Gaming: buy new rig or upgrade GPU?

[arudius]

I've a Mac Pro 1.1 and have been running games under Windows 7 for a couple years now (previously XP) just fine. However, my x1900xt - which has somehow managed NOT to fail like everybody else's, is really starting to show it's age.

In lieu of Skyrim being released in this upcoming November, I've been considering saving up and buying a second rig entirely devoted to PC gaming. Now, however, with the 5770 available for the Mac Pro, I'm wondering if it's worth simply going with that and saving myself a lot of money?

Have any of you had a similar dilemma, and if so what would you recommend?

I intend to run games at my monitor's native resolution of 1900x1080.

 

[Hellhammer]

If you don't need the best graphics, then buying a new GPU should be enough. ATI 5770 is only 250$ so if it can make your system last a year or two longer, it should be worth it.

 

[alust2013]

I'd probably just get the new GPU. a 5770 or 5870 will play games like a champ, and is a ton cheaper than a new computer.

 

[arudius]

If you don't need the best graphics, then buying a new GPU should be enough. ATI 5770 is only 250$ so if it can make your system last a year or two longer, it should be worth it.

Yeah, I was starting to consider this more. I'm so amazed at how well the Mac Pro 1.1 holds up over time. I only use OS X for my professional side (audio production), and it tears it up just fine with 9GB ram.

Is it really that big of a performance boost between the x1900xt and the 5770?

 

[Hastings101]

Yea, you should notice a pretty big increase in performance if you go from the x1900 to the 5770. Almost double the performance if not more I think.

 

[ActionableMango]

I'd probably just get the new GPU. a 5770 or 5870 will play games like a champ, and is a ton cheaper than a new computer.

5770 is the way to go for your MP. The 5870 costs much more and provides virtually no extra benefit in the MP 1.1.

 

[Hellhammer]

Is it really that big of a performance boost between the x1900xt and the 5770?

Should be like day and night. 1900XT is ancient and even back then, it wasn't that fast.