Simple bottle neck question

[Bender Blues]

First post here, be easy on me I'll keep the specs and everything else short.

----------

AMD FX 8350 Black Edition

MSI GTX 970

matched 16 gb's 

600w EVGA Gold

 

Upgrading the mobo/cpu/ram isn't an option currently. Obviously can't ran AAA titles on blast but running in high etc gets me 50 and 60 frames which is OK.

But my question, maybe obvious to everyone.... for example, running Assetto Corsa on Ultra everything with 24 cars gets me 60 frames.

 

But when looking at task manager/performance, during that game play, the cpu load is 28% or so but the GPU is at 98%.

Knowing titles vary, is it safe to say the GPU could use an upgrade?

 

Everything needs an upgrade but a GPU one would work for now if thats what it shows.

Thanks for reading, look forward to hearing back.

Gracious! 

[dgsddfgdfhgs]

1 minute ago, Bender Blues said:

Knowing titles vary, is it safe to say the GPU could use an upgrade?

at least a good gpu upgrade wont be a waste on future upgrades...

preferable used gtx1070 ($200) or new rx5700 /xt ($400) but with that budget you could get new sets of cpu + mobo+ram

 

 

[GoldenLag]

4 minutes ago, Bender Blues said:

the cpu load is 28% or so but the GPU is at 98%.

Check per thread load on the CPU. And check the frametime intervals. 

 

 

But if the performance is good enough, why change anything?

5 minutes ago, Bender Blues said:

Everything needs an upgrade

Not unless you feel the performance is unsatisfactory.

[191x7]

If you have the money to upgrade the GPU to something noticably better than the GTX 970, you have the money to change the platform (CPU, MBO, RAM).

If you add a stronger card, without upgrading the CPU you will get roughly the same performance in most games.

Upgrade the GPU now only if you plan on upgrading the platform in the near future (next 6 months).

[Bender Blues]

Just now, GoldenLag said:

Check per thread load on the CPU. And check the frametime intervals. 

 

 

But if the performance is good enough, why change anything?

Not unless you feel the performance is unsatisfactory.

Would checking the load on each thread tell me something different than the 28% overall load? Simply, is that 28% representing full load on the CPU? I assumed it did.

Why the change... well if the GPU is that much of a bottleneck it would be nice to upgrade and turn some settings up on those other titles running in high  with 60 frames.

Thank You!

[GoldenLag]

3 minutes ago, Bender Blues said:

Would checking the load on each thread tell me something different than the 28% overall load? Simply, is that 28% representing full load on the CPU? I assumed it did.

you CPU has 4 compute clusters and 8 cores. 

 

games rarely load up all of those cores. 

 

28% is overall load and includes the unloaded cores. 

 

think you will find a core that runs close to 100%. 

[Bender Blues]

Just now, 191x7 said:

If you have the money to upgrade the GPU to something noticably better than the GTX 970, you have the money to change the platform (CPU, MBO, RAM).

If you add a stronger card, without upgrading the CPU you will get roughly the same performance in most games.

Upgrade the GPU now only if you plan on upgrading the platform in the near future (next 6 months).

My thought was $200-250 ish for a GPU upgrade, that's not gonna cover a new mobo/ram and decent CPU is it?

 

If you add a stronger card, without upgrading the CPU you will get roughly the same performance in most games.

 

But the percentage difference in usage is so big that I assumed a GPU would be OK for now. Than a bit later, hold onto the card and do the cpu/mobo/ram route.

 

[Bender Blues]

3 minutes ago, GoldenLag said:

you CPU has 4 compute clusters and 8 cores. 

 

games rarely load up all of those cores. 

 

28% is overall load and includes the unloaded cores. 

 

think you will find a core that runs close to 100%. 

Gotcha, will check those % with the same 24 cars right now. thank you much

[191x7]

1 minute ago, Bender Blues said:

My thought was $200-250 ish for a GPU upgrade, that's not gonna cover a new mobo/ram and decent CPU is it?

 

But the percentage difference in usage is so big that I assumed a GPU would be OK for now. Than a bit later, hold onto the card and do the cpu/mobo/ram route.

$250 for the GPU and add the $100-150 you'd get for the CPU, MBO and RAM - becomes quite enough.

 

Or, guess what:

- Ryzen 5 2600 $130

- Asrock B450M pro4 $75

- Patriot 16GB DDR4 3000 $60

~ 265 USD

[Bender Blues]

18 minutes ago, GoldenLag said:

you CPU has 4 compute clusters and 8 cores. 

 

games rarely load up all of those cores. 

 

28% is overall load and includes the unloaded cores. 

 

think you will find a core that runs close to 100%. 

So heres the gpu at 97% and the cpu total. And the cores... same load with 24 cars.

Is the GPU the big bottleneck here?

[Bender Blues]

8 minutes ago, 191x7 said:

$250 for the GPU and add the $100-150 you'd get for the CPU, MBO and RAM - becomes quite enough.

 

Or, guess what:

- Ryzen 5 2600 $130

- Asrock B450M pro4 $75

- Patriot 16GB DDR4 3000 $60

~ 265 USD

OK TY. Would this yield a bigger gain while keeping the same gpu if then I decide to keep it? Or go the gpu route.

much thanks.

 

I still can't understand how this card (MSI GTX 970) still sells for $399 new, its what, four years old?

[GoldenLag]

12 minutes ago, Bender Blues said:

So heres the gpu at 97% and the cpu total. And the cores... same load with 24 cars.

Is the GPU the big bottleneck here?

the GPU is the limiting factor yes. 

 

if the performance is satisfacotry, then there is nothing to care about. tho a GPU upgrade would yield some gains. probably around 20% higher framerate.

10 minutes ago, Bender Blues said:

I still can't understand how this card (MSI GTX 970) still sells for $399 new, its what, four years old?

nolonger being made, and retailers are just charging a lot for the 2-3 cards that they have left. 

 

they go for 70-120$ used. 

 

[Bender Blues]

2 minutes ago, GoldenLag said:

the GPU is the limiting factor yes. 

 

if the performance is satisfacotry, then there is nothing to care about. tho a GPU upgrade would yield some gains. probably around 20% higher framerate.

nolonger being made, and retailers are just charging a lot for the 2-3 cards that they have left. 

 

they go for 70-120$ used. 

 

OK, thats good to know ty. It is satisfactory but as I mentioned, it would be nice to turn up some settings in those titles running only in high settings. Nothing world changing But just a bit of a boost.

 

Didn't know that about the price, that makes sense.

With all that settled - sell me on a used GPU thats worth the upgrade over the 970 in the $200 range please.

Kinda want to stick only with Nvidia.

 

Is the 1070 a decent choice that would give more performance over this 970? Or is there a better option in that $ range.

thank you much everyone.

[GoldenLag]

2 minutes ago, Bender Blues said:

s the 1070 a decent choice that would give more performance over this 970? Or is there a better option in that $ range

gtx 1070 would roughly be the best you can get for about 200$. so id just scout a decent card. 

 

unsure how gtx 1080 pricing has fallen on the used market, havent had a look a that card to know where is should sell. 

[Bender Blues]

Just now, GoldenLag said:

gtx 1070 would roughly be the best you can get for about 200$. so id just scout a decent card. 

 

unsure how gtx 1080 pricing has fallen on the used market, havent had a look a that card to know where is should sell. 

Sounds great, TY very much GoldenLag.

 

If anyone else has any other ideas on an upgrade for the 970, please.... give 'um to me as well 

Thanks for all the help