Possible GPU upgrade advice please

[quintal]

Hey everyone.

I still haven't quite got my upgrade done. It's all going a bit slowly. Still waiting for that i5-760 to go down in price So far I did manage to score 6GB of Corsair XMS3 RAM for 67-odd pounds on Scan (if it ever gets delivered)... I know Pob doesn't like XMS, but I couldn't resist the price

Based on the (gratefully received) feedback here, I am also looking at GPU upgrade. So, long story short, what would be a worthwhile upgrade to a 9600GT. I am trying to work out how much money I need to spend on a graphics card that would make a noticable difference. It is mainly FPS / strateegies I am looking at playing on it. Also, where is a "sweet spot" (in moneyerformance ratio terms) with GPUs these days? GTX460? 5850?

Thanks!

[nibbler]

Depends on resolution and what games you would play. For 1680x1050 or even 1080p I'd say a GTX460 1GB should do it.

Also, you realise that an i5-760 has a dual channel memory controller, so that triple channel kit you bought will be running in dual channel?

[scaryjim]

Depends on budget, really. You could start at a GTS450 / HD5750, and anything from there upwards would be a noticable upgrade over a 9600GT. At the minute there isn't really a sweet spot tbh: the bang for buck is very similar across the GTX460 (768MB and 1GB), HD6850 and HD6870, depending on whether you want to spend £130 or £180.

The GTS450 / HD57x0 generally aren't quite as good in terms of bang for buck, but the exception to that (thanks to a good price!) is this Palit Sonic edition GTS450 which will perform to about the same level as a HD5770, but is only £95. So if you want to keep the budget tight I'd go for that: otherwise a GTX460 or HD68x0 is the order of the day

[quintal]

Depends on resolution and what games you would play. For 1680x1050 or even 1080p I'd say a GTX460 1GB should do it.

Thanks for that. That is roughly what I thought. I think it is 1050 monitor I got. Is the 768Mb not worth the bother, then?

Also, you realise that an i5-760 has a dual channel memory controller, so that triple channel kit you bought will be running in dual channel?

Trust a Weegie to put a damper on things! Hehe, just joking, greetings from the snow covered east coast...

Well, I certainly do now. I just couldn't resist the price. I take it there's nothing stopping me running it in 6GB config until they drop in price and I add another stick ?

[quintal]

Depends on budget, really. You could start at a GTS450 / HD5750, and anything from there upwards would be a noticable upgrade over a 9600GT. At the minute there isn't really a sweet spot tbh: the bang for buck is very similar across the GTX460 (768MB and 1GB), HD6850 and HD6870, depending on whether you want to spend £130 or £180.

The GTS450 / HD57x0 generally aren't quite as good in terms of bang for buck, but the exception to that (thanks to a good price!) is this Palit Sonic edition GTS450 which will perform to about the same level as a HD5770, but is only £95. So if you want to keep the budget tight I'd go for that: otherwise a GTX460 or HD68x0 is the order of the day

Thanks Jim!

I am still contemplating the difference between the 1GB and 768MB versions. There is usually an ASUS 768MB GTS460 version on Scan for about £113, so I am thinking that there is no point saving 10-15% to get a 450. 1GBs can be had for about 140. And so can a 5850.

Also, [I have been away from this game for a while so I am clueless]... I have been reading that 5850 is better than 6850? Is that right?