Old i5 or New i5 and MB upgrade?

dudka · Jan 28, 2016

Hi everyone,

I am looking to upgrade my desktop. Currently, it has a last gen i3 paired with an R9 270 GPU. Hoping to make a splash into the PC gaming market and move away from console... would upgrading to a last gen i5 be enough? Or, do I get a new motherboard and current gen i5? I'm assuming the GPU is fine for another year or so.

Thanks!

Russel Johnson · Jan 28, 2016

Go for it, it would be a good upgrade. The R9 270 would definitely be bottlenecked by the i5 though.

geofelt · Jan 28, 2016

I think your cpu and gpu are relatively well balanced.

Here is my stock approach to figuring what you need to do:

------------------------------------------------------------
To help clarify your CPU/GPU options, run these two tests:

a) Run YOUR games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
If your FPS increases, it indicates that your cpu is strong enough to drive a better graphics configuration.
If your FPS stays the same, you are likely more cpu limited.

b) Limit your cpu, either by reducing the OC, or, in windows power management, limit the maximum cpu% to something like 70%.
Go to control panel/power options/change plan settings/change advanced power settings/processor power management/maximum processor state/
This will simulate what a lack of cpu power will do.
Conversely what a 30% improvement in core speed might do.

You should also experiment with removing one core. You can do this in the windows msconfig boot advanced options option. set the number of processors to less than you have.
This will tell you how sensitive your games are to the benefits of many cores.

If your FPS drops significantly, it is an indicator that your cpu is the limiting factor, and a cpu upgrade is in order.

It is possible that both tests are positive, indicating that you have a well balanced system, and both cpu and gpu need to be upgraded to get better gaming FPS.
-------------------------------------------------------------

I think you are likely to find that the gpu is the part that holds you back the most.

If you upgrade the cpu, I really think it pays to go with current skylake tech.

dudka · Jan 28, 2016

geofelt :

I think your cpu and gpu are relatively well balanced.

Here is my stock approach to figuring what you need to do:

------------------------------------------------------------
To help clarify your CPU/GPU options, run these two tests:

a) Run YOUR games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
If your FPS increases, it indicates that your cpu is strong enough to drive a better graphics configuration.
If your FPS stays the same, you are likely more cpu limited.

b) Limit your cpu, either by reducing the OC, or, in windows power management, limit the maximum cpu% to something like 70%.
Go to control panel/power options/change plan settings/change advanced power settings/processor power management/maximum processor state/
This will simulate what a lack of cpu power will do.
Conversely what a 30% improvement in core speed might do.

You should also experiment with removing one core. You can do this in the windows msconfig boot advanced options option. set the number of processors to less than you have.
This will tell you how sensitive your games are to the benefits of many cores.

If your FPS drops significantly, it is an indicator that your cpu is the limiting factor, and a cpu upgrade is in order.

It is possible that both tests are positive, indicating that you have a well balanced system, and both cpu and gpu need to be upgraded to get better gaming FPS.
-------------------------------------------------------------

I think you are likely to find that the gpu is the part that holds you back the most.

If you upgrade the cpu, I really think it pays to go with current skylake tech.

Yeah, I'm not having any problems with the i3. I play things like Witcher 3 and other demanding titles on PS4 (don't ask why, I guess I feel like the PC couldn't handle it). I figured a new i5 would be the way to go as most games are saying "4 cores" etc.

I'll start to price out a new MB and i5.

Thanks for the input!

TechBloke · Jan 30, 2016

Depends what i5 you go for if that causes a cpu bottleneck. I'd go for a 4th gen 1150 socket. No way would that bottleneck gpu and some good prices now the latest ones are out.

dudka · Jan 30, 2016

TechBloke :

How does a "bottle neck" work? Or, is it just a term used when a CPU would meet a benchmark for an activity but the GPU would be the weak link (and visa versa).

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