Question Buy a new video card or build a new system?

[Baelzar]

I'm wondering whether I should buy a new video card or just build a new system. And/Or upgrade my memory. Or...or or or. This will be used for gaming, but nothing bleeding edge, no ultra settings. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, for instance. Buying ASAP in USA, no brand preference, just best bang for the buck. Thanks!

My current specs:
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4690K CPU @ 3.50GHz
MOTHERBOARD
ASRock Z97 Extreme4
MEMORY
Installed Memory 16384 MB
8GB of Team Group Inc. Model ZEUS-1600 DDR3 [PC3-10600]
8GB of Corsair Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9 DDR3 [PC3-10600]
VIDEO CARD
Video Adapter ASUS R9 280 Series
Video Processor AMD Radeon Graphics Processor (0x679A)
PCI ID 0x1002 / 0x679A - Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] / Tahiti PRO [Radeon HD 7950]
Memory 3072 MBytes
MONITORS
Monitor #1 Model BenQ 241VW
Monitor ID BNQ76F6
Display Size 24.2" (52 cm x 33 cm)
Horizontal Frequency 30-83 kHz
Vertical Frequency 56-76 Hz
Supported Resolution 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz - Aspect Ratio 16:10
Monitor #2 AOC V22 Model F22
Monitor ID AOC2200
Display Size 21.1" (47 cm x 26 cm)
Horizontal Frequency 30-83 kHz
Vertical Frequency 50-75 Hz
Current Resolution 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I'm wondering whether I should buy a new video card or just build a new system. And/Or upgrade my memory. Or...or or or. This will be used for gaming, but nothing bleeding edge, no ultra settings. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, for instance. Buying ASAP in USA, no brand preference, just best bang for the buck. Thanks!

My current specs:
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4690K CPU @ 3.50GHz
MOTHERBOARD
ASRock Z97 Extreme4
MEMORY
Installed Memory 16384 MB
8GB of Team Group Inc. Model ZEUS-1600 DDR3 [PC3-10600]
8GB of Corsair Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9 DDR3 [PC3-10600]
VIDEO CARD
Video Adapter ASUS R9 280 Series
Video Processor AMD Radeon Graphics Processor (0x679A)
PCI ID 0x1002 / 0x679A - Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] / Tahiti PRO [Radeon HD 7950]
Memory 3072 MBytes
MONITORS
Monitor #1 Model BenQ 241VW
Monitor ID BNQ76F6
Display Size 24.2" (52 cm x 33 cm)
Horizontal Frequency 30-83 kHz
Vertical Frequency 56-76 Hz
Supported Resolution 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz - Aspect Ratio 16:10
Monitor #2 AOC V22 Model F22
Monitor ID AOC2200
Display Size 21.1" (47 cm x 26 cm)
Horizontal Frequency 30-83 kHz
Vertical Frequency 50-75 Hz
Current Resolution 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz

You are a respectanble amount above the minimum spec, I'd do nothing and try it out.

 

[Shmee]

^ Agreed. You have an ideal amount of RAM, an i5 that should be plenty fast AND which you could OC if needed, and GCN, even the Tahiti cards, have aged fairly well. If you still need more performance, a GPU upgrade could be warranted later if needed, but for now I would just try it. My only advice would be get an SSD if you don't have on already, and update your drivers if you have not in some time.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

^ Agreed. You have an ideal amount of RAM, an i5 that should be plenty fast AND which you could OC if needed, and GCN, even the Tahiti cards, have aged fairly well. If you still need more performance, a GPU upgrade could be warranted later if needed, but for now I would just try it. My only advice would be get an SSD if you don't have on already, and update your drivers if you have not in some time.

Yes, I agree ssd is a HUGE upgrade for an older system
Also if the primary goal is Mount & Blade 2 remember it is early access and likely will have problems with new and old systems, having the right expectations is important.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Just going to pile on do in the following order as necessary:

1: SSD
2: OC that CPU to the hilt
3: OC the RAM if possible
3: Replace GPU with something @1660s to 5700 tier.

 

[Guru]

For the games you wrote and similar type games you are already above spec, but buying a say RX 580 8GB would increase your performance immensely and most 580's go for very cheap these days, I believe around $170 for the 8GB version, but you can easily find cards that go as low as $160 and some even have rebates and promos and stuff like that, so you can even find one for like $150. Right now on newegg there is a refurbished RX 580 8GB from Sapphire for $150. https://www.newegg.com/sapphire-rad...on=rx 580&cm_re=rx_580-_-14-202-345-_-Product

You can always go even higher for the GPU, but with your PC I wouldn't aim higher for the GPU. the cpu and memory will bottleneck the GPU, so it'll go wasted. Something like a RX 5600xt or 1660super would go underutilized and set you back $260-290 For $100 less you get a lot of that performance that will be utilized fully by your PC.

If you do plan on buying a whole new PC in say year or year and a half, then you might want to invest in a higher end GPU, but even that is kind of a bad idea, because the next gen GPU's might offer a lot better value and performance, so you don't want to overplan now for the future, its not usually a good idea.

So yeah, your best bet is to get something like the RX 580 8GB or you can go even cheaper for the $130 RX 570. That will increase your performance massively over your R9 280 and won't break your bank!

 

[Stuka87]

I have a PC with a 4690K. It ran at 4.3Ghz with just a tiny voltage boost. It would do 4.5 reliably with some more fine tuning. But like said above, OC that thing. Its the best over clocking chip of that generation.

As for GPU, you can easily go with a faster chip if you wanted. I ran an RX480 and was still GPU bound in most games (Battlefield being the one CPU bound game that I played). So there is room for a slightly faster card.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

i had an i5-4xxx series (something just like yours) and totally did a new AMD upgrade and its huge! Great bang for the buck buying an AMD 3600-3900 CPU/MB/RAM now.

I got: 3600X, Aorus B450 Pro Wifi, 2x 8gb 3200 ram. for like $300-400.

I play CSGO, borderlands 3, lots of PDF work, Samsung Dex, etc. Great system and a great time to upgrade now.

 

[Steltek]

Another reason you might not want to dump a lot of money into a system upgrade/new system right now is, with the new consoles due, the next gen cards from Nvidia and AMD are also coming. Plus, AMD is getting closer to release of the 4000 series Ryzen CPUs for desktops.

If you can make it comfortably until later this year, you'll have the opportunity to scope out the new hardware landscape before laying out any serious money on a new system.

 

[Nnyan]

On that older CPU I would not go above an RX570/GTX1650, it will start starving your GPU above that. your avg game FPS on the 280 is around 65-70 (1080p). Going to the 570 should give you around 90 FPS. For your primary game not sure if that is worth it to you but it seems you should be fine with what you have.

 

[AtenRa]

On that older CPU I would not go above an RX570/GTX1650, it will start starving your GPU above that. your avg game FPS on the 280 is around 65-70 (1080p). Going to the 570 should give you around 90 FPS. For your primary game not sure if that is worth it to you but it seems you should be fine with what you have.

Most modern AAA games are GPU limited even at 1080p. Even older games will be GPU limited with much faster GPUs than the 570/1650.
For modern single player games the GPU is still the limiting factor even with older Quad Core 4th 5th Gen Intel like the one OP has.

But , Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord also needs a very fast CPU, so i would do what others have said before and first OC the CPU and check the game and then decide if you need a better GPU.

 

[mopardude87]

I had a i5 4670 with a 1070ti last year, it was bottleneck city in BF1 for 1080p and 1440p at some times. I think honestly a 1070 may be the max you should consider, from there everything else really needs a upgrade.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

If you wait to upgrade you'll always be waiting...

We don't know when the next round of products is going to drop with all this uncertainty and at what volume if manufacturing has been affected so even if there is a launch it looks more like a paper launch.

That said:

I agree with the original advice to actually buy and run the game, then squeeze the most out of his existing system through OCs, then do some "system agnostic" upgrades like an SSD that will "pay it forward" for his next build.

If he's not happy with his performance a new GPU will always yield more performance and can always carry over to a new system when he chooses to built it, bottle necked or not. With enough GPU muscle, you can always force SSAA through drivers to up image quality until the GPU is the bottleneck, so nothing needs to be "wasted" until the rest of the build comes rolling along.

 

[Guru]

I had a i5 4670 with a 1070ti last year, it was bottleneck city in BF1 for 1080p and 1440p at some times. I think honestly a 1070 may be the max you should consider, from there everything else really needs a upgrade.

Newer Battlefield games really require powerful CPU, especially in multiplayer, and I've found BF1 loves more cores, 4 cores just doesn't cut it in that game, not without reducing all cpu settings to medium or low, 6 cores is basically the new norm for that game.

At this point it's expected, games should take advantage of more cores and obviously less cores are going to start lagging behind. I think the best option even for mid range gamers these days is 8 cores CPU's, because that is what the next gen cpu's are using, so going forward most games from late 2020 will be most optimized for 8 cores and especially Zen 2 8 core processors.

 

[mopardude87]

At this point it's expected, games should take advantage of more cores and obviously less cores are going to start lagging behind. I think the best option even for mid range gamers these days is 8 cores CPU's, because that is what the next gen cpu's are using, so going forward most games from late 2020 will be most optimized for 8 cores and especially Zen 2 8 core processors.

With next gen around the corner,i wouldn't go with anything less then a 3700x. I mean you could get a 3600 now and it would be just fine but when those next gen games come into full swing then your gonna regret that 3600 decision most likely. You could in theory get a 3600 now, get a 4000 series 8c/16t chip chip later to. I rather nip it in the bud and just get a 3700x.

 

[killster1]

id keep waiting, you waited this long and now new parts are out in fall if you have to have something just upgrade your gfx with a used one for now and get a 4000 series amd when they are out and a 3000 series nvidia when it comes out, will be worth the wait since you have such old parts now anyway. ((thats just me maybe during this lockdown you are dying for better rez / fps)) but im using a 3600 and 1080ti and it plays great, but im excited for hdmi 2.1 tv's and gfx cards to come out ill upgrade to a 4950x or what ever they have and a 3080 most likely

 

[loki1944]

I'm wondering whether I should buy a new video card or just build a new system. And/Or upgrade my memory. Or...or or or. This will be used for gaming, but nothing bleeding edge, no ultra settings. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, for instance. Buying ASAP in USA, no brand preference, just best bang for the buck. Thanks!

My current specs:
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4690K CPU @ 3.50GHz

I've got a 4770K@4.3Ghz, does great with current games when paired with a GTX 980Ti/1070/1070Ti/Vega 56. I have a Ryzen 2600X, i7 6700, i5 6600K, i7 7800X, i7 6850K, i7 920/960/980X as well; performance gains for gaming will be not that tangible and you could save yourself a boatload by just overclocking that 4690K and getting something like a GTX 1660Ti or 2060 and be fine (or snag a used 980Ti/1070). Oh, and M&B Bannerlord runs alright on low settings on my Core2Quad Q9650@4.1Ghz with a GTX 780@1080p low settings, so you are definitely more than g2g on the CPU side for that game.

 

[Oneto]

Get yourself a 1660 and be happy

 

[VirtualLarry]

I had a i5 4670 with a 1070ti last year, it was bottleneck city in BF1 for 1080p and 1440p at some times. I think honestly a 1070 may be the max you should consider, from there everything else really needs a upgrade.

If I can piggy-back on this thread a little bit, I just got an i5-4670 (non-K), that I plan on putting into an Asus H81i (ITX) mobo. While that mobo does have multiplier adjustments, this is a locked CPU.

Would a Sapphire RX 580 4GB Nitro+ be overkill for that CPU, seeing as how it is locked, or would it be OK? Thinking of a friend for this build, and he likes to play a lot of Blizzard games.

I also have a GTX 1650 (factory refurb, in great shape) 4GB GDDR5 card, that I could pull out of another rig, but then I'd have to get that rig out of the box and take the tempered glass panel off of the side. That rig is a Ryzen R5 1600 "AE", 32GB of DDR4-2667, 256GB NVMe, and some RGB fans. (Same rig that I have in my FS thread here.)

I think possibly, the RX 580 4GB might be more appropriate for the Ryzen rig, and the GTX 1650 4GB GDDR5 for the locked Haswell quad, esp. for Blizzard games, but I'm lazy... don't really want to open that other rig up. Maybe I'll have to, though.

 

[mopardude87]

If I can piggy-back on this thread a little bit, I just got an i5-4670 (non-K), that I plan on putting into an Asus H81i (ITX) mobo. While that mobo does have multiplier adjustments, this is a locked CPU.

Would a Sapphire RX 580 4GB Nitro+ be overkill for that CPU, seeing as how it is locked, or would it be OK? Thinking of a friend for this build, and he likes to play a lot of Blizzard games.

A cheap used 1060 i thought was perfect for it, i paired a 3gb model i got really cheap and had a ball with it. Played BF4 at 1080p max and held 60+ minimums with a mild overclock. Thought that game really benefited best from a quad core and gave awesome performance. Did good in Overwatch as well. Certainly over 60+ constant maxed out. Friend gets 150+ fps in LOL at 1080p on that cpu he says. That rig is out on loan, but swapped out gpu for a 960.

The 1070ti crapped out, the 1060 replaced it then eventually i got this 1080ti.

May wanna ask the AMD boys about the 580, i haven't messed around with AMD since the 7970. What a train wreck those drivers. Been Nvidia since, hope big Navi like 3000 series is good enough to consider over Nvidia though.

 

[killster1]

I bought a few 1060's for 100$ a year ago, to bad prices never continued to drop I guess it would be a stop gap for the new 3000 series and you could still sell it for something after you bougyht a new gpu (or give it to your grandma or mom or something like me )

 

[VirtualLarry]

This is what I don't get. I used to be able to get GTX 1050 2GB cards for $80-100 all day long, and GTX 1050 ti 4GB cards for as low as $120 new.

Why can't I get GTX 1650 vanilla (either GDDR5 or GDDR6) for $100-120 new?

I get it, COVID-19 excuse, NVidia pushing premiums, etc., but the stupid fact of the matter is, those cards are SLOWER than a $115 new RX 570 4GB card.

They're a little more power-efficient, but that affects what, like 10% of the gamer population stuck with OEM rigs and OEM PSUs that Mommy and Daddy bought them?

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Get yourself a 1660 and be happy

Probably worth paying the $20 extra for the Super to get GDDR6 and the performance boost it provides.

 

[Fallen Kell]

Just a FYI, if you havn't already purchased Mount&Blade II Bannerlord, I would do so and try it out on your system. I play it on my system (which was built about the same time as yours), which is a i7-3770k (overclocked to 4.4GHz), 16GB RAM, and I believe either a Nvidia GTX 570 or 670 (I can't remember now) and it works perfectly fine. I have been meaning to upgrade, but simply have not since I game at 1920x1200 (or 3640x1200 if I go dual screen, which I rarely do). I have been waiting for HDMI-2.1 cards, so I have been waiting the last 3 years, but hoping the wait is finally over this year....

 

[Iron Woode]

If I can piggy-back on this thread a little bit, I just got an i5-4670 (non-K), that I plan on putting into an Asus H81i (ITX) mobo. While that mobo does have multiplier adjustments, this is a locked CPU.

Would a Sapphire RX 580 4GB Nitro+ be overkill for that CPU, seeing as how it is locked, or would it be OK? Thinking of a friend for this build, and he likes to play a lot of Blizzard games.

I also have a GTX 1650 (factory refurb, in great shape) 4GB GDDR5 card, that I could pull out of another rig, but then I'd have to get that rig out of the box and take the tempered glass panel off of the side. That rig is a Ryzen R5 1600 "AE", 32GB of DDR4-2667, 256GB NVMe, and some RGB fans. (Same rig that I have in my FS thread here.)

I think possibly, the RX 580 4GB might be more appropriate for the Ryzen rig, and the GTX 1650 4GB GDDR5 for the locked Haswell quad, esp. for Blizzard games, but I'm lazy... don't really want to open that other rig up. Maybe I'll have to, though.

a cheap RX 580 8GB is the best way to go. If you go Nvidia then a 1060 6GB would work, too.