How badly do I need to upgrade?

[mineturte83]

I am currently running games like GTA V and BF1 at 720p, lowest, at around 60-75fps. Seems about console quality to me, so the graphics portion doesn't really matter. However, I do get constant dips, especially when in discord / skype calls. I am currently running on a i3 2105 2c/4t @ 3.1ghz, and a GTA 570. I honestly think my hardware, mainly my cpu, is slowly degrading. The 250fps+ I would use to get on minecraft is now a mere 180fps+. Same goes for the old 100fps+ for GTA V. I would like to upgrade to a 1080ti /  1080 @ 1440p 144hz, but I'm not if I should wait for vega or the 2000 series. 

 

PcPP Link to Current System / Dream System - https://pcpartpicker.com/list/PX3KRG / https://pcpartpicker.com/list/GppkPs

[Energycore]

I was on a core i3 2100, you can do what I did, which is look for a Xeon E3 v1 or v2, which are equivalents of an i7-2600 (the 1230 models and up) and should run you $80-$100. Also look for unlocked i7-2600Ks and 3770Ks since you have an OC capable motherboard. Then spend $200 on an RX 580 and you have a system that can run 60+ fps in 1080p, and you only spent $300. It's really not hard to get an amazing gaming experience these days.

 

BTW you should change that PSU if able. It's really bad for the price. You can keep it but definitely don't include an NEX for a dream build

[genexis_x]

Sounds like your GPU bottlenecks more than your CPU.

 

You can get a used i5/i7 and get a new GPU

 

Also, your current PSU is mediocre. Consider changing it if possible.

[Damascus]

If you have the $$$ to fling at this system go for it, Vega will at best compete with the ti, won't really thrash it.  Consider dropping the 1800x to a 1700/1700x/1600/1600x

 

IMO get a 2700k second hand for cheap and plop in the 1080/1080 tI and wait for next gen of cpus

[Energycore]

Just now, ZM Fong said:

Sounds like your GPU bottlenecks more than your CPU.

Oh friend, you never have used a sandy bridge i3. Mine was bottlenecking a GTX 560 Ti in a lot of games.

[Energycore]

Just now, Damascus said:

If you have the $$$ to fling at this system go for it, Vega will at best compete with the ti, won't really thrash it.  Consider dropping the 1800x to a 1700/1700x/1600/1600x

 

IMO get a 2700k second hand for cheap and plop in the 1080/1080 tI and wait for next gen of cpus

I do agree that no one should get an 1800X, pretty much. Since the 1700 is the same.

[genexis_x]

6 minutes ago, Energycore said:

Oh friend, you never have used a sandy bridge i3. Mine was bottlenecking a GTX 560 Ti in a lot of games.

I never have the chance to use a desktop PC (edit: with decent hardware, even an i3 is considered decent) or build a PC so...?

Edited May 18, 2017 by ZM Fong

[Energycore]

Just now, ZM Fong said:

I never have the chance to use a desktop PC or build a PC so...?

Well, don't give up hope

 

You can game on $350 US or equivalent if you look hard enough

[genexis_x]

4 minutes ago, Energycore said:

Well, don't give up hope

 

You can game on $350 US or equivalent if you look hard enough

Will build one in future, I swear

 

The problem is my parents won't allow me to build a desktop PC, moreover used markets here is crap

 

Anyway, I'm fine with my current laptop, at least I got myself a computer, although it's having some problems now

[Energycore]

Just now, ZM Fong said:

Will build one in future, I swear

 

The problem is my parents won't allow me to do so, moreover used markets here is crap

 

Anyway, I'm fine with my current laptop, at least I got myself a computer, although it's having some problems now

You can play Dota on it, that's all that matters

[Herman Mcpootis]

5 minutes ago, ZM Fong said:

Will build one in future, I swear

 

The problem is my parents won't allow me to build a desktop PC, moreover used markets here is crap

 

Anyway, I'm fine with my current laptop, at least I got myself a computer, although it's having some problems now

taobao can solve your problems  their prices are quite good. if it's about space, you can show them a small HTPC case and convince them to allow you to get something like that.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, herman mcpootis said:

taobao can solve your problems  their prices are quite good. if it's about space, you can show them a small HTPC case and convince them to allow you to get something like that.

yeah show them one of that damn linus video where he reviewed small cases

[genexis_x]

5 minutes ago, herman mcpootis said:

taobao can solve your problems  their prices are quite good. if it's about space, you can show them a small HTPC case and convince them to allow you to get something like that.

Never used Taobao before, could you guide me on how to shop at Taobao?

 

Even with a HTPC PC, they will still complain like it's heavy, how to bring monitor around etc.

12 minutes ago, Energycore said:

You can play Dota on it, that's all that matters

Yup, CSGO and L4D2 too

4 minutes ago, deXxterlab97 said:

yeah show them one of that damn linus video where he reviewed small cases

They are not interested lol

[genexis_x]

13 minutes ago, herman mcpootis said:

if it's about space, you can show them a small HTPC case and convince them to allow you to get something like that.

The concern is, I dunno how to carry the PC (and monitor too) back home (or back to college) during semester breaks so...any ideas?

 

Edit: Hmm looks like we're talking about another topic here, perhaps @Energycore could move our comments to a new thread?

[Herman Mcpootis]

1 minute ago, ZM Fong said:

Never used Taobao before, could you guide me on how to shop at Taobao?

you'll have to make an account on both taobao and alipay(china paypal). for payment you can either use credit cards, enets(IIRC you guys still have it but i'm not sure) or top-up via prepaid code if you guys have those. type in your shipping address before you buy the items. during checkout, you can use taobao's direct shipping or have them ship it to a 3rd party forwarder. for the forwarder, you can wait for all items to be received(20 days free) before telling them to ship it to you.

[genexis_x]

1 minute ago, herman mcpootis said:

you'll have to make an account on both taobao and alipay(china paypal). for payment you can either use credit cards, enets(IIRC you guys still have it but i'm not sure) or top-up via prepaid code if you guys have those. type in your shipping address before you buy the items. during checkout, you can use taobao's direct shipping or have them ship it to a 3rd party forwarder. for the forwarder, you can wait for all items to be received(20 days free) before telling them to ship it to you.

Hmm seems a bit complicated, anyway thanks for your info

[Energycore]

4 minutes ago, ZM Fong said:

The concern is, I dunno how to carry the PC (and monitor too) back home (or back to college) during semester breaks so...any ideas?

 

Edit: Hmm looks like we're talking about another topic here, perhaps @Energycore could move our comments to a new thread?

If you want us to help with a SFF PC or convincing your parents about it, you can post your own thread

 

Otherwise I do agree we went a bit off topic.

[Herman Mcpootis]

6 minutes ago, ZM Fong said:

The concern is, I dunno how to carry the PC (and monitor too) back home (or back to college) during semester breaks so...any ideas?

a very small HTPC like a fractal node 202 or something like that should be fittable in a backpack or luggage, find some small 1080p monitor that can fit just as well.

[Herman Mcpootis]

1 minute ago, ZM Fong said:

Hmm seems a bit complicated, anyway thanks for your info

there's some guides on google, you can read those. worth it since i've seen your used websites 

[RadiatingLight]

49 minutes ago, Energycore said:

Oh friend, you never have used a sandy bridge i3. Mine was bottlenecking a GTX 560 Ti in a lot of games.

What's so different between a sandy bridge i3 and something like a haswell i3 (4160)

I disabled 2 cores on my 4770 and games worked just fine (with bottlenecking, but not too bad)

500Mhz and 10-15% IPC gains shouldn't cripple a CPU. what's different.

[Energycore]

Just now, RadiatingLight said:

What's so different between a sandy bridge i3 and something like a haswell i3 (4160)

I disabled 2 cores on my 4770 and games worked just fine (with bottlenecking, but not too bad)

500Mhz and 10-15% IPC gains shouldn't cripple a CPU. what's different.

Well I haven't had a Haswell i3 on-hand, but Haswell is some 20-25% faster in IPC both from the die shrink and the new uarch, plus 500MHz which amounts to 16% faster clocks, totaling around 40% faster.

 

Most of the trouble I had was framerate tanking to half if I tried to play a heavy game while watching Twitch.

[RadiatingLight]

Just now, Energycore said:

Well I haven't had a Haswell i3 on-hand, but Haswell is some 20-25% faster in IPC both from the die shrink and the new uarch, plus 500MHz which amounts to 16% faster clocks, totaling around 40% faster.

 

Most of the trouble I had was framerate tanking to half if I tried to play a heavy game while watching Twitch.

I got over 60FPS in a multiplayer BF1 match with my faux 4160 (disabled 2 cores, disabled turbo boost, locked speed to 3.6Ghz) it did have more cache, but that shouldn't matter that much.

 

Anyway, I didn't realize that IPC from sandy to haswell was such an improvement, and also forgot to take into account that the IPC improvements and clockspeed improvements both help eachother. (can't just add a 25% IPC and 16% clockspeed improvement together to get 41, it's more like 50%)

Thanks.

[Energycore]

Just now, RadiatingLight said:

I got over 60FPS in a multiplayer BF1 match with my faux 4160 (disabled 2 cores, disabled turbo boost, locked speed to 3.6Ghz) it did have more cache, but that shouldn't matter that much.

 

Anyway, I didn't realize that IPC from sandy to haswell was such an improvement, and also forgot to take into account that the IPC improvements and clockspeed improvements both help eachother. (can't just add a 25% IPC and 16% clockspeed improvement together to get 41, it's more like 50%)

Thanks.

I did 40% based on +20% IPC and +16% clocks, just to err on the side of caution

 

1.2*1.16=1.392

[Bananasplit_00]

1 hour ago, ZM Fong said:

Sounds like your GPU bottlenecks more than your CPU.

 

You can get a used i5/i7 and get a new GPU

 

Also, your current PSU is mediocre. Consider changing it if possible.

nooooo... that I3 is pretty shit. the GTX 570 can still do ok in supported titles. 

 

i would get an I7 3770K and a RX 580 here, wont cost you a fortune and will let you play games at 1080p at over 60fps