Cpu or Gpu? Upgrading

Mantaliss · Apr 10, 2017

So I built my first pc 3 months ago. here are the specs:

Cpu: Amd A10 7860k (not overclocked)
Gpu: GT 730 (Friend Lended it to me)
Ram: 8Gb DDR3 HyperX Single Stick
PSU: Apevia 450w

The reason why I want to upgrade is because... I pre-ordered Destiny 2 PC. idk if my pc can run it very well and the beta is coming in the Summer so I have a small amount of time. I want to get the best upgrade I can possibly get for my pc in this amount of time and note: I am in 8th grade moving into highschool so I am on a budget. I dont have the money yet but I can get estimated $100-$200 withing those two months before the beta release. So I am debating with myself:

Should I just wait and hope my pc can run Destiny 2 (It can run all the newest titles that are out at at least low setting or higher, so im expecting Destiny 2 wont be intense on my rig)
My other idea is to get the GTX 1050 2gb.(I looked up my apu paired with this card and the TI version and there was about a 30fps boost in performance)
My other plan which I probably wont be able to accomplish within the 2 months, is to get an I5 4460k. But I would be spending about $300 for the cpu and mobo.
All im worried about is that my Pc wont get smooth 30fps-60fps running Destiny 2 on low, but again I doubt its gonna be that intense.
And I dont want people to come in here saying: "Wow what a waste of an APU."
It was my decision not yours, It was cheap and I was able to get my pc running fast(And Im not very Patient either)
So gtx 1050? or A better cpu?
Again for the cpu suggestions I want something similar to the I54460k like an I3 that wont bottleneck the gpu that I have because I can sort of tell my cpu downs my gt 730s performance. Because I saw the card in my friends rig paired with his i5 4460k
He ran For Honor on low 1080p at 25-60fps.(When he looked at a certain direction in game right where all the action and stuff going on, he got an fps drop. Though the way he ran it was still easily playable for me, no lag spikes just a noticable slow down)
Anyways I want a cpu that WONT bottleneck my gpu

Shoomer · Apr 10, 2017

Your best bet in the short term would be a new graphics card. If you go down the new CPU route remember you also need a new motherboard, new RAM.

I don't know how Destiny 2 will play but my guess is you will struggle with what you have. Don't worry about an old I5 bottlenecking a 1050. You only need to worry about bottlenecking for the really high end stuff and even then the difference is negligible. Just get what you can afford mate. But for gaming, a better GPU will almost always give bigger benefits than a new CPU/MB.

rhysiam · Apr 10, 2017

You're in a corner a bit and I don't think there's actually one "perfect" or "right" solution for you.

While people love to rag on those AMD APUs, they actually offer pretty decent bang for buck in the entry level gaming segment. The problem is, and this is the spot you're in right now, is that there's no straightforward upgrade path... it's kind of a dead end.

I'm leaning with @Shoomer, because a decent GPU upgrade will at least make a difference in some games. That CPU you have isn't terrible, and I wouldn't be looking to an i3 to upgrade, because it's not enough of a jump IMHO.
While the 1050 is an okay entry level card, you can get RX 470s for pretty damn cheap right now, and they offer way more potential performance. Sure, some games might end up CPU bottlenecked, but it'll offer way more performance where it's not, and at least then you have one decent gaming component in the system that you can build on, rather than spending more cash on another bare-minimum component which isn't going to be any use come upgrade time.

Also - you can OC that CPU potentially, which might help. What's your motherboard model?

**BUT**... I'm really worried about that PSU you have too. Can you list the exact model no.? I think you really need to look to replace that unless you're prepared to take a risk with your hardware (and don't try a 470 + CPU OC on that PSU, no way).

So start out with a GPU + PSU upgrade, perhaps.
Wait for some benchmarks on that game, because we don't really know whether it'll be harder on CPUs or GPUs yet.

Mantaliss · Apr 10, 2017

Thanks for the answer I was considering for a long time that I should get an I5 but then you change my mind very fast. I'm gonna gather more opinions and decide

Mantaliss · Apr 10, 2017

rhysiam :

You're in a corner a bit and I don't think there's actually one "perfect" or "right" solution for you.

While people love to rag on those AMD APUs, they actually offer pretty decent bang for buck in the entry level gaming segment. The problem is, and this is the spot you're in right now, is that there's no straightforward upgrade path... it's kind of a dead end.

I'm leaning with @Shoomer, because a decent GPU upgrade will at least make a difference in some games. That CPU you have isn't terrible, and I wouldn't be looking to an i3 to upgrade, because it's not enough of a jump IMHO.
While the 1050 is an okay entry level card, you can get RX 470s for pretty damn cheap right now, and they offer way more potential performance. Sure, some games might end up CPU bottlenecked, but it'll offer way more performance where it's not, and at least then you have one decent gaming component in the system that you can build on, rather than spending more cash on another bare-minimum component which isn't going to be any use come upgrade time.

Also - you can OC that CPU potentially, which might help. What's your motherboard model?

**BUT**... I'm really worried about that PSU you have too. Can you list the exact model no.? I think you really need to look to replace that unless you're prepared to take a risk with your hardware (and don't try a 470 + CPU OC on that PSU, no way).

So start out with a GPU + PSU upgrade, perhaps.
Wait for some benchmarks on that game, because we don't really know whether it'll be harder on CPUs or GPUs yet.

mobo
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XI4NQBK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

psu
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GUENTKC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

rhysiam · Apr 10, 2017

Mantaliss :

I'm pretty sure that PSU is a pile of junk, I'm sorry to say. I know your budget is limited and spending money on a non-performance impacting part like a PSU seems like a waste, but you are taking a risk with that PSU. Just two weeks ago a mate of mine lost his mobo when his Coolermaster PSU blew and took the mobo with it. Ended up costing him ~$600 (AU), he couldn't source a second hand one at a decent price so ended up having to buy a new CPU, mobo, RAM and PSU... all for the sake of having a decent power supply in the first place.

Here's my suggestion:
Get a decent 450 -520 W PSU
Corsair CX 450M: http://pcpartpicker.com/product/FQ648d/corsair-power-supply-cp9020101na
Seasonic 520: http://pcpartpicker.com/product/fZyFf7/seasonic-power-supply-s12ii520bronze
(Both around the $50 mark)

Then get yourself the best GPU you can afford.
If you can stretch to an RX 470 that would be great.

Then, hold out for the Ryzen 3 CPUs which launch some time in the second half of this year. Given Ryzen 7 & 5 pricing, I'd expect with you could get yourself a capable little Ryzen 3 CPU + mobo + 8GB DDR4 RAM, all in for around $200.
That way, you'll have yourself a proper quad core CPU, with a proper gaming GPU (if you can stretch to the 470). That should be able to play any game you can throw at it with decent settings for a good while. PLUS, AMD have committed to maintaining CPU compatibility on the AM4 platform in future. So you have an upgrade path to better CPUs & GPUs in future, when you get a bit older and a decent part time job or whatever.

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