

If I were you, I would definitely buy a new GPU (won't suggest one, there are a ton of options and it'll change from what you want to do with it apart from BF4/gaming) and if you have enough money, a new motherboard with SLI or CrossFire compatibility is what I would go. 

 

With a new GPU, I know that the 7970 and the 280 has been suggested but keep in mind that the stuttering and screen tearing issue when you CrossFire them is still there (Apologies if I'm wrong). 

[Blackterror25]

It's highly unlikely that you'll be able to run bf4 on ultra

 

also If you are wanting to record perhaps you should look into a capture card of some sort?

 

for example the avermedia game Capture

http://www.amazon.com/AVerMedia-Technologies-Inc-C285-AC-Capture/dp/B00F84ZSQE/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1382438751&sr=1-1

[lachyman]

I have a 660 and I had best results at medium settings, if I went higher I had some drops which probably wouldn't please you as the player, but also the viewers. I personally wouldn't recommend SLI'ing GTX660 and 660Ti, because they have a smaller, 192-bit bus which would probably bottleneck the solution.  What board do you have? Budget?

[WoodenMarker]

Has Linus done benchmarks with this card yet?

The 280x is basically a slightly underclocked rebranded 7970 ghz edition. There's little need for benchmarks.

[JSuttsPCs]

I have a 660 and I had best results at medium settings, if I went higher I had some drops which probably wouldn't please you as the player, but also the viewers. I personally wouldn't recommend SLI'ing GTX660 and 660Ti, because they have a smaller, 192-bit bus which would probably bottleneck the solution.  What board do you have? Budget?

MSI Z77A-G43 and I want the cheapest and most suitable things

[lachyman]

MSI Z77A-G43 and I want the cheapest and most suitable things

OK, that board seems fine. Just switch to R9 280X, it's a very value-friendly GPU and can most likely max the game out.

[JSuttsPCs]

OK, that board seems fine. Just switch to R9 280X, it's a very value-friendly GPU and can most likely max the game out.

Okay thanks mate