Okay, so here is my current PC specs:


Motherboard: M5A99x EVO
Processor: AMD FX 4170 4.20GHZ Quad Core
GPUs: 2x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 in SLI
RAM: 8GB
Power Supply: 800W

I have 650 Dollars (not absolute, can go a little above or below, though try to keep it around there.). I want to upgrade my PC so I can run mods like Open Cities and/or Warzones on high settings. Not so much concerned about graphical enhancements.

Considering that, which should I upgrade:

1. Motherboard and CPU?

2. GPUS?

3. RAM? (I'm guesing no since skyrim doesn't even use that extra GB anyway)

Pick only one btw.

And secondly, choosing one, which is the best I could get for 650? (Example: If I go with #1, what's the best CPU And MOtherboard I could get for it?)

There isn't much you could upgrade to improve performance. Your PC is more then capable of running Skyrim a few times over, so any additional power would basically be wasted.


On the flip side, a friend of mine suggest adding in an IDE hard drive for added performance on load times. =)

Again though as I said, I'm hoping for something that can run lots of NPCS at a time.

You are looking at a technical limitation. You already have 2 560s and a quad core CPU, more ram then you will ever need for a single program.

If you REALLY want to improve performance, then get an SSD, but that will only really help load times and not overall game performance.

If you MUST upgrade something, motherboard and CPU would be your best bet, but again, your gain would be minimal if at all.