Will my CPU bottleneck(?)

[swchoi89]

Hi Everyone,

I currently have GTX 770 x 2 in SLI. I am looking into upgrading to a GTX 980 Ti.

My CPU is i5-4670K @ 4.2Ghz. Will my CPU bottleneck the new GTX 980 Ti if I decide to go ahead with it?

I use my computer primarily for gaming only.

Thank you!

 

[ShintaiDK]

It will be fine.

 

[frozentundra123456]

At 1080 in a few games perhaps, but overall that CPU at 4.2 is a good match for a 980ti. The question is whether it is worth it to upgrade to 980Ti or wait for next gen gpus. Sli 770 should be pretty fast, but I expect you are running into a lot of vram limits.

 

[swchoi89]

Thank you for the responses.

Yes, I run into vram issues especially with games such as BF4. FPS wise it is OK as I use a 120Hz monitor but I feel the stuttering due to SLI set-up.

 

[tential]

2gb or 4gb 770s?

 

[RussianSensation]

My CPU is i5-4670K @ 4.2Ghz. Will my CPU bottleneck the new GTX 980 Ti if I decide to go ahead with it?

I use my computer primarily for gaming only.

Thank you!

Yes, because some well-threaded games run much faster on the i7 vs. the i5.

Crysis 3
GTA V

However, you can always crank up anti-aliasing and reduce the CPU bottleneck. In any case, 980Ti is still a great upgrade for your CPU. Your GPUs are the bigger bottleneck so it makes sense to upgrade the GPU.

 

[shady28]

...you can always crank up anti-aliasing and reduce the CPU bottleneck...

LoL!

 

[DustinBrowder]

No. It might be 3-4 frames slower in certain games at certain low resolutions, but otherwise no.

I consider bottleneck when the CPU considerably limits the performance, as in your GPU only operates at say 70% speed or less, instead of 100% or 95%.

But either way the higher the resolution you go the more the GPU will bottlececk itself.

 

[swchoi89]

I have two 770s that are 2GB each. So this really puts a limit as to how far I can go with resolution.

I will not go beyond 1080p for now. But it looks like there are mixed answers. So I guess it is worthwhile to upgrade but at the same time, the increased performance in my GPU cannot be fully utilized because I'm still stuck with my old CPU?

 

[tential]

I have two 770s that are 2GB each. So this really puts a limit as to how far I can go with resolution.

I will not go beyond 1080p for now. But it looks like there are mixed answers. So I guess it is worthwhile to upgrade but at the same time, the increased performance in my GPU cannot be fully utilized because I'm still stuck with my old CPU?

That's not the advice you're getting and you aren't getting "mixed answers".
It's a very very incremental upgrade to upgrade your CPU.

You'll see an increase in the few games that are very well threaded and like you have been told in this thread, it will not be a worthwhile upgrade. 3-5 fps in situations at lower resolutions but since you're using a GTX 980Ti at 1080p.... this is a ridiculous conversation lol.

Just get your GTX 980 Ti and be happy lol.

 

[swchoi89]

That's not the advice you're getting and you aren't getting "mixed answers".
It's a very very incremental upgrade to upgrade your CPU.

You'll see an increase in the few games that are very well threaded and like you have been told in this thread, it will not be a worthwhile upgrade. 3-5 fps in situations at lower resolutions but since you're using a GTX 980Ti at 1080p.... this is a ridiculous conversation lol.

Just get your GTX 980 Ti and be happy lol.

Read above because I get the impression that I will be bottlenecking it to a certain degree vs. I won't.

Also, I use a 120Hz monitor and I want to be as close as possible to achieving 120FPS at all times. That is why.

 

[tweakboy]

Your fine. gb

 

[DustinBrowder]

Read above because I get the impression that I will be bottlenecking it to a certain degree vs. I won't.

Also, I use a 120Hz monitor and I want to be as close as possible to achieving 120FPS at all times. That is why.

I don't think any reasonable person would say yes. I personally don't consider "bottleneck" unless the CPU is limiting the GPU to operate at only 70% of its maximum performance or less.

I don't consider 98% or 95% or 90% bottleneck. With that CPU that its going to be more of a minor slowdown in CERTAIN games at CERTAIN resolutions, NOT all. Even when you'd have a slowdown it would be 2-3 or 3-4 frames, it won't make a difference. And again the higher the resolution you go the less any slowdown.

1080p is already high enough to NOT slowdown the GPU in the large majority of games! Anything higher than that and the burden becomes on the GPU.

 

[RussianSensation]

LoL!

Poor wording on my part but you know what I meant. 🙂

While his CPU will limit his top end performance in some games, overall 980Ti is still going to provide him with great performance.

But it doesn't mean that in all games he will get 100% of the performance of the 980Ti with an i5 at 1080P. Some games just run faster on an i7 and it's a fact even though AT forums doesn't want to admit to this:

With a 4.6Ghz overclock, he should close most of that gap and increasing anti-aliasing will mean great performance on a 980Ti even with an i5. But from a technical point of view to answer his question, YES, his CPU will not provide 100% of the performance of a 980Ti in all cases at 1080P. I would rather call it "CPU limited" not CPU bottlenecked though since 70 fps vs. 90 fps is not what everyone cares about. But it's still absolutely worth it to upgrade if he wants more performance.

 

[Nhirlathothep]

Hi Everyone,

I currently have GTX 770 x 2 in SLI. I am looking into upgrading to a GTX 980 Ti.

My CPU is i5-4670K @ 4.2Ghz. Will my CPU bottleneck the new GTX 980 Ti if I decide to go ahead with it?

I use my computer primarily for gaming only.

Thank you!

if u play gta v : YES
if u play grid 2 - f1 2013 : NO

 

[swchoi89]

Thanks everyone for all your input. I now have a good idea as to what everyone is saying.

 

[tweakboy]

Yes its a bottleneck and its your CPU . You should have gotten a i7 and we wouldnt be having this conv.. thx gb