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GPU upgrade
I have an Intel Quad Core Q9400 + MB Asus P5QC + ATI HD6950 2GB + 8GB 1333 DDR3 RAM + 700W Coolermaster psu.
I m thinking of buying a new GPU like a GTX 970. My MB can't support I5-I7 etc so i ll stay only to GPU upgrade as i cant afford all of them right now (CPU+MB+GPU).
Do you think there is no point to upgrade the GPU if the CPU remains as it is? Am i going to see a real boost or CPU will hold me back?
Btw i use my PC for gaming (MMO's + RPG's).
Any suggestions?
Thank you.
All Time Favorites: EQ1, WoW, EvE, GW1
Playing Now: WoW, ESO, GW2
Comments
That computer looks like as if someone's already upgraded the graphic card once during its lifetime but kept the original processor?
Upgrading GPU would likely speed up some games, but I'd say your CPU isn't good enough to really take advantage of GTX 970. Either upgrade CPU + GPU + motherboard or upgrade nothing.
I think there's no point.
Moreover, if you play MMORPG's, CPU upgrade should be your priority, due to heavy CPU dependance of MMO game engines.
You would definitely see an upgrade. I don't know what heavily CPU dependent MMO engines the other poster is talking about, but most MMOs I've played use maybe 25% of a single core on my machine, and aren't all that CPU intensive.
That being said - if the 970 is your best bang for the buck is a good question to ask. It's a nice card, for sure, but the AMD price war has brough R9 290X's down a lot and they compete very well, so it's worth considering. Also, Mantle, if your into that kind of thing.
And there is a good case for just waiting and upgrading your computer in one go. Your CPU is a bit aged, but honestly, there isn't much software out there that it won't run - some very recent stuff may need some options turned down, but it's still fairly capable. But if your the type that likes to MAX MAX everything, yeah, even with a 970 you won't get all the way there because of a CPU bottleneck.
You could upgrade the card now, or you could save your money and do the entire thing in one go - when a video card like the 970 could be significantly less expensive.
EverQuest 2 is one of the few MMOs that was designed around the CPU as a priority. Sony did this on purpose thinking future of games would lie in the CPU and they wanted to be ahead of the curve- they got it wrong and they've openly admitted it, but it's been many years now. :P
The 970 is really the best bang for your buck, but if you don't have problems playing games on the quality you are happy with, I'd just say wait longer. Better always comes out and prices always drop. I have been holding out myself for a full-on upgrade, but I can still play most games on high/max settings with a GTX 670 and my core i5 2500K 4.5Ghz. I did notice I don't get quite as good FPS on 1440p though, which I expected, but it's still not bad by any means.
Nonsense.
The multiplayer part puts the stress on server, not client.
Crazkanuk
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I would advise against upgrading for the sake of upgrading. Tinker with settings and see if, in any games you play, your current GPU isn't good enough, but the CPU is. There's no point in upgrading a video card to try to fix a CPU bottleneck.
Anti-aliasing settings are really good for this, as they add a ton of GPU load with essentially no CPU load. If tinkering with anti-aliasing doesn't budge your frame rate, you're probably CPU limited and a faster GPU isn't going to help matters, though this could also be caused by you finding and turning up some other extremely demanding GPU-only settings, which you should probably just turn off. If your frame rate changes dramatically as you change anti-aliasing, then you're GPU limited and a faster GPU will help.
All Time Favorites: EQ1, WoW, EvE, GW1
Playing Now: WoW, ESO, GW2
Just another fast question pls.
If i was to change instead of the GPU the MB + CPU and i had to choose between:
1. AMD FX 8350 / 8370 / 9370 + 990FXA MB
or
2. Intel 4690 3.5Ghz 6MB + Z97 MB
what would be your advice?
Thank you again
All Time Favorites: EQ1, WoW, EvE, GW1
Playing Now: WoW, ESO, GW2
You will want a i5-4690K from Intel, the processors with the K at the end are overclockable. Just get a decent air cooler if you haven't overclocked before and you can push it into the 4+ghz range without much issue.
A lot of MMOs are draw bound so your bottleneck will be the CPU. Most likely you will get the best upgrade from what you have now with a better CPU. It depends on the game, but in a game like WoW for example you would get a bigger boost from replacing your CPU vs your GPU.
Joshua Halls
Co Owner-Lead Programmer The Repopulation
So, 4690k it is
As for MB i usually go for Asus but i only can get this http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=5104#ov due to a discount from a friend having a pc shop.
Any comments about the MB?
All Time Favorites: EQ1, WoW, EvE, GW1
Playing Now: WoW, ESO, GW2