I made a stupid mistake, now looking for how to possibly correct it. - Hardware & Software

Alright, at the beginning of this summer I purchased a prebuilt HP computer and now that I've spent the summer playing around with it I've now seen what a mistake I'd made. Though I had no knowledge of the difference it made beforehand... I need your help. My goal was/is to play Skyrim on ultra settings. I purchased this computer[URL="http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&docname=c03154290"]http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&docname=c03154290[/URL] from BestBuy and of course, I cannot return it now. When I purchased the computer I got a 850W Black widow power supply and a 1GB Nvidia 560Ti GPU and installed both. Playing Skyrim on Ultra, I get a pretty rough, but still easily playable, FPS. I'd like a much smoother gameplay if possible. Also I've heard Skyrim isn't so graphically intense so I have a feeling the problems will show more later on... Forgive me for my lack of knowledge, not that I am much better off now, but I understand I should have done more research before purchasing. But its over and done. I need to know what changes I should make first. I'd like to avoid upgrading my GPU unless that's my bottleneck. The other forum I posted on said the 560Ti should be fine for now. But they weren't so clear on what else I should do. Please help me out :) I have around 500 dollars I can spend upgrading it now but I'd love to know what other immediate changes you'd make if it exceeds 500. (So far on other forums suggestions have included 1. Exchanging my current 10Gb RAM for 2x4Gb RAM for faster channel? 2. Upgrading CPU to a AMD FX-8150. 3. Upgrading Motherboard. BUT - No one really suggested what motherboard to get. Remember, I'm rather lost when it comes to parts.) Thank you so much for your help.

The entire FX line of processors is shit and the AM3 socket is dead. for $500 you can upgrade to an i5 and a Z77 and some dual channel RAM. Your 560 ti is probably being bottlenecked by that piece of crap in your machine now. RAM: [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233196[/url] CPU: [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504[/url] MOBO: [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131820[/url] There is cheaper ram out there but I usually try to get RAM that looks good with the style of the motherboard.

Thank you SO much for the help. Really. And the quick response. I have one other question though. Do I need to get a new case as well? The PSU was a pretty tight fit. [editline]14th August 2012[/editline] Also, would you suggest buying these parts you listed now or saving up a little more and waiting? I just don't know anything about it. Is an i5 a good processor that will last me a while? I know nothing gold can stay. ;)

You might have to get a new case, the form factor is probably a btx or something.

[QUOTE=silaent;37226723]Thank you SO much for the help. Really. And the quick response. I have one other question though. Do I need to get a new case as well? The PSU was a pretty tight fit. [editline]14th August 2012[/editline] Also, would you suggest buying these parts you listed now or saving up a little more and waiting? I just don't know anything about it. Is an i5 a good processor that will last me a while? I know nothing gold can stay. ;)[/QUOTE] I have an i5 it gives at at least 50 or 60 FPS on Skyrim.

Awesome. :) thank you all so much. Would you say to go ahead and get the i5 then? Or would it be best to spend a little more? I just don't want to be in the same place 6 months from now with a different game is all. I've heard Skyrim isn't the most demanding game. @QuikKill, would you suggest anything different here or any case specifically?

Check to see if your case can use atx motherboards, if so, you could keep it. If not, just get a new case. Give me a case budget, and I will show you one. [editline]14th August 2012[/editline] Turns out it's a uatx case, which is microatx. So you could keep the case if you wanted.

Thanks :) I Don't know what good cases run but id like a decent one if I'm going to get one. Just guessing around the 100 dollar range. Is upgrading the CPU going to require any additional cooling?

I'd get a hyper 212 for like 30 bucks. This is a good case for 75: [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139011[/url] I have a thing for lian li and silverstone. And lian li has a huge sale right now, so check them out: [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=LLcase0812&x=0&y=0[/url]

Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the help!

No problem man.