Upgrade Options-: CPU or GPU?

[mitchgixer6]

Hi all,

Since finishing my new desktop build I've found myself getting into my games more and more and am getting attracted by the newer 3rd person shooters. Not tried Battlefield 3 yet, but I reckon I might enjoy it!

So my current setup should be detailed in my info, but to sum up I'm running an i3 2100, 8Gb 1333 RAM, and 2 x HD5770's in Crossfire at x8.

As some of the games I'm playing seem to be pushing my system a fair bit, I thought it might be an idea to sell the 2 x HD5770's and replace with either a 560Ti or an HD6950 which I would hopefully be able to unlock to an HD6970.

It occurred to me last night though that maybe I should sell my i3 2100 and upgrade that instead and just keep my 5770's for a while. For the same outlay that I would be spending on the GPU, I could probably afford an i5 2500k.

What do you guys reckon is my best course of action? I have a feeling that the i3 is limiting me more than the 5770's hence my new line of thinking.

Cheers.

[scaryjim]

Based on previous Hexus reviews, 2x 5770 gives very similar performance to a single 5870, which is in the same region as the 6950 and 560 Ti, so switching to either of those cards wouldn't be a huge upgrade. Although that is dependant on Crossfire scaling properly, which as we know it doesn't always do.

But on that basis I'd say that if you feel the need to upgrade now a 2500k would be a sensible option, then save for a 7950 / GTX660 type card when the next generation parts are released in the new year.

[xiaogray]

depends on the games you chose. e.g. World of Warcraft depends on the performance of CPU much but the other games might depend on the GPU.

[Hoonigan]

I would suggest buying an i5 2500k, it's more than enough for BF3, and right now, there aren't many games that are more taxing than BF3.

2x 5770's should also be enough for BF3, at least at medium or high

[mitchgixer6]

Cheers guys.

Pretty much decided to go for the i5 2500k, just waiting to see if the prices come down anymore.

Will need to spend my time waiting on the price coming down in researching how to overclock it!

[dfour]

Overclocking it is as easy as changing the multiplier from 16.5 to 17 as its multiplier unlocked.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Cheers guys.

Pretty much decided to go for the i5 2500k, just waiting to see if the prices come down anymore.

Will need to spend my time waiting on the price coming down in researching how to overclock it!

I have a Core i3 2100 and it is fine with games such as Metro2033 and Crysis 2 with an overclocked HD5850 1GB. Even at 950MHZ for the HD5850 1GB GPU I was seeing gains in the games mentioned. My advice is not to do upgrades until you actually hit a bottleneck. A simple method to check this is to look at the Windows Task Manager CPU utilisation and GPU utilisation using MSI Afterburner when playing a game.

An HD5770 1GB Crossfire setup should be fine with a Core i3 2100 for FPS games and BF3 tends to be more GPU limited than CPU limited.

[siliveshere]

I have a Core i3 2100 and it is fine with games such as Metro2033 and Crysis 2 with an overclocked HD5850 1GB. Even at 950MHZ for the HD5850 1GB GPU I was seeing gains in the games mentioned. My advice is not to do upgrades until you actually hit a bottleneck. A simple method to check this is to look at the Windows Task Manager CPU utilisation and GPU utilisation using MSI Afterburner when playing a game.

An HD5770 1GB Crossfire setup should be fine with a Core i3 2100 for FPS games and BF3 tends to be more GPU limited than CPU limited.

Good advice. What resolution are you playing at? Lower resolutions may be CPU limited, but as you scale up the GPU becomes the bottleneck. This could affect your decision as well as the games you are playing.

[MiiCK90]

For gaming the best thing you can do is get an i5 2500k, then build your system around it, decide whether to get two cards in sli or one powerful card..

[mitchgixer6]

Good advice. What resolution are you playing at? Lower resolutions may be CPU limited, but as you scale up the GPU becomes the bottleneck. This could affect your decision as well as the games you are playing.

Playing at 1920 x 1080. I'm going to end up upgrading both in the end. Trying to play FSX just isn't happening, so going to punt for the i5 2500k and probably 560 Ti, that should see the stutters off hopefully!

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Playing at 1920 x 1080. I'm going to end up upgrading both in the end. Trying to play FSX just isn't happening, so going to punt for the i5 2500k and probably 560 Ti, that should see the stutters off hopefully!

Your doing things the wrong way TBH. It seems you already have already decided to upgrade even before you started this thread.

Look at your CPU usage and GPU usage first. Have you even done this?? I don't understand your logic TBH. It won't even take an hour to do. You will then know what parts need changing.

[mitchgixer6]

Your doing things the wrong way TBH. It seems you already have already decided to upgrade even before you started this thread.

Look at your CPU usage and GPU usage first. Have you even done this?? I don't understand your logic TBH. It won't even take an hour to do. You will then know what parts need changing.

I hadn't actually decided before I started the thread. It was a genuine question at the time.

I have since started playing FSX more than anything else, and as far as I can figure out it's the CPU that is holding the game back as it seems to be a very CPU dependant program.

Since the first post I also purchased a second 5770 which I thought would have helped, but to be honest it's been a nightmare to get to work properly in Crossfire. I have since sold this card and have just about sold the other, so I thought better to put £100 towards a more up to date single card then to stick with the 2 x 5770's.

Also in between posting and just now I got a bit of £ at Christmas which I wasn't expecting, hence the reason to upgrade both items instead of just one.

Thanks for all the help though guys, it continues to expand my own knowledge of how all the different components work together.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I hadn't actually decided before I started the thread. It was a genuine question at the time.

I have since started playing FSX more than anything else, and as far as I can figure out it's the CPU that is holding the game back as it seems to be a very CPU dependant program.

Since the first post I also purchased a second 5770 which I thought would have helped, but to be honest it's been a nightmare to get to work properly in Crossfire. I have since sold this card and have just about sold the other, so I thought better to put £100 towards a more up to date single card then to stick with the 2 x 5770's.

Also in between posting and just now I got a bit of £ at Christmas which I wasn't expecting, hence the reason to upgrade both items instead of just one.

Thanks for all the help though guys, it continues to expand my own knowledge of how all the different components work together.

What I suggested would have been the best way to know.

MSI Afterburner gives a realtime view of how much the GPU is loaded and whether there are any usage spikes. If you have the CPU task manager open you can check CPU load and the amount of RAM used.

This is the best way to determine what component needs upgrading too. I have seen cases where people have changed the wrong component on a whim and basically wasted money.

For instance here is an article regarding FSX CPU scaling:

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2009/..._cpu_scaling/7

At least 2009,Crossfire was not supported.

In a later 2010 Crossfire support was a tad better:

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/...mance_review/6

With FSX SP2 I suspect that an HD5770 1GB would have been fine at 1920X1080.

However,things could have changed in the last few years.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

There is this video with a Phenom II X4 and a GTS250 running FS X at 1920X1080:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=hZSbgzBAYtk

A Core i3 2100 and an HD5770 is probably a faster setup overall,unless FS X does not handle the HT on the Core i3 2100 very well.

Edit!!

Here is a Core i3 2100 and a GTS250:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXEIeDxhRzM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWBHaLd4haI

A GTS250 is a slower card than an HD5770 1GB.