New Video Card or 2500k build

[TK_421]

I am wondering what will be more beneficial for gaming as far as smoothness and FPS. Upgrading to GTX 570 or going with a new CPU/MOBO i5 2500k. I am concerned that my current setup will hold back the gtx 570 maybe.

RIG:

ABIT ip35 PRO pcie 1.0
Q6600 @ 3.2 on air
8GB DDR2
XFX GTX 285 Black edition

Gaming @ 1920 x 1200

If I went GTX 570 the GTX 285 would go for physx.

Thanks in advance.

 

[MentalIlness]

If it were me, I'd probably go with the 570 and overclock the cpu you have.

 

[mnewsham]

I am wondering what will be more beneficial for gaming as far as smoothness and FPS. Upgrading to GTX 570 or going with a new CPU/MOBO i5 2500k. I am concerned that my current setup will hold back the gtx 570 maybe.

RIG:

ABIT ip35 PRO pcie 1.0
Q6600 @ 3.2 on air
8GB DDR2
XFX GTX 285 Black edition

Gaming @ 1920 x 1200

If I went GTX 570 the GTX 285 would go for physx.

Thanks in advance.

If you have the ~$400-500 for another MB/CPU/&RAM then go for it, if not you could get away with over clocking your current CPU more.

 

[Patmage]

At 3.2 he is already at a 800Mhz OC. I'm assuming thats with a decent heatsink already. Another 60-80bucks for a cooler to gain 400Mhz more probably isn't worth it.

That said I was in a similar situation as you and went with the Sandy Bridge. My deciding factor was the games I play were cpu bound.

 

[Attic]

Upgrade graphics, then upgrade CPU.

285 lines up about with a non overclocked 4601gb
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/166?vs=180

 

[TK_421]

I might be able to go a little higher OC with the heatsink I have. Its a 9700 LED.

Do you think the pcie 1.0 would hold back the gtx 570?

Games I play:

ARMA 2 + Arrowhead,
Fallout New Vegas
Stalker COP

Want to be able to max out Deus Ex Human Revolution when it comes out.

 

[mnewsham]

yes PCI-e 1.0 will

 

[happy medium]

going with a new CPU/MOBO i5 2500k.

Go for a new cpu/motherboard .

Sell your gtx285 for $140 and get a gtx560.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Gtx 285 still a good card. Q6600 old and slow.

 

[Patmage]

If my math is right PCI-e 1.0 would be the same as a PCI-e 2.0 x5. Basically 2.5GT/s.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_5870_PCI-Express_Scaling/7.html Here is an example of how a PCI-e 2.0 x4 vs x16 compare as far as fps go. With the 570 being more powerful then the HD 5870 i would expect the difference to be greater. Overall not a huge bottleneck, but there will be one.

I could of course be completely wrong on how a PCIe 2.0 card acts when inserted into a PCIe 1.0 slot, but I think this is a fair comparison.

 

[TK_421]

Thanks for that link PATMAGE.

I thought the bottleneck would be greater. However I guess that is not taking into consideration the faster DDR3 ram not to mention the other changes in CPU/MOBO

 

[djnsmith7]

The GTX285 is still a good card. I would consider the CPU / MB / Ram upgrade first, then worry about the graphics. Word is that Micro Center will be having some good CPU / MB deals again real soon. I know they had the new CPU's on sale last weekend.

 

[nyker96]

if your q6600 can put out 30fps, then it's enough to drive your games. sure 2500k will put out 300fps (hypothetical) but it won't change anything for your games. however getting say a better gcard, you can up the resolution, up the AA AF, up the detail level, play DX11 mode etc. I'd say put the cash on the card not the cpu. wait until Ivy Bridge when you can put down 400-500 and get a cpu and oc to 5.5ghz. now that's real cpu upgrade.

 

[endlessmike133]

if your q6600 can put out 30fps, then it's enough to drive your games. sure 2500k will put out 300fps (hypothetical) but it won't change anything for your games. however getting say a better gcard, you can up the resolution, up the AA AF, up the detail level, play DX11 mode etc. I'd say put the cash on the card not the cpu. wait until Ivy Bridge when you can put down 400-500 and get a cpu and oc to 5.5ghz. now that's real cpu upgrade.

the cpus that will oc to 5.5 ghz and be 400-500 wont be ivy bridge; theyll be the sandy bridge enthusiat bracket smart one

 

[RussianSensation]

Games I play:

ARMA 2 + Arrowhead,
Fallout New Vegas
Stalker COP

Want to be able to max out Deus Ex Human Revolution when it comes out.

Arma 2 is an absolute pig that even spits at the 980x 6-core 12 threaded processor and a GTX480. GTX480 = GTX570 will only net you about 31-32 fps at 1920x1200 4AA VH details. So you would need a PC from 2015 to max that game out. :'(

Fallout NV will be easily maxed out with an HD6870. So GTX570 is overkill for that game.

Games like Metro 2033, STALKER COP are almost entirely GPU limited. If you only have to choose 1, I'd grab a new GPU hands down. Forget using GTX285 for PhysX. Sell that card instead to offset your upgrade costs.

Another option is to sell the Q6600 setup and grab a 2500k and a slightly slower HD6950. Flash the 6950 to 6970. That is another alternative for cheaper than a GTX570.

Gtx 285 still a good card. Q6600 old and slow.

At stock speeds, yes. Q6600 @ 3.4-3.6ghz can easily keep up with Phenom IIs and stock Core i7 920 in games.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/phenom-ii-x4-920-overclocking_8.html#sect0

Sure there are some games that heavily benefit from increased cache like Starcraft 2 or from as many threads as you can throw at them like Resident Evil 5 or Arma2. But Q6600 @ 3.4ghz + GTX570 will obliterate a 2600k @ 4.7ghz + GTX285 in just about any game imaginable at 1920x1200 8AA outside of very few rare examples (Civilization 5 also loves CPU speed).

 

[-Slacker-]

Upgrading your gpu is usually more beneficial for gaming, unless you have a very slow cpu, which you don't. You'd better make sure you have a beefy psu though - that is, if you're planning on using the 285 in conjunction with something like a gtx 570.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I wonder how much percentage of the time the computer is in use it's being used for gaming? 30-40% at the most? I would go for the CPU/mobo combo. Guys on p35 with a dinosaur quad and he's worried about his still very relevant gpu being the problem. Didn't he say he only has a pcie 1 slot too? Seriously this is a no brainer IMO.

 

[zebrax2]

Sell your gtx285 for $140 and get a gtx560.

The card your mentioning is not even released yet
I say go for a newer card. AMD will be releasing a new generation CPU in q2 so that may shake things up a bit for CPUs.

 

[Petey!]

Your Q6600 is going to bottleneck the 570. All the old socket 775 stuff bottlenecks the Fermi cards for some reason. You can see posts about it everywhere.

Granted your 285 isn't the newest, but it's about a 460 so that's not so bad. Your resolution is pretty high though, kind of a tough decision.

If it was me, I'd probably go for the Sandybridge upgrade fist, then in a month or 2 try to sell your 285 for a deposit on a 570.

I think if you get a 570 now, you're not gonna be SUPER impressed with the speed on your old CPU, but it will be an improvement.

 

[Vdubchaos]

What games specifically do you play. Your quad should be more than enough for most games.

I would upgrade Video card, don't fall for the whole SB hype....the gain you will get in gaming is minimal. The gain will also be surpassed by a better GPU.

 

[TK_421]

Thanks everyone. After doing some digging around I picked up the 2500k & asus p8p67 pro combo at microcenter.

I just need to decide on ram speed 1600, 2000, 2133 then I'll be good to go.

 

[CurseTheSky]

Thanks everyone. After doing some digging around I picked up the 2500k & asus p8p67 pro combo at microcenter.

I just need to decide on ram speed 1600, 2000, 2133 then I'll be good to go.

Unless you're doing extreme (1-2GHz+) overclocking, I'd just grab 1600 STANDARD VOLTAGE (1.5V) memory. Otherwise, you may have headaches.

 

[TK_421]

Unless you're doing extreme (1-2GHz+) overclocking, I'd just grab 1600 STANDARD VOLTAGE (1.5V) memory. Otherwise, you may have headaches.

So ram volts higher than 1.5 is bad on sandybridge or specifically the asus board?

 

[Jacky60]

Go for a new cpu/motherboard .

Sell your gtx285 for $140 and get a gtx560.

Good advice but Arma 2 and/or OA NEEDS much more than a 560. Get the 2500K and get max overclock (I'd try a xfire/sli mobo mobo) then get 6950/560. Ideally 6950xfire.

 

[tweakboy]

If you buy a 2600K get a 580 or 6970

If you get a 2500k get a 570 or 6870

simple