Question about bottlenecks.

JarofMilk · Jun 30, 2017

So I have a pretty lame PC and I'm planning on completely upgrading it, and I'm not really afraid of the cost, however It's going to take a while to get all of the parts.

My current parts are:

CPU: Intel - Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor

Video Card: MSI NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-B85M-D3V

RAM: #1: Hynix 4GB PC3-12800 DDR3- 1600MHz
#2: G.SKILL Value 8GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600

Power Supply: SolyTech ATX SL-F400 400W Switching Desktop Power supply

Case: NZXT CA-PH240-W1 White Steel

Since I can't buy all my new parts at once, I want to gradually upgrade individual parts of my old PC. Since upgrading the CPU to a newer I7 would require a new Motherboard, possibly a new purchase of Windows, and the CPU, I think buying a new Video Card first is the best option.

My question is: Would a high end Video Card like a GTX 1080 Ti be compatible with the other parts I listed above (obviously replacing the GTX 750 Ti), and would it provide a large enough boost in performance even with a huge bottleneck for it to be worth buying first?

MrN1ce9uy · Jun 30, 2017

I would say you will be able to use the 1080 Ti with your i5-4460 even with a cpu bottleneck in most games, just know that the 1080 Ti will not perform up to its potential. Also, the i7-4790K is still a great CPU that would sufficiently provide a 1080 Ti with enough to be fully utilized. Only thing is you will pay just as much as a 7700K for it. Plus you wouldnt' be able to overclock it so might as well go with a new platform.

If you're going with a GTX 1080 Ti you will need to upgrade your power supply. If you're going with any GPU that requires a PCIE power connector you will have to upgrade to a better power supply.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($88.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $88.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-06-30 19:14 EDT-0400

Another thing to note is your RAM. You can't run dual-channel with different size modules. I'd recommend getting a second 8GB module of the exact same type as the one you have. Either that or wait until you decide to upgrade to a new platform with DDR4 and get a 2x8GB kit.

Rexper · Jun 30, 2017

Bottlenecking doesn't work like that. It completely depends on other variables - resolution, graphical settings, games, and framerate goal. Please read here: https://pcpartpicker.com/forums/topic/214851-on-cpugpu-bottlenecking-in-games

Also, your ram can run in dual channel. 8Gb of it (4gb from each stick) will run in dual channel and 4gb will run as single channel.

JarofMilk · Jun 30, 2017

MrN1ce9uy :

I would say you will be able to use the 1080 Ti with your i5-4460 even with a cpu bottleneck in most games, just know that the 1080 Ti will not perform up to its potential. Also, the i7-4790K is still a great CPU that would sufficiently provide a 1080 Ti with enough to be fully utilized. Only thing is you will pay just as much as a 7700K for it. Plus you wouldnt' be able to overclock it so might as well go with a new platform.

If you're going with a GTX 1080 Ti you will need to upgrade your power supply. If you're going with any GPU that requires a PCIE power connector you will have to upgrade to a better power supply.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($88.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $88.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-06-30 19:14 EDT-0400

Another thing to note is your RAM. You can't run dual-channel with different size modules. I'd recommend getting a second 8GB module of the exact same type as the one you have. Either that or wait until you decide to upgrade to a new platform with DDR4 and get a 2x8GB kit.

Right, I forgot about the Power Supply...also I think 400W is too low so even more reason to upgrade. Also, why can't I use different size RAM modules? It seems to be working fine...

MrN1ce9uy · Jun 30, 2017

You can run different size RAM, but for optimal performance you will want the same size RAM in dual-channel.

MrN1ce9uy · Jun 30, 2017

I guess we should also mention the 1080 Ti is complete overkill for 1080p 60Hz gaming. You will either want a high refresh rate (144Hz or higher) or ultra high definition (4K) monitor to take full advantage of what the 1080 Ti has to offer. There are also 1440p monitors to consider.

IInuyasha74 · Jun 30, 2017

I completely agree with the above that your first move should be to upgrade the PSU. It isn't from a major maker, so it probably isn't very good. The last thing you want is to start upgrading your PC and then how the PSU die and take some of your components with it.

Also you should note that you can upgrade to a Core i7 with your current motherboard.

As for the RAM, it is typically ill-advised to miss match DDR3. It can be a bit temperamental and cause instability issues. This can be particularly problematic if you mix and match in the same channel. Say for example Hynix and Samsung RAM in the same channel together. But if you already have mismatched RAM and it works fine for you then obviously it isn't something you need to worry about. There won't be any performance penalty to this setup, so long as it is stable. If you go to add another 4GB stick, however, I'd recommend you try to find another Hynix RAM stick to use or replace the Hynix RAM completely.

JarofMilk · Jun 30, 2017

MrN1ce9uy :

Yes I'm planning on upgrading to a 144Hz monitor at 1080p, but may also look at some 1440p monitors. Also I don't think getting a 4k monitor is a good idea if I want a steady 60+ fps in games...?

MrN1ce9uy · Jun 30, 2017

JarofMilk :

You're right, 4K ultra settings 60fps is still a bit much for even a single 1080 Ti. But turning a few settings down doesn't hurt much, especially going from MSAA/TXAA to FXAA and getting rid of a couple other settings. I read somewhere that games are developed to be run at high settings. Ultra settings are for those who spend loads of money on their hardware and want something extra. But if you've got a 1080 Ti why not experience the extra at 144Hz right? Either way it's up to you. I'm still trying to figure out my next move away from 1080p 60Hz.

IInuyasha74 · Jun 30, 2017

Without AA you can actually run most games at 4K 60Hz just fine. I did with my GTX 970 for quite a while, and at that resolution it more than makes up for it.

Or you could go 1440p and a higher refresh rate and not having any issues.

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