# Which system is a better gaming rig? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 7, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-system-is-a-better-gaming-rig/643253 "2012-12-07T00:43:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-system-is-a-better-gaming-rig/643253/1 "2012-12-07T00:43:47Z")
My Dad is giving me his old computer here shortly. It’s obviously more capable in a number of areas than the one I am using now, including hard disk memory, SSD drive, processor cores and speed, etc. I want to optimize my gaming experience and give the castoff machine to my kids. But I am not sure about the GPU in his machine versus mine. Here’s the computer he’s giving me, including a HUGE 28" HD monitor: > **[Gateway FX6800-05 Review : Intel 80GB SSD, I7 940, Plus ATI 4870 X2's Gaming Rig](https://www.slashgear.com/gateway-fx6800-05-review-intel-80gb-ssd-i7-940-plus-ati-4870-x2s-gaming-rig-2035216/)** > > Gateway's FX6800-01e was the first i7, Nehalem, Quad-Core processor PC we tested, and its performance boost over the previous Core 2 architecture was obvious. That… And here’s my meager rig right now: AMD Athlon 64 dual core processor 5200 2.7 GHz 4GB DDR-2 Kingston RAM 160GB HD Radeon HD 6750 1GB DDR3 GPU This is probably a stupid question but I guess what I really want to know is which GPU I should use. Should I swap out the HD 6750 from the older, less capable machine and use the 4870x2 (which is a 2GB card) in the older machine, or should I leave the FX machine as is? I guess the primary question is which GPU I should use. I don’t have any money to upgrade either card. I know that the Diamond 4870x2 was a top shelf card a few years ago and that the HD 6750 was always a middle range card but it’s newer. Which should I go with? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-system-is-a-better-gaming-rig/643253/2 "2012-12-07T01:05:17Z")
According to [Tom’s Hardware](http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html), the 4870 X2 is several tiers better than the 6750. The linked system is an all around better rig regardless. Better processor, more memory (and DDR3 over DDR2), if you’re not planning on anything specific for your older rig, you could take out the HDD and add it in to the Gateway in addition to the SSD it comes with. (oops, just read you plan on giving the old one to your kids) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-system-is-a-better-gaming-rig/643253/3 "2012-12-07T01:19:53Z")
I can play a game like Skyrim on reasonably amped up resolution with the HD 6750 on my old rig. So the 4870x2 card is that much better? Thanks for finding the comparison, by the way. I was looking for one and couldn’t find it. I was just concerned due to the age of the card, but it does seem to have pretty beefy stats, especially compared to what I am using now. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-system-is-a-better-gaming-rig/643253/4 "2012-12-07T01:22:13Z")
Here’s another [comparison site](http://www.hwcompare.com/5474/radeon-hd-4870-x2-vs-radeon-hd-6750/) that should eliminate your doubts. Note that it’s just comparing some metrics and doesn’t guarantee a “400% better performance” or anything. Just helps you visualize the differences. Edit: I accidentally didn’t pick the 1GB model of your current card but it doesn’t make any difference. You can select it in the drop down menus. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-system-is-a-better-gaming-rig/643253/5 "2012-12-07T01:26:27Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Here’s another [comparison site](http://www.hwcompare.com/5474/radeon-hd-4870-x2-vs-radeon-hd-6750/) that should eliminate your doubts. > > Note that it’s just comparing some metrics and doesn’t guarantee a “400% better performance” or anything. Just helps you visualize the differences. > > Edit: I accidentally didn’t pick the 1GB model of your current card but it doesn’t make any difference. You can select it in the drop down menus. Ah, that’s great, thanks. So really the only thing that the 6750 has over the 4870x2 is price, less power usage, a later open GL version (what does this mean?) and is Direct X11 capable where the 4870 is not. Is the Direct X capability a concern? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-system-is-a-better-gaming-rig/643253/6 "2012-12-07T01:28:12Z")
And I can’t believe that my Dad’s old rig has a 1000w power supply. He doesn’t play games at all, ever. Not even sure why he bought this thing in the first place other than the fact that it says “Gateway” on it. He is 72 and has always bought Gateway computers. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-system-is-a-better-gaming-rig/643253/7 "2012-12-07T01:40:14Z")
Eventually the DirectX thing may matter assuming you plan on buying recent games but not yet. Looking at [this list](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_games_with_DirectX_11_support), Crysis 3 is the only one I see without DX9/10 support. DirectX 11 is better than DX 9 but I’d consider it a fair trade-off considering the overall capabilities of the card. Just start saving pennies for an upgrade some day. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-system-is-a-better-gaming-rig/643253/8 "2012-12-07T02:03:56Z")
I’m unsatisfied with my own explanation 😉 DX11 is a more powerful system that allows for faster processing and some nicer graphic effects. The flip side is that it requires more power from the card. Since the 6750 is a low-mid level card, it doesn’t have a ton to give even on the best of days. DX9/DX10 are older but still widely used and supported. They offer a little less but the 4870 X2 will be able to run them much more powerfully due to its raw ability. So it doesn’t really help to run the 6750 in DX11 and get 25 fps on Medium settings if you can be running the 4870 X2 (w/ DX10) at high settings and get 50-60 fps. The bells and whistles of DX11 will be more than offset by the overall decreased performance and what use is nicer reflections on your guy’s armor if it’s at a lower resolution and with half the frame rate? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-system-is-a-better-gaming-rig/643253/9 "2012-12-07T02:30:07Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I’m unsatisfied with my own explanation 😉 > > DX11 is a more powerful system that allows for faster processing and some nicer graphic effects. The flip side is that it requires more power from the card. Since the 6750 is a low-mid level card, it doesn’t have a ton to give even on the best of days. > > DX9/DX10 are older but still widely used and supported. They offer a little less but the 4870 X2 will be able to run them much more powerfully due to its raw ability. > > So it doesn’t really help to run the 6750 in DX11 and get 25 fps on Medium settings if you can be running the 4870 X2 (w/ DX10) at high settings and get 50-60 fps. The bells and whistles of DX11 will be more than offset by the overall decreased performance and what use is nicer reflections on your guy’s armor if it’s at a lower resolution and with half the frame rate? That makes sense. Thank you for your input. I just hope that the computer I am getting is the one I listed. I know Dad’s old machine is a Gateway FX and that he bought it in 2009 and paid something close to 3 grand for it, so I assumed the rest. I am not 100% sure if he got the machine listed with the 4870 card…and I was merely concerned with the age of the card versus my newer albeit less capable one. As soon as he dumps his old machine’s files and gets his new Windows 8 rig (replete with an 32" HD touch screen monitor, I am told) set up I will know more. He always buys brand names. I think his new machine is an HP. Again, I won’t know for sure until I can look at the stats because as computer savvy as my retired general Dad can be in some areas, he also insists on shit like Norton. So there’s that. 🙂