CPU is fine for TF2 - no need to go quad core unless you play the newest games on ultra settings, or do a lot of video rendering. Very few games (even brand new ones) utilize 4 cores....let alone 6, 12, etc.

For TF2 increase on your setup - $300 budget

1. If you have a 64 bit operating system (and if you don't, i'd suggest formatting and installing one)...i'd bump the ram up to 8GB. It's older ram, so it could actually be harder to find, therefore the price could be more for the 4GB you need. I would look on ebay personally Probably $40 to upgrade.
2. Video card : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130932. Best bang for your buck - this + ram will keep you at 300 budget. You will see a very noticeable improvement from your current card. You should never drop below 100 fps even on a 32 man server on dx9. As always, make sure your powersupply can support the card. This card should future proof you for quite some time.

If you purely want to go graphics card - you can get a used 680 GTX for around $300 now on ebay. That card will play anything out there right now. Prices dropped because the 780/780ti are both out now.

If you do choose to do a CPU upgrade..i would just wait, save up and build a brand new machine entirely. Sell this one afterwards and put a little money back in your pockets.

Seems like you should get a little more money and build a new one.

If you do end up going with a 760 that CPU will hold back it's potential power and overall performance. Since it's a 1156 socket it would be quite smart to already go with a newer gen i5 or maybe switch to an AMD CPU.

Looking at the GPU side of things, looks like the 465 is a down clocked 460 of some sort. It shouldn't be horrible with TF2 but I personally feel like a CPU upgrade is in a bigger need than a GPU.

Personally I would say a new PC would be a lot better over upgrading your current build :)

The CPU is pretty much the only thing that matters for TF2, you could even play with the intel integrated graphics (at least the newer ones). That means you need a new motherboard and a new CPU.

More RAM won't do anything.
A better GPU could improve the performance in other games, but not TF2.

Think about it, if you're getting fps drops because your CPU is too slow, why should a better GPU improve performance? It won't magically make your CPU run faster.

My brother actually has one of the new i5 quad CPUs (I can't remember the exact name, but it's one of the newer, popular ones) with intel integrated graphics (yeah it's a newer one) and it runs tf2 like garbage (compared to my setup) with the same settings I use.

Most people are running TF2 with either highframes or maxframes. The 4th Gen i5's can basically handle the game by themselves so long as they're running one of those configs.

From what you're saying, you experience a lot of problems that other players with decent cpu's have.

I have no idea why this is but there have been prior threads with people experiencing the same issue when they got better, more stable fps in the past.

I can attest to the fact that tf2 runs fine on intergrated. On a 720p res, i was running on high settings with no AA and was always staying 60+ fps in pubs. So I'd say 1080p maxframes would run fine.

only read op but:

First check out which part of your computer is under the most load. If it's the cpu then upgrade the mobo & cpu. If the gpu, upgrade the gpu. Ram makes absolutely no difference to fps. Someone tested the difference between 1333mhz ram and 2133mhz there was like 1fps difference in bf4 ultra settings 1080p. I'd say go with mobo+cpu do your research though.

Yes, my brother and I do use highframes and I believe his is 4th.

his 4th gen i5 runs tf2 like garbage? something is fucked with his computer then

Yeah, integrated w/ i5 gets ~60+ fps. Regardless, just having a decent/good CPU--4th gen i5--won't run tf2 at 120+ fps, which is what I want. My tf2 already runs tf2 fine. I just wanted it to be better/not having spikes, since it's pretty noticeable especially with 144hz. I'm just wondering if it's worth upgrading the CPU or the GPU. I'm getting mixed results (talked to people in steam too).

Having to run an fps config/lowest settings on a 5 year old game, getting only 60+ fps is garbage is what I was implying (that's what my brother's pc was getting, roughly).

This looks like a fine build, but anything better than my comp :D #Intel Pentium 4

Upgrade the CPU.

TF2 is very CPU dependent so upgrading to a better i5 would help you more than a new GPU, just be careful with the sockets since Haswell uses 1150 instead of 1156 (what your motherboard uses)

Suggestion on a better i5?

Considering your motherboard, you are limited to the first generation i-Series processors:
http://www.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/cpu-support-popup.aspx?pid=3509

I'd probably get a new motherboard.

Yes, it would be the wiser upgrade but also the more costly.

Gpu upgrades obviously do some fps increase, seen by my own upgrade in the past and other people's (tf2). So what if I just OCd my processor and got a new video card? Or is my current processor too bad?

Do you currently run the game in Dx 9?

also OCing your processor might not be an option, as I believe you don't have a motherboard that can unlock your CPU and your CPU didn't come unlocked either.

-edit-
nvm I just looked at your steam account screenshots
you're definitely running tf2 in DX 9. Willing to bet your FPS drops are around Burning Players / Fully Charged Medics.

try -dxlevel 81 in launch options and if you have a weird strobing effect, you'll need really old drivers (since you use Nvidia), but this is only if you want to fix your fps drops. Merry Christmas!

also check my thread about DX 9 fire if you want to test out any of those situations
http://teamfortress.tv/forum/thread/13870-poor-framerate-with-dx9-fire

Latest Nvidia Drivers that works with DX 8.1
32bit: http://www.nvidia.co.uk/object/win8-win7-winvista-32bit-306.97-whql-driver-uk.html
64bit:http://www.nvidia.com/object/notebook-win8-win7-winvista-64bit-306.97-whql-driver.html

Overclocking won't really improve your CPU all that much, it's all down to the architecture of the CPU that delivers the power of the thing. (only if you have like high performance ram, gpu and cpu, then some overclocking would help it to give it the maximum ammount of performance)

Yes, a GPU upgrade will increase your FPS, it's just that if you would have a quadcore CPU, your computer could utilize a lot more of that GPU's power.

So lets say you buy the 760, it will give you a significant performance increase over your current GPU, but then later on you really should buy a new CPU with that a new Motherboard or vice versa.
Which ever one you care to take you should get a fps upgrade in TF2 and in most games.

Upgrade the CPU.
You probably need a new motherboard with it.

New CPU such as the I5 4770k Haswell will increase your fps you need a new motherboard tho because i think it uses a diffrent sockel.
And also fire up the Taskmanager while you are in tf2 and see how much RAM is being used.
Newer i5 with a new motherboard of course + (If you got some more money) 8GB 1600MHz Ram will be a good combo.
(The CPU works together with the RAM).

If you got the money i would defenatly think about just buying a new PC.

Beware even with a beast cpu you will gonna face some problems, tf2 is a very poorly optimized game overall and even I with an i7 3770k get huge fps issues sometimes.

dis