GPU upgrade from R9 390 (2015) for WoW at 30 FPS. Budget: $250
Posted by zaken@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 81 comments
Hello, I currently have an AM3+ motherboard + 650W PSU from 2011 with a AMD FX-8350 CPU and AMD R9 390 graphics card that I upgraded to in 2015.
I mainly just play World of Warcraft and I'm currently running the graphics settings at preset 2 out of 10 at 3840x2160 resolution. It plays mostly fine, but I get ~17 FPS in densely populated towns and raids. I tried dropping the resolution to 1920x1080 but everything just looks incredibly fuzzy, and there's no meaningful change in FPS.
During these drops, my GPU utilization is 100% and my CPU utilization is 40%, which suggests to me that my GPU is bottlenecking.
My goal is to be able to run at 30 FPS in cities and raids at my current resolution and graphics quality, though increasing the graphics quality if I could maintain 30 FPS would be pretty nice. My budget is around $250, though I'm happy to get something cheaper than that if it's overkill.
I'm considering upgrading to an RX 7600 (like https://www.amazon.com/XFX-Speedster-SWFT210-Graphics-RX-76PSWFTFY/dp/B0C59RVD98).
Seems to be no compatibility issues at pcpartpicker.com
This site suggests a >2x improvement in performance for this upgrade: https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AMD-RX-7600-vs-AMD-R9-390/m2114669vs3481
Just want to double check: does this sound like a reasonable upgrade? Or is it overkill for my CPU and I should get something cheaper? Thanks!
beef99@reddit
WoW likes a strong CPU as well, which is why there was no meaningful change to FPS when you dropped your resolution. you are gonna be cpu bottlenecked with a fx8350 buying any current GPU. i honestly think you're better off just saving up and putting together a new system.
Arcanine1127@reddit
I agree with WoW being CPU bound because I was playing wow during Dragonflight with a 2600x and a Vega 64 before the computer died on me and I decided instead of throwing in a 5800X3D I went with just saving and building for a new PC and got a 4070 + 7800X3D + 32GB Ram and that thing rips. I get 80-100 FPS in cities and raid and all settings Maxed. WoW just loves having a beefy CPU more than GPU.
balynevil@reddit
Funny, I was wondering about who writes the amd card reviews on that site cause it sounds like some high school mean girls bullshit.
cat1092@reddit
Me too!
Vader425@reddit
Ya even going 8350 to a 1600x back in the day made a big difference. I think I even got a class action letter for the Piledriver chip. They were never great for gaming.
Klickzor@reddit
Turn off your addons the game engine sucks, you can gain 300% fps by just disabling the addons
MarxistMan13@reddit
You can't really play WoW effectively without addons. This isn't a solution.
Evla03@reddit
get an am4 board with something like an ryzen 5 5600 used, seems like you can get one for ~$90. i'd go with a b450/b550 motherboard, can be found for ~$70 used
chaoscadavar@reddit
If you’re dead set on doing a small upgrade, I have a msi b550 mobo with a ryzen 2700x and 16gb Corsair vengeance 3200mhz (I think? Maybe 3000) that I will straight up send you. I rebuilt my whole set up a couple of months ago and it’s just sitting in a box in my desk. Save that $250 and snag a good video card off fb marketplace. I can also throw in the Corsair h60 cooler I was using for it as well. Just dm me if you want it.
juhuuuu123@reddit
This should be top comment what an offer!
LGCJairen@reddit
this is why i love this community.
i'd offer up a cheap gpu but everything i have either has a waterblock on it or you can get something newer/better on your budget.
kovu11@reddit
Holy shit bro plays on R9 390 on 3840x2160. I would rather go for RX 6700 XT than RX 7600. Or maybe wait for RX 7650 GRE (depends on its price).
zaken@reddit (OP)
Haha yeah I got the 4k monitor for work and hadn't gamed on it before recently, only now realizing how good my hardware needs to be to drive it well....
shaanuja@reddit
Let me tell you, I run a 7800X3D, 4080, 64 GB 6000 DDR5, WoW installed on a nvme Samsung 990pro (windows also installed a seperate nvme). I raid mythic in WoW (so weakauras and addons), first week of heroic this tier with 30 ppl, I was getting 20-30 fps on broodtwister on 1440p (with everything optimized as per Quazi’s YouTube guide). WoW Raiding is another beast, I’ve never been able to fully comprehend even with best hardware.
ratskim@reddit
What? Maybe something is wrong there?
I have the same CPU etc., but only using a 2080 TI and my fps never drop close to being that low, even in the most hectic raid fights
lichtspieler@reddit
The current raid tier got some less optimized (hidden vehicle) fights.
But the poster above got most likely one of the current performance impacting issues with specific WA's and Elvui.
I game with a 7800x3D / 4090 and standalone and my own addons and I dont see <100 fps in the current raid tier. M+ is capped to 240fps in 1440p while even Dornogal on reset day evening is between around 170 fps.
The addon issues are currently with the game API changes quite bad, especially if you are not aware and did not migrate to standalone addons like most players did.
shaanuja@reddit
plz record your 30m broodkeeper kill with FPS showing while u have weakauras/addons and elvui running.
ratskim@reddit
Bro i'm not going to do that, I don't have anythingto prove, your FPS drops just seemed way worse than mine -- but think of it this way, your specs are almost the same as people doing raid world first runs, and do you think they played at 30fps?
If you were doing Heroic broodtwister weeks ago you might have watched some world first attempts yourself, and you can clearly see their FPS is nowhere near 30 lol
MarxistMan13@reddit
Yes, they often did. Hardware doesn't exist that runs WoW raids with full addons at >60 FPS constantly. At best you're running 60-90 average with dips to 30s-40s.
shaanuja@reddit
Irrelevant, you realize they run in house weakauras and addons right? Besides mythics are 20m, I’m specifically talking about heroic broodtwister first week with 30 ppl. Prove it or stop spewing bullshit.
mincinashu@reddit
Brood and silk are known for killing fps. Especially with weakuras and the versatility toys.
ExplanationStandard4@reddit
Adding the GPU would still help here as CPU should be over 50%. You unfortunately want a 16 lane card ideally . Just get the GPU bud you need one anyway and you will get a boost
IlTossico@reddit
You need a new PC. The issue here is your CPU.
DZCreeper@reddit
40% CPU usage on an FX-8350 probably means you are maxing out 2-3 cores. A GPU upgrade by itself will slightly improve performance, the CPU is your bigger issue here.
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/cMgNZw
Spend $200 on an R5 5500, B550 board, and 2x8GB DDR4 setup. That will more than double your CPU performance.
Spend the remaining $100 on a used GTX 1070 for your GPU.
jagenigma@reddit
Where did you find an extra $50 for op?
DZCreeper@reddit
Oops, I reading another post that was $300 and got them confused.
zaken@reddit (OP)
Thanks, I'm not super strict on budget, just don't like paying a premium for enthusiast gear. So I wouldn't want to pay more than $250 for a graphics card but $300 or heck even $500 for a new CPU+GPU+MB+RAM would be totally fine.
jagenigma@reddit
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/HvTz89
This is if you're looking to modernize it will run anything you need it to run.
jagenigma@reddit
If you're that flexible, your options open up to potentially a new build. But your budget will have to expand after a certain point. Consider your power supply may be inadequate, or that storage may become a hindrance. If you're at the $500, a new cpu, mobile, ram and gpu is possible. Add in another $200 for adequate storage and power though.
mixmastakooz@reddit
I’ll sell him my 1070 for 75 bucks! u/zaken you’re in the Bay, right?
zaken@reddit (OP)
Indeed I am! Thank you, that's very kind. I'm currently thinking about saving up a bit more money and upgrading to the "Very Good" tier at https://www.logicalincrements.com/ for Black Friday.
Looks like that can play WoW at 4k 30 fps on max settings: https://www.logicalincrements.com/games/wow
pesa44@reddit
Can I ask why you head towards 30 fps? Cause from my perspective and experience, wow is not playable for me at anything under 60fps. It just feels sluggish and limiting.
zaken@reddit (OP)
Interesting, I can't usually tell the difference between anything higher than 30 FPS.
/shrug
Maybe I'm getting old.
so_fucking_jaded@reddit
Yeah I was like what decade is it
Zerasad@reddit
The PC build in the very good tier makes 0 sense, I'd probably not use that site since it recommends a single 8 GB stick of RAM at 840 dollars.
This system will run laps around that: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/RBrY6D
Also don't use userbenchmark for any comparisons the guy who runs it is legimitately insane and randomly changes the benchmarks as he sees fit to favour brands he likes (or doesn't hate).
If you want to compare GPU performance type the name of the GPU and put "Techpowerup" after and it should take you to the Techpowerup page of the GPU where you can see how it compare to other video cards.
zaken@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the heads up!
I also found this guide: https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcforme/s/fyfXhaFfz2. The $800 build there looks pretty nice.
Zerasad@reddit
Yea, that 800 build looks good. I suggested the 5700X3D specficially because it works great with CPU intensive games like WoW, so that is what I'd probably go with over the 7600. The 7600 does allow you to upgrade to newer CPUs on the same motherboard later down the line though, so it makes up for the lesser performance with that.
Floppy_Rhino@reddit
I played with a gtx 1060 and I had to upgrade away from it. Get a 2060/1070 or better!
Zerasad@reddit
The 1060 isn't going to move the needle in an appreciable way, it's 10% faster. It'd get a 5700X3D with a 50 dollar mobo (maybe look for a used combo) and then worry about the GPU later.
qkni7@reddit
This, but you can save money by getting a b450 and r5 3600 instead for almost the same performance
lanik_2555@reddit
You can save money by getting an B350 and r5 3600.
DZCreeper@reddit
Absolutely, if they are comfortable buying used or via Aliexpress you can knock $50-75 off.
jakebg19@reddit
This isn't what you're going to want to hear, but that cpu is bad, real bad. Any modern GPU even as far back as the 10 series will likely still be CPU limited. I'm in Canada, and the prices never translate over directly, but for $300 CAD ($220 usd), with some bartering on FB marketplace I could score a 2nd gen ryzen 2600($80-110 CAD) and mobo and a 1070($200 CAD). You'd need a little extra for ram, but the extra $30 would be worth it for the newer platform and roughly 1.5x jump on GPU and 1.2-1.5 jump on CPU.
If the above isn't an option, by all means buy the best gpu you can afford, just be aware you're leaving a MASSIVE amount of performance on the table.
SjettepetJR@reddit
The higher models of the GTX10 series are a great buy right now. I personally still have a GTX1080 and it still does remarkably well. They're often being sold second hand for around €100-€120.
jakebg19@reddit
Its amazing how well they've held up regardless of price. My 1070 FE i bought used in 2018 and repasted in 2020 is in my son's pc still kicking. I've had zero issues with it in those 6 years.
Antenoralol@reddit
RX 6600, RX 6600 XT or ARC A750.
M4jkelson@reddit
RX 6600 XT or RX 6700 XT should fit in your budget depending on offers you find and if you want a new one or if used is okay too
clare416@reddit
Others already stated about how your CPU itself is the main issue. Just want to add, if you can't find used AM4 system in that price range, you can try AliExpress for cheap Ryzen 5 1600/2600/3600/5600, respective motherboard and DDR4 RAM
For GPU, a used GTX 1070/1080/1660Ti/Super/2060 or RX6600/6600XT/6650XT should be sufficient for your need (for around $100 or less)
SwindleUK@reddit
Think X99 Xeons are the most cost effective platform for you to go to. E5 1650v4 and E5 1660v4 are the best to look out for. Quad channel ram so ram speed won't matter very much. You should be able to buy a whole system like a z440 for cheap.
AlkalineBrush20@reddit
It's definitely a CPU bottleneck, I can run it at full hd on the lowest settings 60 fps with an i5-8265U's iGPU.
Rnorman3@reddit
I am astonished that you have a 4k monitor with that system. As others have mentioned, it’s not just one part away. A CPU (and mobo to support it) upgrade is needed along with a GPU upgrade.
Also as a side note, don’t use user benchmark. That site is banned from most PC subreddits for being horribly biased.
ratskim@reddit
That is what I am stuck on, gaming at 4K on such an old system is totally wild
zaken@reddit (OP)
Heh yeah I got the monitor for work during the pandemic and hadn't really gamed before with it until the latest WoW expansion. Sounds like I need a pretty substantial rebuild if I want to continue using this monitor.
bleedingjim@reddit
The 390 can likely push WoW at 1440p 60 fps without too much difficulty. Your CPU is significantly holding you back at this point. WoW is actually a very CPU intensive game.
Fones2411@reddit
You can get a 3060 or a 2080 or a 3070 for around 200-250$ if you buy used or refurbished. I recommend going for this.
I would also recommend upgrading your MB+RAM+CPU as well.
Just_Maintenance@reddit
The 390 should easily be able to handle wow. Check the per-core utilization, it might be maxing out a single core and that might be your performance limit.
MarxistMan13@reddit
The CPU is the problem, but a R9 390 definitely isn't going to do well in modern WoW at 4k. My 6800XT is often >80% utilization at 1440p. That's nearly 4x as fast as OPs R9 390, at a lower resolution.
MarxistMan13@reddit
You're just not going to be able to get 30 FPS in raids or cities with an FX-8350. You can add a 4090, it won't change the fact that your CPU is ancient and terrible.
WoW is VERY heavy on the CPU in raids and cities. Even my 5800X3D dips into the 30s at times.
mincinashu@reddit
That CPU wasn't great for WoW even when it released.
mincinashu@reddit
Your GPU isn't necessarily the bottleneck at all times, despite the usage percentages. WoW hammers heavily just one or two CPU cores, so for example on 7800x3d I see around 20-30% CPU usage even in CPU-bound scenarios (I know they're CPU-bound because the FPS tanks and the CPU temp spikes, for example the Silk fight)
Grydian@reddit
To be honest even though your GPU is old its not bad. I would seriously consider getting a 5600x and a cheap b550 mb and a 40 dollar kit of ddr4 3200 cl16. You will be blown away by the improvement in gaming and everything else. You are currently highly cpu bottlenecked and for around 250 you can get those three and massively upgrade your build.
JamesKPolkEsq@reddit
Buy a used 2600x/MB/RX580 for like $200 off OfferUp or Marketplace
You'll be screaming with joy
NikonNevzorov@reddit
You gotta get a new pc. Sorry my friend but over a decade is far outside of the lifespan of a mobo+cpu combo. Just upgrading a graphics card won't make up for cpu and ram speed bottlenecking.
RogueEagle2@reddit
upgrade your CPU my dude, holy crap that thing is ancient.
Legndarystig@reddit
Son you need a a whole new build atleast aim for Ryzen second gen cpu
Bennyjay1@reddit
Since dropping the resolution isn't giving you a meaningful boost in fps, I'd blame the CPU personally. Are you running factory settings? I'd highly recommend you try overclocking the cpu, hyper-transpot, ram, basically everything but the gpu. If it's done right and everything is well tuned, that could net you over 50% gains in non gpu bound situations. You should be able to hit the ballpark of a 1st gen Ryzen quad core if you get everything absolutely perfect. Only recommending overclocking because it's an FX, it's almost required on that platform to get any kind of usable performance.
I wouldn't buy a gpu until you know that the cpu isn't holding you back. Spend a week tuning the system before you throw cash at it that might not net you any performance.
Chopper1911@reddit
Your CPU is literally ancient. Anything current gen on that thing will be bottlenecked heavily. Build a whole new system. Until then use the current one as it is.
Nolaboyy@reddit
Honestly, i believe youd be wasting your money. That cpu, and that platform, are whats holding you back. You need to upgrade to, at least, am4. If you had an am4 platform, youd be getting much more fps even with the gpu you have. Swapping a more powerful gpu into that platform, if it gives any uplift at all, will give you very little. If you need to keep it cheap, aliexpress is now selling am4 mobo bundles with cpu and ram for very good prices.
MalkaviousM@reddit
Radeon 7600 is a fucking beast for what it costs, man! Really can't go wrong g with it!
Mang_Kanor_69@reddit
Get a cpu mobo and ram instead for better performance uplift. You will not get the full benefits of a new gpu because of your older PCIE standard. (Correct me if im wrong but most of am3+ boards are PCIE 2.0 while gpus are at PCIE 4.0)
Jako998@reddit
You honestly need a new PC. I found a pre-built on Amazon for $800 that is pretty good for the price.
Edwardteech@reddit
Will wow run on linix? If so just get a steamdeck.
snktiger@reddit
Upgrade your CPU 1st. you should NOT be doing 4K (3840x2160) with your setup.
I had AMD Phenom II X4 + R9 290. and a newer Intel CPU with onboard graphic ran Starcraft 2 better than my PC. (your old MB will prob throttle your new GPU anyway)
newegg HAD MB combo deal... AMD Ryzen 5 5600X + GIGABYTE B550M K AM4 mATX + 16GB RAM + 512GB SSD for $195... will prob return during black friday or cyber monday.
and get yourself a graphic card with at least 12GB RAM. a lot of games like Diablo 4 stated you need at leat 10GB for 4K resolution.
I upgraded CPU to Ryzen 7 1700... played just about anything until 3 years ago @ 1080P
then I upgraded GPU to RX6700 non-XT 10GB. played just about anything like Helldiver 2 & Space Marine 2 @ 2K
then I upgraded CPU to 5700X3D last week... everything runs like butter now. @ 2K 90\~165FPS (Monitor max)
Jako998@reddit
Tbh you build is way to old. You honestly need to just do a completely new PC build or buy a pre-built.
Jako998@reddit
Upgrade your CPU as well tbh. But they may require you to upgrade to AM4.
I would say:
GPU: Rx 7600 or 6650xt
CPU: 5700X3D (assuming you upgrade to AM4)
cclambert95@reddit
Personally any upgrades to this system is kind of a dead end route I think. Time for either a rebuild (repurpose what you can like case, fans, drives, but a new Mobo, PSU, CPU, RAM,) or a deal on a prebuilt maybe during Black Friday? Usually I wouldn’t recommend the latter but budget conscious it may make sense with a nice sale.
tuura032@reddit
On r/buildapcsales, there was a deal for a 5600, AM4 motherboard, SSD, and ddr4 ram for like $200 at Newegg. While probably expired now , this pricing is not abnormal if you are a savvy shopper.
If you are okay with AM4 and a used GPU, we are in an amazing time for cheap parts. I love AMD for a bit of a discount on GPUs, but even a 3060 ti can be had for under $200 used (US). 5700 (xt), 6600 (xt), 6700 (xt), 2060 (super), 3060 (12gb), 3060 ti are all great options used.
Archimedley@reddit
iirc, wow is pretty much cpu bottlenecked and benefits pretty heavily from the x3d cpu's
it's possible a gpu upgrade would help, but if you're turning it down to 1080 and there's no change, then that very heavily suggests that you're cpu bottlenecked
that, and the 8350 even when it was new, wasn't super fantastic, and now that's like more than 10 years old
so, yeah, I'd maybe just start with a r5 7600 system upgrade and see what that changes
like, wow's pretty since threaded, so it's not going to be able to use all the cores, maybe like 2 (which would probably get you close to 50% utilization with there cluster core thing)
so, yeah, I think you might be more cpu bottlenecked than gpu, even if cpu isn't at 100%, although yeah, a 390 is also kind of old. I'm kind of surprised that's reporting 100%, but if you're turning it down from 4k to 1080p and that doesn't change the fps, then the cpu is probably the limiting factor
bringbackcayde7@reddit
you need a modern pc if you want to game at 4k. There are only 3.68% of people gaming at 4k from steam survey.
theSkareqro@reddit
6750xt is really good for 300usd if you can stretch it.
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