Will i5 3450 bottleneck the GTX 1070?

[yashas08]

Hello everybody , I currently own a i5 3450 CPU with an ASUS P8H61-LX3 R2.0 motherboard and I am looking to upgrade my gpu from a Radeon 7770 to a GTX 1070 or GTX 1060 .
I wanted to know if my CPU will bottleneck the two GPUs and if there is a bottleneck which of the two cards would perform better with the bottleneck though the GTX 1070 is better than GTX 1060
I aim to game at constant 60 fps on ultra details at 1080p on a 60 Hz Monitor

 

[raisonjohn]

Depends on the game. The GTX 1070 is more likely to be bottlenecked by the i5-3450 in AAA CPU-demanding games than the GTX 1060. But if you're playing non CPU-demanding games, both can get by with your current CPU. You can also adjust in-game graphic settings to lower the chances of your CPU hindering the graphics performance of your chosen GPU.

Since you have a 1080p/60Hz (max Hz) monitor, a GTX 1060 would be good enough for your needs. It won't get constant 60fps only in AAA GPU-demanding games (but lowering eye candy on those games could). The GTX 1070 is more suited if you are looking at greater than 60Hz (i.e., 60++ fps) on a monitor that is capable of doing such (yours doesn't; limited to 60fps max.) or if your monitor is 1440p (yours is 1080p only).

 

[Tarun17]

Hello,

Your i5 is more likely to be "BOTTLENECKED" by the GTX 1070.
You should consider the GTX 1060. The GTX 1070 will be bottlenecked by about 20% whereas the 1060 will not even get bottlenecked as the 4 cores in your CPU are just fine to handle it.

For Example, If you get 70 FPS on X game with the 1070, you will just get 63 with the 1060, thats the difference. You decide, for 150$ extra, you get only 7 FPS more (That was just an example, but still, you know).

Also, consider buying the 3GB variant of the 1060 as it will be cheaper and again, better price : performance ratio!

Happy to help,
Best of luck for your new GPU!!

 

[yashas08]

Guys I want to game at 1080p on high or ultra details at 60+ fps for atleast 2 to 3 years from now , so could you just tell which gpu would be the best for me as I would not like to compromise

 

[raisonjohn]

You never can tell what games will be released 2 to 3 years from now (and their respective system requirements). Like I said, a GTX 1060 would be able to handle some of today's AAA games in high or lower settings with 50+ fps (you don't want to go 60+ fps as your monitor only maxes out at 60Hz, else, you'd get screen tearing and rugged gameplay).

If you want "future-proof", on smoother 60++ fps for 2 to 3 years, I'd suggest getting the GTX 1070, upgrade your PSU to a good quality 550W (such as the Seasonic G-550, EVGA SuperNOVA G3 550, or Corsair RM550x), and upgrade your monitor with a 1080p-resolution/144Hz (possibly with G-Sync). Then, you'd get that Ultra Details on 60++fps smooth gameplay you like without compromising. Depending on the specific game you will play, you might have to upgrade your CPU to a more powerful one to eliminate any possibilities of bottlenecking a powerful GPU.

 

[Tarun17]

Like I said, IF you have the money and IF you Really want it, you CAN always go for the 1070 but IF you buy the 1060 right now, you are good to go, you WILL get 40+ FPS in whatever game you throw at a 1060 and of course, you can't upgrade in the future so you will HAVE to build another PC in the upcoming 2-3 years. Dont get me wrong, But 1060 is the thing to go for you brother.So, save your money, Because I know you will be saying that OH GOD WHY DID I BUY THE 1070 , NOW NVIDIA HAS RELEASED A NEW SERIES, INTEL 10th GENERATION HAS COME OH GOD WHY DIDNT I SAVE MONEY!!!!!!!!!

You will have to switch to the new generations, you just cant stick with old hardware, And the 1060 will not disappoint you,I guarantee....

That was my foolish word, you decide...

 

[yashas08]

Hey Raisonjohn , really appreciate for all the answers. So could you tell me in short that if i wanted constant 60 fps on ultra details for the next 3 year with my current CPU which GPU would be the best?
Will the GTX 1060 be used to its max potential with the i5 3450?
And if I pick the GTX 1070 over the GTX 1060 will the performance gain be significant or will it be negligible that I should choose the GTX 1060 and save some cash?
Lastly , which GPU would be the best for my CPU ? and I use a Seasonic S12ii 520 watts PSU

 

[yashas08]

Hye Tarun17 , Thanks for the answers mate , i think it would be better to stick with the GTX 1060 as you said when newer generations of CPU and GPUs arrive I will need to upgrade my cpu , So could you tell me which version of GTX 1060 is the best bang for the buck (6 gb)

 

[yashas08]

Tarun17 and raisonjohn could you tell me whether I would get the same level of performance as the guy in this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJZH5AKEFTQ

 

[Tarun17]

1060
PLEASE... YOU KIDS DONT KNOW HOW TO SAVE MONEY

 

[CRO5513Y]

As already stated wait for another generation or so and upgrade your CPU later, it should be fine for most modern games with little bottlenecking.

As for the GPU, if you're aiming at 1080p 60Hz Ultra settings the GTX 1060 6GB or RX 480 8GB are your best choice for achieving this without overspending. *Note the RX 500 series comes out within the next week or so according to recent leaks*. Either would be a fine card for you but i would advise against the 3GB 1060 strongly if you want to achieve Ultra settings in modern games, the VRAM is lacking in my opinion/experience and it has reduced shader counts and such not just the VRAM. A 1070 would work but might not be worth overspending on in most games a 1060 6GB/RX 480 would do the job and save the cash. Hope this helps

+1 to Raisonjohn's suggestion for the SeaSonic S12-II 520W PSU.

 

[raisonjohn]

First off, as far as the PSU is concerned, you can choose any of the two GPUs (GTX 1070 or GTX 1060) with your current Seasonic S12II-520 PSU. So, for the PSU, you're good to go.

Now, the i5-3450 + GTX 1060 + 1080p/60Hz monitor would be a "more balanced" pairing as we have reiterated above. It will NOT give you a "more future-proof" setup because your CPU is already outdated (though still powerful) in itself. Having said that, if you want to game now (today; not 2 or 3 years later), the GTX 1060 would be the best in price/performance for you since you only got a 1080p/60Hz monitor anyway. That GPU can give you 50-ish fps on Ultra Settings on most games (but for graphic-intensive AAA gaming, expect your fps to dip around 30-40 on high-ultra). This option will save you a lot of cash today -- but don't expect the GTX 1060 to serve you well in the next 2 to 3 years with your current CPU, MB, RAM, and Monitor.

This is where your dilemma starts. If you want future-proofing (and eliminating bottlenecks), the GTX 1070 should be paired with a more powerful CPU (which means changing your MB and RAM), and a better 1080p monitor which can deliver more than a 100Hz in refresh rate -- so that you can achieve that 60++fps smooth framerates on Ultra Settings AAA gaming you want.

If you are low on budget, get the GTX 1060 is be content with adjusting in-game graphic settings to get acceptable framerates.

The performance difference between the GTX 1060 and the GTX 1070 is HUGE (so is the price). But getting the GTX 1070 now without upgrading your other components would not be beneficial for you.

 

[Tarun17]

First off, as far as the PSU is concerned, you can choose any of the two GPUs (GTX 1070 or GTX 1060) with your current Seasonic S12II-520 PSU. So, for the PSU, you're good to go.

Now, the i5-3450 + GTX 1060 + 1080p/60Hz monitor would be a "more balanced" pairing as we have reiterated above. It will NOT give you a "more future-proof" setup because your CPU is already outdated (though still powerful) in itself. Having said that, if you want to game now (today; not 2 or 3 years later), the GTX 1060 would be the best in price/performance for you since you only got a 1080p/60Hz monitor anyway. That GPU can give you 50-ish fps on Ultra Settings on most games (but for graphic-intensive AAA gaming, expect your fps to dip around 30-40 on high-ultra). This option will save you a lot of cash today -- but don't expect the GTX 1060 to serve you well in the next 2 to 3 years with your current CPU, MB, RAM, and Monitor.

This is where your dilemma starts. If you want future-proofing (and eliminating bottlenecks), the GTX 1070 should be paired with a more powerful CPU (which means changing your MB and RAM), and a better 1080p monitor which can deliver more than a 100Hz in refresh rate -- so that you can achieve that 60++fps smooth framerates on Ultra Settings AAA gaming you want.

If you are low on budget, get the GTX 1060 is be content with adjusting in-game graphic settings to get acceptable framerates.

The performance difference between the GTX 1060 and the GTX 1070 is HUGE (so is the price). But getting the GTX 1070 now without upgrading your other components would not be beneficial for you.

BEST ANSWER BOI (THATS WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY)