Which item should I get first?

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derekenzo

Aug 13, 2018
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This is sort of a spin-off of a previous question I had where I was having trouble streaming, recording and gaming simultaneously at 4K with my current build. It was determined that(what now seems obvious) that my hardware needs to be upgraded. Here's my current computer:

ASUS Z170 Pro Gaming mobo
Intel i7-6700K
MSI GTX 1080 Armor
16GB RAM(G.Skill Ripjaws 8GBx2 DDR4 3000)
250GB SSD
2TB HDD

Here is my goal, to be able to play the newest games(Assassin's Creed Odyssey, for example) @ 4K, 60 fps with max settings while streaming @ atleast 720p(ideally 1080p) and recording @ 4K 60FPS.

My current system plays Assassin's Creed Origins at 4K, near max settings at around 40-45 fps while streaming through OBS Studio at 720p 30FPS(really low bitrate and the feed can get choppy at times) and recording simultaneously through ShadowPlay at 4K 60 fps. It barely succeeds at getting this done, though. It took probably 4 or 5 hours of playing with settings here or there to reach these numbers and I'm sure newer games will be even more taxing on the hardware.

I'd like to upgrade both the CPU and the GPU to reach these goals and I believe the i7-8700K and (rumored) RTX 2080 or Ti variant will be what I go for.

My wife would kill me if I spent $1200+ on new computer hardware at the same time, but I'd like to get one or the other before AC: Odyssey comes out so I can stream and record the gameplay properly at max settings.

My question is, will replacing just one get the job done for now? If so, which? Is there anything additional(low cost) I can buy or tweak to help reach these goals? Thanks.
 
Solution
Barty1884
Personally, I'd upgrade your platform (CPU, MB) initially. As I suggested, a 1st Gen Ryzen7 would be a solid upgrade for your tasks, while not breaking the bank. 8c/16threads + MB for $300. You should be able to recoup most of that (if not all) through selling your 6700K and current board!

I would expect improvements on the streaming side of things initially and, in time, a GPU upgrade will help you push to/beyond the 4K 60FPS Ultra.
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Barty1884

Barty1884

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60FPS, 4K, max settings + streaming isn't really easily achievable today.

A 1080TI would get you a little closer, but you're right, a higher core/thread count CPU may well be beneficial too!

A 1180/2080 (whatever it's called) should be one of the first "new" cards to launch, whenever that might be. The TI traditionally follows anywhere from 4-8 months later.

Are you monitoring utilization while streaming? I assume both your CPU and GPU are at/near 100% utilization?
If you're not, I would suggest doing so.

For example, if your CPU is running at 100% utilization and your GPU is only ~80%, then you'd see a benefit in upgrading your CPU - replacing the GPU, not so much.


On a budget (of sorts), it might be worth considering 1st Gen Ryzen, given their reduced pricing following 2nd Gen launch.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 7 1700 3GHz 8-Core Processor ($219.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock - X370 Pro4 ATX AM4 Motherboard ($79.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $299.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-08-15 11:08 EDT-0400

You could opt for a cheaper (save $20) B350 motherboard, but for overclocking, the improved VRM on the X370 boards would be beneficial.

For 4K, the CPU in-game shouldn't impact things at all really - whereas the added 4c/8t vs the 6700K should be much better suited to streaming 4K.

You *could* add a 1080TI to the mix and, while it's a "better" 4K card... I don't feel there's anywhere close to enough performance gains to upgrade currently. Better waiting for the next launch, whenever that might actually be.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB Gaming OC 11G Video Card ($629.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $629.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-08-15 11:11 EDT-0400
 
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Finstar

Finstar

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Sep 7, 2013
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As of now the R7 2700X would be a better option for the cpu, however Intel is releasing their 9th gen soon and i believe what you're looking for is the i9-9900k.
The i7 8700k would not be enough to record 4k gameplay and stream at the same time.
 
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androbourne

androbourne

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Jul 18, 2017
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That CPU isnt great for multi-tasking. AKA streaming and gaming at the same time.

Also for 4k that GPU really isn't going to cut it. Almost everyone I know recommends 1080TI for this while recording.

User here as the same problem and is being bottlenecked by both CPU and GPU which is easly seen from task manager while you game and stream.

Upgrade to at least a 8700k and 1080TI for 4k. However, I'd wait until next gen GPUs come out. You might be able to get something better.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3764288/causing-performance-issues.html
 
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derekenzo

Aug 13, 2018
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Yes, sadly I am at or around 100% on both CPU and GPU. I'm not sure this is relevant, but I should also mention I had to switch the stream encoder from the hardware(NVENC) to the software(x264) because streaming with the hardware encoder was literally impossible. The feed would either go in-and-out or stop completely.
 
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Barty1884

Barty1884

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Personally, I'd upgrade your platform (CPU, MB) initially. As I suggested, a 1st Gen Ryzen7 would be a solid upgrade for your tasks, while not breaking the bank. 8c/16threads + MB for $300. You should be able to recoup most of that (if not all) through selling your 6700K and current board!

I would expect improvements on the streaming side of things initially and, in time, a GPU upgrade will help you push to/beyond the 4K 60FPS Ultra.
 
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Solution
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derekenzo

Aug 13, 2018
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Regarding price, I'm not necessarily on a budget. I don't mind paying for the latest hardware as long as it's a significant improvement over what I have and will last a few years before needing replacement again. I just can't replace both the CPU and GPU simultaneously(you know, joint finances). So I may just go for the new Ryzen chips so I have more time before I have to worry about this again. For some reason, I never consider AMD when shopping for CPUs and I probably should. I've read for multi-tasking the AMD chips are impressive. Maybe I'll have to do some more research on the exact part. I'm curious if the new Intel chips coming out in a couple months would be worth waiting for or if Ryzen would still the better solution. Probably won't know until they come out, I'm guessing?
 
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grimfox

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I never understood the desire to play and stream on the same system particularly when you are putting such high requirements on the stream and record functions. It seems like it would be far more economical to have a second PC dedicated to the stream and record functionality. Plus you have the ability to monitor your chat and stream on a second monitor without giving up that screen space on the gaming system. For the cost of a 1180/2080 I think you could probably build a reasonable system that could handle the stream and record functions. That's just my 2 cents.
 
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androbourne

androbourne

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Or just use a stream device which is basically a dedicated GPU that is only doing the capturing and recording while your primary GPU works on the display etc...

But your CPU will still factor in here.
 
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Barty1884

Barty1884

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Totally get it. I only suggested the 1st Gen 1700 as a cost saving measure. You should be able to get the 8c/16t chip + board and (near) break even selling what you have - should keep the Mrs relatively happy.

2nd Gen does bring some improvements though, and a 2700X + X470 board would be a bit better of a performer.
Given your requirements though, the added horsepower for streaming would be more than handled by a 1700, without impacting your gaming performance at 4K. At lesser resolutions, the 1700 would likely negatively impact your gaming performance, but not at 4K - that's much more about the GPU, provided you have a somewhat reasonable CPU.

AMD haven't really been at the table until fairly recently (12 months or so). Ryzen is a phenomenal value proposition.

As for Intel's upcoming chips, we won't know too much re: performance until nearer launch. That being said, IMO, they're going to have to bring some ridiculous performance gains to justify their higher price tag OR, lower their pricing model. Lowering pricing isn't really their MO, and I wouldn't be overly confident of any form of substantial gains performance-wise, based on historic trends.

If I were in your shoes, I'd have no qualms about jumping onto the AM4 platform, specifically with a Ryzen7 chip.
 
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derekenzo

Aug 13, 2018
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Is there a reason to go x470 instead of b350 if I'm planning to stick with a single GPU?
 
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Barty1884

Barty1884

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X470 and B350 are for different generations, first of all.

If you're opting for 1st Gen (1700, 1700X) then X370 or B350 are what you're looking at.
2nd gen = X470 or B450.

As for "X" over "B", there's a couple of reasons:
1. Generally, improved VRM - beneficial for overclocking (although depends on the specific X or B boards)
2. Multi-GPU support
3. Additional SATA/USB etc.
 
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derekenzo

Aug 13, 2018
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There were a few bundles on Newegg for for the Ryzen 7 2700X with a B350 motherboard together so I guess I just assumed that was a common combo. Thanks.
 
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Barty1884

Barty1884

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Certainly not saying B350 doesn't work, far from it. One of the biggest issues is B350 with 2nd Gen Ryzen. It needs a BIOS update to support 2nd Gen chips and, while most people (myself included) would assume Newegg et al would only sell the pairing *with* a BIOS update complete..... that hasn't actually been the case in a lot of situations - they're just moving old stock.

B350 + 1st Gen Ryzen7's (or 2nd Gen with a confirmed BIOS update) or B450 + either, are solid pairings.
Pairing a 1700X/2700X with either, should be ok - as the upper-end is typically no higher than the XFR boost speeds regardless - but I would still look to an X chipset, given the fairly negligible price deltas.
1700/2700 though, are lower binned. They will typically OC to the same level as an "X" chip, but require more voltage etc. That's where the enhanced VRM can shine.
 
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