[Help] I'm stuck with the age old question "to upgrade or not to upgrade"

ZandaThebigbluePanda · May 25, 2015

I asked basicly the same question a month ago, But new options have come up for me.
And I really just want people to tell me what they would do if they were in my shoes.

Link to old post

I'm looking to upgrade my rig. and I'm just not sure anymore.
Here's my current rig:

Devil's-I7 GTX980

I7 4790k
4.6Ghz On 1.245v
With Integrated Graphics Disabled

GTX asus 980 Ref Model
BaseClock: 1351.0Mhz
BoostClock: 1440.0Mhz

Gigabyte Gaming GT Z97X MoBo

8gb kingston ram
Running @ 1.65v, 2400mhz, Cas latency: 9

corsair force 240gb SSD

1TB WD blue

GTX 750 Physx Card
BaseClock: 1353.0Mhz
BoostClock: 1432.0Mhz

Thermal Take Nic C5 CPU Cooler

Corsair 900D

Corsair AX860W PSU

Windows 8.1

1440p Shimian Monitor

Here are my last choices and I thought I was going with option 1 but I'm just not sure anymore.

Options:

Possible upgrades list 1:
2x 1440p Monitors, The same as my beloved Shimian.
another GTX 980 for 2 way SLI.

Possible upgrades list 2:
2 More GTX980's for 3 way SLI

Possible upgrades list 3:
Another GTX980.
2TB WB Black.
1x 1440p monitor.
Another Corsair force 240gb SSD

Now let me do a copy and paste of the "build-upgrade-advice-form"

Approximate Purchase Date: Late November 2015

Budget Range: $2000NZD

System Usage from Most to Least Important:

Gaming: (Skyrim, Mass Effect, Garry's mod.)
File management: (running a few off site servers that need FTP access)
Web Browsing and online flash games.
lite image and video editing.
extended use times: (30 hours+)
Voice based services such as teamspeak & mumble.

Are you buying a monitor: Maybe.

Parts to Upgrade

Refer to the "Options" spoiler.)

Do you need to buy OS: No

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Just need recommendations, but this is where I am going to be buying most of my upgrades.

Location: Auckland, New Zealand, Earth, The Sol System, Milky way.

Parts Preferences: Intel & Nvidia Is what this build basicly is.

Overclocking: Yes

SLI or Crossfire: Yes

Your Monitor Resolution: 1440P

Additional Comments: I intend to be playing on one monitor but I need more monitors for my work

And Most Importantly: I just don't know anymore I want a better gaming experience but I just don't feel like i'm getting that from my current rig with the current games.

Guest · May 25, 2015

If you are feeling you arent getting enough performance you should go for option 1. You will get alot more performance and you get an extra monitor and thats what you want.

ZandaThebigbluePanda · May 25, 2015

yeah but... I'm just not sure, option one is great and all but I kinda wanna get something more.
like maybe investing $1500 into water cooling and getting a second monitor.

because 1 GTX 980 is FAR more than enough to max out my old games

ZandaThebigbluePanda · May 25, 2015

Oh and PS: option 1 was 2 more monitors, so i would have 3 + a new gtx 980

pcgaming98 · May 25, 2015

Never heard of watercooling costing over $150-$250. $1,500? Huh...

ZandaThebigbluePanda · May 25, 2015

I mean full custom dual loop water cooling with 2x 240mm quad Rads.
I live in NZ and prices are almost always 2.25ish X the prices of US

ZandaThebigbluePanda · May 25, 2015

GTX 980 costs $890 NZD at lowest here

pcgaming98 · May 25, 2015

Ohhh right. I got the currency wrong! My bad man.

I don't have anything really serious to contribute to this topic since I've never watercooled. But if you truly want a second monitor, you shouldn't need another GTX 980 to accompany it. It's a 4k graphics card, it's capable of running two 1440p monitors.

Xtergo · May 25, 2015

you said "And Most Importantly: I just don't know anymore I want a better gaming experience but I just don't feel like i'm getting that from my current rig with the current games".

What do you mean ? are games lagging is your work slowing down ? can u tell more about what your current system Cannot do then ill suggest your upgrade

Guest · May 25, 2015

That's an option. But I doubt you will notice a lot of improvement because you want to watercool your pc so obviously you want to overclock. Your computer will operate faster but is it worth 1500 dollar?

ZandaThebigbluePanda · May 25, 2015

faster? who said anything about faster? I wanted cooling not speed... but I'm still not sure, so if you people were in my shoes what would you do?

and plus I do OC, I have a stable 4.7ghz on my CPU with a profile that overV's a little to meet the 5.2ghz standard

Xtergo · May 25, 2015

If i was in ur shoes i would pick a few games and play on that system its a pretty good system if u want more juice you can add more ram.

Thats plenty of power for gaming
not sure of your work but if you do rendering stuff that ram is less for you

ZandaThebigbluePanda · May 25, 2015

Xtergo :

Ram is a issue I plan to upgrade at late Dec 2015/New year ish 2016.

But I just don't feel like I'm Happy with my rig, also for rendering I use my laptop:
16gb Ram, I7 4700MQ
because I like to render well... on the loo XD

geofelt · May 25, 2015

The main purpose of water cooling is to be able to push an overclock to voltages that exceed dangerous levels.
It is better, in my opinion to use those funds for faster parts in the first place.

Your cpu is as good as it gets today, not until the next intel generation broadwell/skylake can you hope to do better.

If you are not able to run full eye candy at good frames per second, then it is appropriate to look for a graphics upgrade.
Adding a second GTX980 is a decent option.
You get diminishing returns from a third, plus you are getting close to being limited by your psu.

My suggestion is to look for the upcoming GTX980ti and replace your GTX980.
A single gpu plays better than dual gpus.
If you still need graphics power, then add a second.
The GTX980ti is supposed to come with more vram(6gb) and that helps with skyrim mods.
If budget is not an issue, buy a Titan X with 12gb.

From a functional point of view, adding a second 1440P monitor is a most useful upgrade, though not for gaming.
What I suggest is to add a large 4k monitor.
I am using a 40" Phillips BDM4065UC.
That will take serious graphics muscle of you are into fast action shooters. Not so much for sims, strategy and mmo type games.
Look for something larger than the less expensive 27" units; the normal text is quite small on them.

Xtergo · May 25, 2015

yes go 4k !

ZandaThebigbluePanda · May 26, 2015

4k is just out for me, cheapest 4k monitor here is 32" and... well around $1200.
for a 40" it would exceed my 2grand budget

ZandaThebigbluePanda · May 26, 2015

and really I'm not insane... not yet I don't intend to game on more than 1 monitor. XD,
and what you guys have said, has really helped me to see I'm kinda out of any decent options.
so I thank you all and may end up going with the add another card, and 2 more monitors... that leaves me around $100
so yeah probably gonna up the ram or grab another 1tb HDD because... well my other one is filled with over 700GB of games and skyrim saves.

pcgaming98 · May 26, 2015

@Geofelt Even then, the fps increase will be 5 max. Even Intel Core i5/i7 3xxx series is still top of the line. Its basically trimming power consumption for Intel.

ZandaThebigbluePanda · May 26, 2015

pcgaming98 :

Yes, But glading I don't pay for power. XD

pcgaming98 · May 26, 2015

No one should be concerned about power consumption anyway if they're willing to spend $600+ on a gaming PC.

That's a direct attack at the people who cry about AMD processors power consumption.

ZandaThebigbluePanda · May 26, 2015

hahaha, yes... I've had people moan at me for my last rig

[Help] I'm stuck with the age old question "to upgrade or not to upgrade"

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