Significant Performance Upgrade...?

[Anomaly1964]

Is there anything I could do to my current set up where I would recognize a NOTICEABLE, to the naked eye (not to some benchmark test), difference in my computer performance?

I'm thinking more along the lines of a different processor or more RAM...

Thanks!

 

[mikeymikec]

In which respect do you wish for there to be a noticeable performance improvement?

 

[AnonymouseUser]

An SSD and a 4K monitor would be quite noticeable. In fact, unless that LD4200 is several feet away, I don't know how you tolerate such a low resolution on such a large monitor.

 

[Anomaly1964]

In which respect do you wish for there to be a noticeable performance improvement?

Well that is just it, I can play most any game at the highest settings I want, games don't seem to lag. I built this computer over 4 yrs ago and other than the graphics card upgrade, it seems pretty future proof. My current monitor only supports 1920 x 1080 resolution but it is 41" (which is great for my 51 year old eyes...LOL).

The specs are in my signature (I failed to mention that in my first post)...

 

[Anomaly1964]

An SSD and a 4K monitor would be quite noticeable. In fact, unless that LD4200 is several feet away, I don't know how you tolerate such a low resolution on such a large monitor.

I do have an SSD drive, I guess I should include that in my signature. The monitor is right at 36" away from me...

 

[mikeymikec]

Well that is just it, I can play most any game at the highest settings I want, games don't seem to lag. I built this computer over 4 yrs ago and other than the graphics card upgrade, it seems pretty future proof. My current monitor only supports 1920 x 1080 resolution but it is 41" (which is great for my 51 year old eyes...LOL).

The specs are in my signature (I failed to mention that in my first post)...

So everything is fine?

 

[mnewsham]

Well that is just it, I can play most any game at the highest settings I want, games don't seem to lag. I built this computer over 4 yrs ago and other than the graphics card upgrade, it seems pretty future proof. My current monitor only supports 1920 x 1080 resolution but it is 41" (which is great for my 51 year old eyes...LOL).

The specs are in my signature (I failed to mention that in my first post)...

I'd hold off on a CPU/motherboard upgrade for another year or two. The 2500k is surprisingly sill a very solidly performing CPU. No real NEED to upgrade that yet.

You could get more RAM, but unless you find yourself running out you're probably better off waiting until you upgrade your CPU/motherboard then getting 16GB of DDR4 RAM at that time.


So for now there really isn't much you can upgrade that makes sense. Without just throwing money away anyway.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

I do have an SSD drive, I guess I should include that in my signature. The monitor is right at 36" away from me...

Then a monitor and possibly peripherals are the only real upgrade you'd notice. Keyboard and mouse? Speakers? Onboard audio or discrete card?

A 4K monitor or even 1440p monitor would be a nice treat for your eyes. If you game at all then a Free-Sync/G-Sync monitor would also be helpful. I would recommend something like this Philips 4K monitor. You may have to adjust your text scaling but believe me, it will be worth it.

 

[Anomaly1964]

Then a monitor and possibly peripherals are the only real upgrade you'd notice. Keyboard and mouse? Speakers? Onboard audio or discrete card?

A 4K monitor or even 1440p monitor would be a nice treat for your eyes. If you game at all then a Free-Sync/G-Sync monitor would also be helpful. I would recommend something like this Philips 4K monitor. You may have to adjust your text scaling but believe me, it will be worth it.

Cool, I will look into that monitor!

I had a feeling I was still good processor, mb, and gpu wise for at least a year or so, thanks for all the input!

 

[AnonymouseUser]

There are cheaper choices of course, such as using a 4K TV instead of a monitor, but you'll have to pay attention to the input lag and refresh rate. Some TVs only do 4K @ 30Hz and have high input lag, and you do not want that. Some will do 4k @ 60Hz, and may also have a "game mode" that reduces input lag, so they are worth checking out.

 

[thesmokingman]

Cool, I will look into that monitor!

I had a feeling I was still good processor, mb, and gpu wise for at least a year or so, thanks for all the input!

You're gpu isn't suited to 4K resolution, so you may not be as pleased after the wow factor wears off. It would suck to get a 4K, then have to reduce your resolution to play a game at a reasonable fps. I would probably wait and save that cash for the next gen of gpus. Then after getting a new gpu, sell your old one and use that towards a 4K panel if you wanted.

 

[giantpandaman2]

You're gpu isn't suited to 4K resolution, so you may not be as pleased after the wow factor wears off. It would suck to get a 4K, then have to reduce your resolution to play a game at a reasonable fps. I would probably wait and save that cash for the next gen of gpus. Then after getting a new gpu, sell your old one and use that towards a 4K panel if you wanted.

Agree. Moving up to a 4k panel and not having the GPU to run it in games would be a downgrade. The classic rule for upgrading still applies: only do it when current performance is unacceptable.

Personally I'm not going to move to 4k until the refresh rates hit 90hz or better and I have the graphics power to run them. For gaming, 1440p or 1600p @ 90hz+ is a much better high end target at the moment.

 

[ElFenix]

Agree. Moving up to a 4k panel and not having the GPU to run it in games would be a downgrade. The classic rule for upgrading still applies: only do it when current performance is unacceptable.

Ftr: you can run 1080 on a 4k screen just fine (absent scalars being horribly designed) leaving your gaming experience the same for stuff that you don't have the horsepower to drive higher resolutions, while still getting the benefit of 4k when you do.

Bigger issue with 4k is stuff discarding color like 4:2:2 subsampling or garbage RGBW screens which can only display ~2800 columns of color data, making them *not* 4k (even if they are 2160p)

 

[thesmokingman]

^^Lmao, I suppose that's a better reply then exclaiming "peasants."

Yea I saw yore og post.

 

[giantpandaman2]

Ftr: you can run 1080 on a 4k screen just fine (absent scalars being horribly designed)

The problem is that all 4k scalers that I've seen add massive input lag. So, 1080p signal with consistent framerates but high lag or 4k signal with inconsistant framerates. Either one is a downgrade to me.

 

[ElFenix]

^^Lmao, I suppose that's a better reply then exclaiming "peasants."

Yea I saw yore og post.

That's what the wink was for!

The problem is that all 4k scalers that I've seen add massive input lag. So, 1080p signal with consistent framerates but high lag or 4k signal with inconsistant framerates. Either one is a downgrade to me.

Maybe they are stupidly designed then. They should be smart enough that no algorithm is necessary when whole-number scaling 1080p or 720p source. 1x1 becomes 2x2 or 3x3.

Do the scaling on the computer side, maybe?