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Any cheap ways to upgrade my PC?
- Thread starter Freeman76
- Start date
I thought he just meant he hasn't done any overclocking ;p. Unless that system was a pre-built system, it seems a very odd choice to buy a non-K processor since it isn't that much cheaper and really shortens the life of having an useful processor. Like 2600k are still excellent if you are overclocking them to 4.5 Ghz.
In any case, an used 970 would be a HORRIBLE choice with the gimped 3.5 GHz memory. Nvidia has the 970 as legacy development in drivers, in other words, they wont be optimizing the drivers for the 970 any more to avoid the last 0.5 Ghz of incredibly slow memory which induces stuttering. You'd be far better off with just getting a Nvidia GTX 1060 6 GB, AMD 470 4 GB, or AMD 480 8 GB with custom AIB coolers (the reference/founder edition cards have crap coolers - they are usually blower cards with a single fan, while custom cards have 2-3 fans). On 2nd thought, I'd probably avoid the 480, there are a number of 480s that draw too much power on the PCI express slot which can cause stability issues, especially on cheaper motherboards like you have. So either a 1060 6 gb or 470 4 or 8 gb is likely the way to go depending on how much money you want to spend.
mattwhite924
Member
You need two sticks of ram to run in dual-channel mode, so try to find a second stick with the same speed and timings. That should improve your RAM performance quite a bit.
You could also get a better heatsink for your CPU and try your hand at overclocking.
A better GPU would help as well, but that would cost you more than the other things I suggested.
Edit: Crap, missed that it wasn't a K processor, never mind on the overclocking. I'd still go with the RAM first though.
You could also get a better heatsink for your CPU and try your hand at overclocking.
A better GPU would help as well, but that would cost you more than the other things I suggested.
Edit: Crap, missed that it wasn't a K processor, never mind on the overclocking. I'd still go with the RAM first though.
JonnyDBrit
Member
WRT the GPU issue, since yeah that's your main point of upgrade, if you've not got the cash for something new, you should still be able to snag cards with a decent performance secondhand. Lot of people are upgrading to newer cards themselves, so they're selling their old stock on via places like ebay - its where I got my GTX 970 for example, cheaper than buying it from any retailer.
His CPU is not going to bottleneck larger GPU's....i5/i7 from the 2xxx series forward are all beyond good enough. This bottleneck thing people like to bring up is kinda useless because as long as you got fairly modern parts you'll be good. There will always be some bottlenecks no matter how you slice it...I guess what im trying to say is that no rig is perfect but as long as you got fairly decent parts...you're good to go.
I suggest what others have said...upgrade the GPU and be good to go. A 1060 or 480 is all you need. I personally would go for a AMD GPU because these GPU's age so well and simply get better and better over time. What you see today in a 470 or 480 will be remarkably better a year from now while Nvidia's offerings will usually stay the same, in fact, Nvidia usually EOL their cards prematurely which i think is lame. I would really look into a AMD GPU ...one big aspect of going with a AMD gpu is that all these consoles and upcoming console refreshes will be built around AMD hardware...which will greatly benefit AMD's GPU offerings in the long run. What you see right now with the 470/480 is no way indicative of what you'll see a year from now when more DX12/Vulcan games come out. Even these early Dx12 games are not truly pushing that API yet, in fact, most of all Dx12 games right now are utilizing around 50% efficiency since we are in a transition phase from Dx11 games moving into Dx12 games.
Beerman462
Member
Upgrade to a PS4 Neo it will do 4K HDR a 1060 won't....
Seriously though what's OPs budget. A GPU is what you need for a better gaming experience. Also I wouldn't touch a used GPU unless it was free.
Seriously though what's OPs budget. A GPU is what you need for a better gaming experience. Also I wouldn't touch a used GPU unless it was free.
Beerman462
Member
Is this a troll post I can't tell?
There will be games that favor AMD hardware for sure, but there will also be games that favor NVIDIA. I'm not going to get any deeper than that, because someone else will be along soon to debunk the DX12 stuff. Unknown Soldier probably.
You're...kidding right?
Depending on OP's budget he should upgrade his GPU to a 1060/1070 and then sell the GTX 660 to make a bit of a return on the card.
DonMigs85
Member
The B85 chipset only supports 1600MHz RAM. But again, dual channel with a second stick will give the CPU a significant boost in modern games.
Don't listen to the people saying not to upgrade the RAM. Totally worth going to 16GB at this point and gaining dual channel bandwidth to boot.
Sora the Cat
Member
Sorry for using your thread OP, but I have a quick question to run by you guys. I have a 2x4 gb ram setup, what would be the best way to upgrade it? Should I just get one 8gb stick and forget about the dual channel? Or is it worth it to add an 2x8 and end up with 24?
This is my rig, if it helps in some way: I5 4690k + cm evo, asus z97, 250gb ssd + 500gb hdd, r9 390 and 2x4gb ram 1866mhz.
This is my rig, if it helps in some way: I5 4690k + cm evo, asus z97, 250gb ssd + 500gb hdd, r9 390 and 2x4gb ram 1866mhz.
DonMigs85
Member
No, you'll lose dual channel and I believe an unbalanced amount in each slot also reduces performance. Maybe just get 2x4 again for 16GB total then wait for DDR5 to come out in a few years before doing a completely new build.
I don't think games are gonna demand more than 16GB for at least the next 2-3 years.
Sora the Cat
Member
I figured that would be the way to go, thanks!
QuantumSquid
Member
Your CPU is more than adequate, and will be enough to play the latest games for years to come.
Your GPU, on the other hand, is quite old. Start there by upgrading to a GTX 1060 (you can go AMD if you want but the 1060 is in stock and the AMD cards aren't, so I'd just get a 1060.)
You can also improve your computer's performance by reinstalling your operating system and games on an SSD.
Your GPU, on the other hand, is quite old. Start there by upgrading to a GTX 1060 (you can go AMD if you want but the 1060 is in stock and the AMD cards aren't, so I'd just get a 1060.)
You can also improve your computer's performance by reinstalling your operating system and games on an SSD.
Mithos
Member
No but stuff will load a hell of a lot faster, like instead of minute long load times, they are seconds.
How is it a troll post? He's just saying the CPU won't bottleneck as severe as some people think it will and that there will always be bottlenecks. For example in PlanetSide 2 you can see what part is the bottleneck even though you're getting high frame rates / 60fps+ but there will always be a part that will hold you back.
Also I don't think he ever said AMD was better, just that he prefers them due to longer support
SunhiLegend
Member
Depends on your budget or what you would define as cheap, my budget for upgrading my PC last year was £60 which I ended up spending on a new GPU. Went from a HD6870 to a GTX 760, just with that upgrade I went from beating last gen performance to beating or matching current gen performance, everything else is still the same, AMD 955, 8GB RAM.
CrAzY FiNgErS
Member
Good advice duckroll! I just did this myself and got a 525 gig SSD and a EVGA 1060 to add to my 4770k itx RVZ01 system. Now my system is ready for 1080p60 and VR. I am about to put my EVGA GTX 780 on GAFs buy,sell, trade or eBay for cheap.
Beerman462
Member
Of course
The longer support is a side effect of still being on GCN. I would think they will have to switch architecture some day. When they do don't expect to see the same level of support for old cards. I mean I could be wrong and I loved that my 7870 was getting great support, but AMD still has driver overhead problems. That is fixed in DX12, but it's not like everything is switching to DX12 next year. In fact I would guess in 2-3 years when it's a good idea to upgrade from a 1060/480 is when it will really matter. Also I don't think Kepler cards are falling as much as I believe AMD cards are finally living up to their rated TF numbers. I don't think it's a sure bet that 480s will significantly improve any more than a 1060 either.
Buggy Loop
Member
Please get rid of the stock cooler and get this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099
Otherwise, a SSD and a better GPU would do wonders.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099
Otherwise, a SSD and a better GPU would do wonders.
why would he need that if his cpu is unable to be overclocked? wasted money. SSD will make games load faster...cool. will do nothing for performance though. GPU followed by RAM upgrade would fit more with what OP wants to achieve.
HazySaiyan
Banned
Gonna echo what everybody else is saying and say get a new GPU. The GTX 1060 and RX 480 are both solid choices.
There's absolutely no need to get an aftermarket cooler if you're not overclocking unless you're really concerned about the noise, and considering the OP has had the stock cooler for a while I doubt they care all that much.
Diablohead
Member
I'd say get a better gpu, an SSD for faster boot times and software loading and then some more ram, in that order.
Get a gpu with at least 4GB ram on the card, I own a 950 2GB and while it performs fine I hit that 2GB limit easily. Also any GPU you buy now can always be carried over to a more modern cpu/motherboard build later on.
Can't say much about that cpu but i'd think it's ok for a little while longer.
Get a gpu with at least 4GB ram on the card, I own a 950 2GB and while it performs fine I hit that 2GB limit easily. Also any GPU you buy now can always be carried over to a more modern cpu/motherboard build later on.
Can't say much about that cpu but i'd think it's ok for a little while longer.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008E3M4TU/ (Check if it's the same model as the 8GB you already have)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01IUA9Z52/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01AAKZRP2/
You should be more than ok.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01IUA9Z52/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01AAKZRP2/
You should be more than ok.
(Also for @HazySaiyan)
Geez. I don't even overclock myself and I got an aftermarket cooler. It just cool the CPU much better and, if you stress your CPU, with an aftermarket cooler, less chance to hit the temp thresold. I remember when I purchased my current i7 950, with the stock cooler, I was hitting 80C+. An after-market cooler helped considerably getting down. And, it's 30$. It's not like you are paying for a Titan X Pascal here. Imo, the cooler the better. Less noise too. The OP can take it or leave it.
Beerman462
Member
One thing to consider is the i5 4570 is 84 watts vs the 130 watts of the i7 950. I ran a i5 2400 on a stock cooler for 5 years and I never heard it spin up until I put it in a small HTPC case with no fans and running Rise of the Tomb Raider. I might need to get a small intake fan in there. Your right though it won't hurt if OP has the extra budget, but I would put it under pretty much every other upgrade in this thread.
The stock cooler should be able to keep the CPU under the temperature threshold if the case is properly ventilated.
sure, itll cool his cpu better but so what? what will that do for him in the way of upgrading his pc for more performance? that cpu is stuck at stock clocks, if his cpu/mobo were capable of OC'ing then id look at a cpu cooler as a legitimate upgrade. but that $30 is better spent putting it towards a cheap 120gig ssd, another 8gb stick of ram, or a higher tier gpu. if OP wants a CHEAP upgrade, id vote for a 120g ssd for ~$40 usd followed by another 8g stick of ram.
DonMigs85
Member
A better cooler may be useful if it can help keep the processor at or near its max turbo of 3.6GHz - although the motherboard may already have that feature that forces a non-K processor to stay at its max turbo, but with the stock cooler it may run at 70 or 80C.
.
DonMigs85
Member
So many ignorant posters in here. Getting a second 8GB stick for dual channel will increase system RAM bandwidth from 12.8 to 25.6GB/sec.
Many modern games see average gains of 5-10FPS or higher even going from 2133MHz DDR3 or DDR4 to 2666MHz or faster.
Copper
Member
But he already said overclocking isn't an option. His ram will be running at 1600 MHZ
Why not go the more future proof route and invest in a GPU now and then worry about RAM when he upgrades the CPU down the line.
I didn't get this answered in the PC thread, so maybe you can shed light:
I bought the RAM and Solid State already since they were cheap(ish) and free shipping (waiting on the 1060 to get in stock for $250 on something that isn't SuperBiiz since PCPartPicker said they are kinda shady with shipping and late ships), but I'm not sure if it's worth changing my MotherBoard (MSI Z77A-GD55, which obviously would need to change for the RAM/DDR4's 4gigs I got) or the CPU (which like in that post says my current one is faster?).
I really wish there was an easy to follow site for performance gains/decreases for this stuff in terms of CPU. I know newer CPU's are supposed to be getting slower due to "hitting the limit" but I'm not sure if my older CPU being faster is a good thing or not.
This is the answer
DonMigs85
Member
No, that was just to illustrate the gains faster RAM/extra bandwidth can give.
Adding a second 1600MHz stick is cheap and will absolutely help performance with the doubled bandwidth. I mean, 12.8GB/sec on single channel is barely more than what Core 2 CPUs could get.
DonMigs85
Member
Yeah your Ivy Bridge is still actually quite decent. I would hold onto it until Intel releases Icelake, probably in 2018.
Once new games can no longer sustain a steady 60FPS due to CPU limitations, that's probably the time I would upgrade the CPU and motherboard.
I guess I'll return the RAM sticks (since they're 4gig and my DDR3 is 8gig) and just wait until next year to see what the motherboard and CPU refreshes are.
BF1's beta isn't selling me on upgrading for it just yet. So I probably will hold off. Though I'm worried about the RAM limitation of them wanting more than 8 for future titles if I just do a hard-drive upgrade (moving Windows 10 to the solid state and installing Debian to try Linux gaming/learning Linux) and GPU upgrade (which is sorely needed for the GTX 760).
Copper
Member
CPU upgrade is unnecessary. Especially if you OC. Although the 6500 can be OC'd as well. You'd gain about a 5-10% increase. Better off putting that money towards a better GPU.
DonMigs85
Member
You could look into getting at least 16GB of 1866MHz DDR3 for your Z77 board. I believe it can support that speed and combined with overclocking the CPU to 4+GHz will help extend its life another 2-3 years. Again, just make sure your RAM is running in dual-channel mode.
DonMigs85
Member
Not 100% sure but I think they released BIOS or microcode updates to stop BCLK overclocking for non-K Skylake processors on Z170 boards.
Dual vs Single isnt always a advantage. Not all games will show an increase. Most benchmarks showing gains are using videocards far in excess of his in modern games. The dude has a video card from 2012 and you want him to spend money on RAM. Lol.