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Should I upgrade my CPU or GPU?

MadRussian42
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Good morning y'all, I'm thinking about upgrading my PC this holiday season. My current rig consists of an FX-6300 paired with a GTX 750Ti along with 16 gigabytes of RAM and a Corsair 430 watt power supply. I'm not worried about storage or cooling, I already have that handled. I'm expecting to only be able to upgrade either the CPU and motherboard (overclocking is not important to me) or the GPU (something like a 1050ti). The question is should I upgrade the CPU to something like a Ryzen 3 1200 or and Intel i3? Or should I just pair a 1050ti with my current CPU, and if so how much of a bottleneck would that create?

 

Thanks for your time,

-MadRussian42

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Depends on games you play. I would save some money for a PSU replacement though.

CPU: i7-2600K 4751MHz 1.44V (software) --> 1.47V at the back of the socket Motherboard: Asrock Z77 Extreme4 (BCLK: 103.3MHz) CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 RAM: Adata XPG 2x8GB DDR3 (XMP: 2133MHz 10-11-11-30 CR2, custom: 2203MHz 10-11-10-26 CR1 tRFC:230 tREFI:14000) GPU: Asus GTX 1070 Dual (Super Jetstream vbios, +70(2025-2088MHz)/+400(8.8Gbps)) SSD: Samsung 840 Pro 256GB (main boot drive), Transcend SSD370 128GB PSU: Seasonic X-660 80+ Gold Case: Antec P110 Silent, 5 intakes 1 exhaust Monitor: AOC G2460PF 1080p 144Hz (150Hz max w/ DP, 121Hz max w/ HDMI) TN panel Keyboard: Logitech G610 Orion (Cherry MX Blue) with SteelSeries Apex M260 keycaps Mouse: BenQ Zowie FK1

 

Model: HP Omen 17 17-an110ca CPU: i7-8750H (0.125V core & cache, 50mV SA undervolt) GPU: GTX 1060 6GB Mobile (+80/+450, 1650MHz~1750MHz 0.78V~0.85V) RAM: 8+8GB DDR4-2400 18-17-17-39 2T Storage: HP EX920 1TB PCIe x4 M.2 SSD + Crucial MX500 1TB 2.5" SATA SSD, 128GB Toshiba PCIe x2 M.2 SSD (KBG30ZMV128G) gone cooking externally, 1TB Seagate 7200RPM 2.5" HDD (ST1000LM049-2GH172) left outside Monitor: 1080p 126Hz IPS G-sync

 

Desktop benching:

Cinebench R15 Single thread:168 Multi-thread: 833 

SuperPi (v1.5 from Techpowerup, PI value output) 16K: 0.100s 1M: 8.255s 32M: 7m 45.93s

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Go for an X58 Xeon. They can overclock easily, but even my X5675 at stock is a bit above an R5 1500X, and below an R5 1600. I got my ASUS Rampage III Formula mobo and the CPU together for $120, and it uses DDR3 so you wouldn’t need new RAM. Feel free to check out the link in my sig to the X58 thread for some help, or talk to @WhisperingKnickers, he has a habit of finding great deals (he helped me get that mobo/CPU combo). 

Intel HEDT and Server platform enthusiasts: Intel HEDT Xeon/i7 Megathread 

 

Main PC 

CPU: i9 7980XE @4.5GHz/1.22v/-2 AVX offset 

Cooler: EKWB Supremacy Block - custom loop w/360mm +280mm rads 

Motherboard: EVGA X299 Dark 

RAM:4x8GB HyperX Predator DDR4 @3200Mhz CL16 

GPU: Nvidia FE 2060 Super/Corsair HydroX 2070 FE block 

Storage:  1TB MP34 + 1TB 970 Evo + 500GB Atom30 + 250GB 960 Evo 

Optical Drives: LG WH14NS40 

PSU: EVGA 1600W T2 

Case & Fans: Corsair 750D Airflow - 3x Noctua iPPC NF-F12 + 4x Noctua iPPC NF-A14 PWM 

OS: Windows 11

 

Display: LG 27UK650-W (4K 60Hz IPS panel)

Mouse: EVGA X17

Keyboard: Corsair K55 RGB

 

Mobile/Work Devices: 2020 M1 MacBook Air (work computer) - iPhone 13 Pro Max - Apple Watch S3

 

Other Misc Devices: iPod Video (Gen 5.5E, 128GB SD card swap, running Rockbox), Nintendo Switch

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Just now, Zando Bob said:

Go for an X58 Xeon. They can overclock easily, but even my X5675 at stock is a bit above an R5 1500X, and below an R5 1600. I got my ASUS Rampage III Formula mobo and the CPU together for $120, and it uses DDR3 so you wouldn’t need new RAM. Feel free to check out the link in my sig to the X58 thread for some help, or talk to @WhisperingKnickers, he has a habit of finding great deals (he helped me get that mobo/CPU combo). 

I didn't think of a used Xeon, thanks for the insight. Not needing new RAM would be great too.

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5 minutes ago, Jurrunio said:

Depends on games you play. I would save some money for a PSU replacement though.

I play things like Insurgency and CS:GO, but hope to be able to play Arma 3 and run space engineers better than I do now

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16 minutes ago, MadRussian42 said:

Good morning y'all, I'm thinking about upgrading my PC this holiday season. My current rig consists of an FX-6300 paired with a GTX 750Ti along with 16 gigabytes of RAM and a Corsair 430 watt power supply. I'm not worried about storage or cooling, I already have that handled. I'm expecting to only be able to upgrade either the CPU and motherboard (overclocking is not important to me) or the GPU (something like a 1050ti). The question is should I upgrade the CPU to something like a Ryzen 3 1200 or and Intel i3? Or should I just pair a 1050ti with my current CPU, and if so how much of a bottleneck would that create?

 

Thanks for your time,

-MadRussian42

Would get a PSU+GPU upgrade first.

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7 minutes ago, MadRussian42 said:

I didn't think of a used Xeon, thanks for the insight. Not needing new RAM would be great too.

Other than X58, there are also Xeon E3s using consumer mobos. E3 1230s seems to be the best deal, but pretty much all 4 core 8 thread E3s without a suffix are good.

 

8 minutes ago, MadRussian42 said:

I play things like Insurgency and CS:GO, but hope to be able to play Arma 3 and run space engineers better than I do now

GPU then. 1050ti will be enough, but 1060 3gb is better if it's priced closer to 1050ti than 1060 6gb

CPU: i7-2600K 4751MHz 1.44V (software) --> 1.47V at the back of the socket Motherboard: Asrock Z77 Extreme4 (BCLK: 103.3MHz) CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 RAM: Adata XPG 2x8GB DDR3 (XMP: 2133MHz 10-11-11-30 CR2, custom: 2203MHz 10-11-10-26 CR1 tRFC:230 tREFI:14000) GPU: Asus GTX 1070 Dual (Super Jetstream vbios, +70(2025-2088MHz)/+400(8.8Gbps)) SSD: Samsung 840 Pro 256GB (main boot drive), Transcend SSD370 128GB PSU: Seasonic X-660 80+ Gold Case: Antec P110 Silent, 5 intakes 1 exhaust Monitor: AOC G2460PF 1080p 144Hz (150Hz max w/ DP, 121Hz max w/ HDMI) TN panel Keyboard: Logitech G610 Orion (Cherry MX Blue) with SteelSeries Apex M260 keycaps Mouse: BenQ Zowie FK1

 

Model: HP Omen 17 17-an110ca CPU: i7-8750H (0.125V core & cache, 50mV SA undervolt) GPU: GTX 1060 6GB Mobile (+80/+450, 1650MHz~1750MHz 0.78V~0.85V) RAM: 8+8GB DDR4-2400 18-17-17-39 2T Storage: HP EX920 1TB PCIe x4 M.2 SSD + Crucial MX500 1TB 2.5" SATA SSD, 128GB Toshiba PCIe x2 M.2 SSD (KBG30ZMV128G) gone cooking externally, 1TB Seagate 7200RPM 2.5" HDD (ST1000LM049-2GH172) left outside Monitor: 1080p 126Hz IPS G-sync

 

Desktop benching:

Cinebench R15 Single thread:168 Multi-thread: 833 

SuperPi (v1.5 from Techpowerup, PI value output) 16K: 0.100s 1M: 8.255s 32M: 7m 45.93s

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14 minutes ago, MadRussian42 said:

I play things like Insurgency and CS:GO, but hope to be able to play Arma 3 and run space engineers better than I do now

For ARMA 3, you’ll want to OC the Xeon. I got about 20 fps at stock with mine, but after overclocking it to 4.2GHz (with hyperthreading off, for some reason it drops to 2.something under load if I leave it on) I can keep 40fps most places, 60 in an open area without a ton of badguys. ARMA is really dependent on clockspeed an IPC, so the faster the better (and if you have skill at overclocking, you can get Xeon crazy high. @Ground has been bench in some he’s got to near 5GHz IIRC).

Intel HEDT and Server platform enthusiasts: Intel HEDT Xeon/i7 Megathread 

 

Main PC 

CPU: i9 7980XE @4.5GHz/1.22v/-2 AVX offset 

Cooler: EKWB Supremacy Block - custom loop w/360mm +280mm rads 

Motherboard: EVGA X299 Dark 

RAM:4x8GB HyperX Predator DDR4 @3200Mhz CL16 

GPU: Nvidia FE 2060 Super/Corsair HydroX 2070 FE block 

Storage:  1TB MP34 + 1TB 970 Evo + 500GB Atom30 + 250GB 960 Evo 

Optical Drives: LG WH14NS40 

PSU: EVGA 1600W T2 

Case & Fans: Corsair 750D Airflow - 3x Noctua iPPC NF-F12 + 4x Noctua iPPC NF-A14 PWM 

OS: Windows 11

 

Display: LG 27UK650-W (4K 60Hz IPS panel)

Mouse: EVGA X17

Keyboard: Corsair K55 RGB

 

Mobile/Work Devices: 2020 M1 MacBook Air (work computer) - iPhone 13 Pro Max - Apple Watch S3

 

Other Misc Devices: iPod Video (Gen 5.5E, 128GB SD card swap, running Rockbox), Nintendo Switch

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If you would like help finding a x58 xeon build I would be happy to help like @Zando Bob  said I have a habit of finding good stuff. I have my own x58 stuff for sale but if you aren't interested I would still be happy to help you find something

⬇ - PC specs down below - ⬇

 

The Impossibox

CPU: (x2) Xeon X5690 12c/24t (6c/12t per cpu)

Motherboard: EVGA Super Record 2 (SR-2)

RAM: 48Gb (12x4gb) server DDR3 ECC

GPU: MSI GTX 1060 Gaming X 6GB

Case: Modded Lian-LI PC-08

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO 500Gb and a 2Tb HDD

PSU: 1000W something or other I forget

Display(s): 24" Acer G246HL

Cooling: (x2) Corsair H100i v2

Keyboard: Corsair Gaming K70 LUX RGB MX Browns

Mouse: Logitech G600

Headphones: Sennheiser HD558

Operating System: Windows 10 Pro

 

Folding info so I don't lose it: 

WhisperingKnickers

 

Join us on the x58 page it is awesome!

x58 Fan Page

 

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