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Upgrade CPU or GPU?
- Thread starter Haiku214
- Start date
Dangman
Ninja Editor SuperMod
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2005
- Messages
- 46,056
This.
I am leaning towards upgrading my GPU first too since the next Gen GPUs (AMD 7000) are going to be released next month as opposed to Ivy Bridge (in 5 months). However, if I base it on which part is the oldest, my Q9550 is definitely older than my 5870. So isn't it logical to upgrade the oldest component in your system first?
So which would be better:
1. Q9550 w/ 7970
2. 2500K w/ 5870
So which would be better:
1. Q9550 w/ 7970
2. 2500K w/ 5870
GPU workloads increase faster than CPU workloads, so just because the CPU is older doesn't mean it is less capable. What kind of games do you play and applications do you use? Are you CPU limited in anything? The Q9550 is still a very strong performer (born out by the high resale value) so you can probably stretch that out some more - especially if you tick up the overclock a notch.
ganesh21
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2006
- Messages
- 2,373
This would be better - Q9550 w/ 7970.
You would better a fps with a new gpu.
You would better a fps with a new gpu.
If you don't see any games coming out that would require you to upgrade, I'd say hold off until your current build starts visibly dropping in performance. By that time, prices will probably come down, and new models will come out. Can't really plan ahead for upgrades, since no one knows what comes out/prices until it happens.
Actually, neither of the above, IMHO. That 7970 will be limited by anything below an i7-970 or an i5-2500(K). On the other hand, the 5870 will be the limiting factor with the 2500K. Heck, the 5870 is CPU-limited in some games with even a Q9550. And by the time games that come out begin taking anywhere near full advantage of any of the AMD HD 7000-series, those games will require a second-generation i-series CPU just to even run at all (systems with older Core 2 Quads will not launch such games at all, but will instead display an error message stating that the system does not meet minimum CPU requirements).
Therefore, my recommendation is "Save your money" - in other words, neither of the two combinations.
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BF3 begs to differ with you. It can manhandle a GTX 580, and even SLI setups at high resolutions, so games will easily be able to take full advantage of a HD7000 card - they can now.
You can never have "too much" GPU power.
You know, I am coming from the field of video editing, not gaming. That's how I determined that balance is critical. On editing programs that take full advantage of GPU acceleration, a system with an underpowered CPU but the world's fastest GPU (GTX 580, for example) performed no faster at all than that same system with the same CPU but an entry-level graphics card (e.g. GT 430) within the same company's GPU line and of similar generation. In fact, that old-generation PC with a top-flight GPU is actually much slower overall than a relatively fast current-generation CPU with a cheapo GPU in that particular application.
At 2560x1600 my system tears through BF3 just fine. Where I start to have problems is when I try to go to 7680x1600. That I don't have enough power to handle.
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In addition to what I stated in my first response to this post, what good is a faster GPU if the CPU can't run the game properly? BF3 is one of those games that absolutely requires both a very fast, thoroughly modern CPU in addition to a top-of-the-line fast GPU. If the CPU is relatively outdated (as in the Q9550) or if the GPU is relatively weak, BF3 will either run sluggishly or not look as good as it should.
Oh, I'm not disagreeing - I totally agree that you want a balance between the two, but if you have to choose, I say choose GPU. Most games are more GPU-biased than CPU (and it's not like the Q9550 is a bad CPU - he's not running a C2D or something). BF3 is kind of an outlier (in a good, pushing the envelope, way).
Edit: The 5870 isn't a bad GPU either, for that matter.