Bottle-necking and upgrading.

JerrWolf · Dec 22, 2014

Specs:
CPU: i7 2600k
GPU: AMD 7970 3 GB edition
RAM: 16GB 1600 ghz
Motherboard :Stock Alienware Aurora R3
Sound Card: SB Z (I know this probably has nothing to do with bottleneck)

What warnings are there, or ways to check for bottlenecking.

okcnaline · Dec 22, 2014

1) I doubt you are getting bottlenecked.
2) If you change one of the components, it'll still be limited at the same framerate.

JerrWolf · Dec 22, 2014

The only reason I asked is because a while ago I upgraded from the 6950 to the 7970 and didn't really get any performance from that. maybe a frame or two. And I not just discovered the term bottleneck and wanted to make sure that wasn't the case.
If I upgrade my CPU to a i7 4xxx or my GPU to a AMD Radeon R9 290x would that bottleneck my system?

okcnaline · Dec 22, 2014

Those 2 cards are going to have quite similar performance.

smeezekitty · Dec 22, 2014

An I7 shouldn't bottleneck. How are your GPU and CPU usage in game?

JerrWolf · Dec 22, 2014

The 6950 and 7970 or 7970 and r9 290?

Well the temps go into the mid-high 60c. I'll try keeping an eye out for usage though.
I believe a solution to a computer stutter problem I had was to OC it though. (While playing a CPU heavy game my pc would randomly stutter, everything not just the game). Hasn't happen recently after I OC from 3.4 to 4.0

JerrWolf · Dec 22, 2014

update on usage.
With Guild Wars 2 on my GPU usage via MSI Afterburner is 99%
and CPU ranges from 67-86%

After checking my background tasks I did notice Steam,Origin,Uplay and Evolved Gaming App were all open and closed them all. brought the CPU down to good readings (40/50 for some cores 0-20 for others) and the GPU to 70% usage.

JerrWolf · Dec 23, 2014

Does anyone have anything to say if 99% GPU usage and 70-86% usage on all CPU cores (yes ALL of them). makes since with ONLY the MMO (GW2), and Steam,Origin,U-play, and Evolved Gaming App open in the background doing nothing else? To me it seems a bit off.

smeezekitty · Dec 23, 2014

99% GPU usage is normal. The CPU usage does seem a little high but multiplayer games can get CPU heavy

JerrWolf · Dec 23, 2014

smeezekitty :

Hmm I wouldn't assume a CPU based game would reach 99% GPU usage. But I isn't as shocking as almost 90% usage for my CPU with just simple background tasks up. Or do those clients take up a lot more than I thought?

smeezekitty · Dec 23, 2014

JerrWolf :

If you are not reaching 99% GPU usage, that means you are bottlenecking.
Full GPU usage is the target to aim for.

Multiplayer games are CPU heavy because it needs to communicate with the network and
compute all the data and positions for the other players

JerrWolf · Dec 23, 2014

smeezekitty :

JerrWolf :

If you are not reaching 99% GPU usage, that means you are bottlenecking.
Full GPU usage is the target to aim for.

Multiplayer games are CPU heavy because it needs to communicate with the network and
compute all the data and positions for the other players

Okay so without the clients open (as I don't need them for this game) The GPU usage ranges from 30-50.
the CPU ranges from 0-60 depending on which core.

nikoli707 · Dec 23, 2014

a 2600k? even at stock clocks there is no possible gpu configuration that is anywhere close to bottlenecking i/o throughput of the processor. since your stock alienware motherboard probably doesn't support sli/cfx at 8x/8x, there won't likely be a single gpu that will bottleneck the 2600k for at until well after gm210/bermuda.

JerrWolf · Dec 23, 2014

Okay thats good to hear. So upgrading to a GPU like R9 290x would benefit me for both CPU and GPU games? And wont cause problems?

nikoli707 · Dec 23, 2014

JerrWolf :

no problems whatsoever, you can run two 290x's if you wanted. though you should consider the gtx970 depending on the price of the 290x's your looking at.
http://www.ocaholic.ch/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1164&page=6

smeezekitty · Dec 23, 2014

JerrWolf :

It will benefit your in GPU performance. Of course it won't make the CPU any faster.
But if the GPU usage is high, the CPU is fast enough

JerrWolf · Dec 23, 2014

Do you guys think there will be a better card than the Radeon R9 series coming out from AMD any time soon?
I know the CPU wont get any better but might look prettier with a better gpu or something. But I DO mostly play GPU based games.
The Witcher/Skyrim/Watch dogs etc.
then some Online games like Guild Wars, League, sometimes Titan fall.

So even though this is off topic from the original post.
When do you think my CPU would need an upgrade? when intel has the i7 6xxx or maybe a i8? Which ever comes first?
Where could I find the information of the safest I could OC my cpu to? It came OC'd to 4.0 when I bought it then reset to 3.4, its back at 4.0 would bringing it to 4.5 be bad?

smeezekitty · Dec 23, 2014

JerrWolf :

My GUESS for the R9-3xx series is mid to late 2015

I know the CPU wont get any better but might look prettier with a better gpu or something. But I DO mostly play GPU based games.
The Witcher/Skyrim/Watch dogs etc.
then some Online games like Guild Wars, League, sometimes Titan fall.

It should let you crank the settings up so if that is what you mean by look prettier then yes.

So even though this is off topic from the original post.
When do you think my CPU would need an upgrade? when intel has the i7 6xxx or maybe a i8? Which ever comes first?

No way to say. But right now Intel is only stepping in a few percent per generation (we are reaching
some physical process limits), it will likely be several years

Where could I find the information of the safest I could OC my cpu to? It came OC'd to 4.0 when I bought it then reset to 3.4, its back at 4.0 would bringing it to 4.5 be bad?

There is no way to know that. It varies by chip.
If you can hit 4.3 or even 4.5 at a low enough voltage and your temps are ok, then it is safe.

Chances are 4-4.2 is plenty for now

JerrWolf · Dec 23, 2014

smeezekitty :

JerrWolf :

My GUESS for the R9-3xx series is mid to late 2015

I know the CPU wont get any better but might look prettier with a better gpu or something. But I DO mostly play GPU based games.
The Witcher/Skyrim/Watch dogs etc.
then some Online games like Guild Wars, League, sometimes Titan fall.

It should let you crank the settings up so if that is what you mean by look prettier then yes.

So even though this is off topic from the original post.
When do you think my CPU would need an upgrade? when intel has the i7 6xxx or maybe a i8? Which ever comes first?

No way to say. But right now Intel is only stepping in a few percent per generation (we are reaching
some physical process limits), it will likely be several years

Where could I find the information of the safest I could OC my cpu to? It came OC'd to 4.0 when I bought it then reset to 3.4, its back at 4.0 would bringing it to 4.5 be bad?

There is no way to know that. It varies by chip.
If you can hit 4.3 or even 4.5 at a low enough voltage and your temps are ok, then it is safe.

Chances are 4-4.2 is plenty for now

Would it be a waste to get a R9 290x now then? I assume the R9 3xx series would be 500+ usd and I am not into that price.
Okay so my CPU should keep me going for awhile now, I assume that means my motherboard should too, I've got enough ram. I"ll keep an eye on the voltage, whats some warnings of to high of a voltage/temp?

JerrWolf · Dec 24, 2014

Okay I know I'm spamming with questions but I promise this is a yes or no question!(hopefully).
This is the card I have now.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150632&cm_re=xfx_7970-_-14-150-632-_-Product
The dimensions are 10.8" x 4.4" x 1.5". That fits in the case and there is plenty of room, but the cables meet the end of the card and if I was to upgrade to this.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150700
with the dimensions of 11.16" x 5.63" x 1.65" I believe it goes past the cables, in this case the cables would then be pushed and lean against the card.
Is this bad? Yes or no.

smeezekitty · Dec 24, 2014

Would it be a waste to get a R9 290x now then?

Well the 290X has come down in price that it is worth considering.
But the 290 non X is still quite an impressive card

I assume the R9 3xx series would be 500+ usd and I am not into that price.

I am guessing it will be especially if the rumor of having new HBM memory is true.

Okay so my CPU should keep me going for awhile now, I assume that means my motherboard should too, I've got enough ram. I"ll keep an eye on the voltage, whats some warnings of to high of a voltage/temp?

Well voltage generally has to be increased manually when overclocking. You should be able to find guidelines
online. Temps can be checked with a monitoring program such as speedfan.

The cooler the better, but if you can keep it below around 70C you should be good.

I believe it goes past the cables, in this case the cables would then be pushed and lean against the card.

Well optimally, it should be possible to reroute the cables. But regardless, if they are not pushing
too hard, than there should be no problem.

nikoli707 · Dec 24, 2014

amd bermuda has got to be out by late q1 2015 or early q2 2015 at the latest, amd has no choice right now. nvidia will follow with gm210.

Bottle-necking and upgrading.

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