Upgrading to GTX 980TI with 3 year-old MOBO/CPU

Soulfulred

Reputable
May 18, 2015
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4,520
Title says it all:
I want to upgrade from a GTX 960 to a GTX 980TI. Should I continue saving up for an overall upgrade of my entire rig, or is my current set-up able to handle the amazingness of 1440p max settings high-intensity gaming?

I'm currently saving up to upgrade to a GTX 980Ti. I purchased my GTX960 somewhere around May, and though I initially suffered buyers remorse, I have come to enjoy my current GPU. It's a powerhouse at 1080p. Still, I'm thinking of a massive step forward - the GTX 980ti. This GPU has been in my crosshairs for a looooooooong time, ever since it's release.

The question is, if I upgrade to GTX 980TI, how much of my rig would I have to upgrade as well? I know the 2500K is good, and can be OC'ed but I have absolutely zero experience overclocking. I'm willing to learn if I can push my CPU forward.

Note:
  • I am not using a stock cooler. I have no idea what it is, honestly. All I know is it's big and apparently, it was the 2nd best cooler that my brother bought when he was setting up the rig I have.
    I am using a 42-inch 1080p, 60hz TV.

RIG SPECS

Operating System
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit SP1

CPU
Intel Core i5 2500K @ 3.30GHz
Sandy Bridge 32nm Technology

PSU
Corsair Professional 850W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply

RAM
8.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 802MHz (11-11-11-28)

Motherboard
ASUSTeK Computer INC. SABERTOOTH P67 (LGA1155)

Graphics
Philips FTV (1920x1080@60Hz)
2047MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (NVIDIA)

Storage
59GB KINGSTON SV100S264G ATA Device (SSD)
465GB Western Digital WDC WD5002AALX-00J37A0 ATA Device (SATA)

Optical Drives
TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-S243D ATA Device
 
Solution
You don't need to change anything. Your CPU should handle the 980ti pretty well and if you will overclock it , then things will get even better.
You have a great Power Supply, there's no doubt about it.

If you're planning to play only on 1080p/1440p ...... you can stick with your GTX 960 and upgrade later or sell the 960 and get a 970.
For 1080p/1440p gaming the GTX 970 should run pretty smooth
You don't need to change anything. Your CPU should handle the 980ti pretty well and if you will overclock it , then things will get even better.
You have a great Power Supply, there's no doubt about it.

If you're planning to play only on 1080p/1440p ...... you can stick with your GTX 960 and upgrade later or sell the 960 and get a 970.
For 1080p/1440p gaming the GTX 970 should run pretty smooth
 
Solution