technology The Glorious PC master race thread

[long gone 8,929]

Relatively casual gamer race coming through!

 

64bit Windows 7 SP1 Home Premium

i7 3.07Ghz Quad Core

16 (technically 18) GB RAM

GTX 460

ASUSTeK P6T SE

LG 24M35D 1920x1080 32bit 60hz 16:9

 

I'm kinda growing sad that my PC is starting to crawl to a halt when running modern age games like AC:Unity and to a lesser degree DA:I, and that while I can turn everything up to ultra on WoD, I have to keep my shadows on Low if I want to maintain 40+ fps, so I can't enjoy it in its full glory.

 

I reckon that as a whole my PC is growing pretty old (last month as a bandaid I upgraded from 6GB RAM to 16GB) and that it might be best to replace the whole thing. I bought this thing in 2010 and I honestly don't understand much in hardware, I'm a software guy! Any of you reckon if just upgrading my graphics card would save me here, or is my CPU's 3.07Ghz just too low?

Well, what model of i7 is it? If it's a first-generation one (just three numbers in the model number, later generations have four i.e. Intel Core i7-860 as a first-generation Core i7, Intel Core i7-4790K as a current, fourth-generation Core i7) I'd suggest looking into building a new one.

[Drakkon 362]

Well, what model of i7 is it? If it's a first-generation one (just three numbers in the model number, later generations have four i.e. Intel Core i7-860 as a first-generation Core i7, Intel Core i7-4790K as a current, fourth-generation Core i7) I'd suggest looking into building a new one.

Woops, forgot about that. Yeah, it's a first generation (950). I wanted to build a new one before, but I got cold feet and decided to just upgrade my RAM in the meantime, it was surprisingly cheap (only about $120).

 

What are the advantages of having a more modern i7? Is it that big of a speed boost, especially in shadows and the like? Since I think that's what my computer moans about whenever I open a modern game. I didn't even bother getting BF4 since I don't play much and I doubted I'd be able to run it properly.

[long gone 8,929]

Woops, forgot about that. Yeah, it's a first generation (950). I wanted to build a new one before, but I got cold feet and decided to just upgrade my RAM in the meantime, it was surprisingly cheap (only about $120).

 

What are the advantages of having a more modern i7? Is it that big of a speed boost, especially in shadows and the like? Since I think that's what my computer moans about whenever I open a modern game. I didn't even bother getting BF4 since I don't play much and I doubted I'd be able to run it properly.

One of my friends (who is also a growing KSP streamer on Twitch.tv) recently built a new PC based on the i7-4790K (his old one had an i7-920). The boost in game speed (KSP is very CPU-heavy because of the Unity engine's design) was unreal, no longer did it run at 12 frames per minute and take 90 minutes to make an orbit, instead the game managed to maintain a much higher frame rate (he streams at 30FPS, but I'm guessing it runs at 60FPS, both of which are much better than the Powerpoint Presentation the game used to be) and now it takes only 5 - 10 minutes rather than 90 to get into orbit. For very CPU-heavy games, the performance boost is real. GPU-heavy games, such as Battlefield 4, as long as you have at least a GTX 760 as your GPU you're guaranteed to get at least 60FPS in 1080p on Ultra; not so much based on how powerful your CPU is, but rather your GPU.

[Drakkon 362]

One of my friends (who is also a growing KSP streamer on Twitch.tv) recently built a new PC based on the i7-4790K (his old one had an i7-920). The boost in game speed (KSP is very CPU-heavy because of the Unity engine's design) was unreal, no longer did it run at 12 frames per minute and take 90 minutes to make an orbit, instead the game managed to maintain a much higher frame rate (he streams at 30FPS, but I'm guessing it runs at 60FPS, both of which are much better than the Powerpoint Presentation the game used to be) and now it takes only 5 - 10 minutes rather than 90 to get into orbit. For very CPU-heavy games, the performance boost is real. GPU-heavy games, such as Battlefield 4, as long as you have at least a GTX 760 as your GPU you're guaranteed to get at least 60FPS in 1080p on Ultra; not so much based on how powerful your CPU is, but rather your GPU.

I see, thanks! Is there a website or some other source that distinguishes CPU intensive and GPU modern games?

Edited December 25, 2014 by Inactive User

[long gone 8,929]

I see. Is there a website or some other source where you're able to distinguish whether a game is more CPU intensive or GPU?

It depends on the engine, really, but if there is one, then I don't know of one yet.

[Drakkon 362]

It depends on the engine, really, but if there is one, then I don't know of one yet.

Ah well. But thank you! I'll probably look into upgrading my pc in the coming months, AC:U and DA:I to me were pretty much the final straw.

[long gone 8,929]

Ah well. But thank you! I'll probably look into upgrading my pc in the coming months, AC:U and DA:I to me were pretty much the final straw.

I'd suggest waiting for Broadwell and at least the GTX 960 comes out next year before building, but if you can't wait then by all means look into Haswell and maybe a GTX 970.

[Dog man 48]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DC6RAr2xcM

 

 

All those who haven't heard this need to, like, right now please

[Drakkon 362]

I'd suggest waiting for Broadwell and at least the GTX 960 comes out next year before building, but if you can't wait then by all means look into Haswell and maybe a GTX 970.

A quick read about those two things makes them sound promising! One thing I never understood though; why is a GTX 960 (presumably) superior to a GTX 970? I never unstood Nvidia's naming conventions. Or is the 960 a mainstream card and 970 higher end?

[long gone 8,929]

A quick read about those two things makes them sound promising! One thing I never understood though; why is a GTX 960 (presumably) superior to a GTX 970? I never unstood Nvidia's naming conventions. Or is the 960 a mainstream card and 970 higher end?

GTX 960 is technically the GTX 770 replacement (logically the 970 is, but the 970 is as powerful as the GTX 780 so there's that) and I noticed you had an x60 card in your existing PC, so that's why I said that. The GTX 970 is the superior card, but the 960 is rumored to be a powerful card for the money in its own right.

[Drakkon 362]

GTX 960 is technically the GTX 770 replacement (logically the 970 is, but the 970 is as powerful as the GTX 780 so there's that) and I noticed you had an x60 card in your existing PC, so that's why I said that. The GTX 970 is the superior card, but the 960 is rumored to be a powerful card for the money in its own right.

Ah, that figures. I'll look deeper into Broadwell and the GTX 960, they sound interesting, and I'd be happy to procrastinate building a new PC for a better deal. Thanks!

[long gone 8,929]

Ah, that figures. I'll look deeper into Broadwell and the GTX 960, they sound interesting, and I'd be happy to procrastinate building a new PC for a better deal. Thanks!

No problem! I coulda built my PC after Broadwell and the 960 came out as I built in November, but I needed a PC now since my old one, a laptop, sucked and building a desktop seemed cheaper than trying to upgrade it.

[VictiniStar101 214]

I'd suggest waiting for Broadwell and at least the GTX 960 comes out next year before building, but if you can't wait then by all means look into Haswell and maybe a GTX 970.

Any word on pricing for either of these?

Edited December 25, 2014 by VictiniStar101

[long gone 8,929]

Any word on pricing for either of these?

Broadwell, I dunno, but the GTX 960 is said to be around $256.

[VictiniStar101 214]

Broadwell, I dunno, but the GTX 960 is said to be around $256.

Not bad, considering the GTX 760, or at least the EVGA SC ACX 2.0 model is around $270, hopefully the price of both the Broadwell CPUs and the GTX 960 will decrease.  

[Snivinerior 79]

No, an Intel Core i5 will outperform that.

 

http://cpubenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp[]=2311&cmp[]=1924

 

While it's a synthetic benchmark, it still gives a general idea of how well both will compare. Of course, real-world performance may be different, but I don't have the capability to do an apples-to-apples real-world performance comparison between those two processors.

I'm not really an expert on those processors but I really think my AMD processor is worth it. Even if its performance is lower than an i5.

 

Not really.

 

If you want to start competing with i5s you need a FX-8xxx series CPU(pretty much AMDs top of the line CPUs). With that said those are still only equivalent to the lower-to-mid-end i5s. 

Well, my AMD A8-7600 @ 3.10GHz is really an improvement compared to my previous Intel core duo e4500  @ 2.10GHz... 

[Celli 4,338]

Linus released this interesting video on a PC for $1000 gaming at 4K. Mind you, it wouldn't be good for AAA games like CoD or AC, but still.

[remove p l e a s e ? 800]

PC parts are supposed to come in anytime now...

Bought it all from Amazon and I chose the free shipping so it'll be about 5-8 days.

[Nuke87654 1,849]

What are the specs please!

[remove p l e a s e ? 800]

What are the specs please!

AMD A10-7850K APU,

Zalman Z5 ATX Mid Tower,

MSI A58M-E35, (2X4)

8GB DDR3-1866 RAM,

WD Caviar Blue 1TB 7200RPM HDD,

SeaSonic 450W Semi-Modular ATX,

 

All costed about 490 USD.

[Nuke87654 1,849]

AMD A10-7850K APU,

Zalman Z5 ATX Mid Tower,

MSI A58M-E35, (2X4)

8GB DDR3-1866 RAM,

WD Caviar Blue 1TB 7200RPM HDD,

SeaSonic 450W Semi-Modular ATX,

 

All costed about 490 USD.

 

Ah seeing those beautiful specs delight me very much! Thank you, Tera.

[remove p l e a s e ? 800]

Ah seeing those beautiful specs delight me very much! Thank you, Tera.

PCPartPicker is love. PCPartPicker is life.

[FoxyCryptid 4,330]

I'm not really an expert on those processors but I really think my AMD processor is worth it. Even if its performance is lower than an i5.

 

Well, my AMD A8-7600 @ 3.10GHz is really an improvement compared to my previous Intel core duo e4500  @ 2.10GHz... 

 

It's fine.

 

A well optimized game can run a potato as long as it has enough RAM and the GPU is decent(I just kinda over-killed so I'd never have to worry about a CPU upgrade until the whole thing needed replaced and I could run emulators on higher settings)

Edited December 25, 2014 by Shoboni

[Plageius 263]

Well, what model of i7 is it? If it's a first-generation one (just three numbers in the model number, later generations have four i.e. Intel Core i7-860 as a first-generation Core i7, Intel Core i7-4790K as a current, fourth-generation Core i7) I'd suggest looking into building a new one.

Nah, I still have a first gen I7 and for gaming alone it's fine.

 

Relatively casual gamer race coming through!

 

64bit Windows 7 SP1 Home Premium

i7 3.07Ghz Quad Core

16 (technically 18) GB RAM

GTX 460

ASUSTeK P6T SE

LG 24M35D 1920x1080 32bit 60hz 16:9

 

I'm kinda growing sad that my PC is starting to crawl to a halt when running modern age games like AC:Unity and to a lesser degree DA:I, and that while I can turn everything up to ultra on WoD, I have to keep my shadows on Low if I want to maintain 40+ fps, so I can't enjoy it in its full glory.

 

I reckon that as a whole my PC is growing pretty old (last month as a bandaid I upgraded from 6GB RAM to 16GB) and that it might be best to replace the whole thing. I bought this thing in 2010 and I honestly don't understand much in hardware, I'm a software guy! Any of you reckon if just upgrading my graphics card would save me here, or is my CPU's 3.07Ghz just too low?

Assuming your CPU is an I7 950 [which it seems like since its 3ghz and you bought in in 2010] a GPU upgrade is probably all you need at this point. If you do things like video encoding that are CPU intensive it might make sense to step up to a better CPU though.

[long gone 8,929]

Just got a Corsair K70 RGB! Damn, this keyboard feels good to type on.