# More Ram or Faster Processor?



## IJWhite (Mar 23, 2011)

I currently have a desktop i've built myself...
8gbs ram
Intel i5 2500 processor

I would like to increase my performance but not too sure which to replace. Should I purchase more ram, or a better processor? I have been looking at the i7 860s Lynnfield or the i7 2600 Sandy Bridge.

Will I have a noticeable increase in performance with one of those?

What should be my next purchase?? Thanks in advance!


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## JMPC (Jan 15, 2011)

Better performance for what primary use? 8GB should be more than enough for most uses so I would say CPU.


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## IJWhite (Mar 23, 2011)

Basically only for gaming usage. SWTOR, of course, and Rift.


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## JMPC (Jan 15, 2011)

Which GPU do you have? The i5 2500 is not a slow CPU so a GPU may gain you more improvement.

BTW, the i7 860 would not fit a sandy bridge board which is what you have with an i5 2500.


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## IJWhite (Mar 23, 2011)

Here are my specs I just copied from my online receipt. I hope this includes everything....

MS OEM WIN 7 PRO 64BIT DVD OEM	
INTEL BOX INTEL CI5 2500K	
LGELECOEM LG 22X DVD BURNER SA	
WDOEM WD BLACK 1TB SATA 6.0 HD 
CORSAIR 8GB 2X4 D3 1600 C9 DIM	
ESET ESET NOD32 A/V 4.0 1-1	
COOLMAST GX-SERIES 650W ATX PS	
DIAMONDM HD6850 1GB D5 DDHDP P 
ASUS P8P67 PRO R3 1155 ATX 
SERVICENT 2 YR REPLACEMENT	
THERMALTA V3 BLACK GAMING CHAS


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Neither you CPU or RAM (8GB is more than sufficient) should have any problems with games.
Gaming is primarily dependent on the GPU so if you're having issues in games that would be the most logical upgrade.
The PSU would also need to be upgraded with a new GPU.


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## IJWhite (Mar 23, 2011)

Tyree said:


> Neither you CPU or RAM (8GB is more than sufficient) should have any problems with games.
> Gaming is primarily dependent on the GPU so if you're having issues in games that would be the most logical upgrade.
> The PSU would also need to be upgraded with a new GPU.


So you're recommending a better graphics card and power supply?


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Yes, if you are experiencing problems in games.


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## IJWhite (Mar 23, 2011)

Mainly just jumping issues.


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## JMPC (Jan 15, 2011)

The 6850 isn't a bad GPU and it would depend on the cost to upgrade to something faster, but I would also recommend looking at the GTX 560 ti

Here's an article on different CPUs and GPUs in SWTOR:
CPU Clock And Core Benchmarks : Star Wars: The Old Republic: PC Performance, Benchmarked


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## Shaynk (Nov 12, 2011)

That hardware shouldn't struggle with swtor or rift, what settings and resolution are you using?


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## IJWhite (Mar 23, 2011)

Shaynk said:


> That hardware shouldn't struggle with swtor or rift, what settings and resolution are you using?


Max settings of course


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## Shaynk (Nov 12, 2011)

AA? screen resolution? Etc. 

Also getting a second 6850 in crossfire is going to offer the biggest bang for your buck, especially since you'll be upgrading psu anyways


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## IJWhite (Mar 23, 2011)

Shaynk said:


> AA? screen resolution? Etc.
> 
> Also getting a second 6850 in crossfire is going to offer the biggest bang for your buck, especially since you'll be upgrading psu anyways


I really like the idea of dual graphics cards. Will my i5 2500 support it, and will I need to purchase a new power supply?


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## toothman (Jul 13, 2008)

if you want to COMPLETELY max out SWTOR settings with full AA, you're gonna need a 6970.

that being said, with the 7000 radeons coming out fairly soon, i wouldn't say now is the time to spend $300+ on a card. a lot of tech announcements are coming in 2012, so you may find something worth waiting for.

as far as maxing out the graphics goes, that's going beyond how the designers intended the game to be seen. developers get paid to set the graphical ceilings _really_ high. and even after that, there are always modders giving you even more options to turn the graphics up. with enough mods, even Oblivion can bring modern high-end systems to their knees. 

with an i5, 8gb of ram, and a 6850 you can play the game the way the developers intended it to be played without any hiccups.

BTW i'm currently playing SWTOR on a laptop with Intel integrated graphics lol it's pretty ugly but i find it's easy to settle with lower graphical settings once you just focus on playing the game.


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## Shaynk (Nov 12, 2011)

Your i5 is far from a hinderance.

You will definitely want to upgrade the psu, you'll be looking I. The 750-850 Watt range. Seasonic, xfx, and corsair are good brands to look at.


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## emosun (Oct 4, 2006)

I would have to agree on a better power supply so your machine doesn't fry itself.

As for dual gpu's , they are not even remotely close to being cost efficient.


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## Shaynk (Nov 12, 2011)

emosun said:


> I would have to agree on a better power supply so your machine doesn't fry itself.
> 
> As for dual gpu's , they are not even remotely close to being cost efficient.


AnandTech - Bench - GPU11

Since he already has one 6850, he can spend $150 and get more performance then he would by spending $300 or more on a 6970. How is this 'not even close to being cost efficient'?


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

emosun said:


> I would have to agree on a better power supply so your machine doesn't fry itself.
> 
> As for dual gpu's , they are not even remotely close to being cost efficient.


Ditto ^
One better GPU is almost always the better option. Two GPU's use more power, generate more unneeded heat into the case and offer a small performance increase in the few apps/games that can actually utilize two GPU's.


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## IJWhite (Mar 23, 2011)

It sounds like everyone can agree that I need a new Power Supply, correct? Hopefully that will increase my game speed.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

I doubt the PSU will increase speeds but using a good quality sufficiently powered will help insure a longer life for your components.
650W is sufficient for the 6850 but you will want more if you intend to upgrade the GPU. 
SeaSonic-XFX-Corsair (not the CX-GS-M Series) are top quality PSU's.


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## Shaynk (Nov 12, 2011)

Tyree said:


> Ditto ^
> One better GPU is almost always the better option. Two GPU's use more power, generate more unneeded heat into the case and offer a small performance increase in the few apps/games that can actually utilize two GPU's.


About 30-50 extra Watts, and 3-5 degrees, for 10-30% better performance and half the price? Sounds like a no brainer.


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## emosun (Oct 4, 2006)

Shaynk said:


> AnandTech - Bench - GPU11
> 
> Since he already has one 6850, he can spend $150 and get more performance then he would by spending $300 or more on a 6970. How is this 'not even close to being cost efficient'?


That link if anything helps prove why crossfire is to be avoided. Even though it's slightly faster then a single card setup, it uses far more power and generates more heat. You'll also need to factor in the cost of a power supply to run the setup as well over a single card setup.

Both sli and crossfire have never been a cost effective solution in their entire history. It's only been designed to do one thing , trick you into buying two graphics cards instead of one.....


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## Shaynk (Nov 12, 2011)

What would a company benefit from you buying two gpus that are still cheaper then a single card that they out perform? 

Even if you added in buying a stronger psu, you're talking an extra 20-30 dollars. Which doesn't come close to the difference of buying a different gpu and essentially wasting the money spent on the original card.

You 'hardware team members' should update your advice. I dont even want to know how long Tyree has been copy and pasting the same outdated advice. Or, how outdated the 'suggested build list's is.


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## MonsterMiata (Jan 5, 2010)

I would suggest finding a friend or acquaintance to check out their sli/crossfire rig. Trying to sli/crossfire lower tier cards tends to result in more frustration then gain due to the micro stuttering issue and lack of decent driver support. If you go with the more powerful card you can guarantee that 99% of your games will be problem free.

Benchmarks are also just that, benchmarks. They do not represent real world use. This is why i suggest meeting someone who has a rig set up for crossfire or sli and see what you think. I know my friend was far from impressed with his dual 4770's when he had them.

We are also all volunteers here who offer help during are spare/free time, its quite difficult to stay on top of the build sticky when links change weekly. We do try are best however.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Shaynk said:


> What would a company benefit from you buying two gpus that are still cheaper then a single card that they out perform?
> 
> Even if you added in buying a stronger psu, you're talking an extra 20-30 dollars. Which doesn't come close to the difference of buying a different gpu and essentially wasting the money spent on the original card.
> 
> You 'hardware team members' should update your advice. I dont even want to know how long Tyree has been copy and pasting the same outdated advice. Or, how outdated the 'suggested build list's is.


Our advice is commonly precise, accurate and based on many years of experience as builder's/repairers.
Don't put a lot of stock in testing and reviews. Many are compensated and many rarely hold true in real life usage.
Copy & paste avoids typing the same information repeatedly.
The suggested build list is updated when we have time. Our time here is voluntary and we all have jobs and or businesses to run.


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## emosun (Oct 4, 2006)

Shaynk said:


> What would a company benefit from you buying two gpus that are still cheaper then a single card that they out perform?


Your not looking at it correctly. The fact is , whatever card you buy , weather it be low end , midrange , or high end. You'll have to buy another card to crossfire/sli.

Which equals more money for the company no matter what card you have.

People will buy what they have and what they know. So most people will buy the same card again rather then a new different one.

This is basic business in one of the most obvious examples.


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