best cpu to compliment my Cards

MasFBailey · Sep 16, 2014

hi guys, my specs are in the description but i'm looking to improve my performance, as my cpu cant seem to handle games like my 770's can (i5 3570k). what would be the best cpu to upgrade to? looking to spend no more than around £200 unless necessary.

also, ive never changed the CPU before, is there anything i should know ? as in will i need a new copy of windows, or is it just a case of plug in and play

cheers !

Super Batman · Sep 16, 2014

Well, the thing is if we upgrade that CPU then we will be forced to swap the Motherboard as well.
But since it is s K series you can over clock it. slap an h80i on there and crank it to 4.2GhZ.
Or you can go ahead and get a 4790K and an accompanying motherboard.

LukaBoki · Sep 16, 2014

It is not necessary to upgrade your CPU,the i5 3570K is a great one.

LukaBoki · Sep 16, 2014

Super Batman :

First,the H80i is loud and there are better options.
Second,he doesn't need a 4790K if he isn't doing video editing.

rhysiam · Sep 16, 2014

I'm with @LukaBoki... pretty tough to justify a new CPU+Mobo when the i3570K is so close to what you'd step up to anyway.

What makes you think you're CPU is holding you back? I wouldn't have thought there would be many games where that would be the case.

If you're keen to get more out of your rig, then overclocking is the way to go. What's your motherboard? Is it a Z77? If so, then overclocking is relatively straightforward. You'll need a PSU that's up to the task (which considering your rig I sincerely hope you already have!) and an aftermarket CPU cooler. Big air coolers offer the best value for money, but are heavy on your motherboard (if you move your computer a lot they're a bad idea) and can cause issues if you don't have low profile RAM. Closed loop water coolers are more expensive for the same performance, but without the drawbacks of air coolers.

MasFBailey · Sep 16, 2014

LukaBoki :

thanks for the answer, im experiencing lag on battlefield 4 and other games, id like a system that can hit 60 fps constant on ultra settings. do you think upgrading from windows 7 to 8.1 would help ?

MasFBailey · Sep 16, 2014

rhysiam :

thanks for the input, the reason i believe it is my cpu, is because i often experience lag in the 64 player servers / and on games that are pretty cpu intensive. my gpu's are (id hope for the money) up to running pretty much any game i could buy, and so im trying to find out why i cant hit the frames id like with the better graphics options

rhysiam · Sep 16, 2014

Sorry, just noticed your signature... you're all set to overclock with your solid MB and high PSU. There's not really any reason not to do that.

When you say you're experiencing lag, is that BF4 MP? You sure it's not your internet connection? Lag is actually different to the low FPS you experience when the system (usually either CPU or GPU) is struggling to keep up.

LukaBoki · Sep 16, 2014

First,the OS has absolutely nothing to do with FPS in games and that would be a waste of money(if you prefer 8.1,then it wouldn't be).
Second,it is probably lagging because it's a 64 player server and because it's BF4,a CPU intensive game.
The i5 3570K isn't much different than the 4690K,so upgrading your CPU would be pointless.
You can overclock the 3570K to get more performance out of it.
And make sure you've got a good CPU cooler if you want to overclock.
What PredatorX do you have? The X1 or X3?

MasFBailey · Sep 16, 2014

LukaBoki :

ive read a few articles that show people gaining around 20 % performance increase, because bf4 was designed to work better with windows 8, also its been shown to reduce some micro stuttering associated with sli. i have the x1 btw

MasFBailey · Sep 16, 2014

rhysiam :

im using something called As rock extreme tuner, and i have it overclocked to 4.0 ghz atm, and still experiencing drops online. i do not have a cooler but i have 4 120 mm fans and some smaller ones inside the case, my temps on full load never exceed 70 degrees, and my top card maxes at around 85 under extreme load, the bottom one hits around 60

also forgot to mention, i have 64 mb internet, its usually around 10 - 40 ping, its not my internet connection

LukaBoki · Sep 16, 2014

Then if you want the 8.1,then go for it.
For the cooler,go for a Corsair H100i,as the X1 has room for 2x120mm fans on top while it doesn't support coolers taller than 158mm.

MasFBailey · Sep 16, 2014

LukaBoki :

cheers, ill post back in a few days, let you know if it actually did anything

MasFBailey · Sep 16, 2014

LukaBoki :

cheers, ill post back in a few days, let you know if it actually did anything

MasFBailey · Sep 16, 2014

LukaBoki :

cheers, ill post back in a few days, let you know if it actually did anything

rhysiam · Sep 16, 2014

MasFBailey :

I'm still not convinced you're facing a CPU problem. You might be, but it's worth being sure. Have a read of this article: http://www.howtogeek.com/142193/htg-explains-why-lag-and-low-fps-arent-the-same-thing/
It describes the difference between lag and low FPS. The CPU could be the cause of the latter, but not the former. Sorry if you know all this and I'm now being incredibly condescending, it's just worth taking the time to be sure we've identified the actual issue before jumping to solutions.

BTW... you're a brave person OCing on the stock fan.

RobCrezz · Sep 16, 2014

LukaBoki :

Incorrect.

Its been proven that windows 8.1 gives a much more stable frame rate, with better averages and higher minimum FPS, which results in smoother gameplay as there are less "dips".

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2013/11/24/battlefield_4_windows_7_vs_81_performance_review/2#.VBhAcfldWL0

MasFBailey · Sep 16, 2014

rhysiam :

tbh with you it's been something i have experienced for a while, i first thought it was, when playing ARMA which is the god game of cpu consumption, id see my gpu's hardly breaking a sweat and my cpu hitting 99% a lot. regarding battlefield, the reason im pretty sure, is because with one card running i only lose around 5 fps, which means its not the cards that are struggling, highly doubt its the ram, and the Internets fine. no its cool i appreciate the help, everything ive learned about computers has been from people like you on this site. im just frustrated that i cant get the perfect gaming experience as less than 60 fps feels very very noticeable to me .

also yes, but my case has more fans than Holland has windmills, so its pretty cool and very very airy in there, its just the cards that get hot due to the heat transfer upwards

rhysiam · Sep 16, 2014

MasFBailey :

Fair enough. I can't really fault your logic there. I don't have experience with BF4 MP myself and it can't be benchmarked properly due to the lack of any repeatable tests. Maybe it really is that devastating for CPUs? The problem is that even if you spend a huge amount of money you can't really do much better than your current one. Maybe you get lucky and can get your CPU up to 4.7 or higher, but you're still only looking at an extra 15-20%.

Will you post back after you've got your final OC? I'd be curious to know whether the extra little bit addresses your frustrations.

Good luck.

MasFBailey · Sep 16, 2014

rhysiam :

MasFBailey :

Fair enough. I can't really fault your logic there. I don't have experience with BF4 MP myself and it can't be benchmarked properly due to the lack of any repeatable tests. Maybe it really is that devastating for CPUs? The problem is that even if you spend a huge amount of money you can't really do much better than your current one. Maybe you get lucky and can get your CPU up to 4.7 or higher, but you're still only looking at an extra 15-20%.

Will you post back after you've got your final OC? I'd be curious to know whether the extra little bit addresses your frustrations.

Good luck.

Hey again, im pleased to report that i can see a definite fps increase from windows 8 alone, however i despise most things about windows 8. atm im able to run the test range at 60 fps (nvidia locked vsync) with everything on ultra, 4x msaa and 180% resolution scaling ! this is with a 4.0 ghz OC, which im about to tweek a bit

best cpu to compliment my Cards

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