GPU Upgrade and Bottlenecking
Posted by thefabledmukaku@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 11 comments
I'm looking to start progressively upgrading my rig that I built in 2020 and wanting to start with the GPU. I'm US, looking to spend under $1k, and hoping I can take games like Monster Hunter Wilds from the average-ish settings I'm currently at to ultra @ 80+ fps, but if I can't get to that now due to CPU bottlenecks I'd at least like to see some noticeable improvements.
Current Rig:
- MB - ROG STRIX B450-F
- CPU - AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8 Core
- GPU - 2070 RTX Super
- RAM - 2x16 DDR4
- PS - FVGA SuperNOVA 650W
I'm looking at getting a 5070 RTX and a new 850W power supply right now and then in a few years deciding between a full motherboard + CPU + DDR5 RAM upgrade or just going for a more powerful AM4 socket CPU.
I'm fine with CPU bottlenecking if I already see significant improvement in my performance with this upgrade but I don't want to spend that GPU money if my CPU will prevent me from seeing any benefits. Any suggestions? And what tools would you recommend to help me understand the overall performance of a build like that?
Destructo-Bear@reddit
Sounds like a good plan. The 5070 is such an incredibly good GPU. I love mine. It can play anything at 1440p.
Keep an eye on Facebook marketplace for a used zen 3 CPU for a cheap CPU upgrade. No rush, but if you check every day you will find a crazy deal eventually
thefabledmukaku@reddit (OP)
Good idea! And I meant to explicitly call it out in my post but forgot to, is an 850W power supply good future proofing if I end up going AM5 + DDR5? Would like to avoid having to buy another one in a few years, I believe a 750W minimum is recommended with a 5070
Destructo-Bear@reddit
Yeah I got a 750w and I'm nowhere close to having any issues even with an overclock on both the CPU and GPU.
850 is overkill but right now power supplies seem to be dirt cheap so just run with it if you want, but you don't need to if you want to save a little money. I have a 9700x cpu
thefabledmukaku@reddit (OP)
Just wanted to say thanks for the advice and update that I did find a great deal on a 5800X3D, this one actually still sealed and new! Now I just need to get a new cooler for it and I'm all set. Any advice on AIOs vs fans? Aesthetically I like the idea of an AIO but my goal is to finish the upgrade and not need any new parts for a good 5 or more years. I recall early on when I first built a PC they were finicky and prone to breaking, at least way more so than a fan cooler
Destructo-Bear@reddit
How much was your brand new 5800x3d? I sold a used one about a month ago for like $485 or something crazy
thefabledmukaku@reddit (OP)
Got it for $350. Either the guy selling it just wanted to get rid of it as fast as possible or he didn't quite get the demand for it right now. I don't think he builds PCs himself
Destructo-Bear@reddit
AIOs last 5-8 years. Just make sure to get one with at least a 5 year warranty to be safe.
Air cooling is fine as well and usually cheaper but I also like water cooling because it looks cool
Letsmakemoney45@reddit
Rtx 5070 850 PSU 5800x (5700x3d or 5800x3d) if you can find one in your budget.
liarma@reddit
RTX 5070 will pair excellently with a 5700X3D. Saves you upgrading your RAM too, which is really not feasible for the foreseeable future for anyone on a budget. What resolution are using?
thefabledmukaku@reddit (OP)
Got a 1440p monitor right now
Choconolait@reddit
Try lowering graphics settings, and check fps and gpu usage. If fps stays at similar number despite lowering graphics settings or impossible to reach 90% or more gpu usage, you are being cpu limited.