Help me find a GPU and Monitor upgrade!

cwb50 · Apr 11, 2015

My current specs will be below.

This summer (like May) I am gonna be upgrading my rig. I know there are other things I could upgrade besides my GPU, and I plan to, but I want to focus on one thing at a time so I can figure stuff out better. My GPU now works well for me but I record and stream and AMD's drivers make that hard, I hear I need to make the change to GeForce. I have enjoyed my gaming performance for the most part with my current GPU but at times it lags, Minecraft specifically stays between 40 and 60 fps (I want like never under 100), but I play a lot of other games that seem like they should be more demanding, on Ultra, and I run 3 digit fps constantly. I don't understand. Plus my CPU is bottlenecked by my GPU. Any suggestions? I wouldn't mind, maybe, ascending to 4k if it is worth it!

Also, my monitor has bad tearing, even with vsync. Planning to keep it as my secondary, but if I get a new GPU I will need a fresh new monitor. Any suggestions?

**Tldr: I need a new GPU (want 120+ fps easily in everything and maybe 4k if it is worth it). Also I want a better monitor to go with it!**

[PCPartPicker part list](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/FmDfjX) / [Price breakdown by merchant](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/FmDfjX/by_merchant/)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core OEM/Tray Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-cm8064601710501) | $279.99
**Motherboard** | [Gigabyte GA-Z97-HD3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz97hd3) | $82.98 @ Newegg
**Memory** | [Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/crucial-memory-bls2kit4g3d1609ds1s00) | $56.99 @ Adorama
**Storage** | [Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd10ezex) | $44.99 @ Amazon
**Video Card** | [MSI Radeon R9 270 2GB TWIN FROZR Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-r9270gaming2g) | $169.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Case** | [Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-case-200r) | $57.99 @ Micro Center
**Power Supply** | [EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-100b10600kr) | $49.99 @ NCIX US
**Optical Drive** | [LG GH24NSC0B DVD/CD Writer](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/lg-optical-drive-gh24nsc0b) | $15.98 @ OutletPC
**Operating System** | [Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit)](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/microsoft-os-885370635690) | $91.75 @ OutletPC
**Monitor** | [AOC E2425SWD 60Hz 24.0" Monitor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/aoc-monitor-e2425swd) | $129.99 @ Micro Center

Edit: budget for gpu is 350, 400 absolutely max.

Alex R · Apr 11, 2015

What's you budget?
Also how on earth do you get 40 fps in Minecraft? My old R7 250 got like 100 fps maxed out in that game.
a GTX 970 would work well in your build

DarkSable · Apr 11, 2015

The two suggestions on the monitor, since you're apparently considering a $1000++ GPU setup that can run 4k (which physically can't run at 120Hz input, by the way - we don't have a display standard fast enough) is either the Asus Swift or Acer Predator. Both are 1440p, 120Hz+ monitors of amazing quality.

If I can ask, this setup is the parts that you have right now? One thing I notice is that you don't have an SSD - that would make using windows much, much faster, and if you use it as a scratch drive when recording, you'll get much better performance.

The GTX 970 is the best value gaming card right now, but the 980 will do you better with the monitors above.

Shamar Holtz · Apr 11, 2015

You'll need a monster computer for this kind of build. Whats your upgrade budget and res u want to play at

cwb50 · Apr 11, 2015

Alex R :

I don't know

maybe I am doing something wrong?

My budget for the GPU is $350, 400 absolutely max.

cwb50 · Apr 11, 2015

DarkSable :

These are my parts now. As stated above, I know there are some other things I need (maybe more than a GPU), but I want to just figure out one thing at a time. I do intend to get a 120 gb SSD this summer as well. What do you mean by a scratch drive? Like should I use my SSD just for my OS AND my recording?

I didn't realize until now that 4k is such an outlandish feat. I would be fine staying at 1080. Don't know what is between the two. 1080 is all I have ever seen. Just recently heard of 4k.

cwb50 · Apr 11, 2015

Shamar Holtz :

I exaggerated some of my goals. My budget for the GPU is $350, 400 absolutely max. As i say above I just now am realizing how unobtainable 4k is right now

Alex R · Apr 12, 2015

cwb50 :

Then the GTX 970 is perfect for you.
Also in terms of minecraft, make sure you're running the newest version of 64-bit Java. And optifine can speed things up as well. I have a similar setup as you and a GTX 970 and I get 300 fps on the highest settings

Shamar Holtz · Apr 12, 2015

+1 for the GTX 970

DarkSable · Apr 12, 2015

Yep, the 970 for $330 is a wonderful pick.

That being said, if you're looking to upgrade your monitor to a 1440, 120Hz monitor, save up for the 980. (And the monitor will run $700-$800.)

1080p means that running down the side of the screen, you have one-thousand eighty rows of pixels. 1440p means you have 1440 rows. They're a shorthand for the actual resolution: 1920x1080 and 2560x1440.

4K is a marketing term stolen from TVs, and is actually talking about the horizontal resolution: 3840x2160. They're a dumb thing to have, because there's very little 4k content, most games do NOT scale well with resolutions that extreme, and it takes a Titan X or a pair of 980s to approach anything remotely acceptable in terms of play-ability. (Even though it seems like it's only about twice as large as 1080p, you're talking about area, so 1080p is ~2 million pixels and 4k is ~8.3 million pixels.)

120Hz stands for one-hundred twenty Hertz, which is the refresh rate of the monitor. Typical monitors have a refresh rate of 60Hz, meaning they can display up to sixty frames a second. (60 FPS). A higher refresh rate means that it can show twice as many or more frames a second, meaning that action looks smoother there is far less ghosting (literal ghosts of the previous image that show up with fast movement) and screen tearing (when the graphics card sends the next frame before the current one is done drawing and the monitor finishes updating with the new data, causing a 'tear' in the image from where your view changed.).

Shamar Holtz · Apr 12, 2015

DarkSable :

Yep, the 970 for $330 is a wonderful pick.

That being said, if you're looking to upgrade your monitor to a 1440, 120Hz monitor, save up for the 980. (And the monitor will run $700-$800.)

1080p means that running down the side of the screen, you have one-thousand eighty rows of pixels. 1440p means you have 1440 rows. They're a shorthand for the actual resolution: 1920x1080 and 2560x1440.

4K is a marketing term stolen from TVs, and is actually talking about the horizontal resolution: 3840x2160. They're a dumb thing to have, because there's very little 4k content, most games do NOT scale well with resolutions that extreme, and it takes a Titan X or a pair of 980s to approach anything remotely acceptable in terms of play-ability. (Even though it seems like it's only about twice as large as 1080p, you're talking about area, so 1080p is ~2 million pixels and 4k is ~8.3 million pixels.)

120Hz stands for one-hundred twenty Hertz, which is the refresh rate of the monitor. Typical monitors have a refresh rate of 60Hz, meaning they can display up to sixty frames a second. (60 FPS). A higher refresh rate means that it can show twice as many or more frames a second, meaning that action looks smoother there is far less ghosting (literal ghosts of the previous image that show up with fast movement) and screen tearing (when the graphics card sends the next frame before the current one is done drawing and the monitor finishes updating with the new data, causing a 'tear' in the image from where your view changed.).

well look at Mr. Tech here! +1 for doing your research!

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Help me find a GPU and Monitor upgrade!

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Shamar Holtz

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