Upgrading gtx950

[PCPat27]

Hello,

I am considering upgrading my PC after Christmas, and I am not sure what to upgrade. I have a GTX 950 and an i3-6100. I really want to upgrade the 950 because I feel like that is the worse of the two, however, I know a CPU upgrade could be beneficial overall. For both, I plan on having a budget of around $200, so either a rx480 or GTX 1060 3gb, for graphics card, and a i5 6500 on the CPU side. I don't have a z170 Mobo, so I really don't need the 6600k. I was considering waiting on Zen, but I would have to get a new Mobo which would be around $100 (for a decent one I would assume.) If AMD releases a CPU comprable to the i5 6600k but around $160, do you think it would be worth getting a new Mobo and CPU? Or should I just stick with my Intel

Board and get a better CPU. Back to GPUs, is the 1060 3gb a good card or is it worth it to get a 1060 6gb?

Sorry for being such a long post, lots a questions.

Thank you for all responses.

[Guest lilbman]

7 minutes ago, PCPat27 said:

Hello,

I am considering upgrading my PC after Christmas, and I am not sure what to upgrade. I have a GTX 950 and an i3-6100. I really want to upgrade the 950 because I feel like that is the worse of the two, however, I know a CPU upgrade could be beneficial overall. For both, I plan on having a budget of around $200, so either a rx480 or GTX 1060 3gb, for graphics card, and a i5 6500 on the CPU side. I don't have a z170 Mobo, so I really don't need the 6600k. I was considering waiting on Zen, but I would have to get a new Mobo which would be around $100 (for a decent one I would assume.) If AMD releases a CPU comprable to the i5 6600k but around $160, do you think it would be worth getting a new Mobo and CPU? Or should I just stick with my Intel

Board and get a better CPU. Back to GPUs, is the 1060 3gb a good card or is it worth it to get a 1060 6gb?

Sorry for being such a long post, lots a questions.

Thank you for all responses.

The 1060 3GB is a cut down 1060 6GB.  On the surface it appears the only difference is VRAM, but it is also CUDA cores and some other stuff that affect performance.

[PCPat27]

Just now, lilbman said:

The 1060 3GB is a cut down 1060 6GB.  On the surface it appears the only difference is VRAM, but it is also CUDA cores and some other stuff that affect performance.

so would you say that it is worth the $60 or so bucks to get the 6gb?

[Guest lilbman]

1 minute ago, PCPat27 said:

so would you say that it is worth the $60 or so bucks to get the 6gb?

I'd say so.  Later on down the line, you'll be thinking 'dang, I really shoulda got the 6GB version.'  What resolution are you playing at?

[PCPat27]

Just now, lilbman said:

I'd say so.  Later on down the line, you'll be thinking 'dang, I really shoulda got the 6GB version.'  What resolution are you playing at?

1080p. Yea, your probably right, that I would tell myself that. Also, i was considering getting another monitor (1080p). Would the 1060 6gb be able to handle having a game on one monitor and then like chrome on another. Also, i notice you have a 1060 6gb yourself, how is the performance? I will probably binge watch youtube about comparisons with the 1060 and like everything about it, but are you pleased with it? 

[PCPat27]

8 minutes ago, lilbman said:

I'd say so.  Later on down the line, you'll be thinking 'dang, I really shoulda got the 6GB version.'  What resolution are you playing at?

Sorry to bother you again, but I know a place where I can a get a GTX 970 for $250. From looking at Newegg, that is a really good price. Is that card better than a 1060 6gb? Also for that price is that a good card even though it's a generation older?

Thanks

[Guest lilbman]

1 minute ago, PCPat27 said:

1080p. Yea, your probably right, that I would tell myself that. Also, i was considering getting another monitor (1080p). Would the 1060 6gb be able to handle having a game on one monitor and then like chrome on another. Also, i notice you have a 1060 6gb yourself, how is the performance? I will probably binge watch youtube about comparisons with the 1060 and like everything about it, but are you pleased with it? 

It's perfect for 1080p gaming.  I have two monitors, I usually play a game on one and listen to podcasts through Chrome on the other-though my secondary display is 1280x1024.  I'd say it's more than capable for handling it.

 

I am pleased with it. It's very impressive for a mobile GPU.  I can max out most games and get above 60 FPS easily.  I play most of my games with my other rig when I am at home, which is in my signature.  I believe the desktop one gets about 10 more FPS, but this also depends on the CPU.  My friend gets a higher frame rate in CS GO with his 980 and 6700K than my 6700HQ and 1060 6GB.

 

I just thought of this, but if you're dead set on an NVIDIA GPU, get a 1060 6GB, but the RX 480 will be better in the long run.  I don't have any experience with the RX 480 personally, but I'm sure you can find someone who does.

[duckwithanokhat]

2 minutes ago, PCPat27 said:

Sorry to bother you again, but I know a place where I can a get a GTX 970 for $250. From looking at Newegg, that is a really good price. Is that card better than a 1060 6gb? Also for that price is that a good card even though it's a generation older?

Thanks

No the 1060 6gb is around the 980 performance wise.

[Guest]

An RX 480 would be a smarter move than the 1060, comparable performance now, faster performance later. ANd more vram.

[lettuce head]

I think the 2 best cards in that price range are the 6gb gtx 1060 but that's a good amount above the $200 mark, but the 3gb 1060 is pretty lousy imo for reasons someone mentioned above, and the 4gb rx 480 (which 4gb of vram is the only difference). Right now as it stands, the gtx1060 is the winner only because of how many dx11 titles are still there. I'd bet within a year dx12 and vulkan support will take over games and as we all know, NVidia negatively scales while amd vastly benefits from dx12 and vulkan. If it were my money, I would get an rx480 4gb.

I'd also stick with your cpu and mobo. don't change it until you aren't seeing the results you want. you could always just wait for zen, and pick up a 6500 or 6700 on the cheap as to not buy a new mobo and vastly increase your multicore performance if you really need it. CPU's just age really well right now. take the i5-4460, a 2 gen old chip from like 4 years ago. it originally retailed for $200, it's still selling for $180 on newegg. because it's still a fine chip. The cpu market hasn't really progessed much in recent years.

 

[PCPat27]

1 minute ago, Abyss Gaming said:

An RX 480 would be a smarter move than the 1060, comparable performance now, faster performance later. ANd more vram.

 

2 minutes ago, lilbman said:

It's perfect for 1080p gaming.  I have two monitors, I usually play a game on one and listen to podcasts through Chrome on the other-though my secondary display is 1280x1024.  I'd say it's more than capable for handling it.

 

I am pleased with it. It's very impressive for a mobile GPU.  I can max out most games and get above 60 FPS easily.  I play most of my games with my other rig when I am at home, which is in my signature.  I believe the desktop one gets about 10 more FPS, but this also depends on the CPU.  My friend gets a higher frame rate in CS GO with his 980 and 6700K than my 6700HQ and 1060 6GB.

 

I just thought of this, but if you're dead set on an NVIDIA GPU, get a 1060 6GB, but the RX 480 will be better in the long run.  I don't have any experience with the RX 480 personally, but I'm sure you can find someone who does.

Okay so to be honest, I am not DEAD set on getting a Nvidia gpu, honestly whatever is better is what i want. Firstly, I have a mini-itx case, so i cannot run sli or crossfire to upgrade in the future. Both of yall mentioned that a rx 480 would be better "down the road or later on". What exactly do you mean by that? Is is because of the 8gb of vram? or is it just better overall? Thanks

[MrTiC]

15 minutes ago, PCPat27 said:

1080p. Yea, your probably right, that I would tell myself that. Also, i was considering getting another monitor (1080p). Would the 1060 6gb be able to handle having a game on one monitor and then like chrome on another. Also, i notice you have a 1060 6gb yourself, how is the performance? I will probably binge watch youtube about comparisons with the 1060 and like everything about it, but are you pleased with it? 

If youre also going to consider a monitor go for the RX 480 and a freesync monitor (cheap as fuck)

[PCPat27]

4 minutes ago, lettuce head said:

I think the 2 best cards in that price range are the 6gb gtx 1060 but that's a good amount above the $200 mark, but the 3gb 1060 is pretty lousy imo for reasons someone mentioned above, and the 4gb rx 480 (which 4gb of vram is the only difference). Right now as it stands, the gtx1060 is the winner only because of how many dx11 titles are still there. I'd bet within a year dx12 and vulkan support will take over games and as we all know, NVidia negatively scales while amd vastly benefits from dx12 and vulkan. If it were my money, I would get an rx480 4gb.

I'd also stick with your cpu and mobo. don't change it until you aren't seeing the results you want. you could always just wait for zen, and pick up a 6500 or 6700 on the cheap as to not buy a new mobo and vastly increase your multicore performance if you really need it. CPU's just age really well right now. take the i5-4460, a 2 gen old chip from like 4 years ago. it originally retailed for $200, it's still selling for $180 on newegg. because it's still a fine chip. The cpu market hasn't really progessed much in recent years.

 

I just checked newegg, and i know that prices fluctuate and that all of this could be different in a week, but i could get a RX-480 8GB for around $250, compared to getting a 4GB model, for around $200. I feel like I would rather get double the vram for $40-50 bucks more. Is this true? Would the 8GB model last me quite a while longer than a 4GB? Thanks.

[Guest lilbman]

4 minutes ago, PCPat27 said:

 

Okay so to be honest, I am not DEAD set on getting a Nvidia gpu, honestly whatever is better is what i want. Firstly, I have a mini-itx case, so i cannot run sli or crossfire to upgrade in the future. Both of yall mentioned that a rx 480 would be better "down the road or later on". What exactly do you mean by that? Is is because of the 8gb of vram? or is it just better overall? Thanks

AMD GPUs tend to get better over time because of the drivers that AMD releases for them.  For example, a RX 480 with the most up-to-date drivers will perform better than a RX 480 with the release drivers.  Also, DX12 will be out soon, and AMDs GPUs are showing that they will do better with DX 12 than NVIDIAs GPUs.  Also, you get more VRAM.

[PCPat27]

Thanks to everyone that has responded so far. Really the only reason I am even considering upgrading my gpu is because of this.

 

[lettuce head]

4 minutes ago, PCPat27 said:

I just checked newegg, and i know that prices fluctuate and that all of this could be different in a week, but i could get a RX-480 8GB for around $250, compared to getting a 4GB model, for around $200. I feel like I would rather get double the vram for $40-50 bucks more. Is this true? Would the 8GB model last me quite a while longer than a 4GB? Thanks.

it depends, I wish the answer was black and white. it depends on how long you think youll be using the card. if its going to stay in your rig for years and youre going to crossfire them perhaps if you need the boost, then get the 8gb for sure. but if you plan on upgrading again in 2 years or less, then it isn't worth it imo.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, PCPat27 said:

I just checked newegg, and i know that prices fluctuate and that all of this could be different in a week, but i could get a RX-480 8GB for around $250, compared to getting a 4GB model, for around $200. I feel like I would rather get double the vram for $40-50 bucks more. Is this true? Would the 8GB model last me quite a while longer than a 4GB? Thanks.

 

Well it may not be worth it a 1080p unless you plan on keeping it for more than 2 years, I mean look how obsolete 2gb is getting. Ultrawide, maybe worth it. But if you wanna spend the extra, get it. But it kinda sways on how long you are keeping it?