[SOLVED] 4K System Requirements

[LordMikeus]

I'm currently working on improving my setup for gaming and the next step I'm looking at is a monitor. I'm not all that knowledgeable but really I'd like to play 4K at least at 60fps, preferably more. I'm already planning to upgrade my motherboard, cpu and cpu cooler to handle ray tracing in the future (post for that is here: https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/suitable-motherboard-and-heatsink-for-an-i7-8700.3454408/) but I'm curious if I could handle 4K comfortable without any stuttering with my current setup. I'd really love to play games like Anthem and fast paced shooters like Apex comfortable in 4K at a high fps. What would the requirements on my monitor be for this too as the new one I buy I'd preferably be maxing around the £400 mark assuming that would be suitable for what I'm after.

My specs (using speccy for a quick copy/paste):

Windows 10 Home 64-bit
Intel Core i5 7500 @ 3.40GHz Kaby Lake 14nm Technology
16GB (2x8GB) Corsair DDR4 Vengeance LPX Black, PC4-24000 (3000)
Gigabyte Technology Co. Ltd. Z270-Gaming K3
4095MB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (Gigabyte)
232GB Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB (SATA (SSD))
931GB Seagate ST1000DM010-2DM162 (SATA )
465GB Western Digital WDC WDS500G2B0A-00SM50 (SATA (SSD))

 

[assasin32]

Fair warning if you didnt already know this some games have scaling issues and weren't designed with 4k in mind. So you will end up with small user interfaces in game. If you switch to 1080p on a 4k monitor it won't scale perfectly and it will still be a bit blurry. Native 1080p would look better than 1080p on a 4k monitor because of this.

 

[LordMikeus]

Fair warning if you didnt already know this some games have scaling issues and weren't designed with 4k in mind. So you will end up with small user interfaces in game. If you switch to 1080p on a 4k monitor it won't scale perfectly and it will still be a bit blurry. Native 1080p would look better than 1080p on a 4k monitor because of this.

Valid warning. I often play some games still a few years old like Diablo 3 etc and don't wanna see any issues playing games like Apex, Anthem and so on. If it's a better alternative for me to just get a good quality 1080p then I'd be plenty happy with that too. Of course, if the issue is negligible when playing in 4k then I wouldn't be too fussed but a lot of games I play are fast paced so better not to have blur etc. How often am I likely to see the issue you mentioned?

 

[jamesanyoung]

Your PC can probably handle it - at least in the Games and Apps that are designed for 4k. However, Windows at 4K isnt great, and many apps and games dont scale well.

I think you would have a better experience at 1440p @ 144hz on 21:9

 

[LordMikeus]

Your PC can probably handle it - at least in the Games and Apps that are designed for 4k. However, Windows at 4K isnt great, and many apps and games dont scale well.

I think you would have a better experience at 1440p @ 144hz on 21:9

21:9 is wide screen cinema layout yeah? I'll speak up in the monitors section and start getting some recommendations for a 1440p @ 144hz monitor then. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[jamesanyoung]

Good idea. I have been very happy with this monitor:

LG 34UC79G-B 34" 144Hz

 

[LordMikeus]

Good idea. I have been very happy with this monitor:

LG 34UC79G-B 34" 144Hz

Slightly beyond my affordable price range right now. Couldn't convince myself to do that just for the monitor for another few years yet

 

[g-unit1111]

Fair warning if you didnt already know this some games have scaling issues and weren't designed with 4k in mind. So you will end up with small user interfaces in game. If you switch to 1080p on a 4k monitor it won't scale perfectly and it will still be a bit blurry. Native 1080p would look better than 1080p on a 4k monitor because of this.

I will say as someone who has a 4K monitor that not only is this true, even high end cards like the 1080 don't scale accordingly. Even if you dial back settings to 1440P it still looks very pixleated. My 1080 is barely cutting it, and at a minimum I'd say you would need at least a 2070 for higher end games since it puts up numbers equivalent to a 1080TI. 2080 and 2080TI would be preferable to get a true 4K experience if they are in your budget.

 

[LordMikeus]

I will say as someone who has a 4K monitor that not only is this true, even high end cards like the 1080 don't scale accordingly. Even if you dial back settings to 1440P it still looks very pixleated. My 1080 is barely cutting it, and at a minimum I'd say you would need at least a 2070 for higher end games since it puts up numbers equivalent to a 1080TI. 2080 and 2080TI would be preferable to get a true 4K experience if they are in your budget.

I'm already using the 2080, mentioned up above in my specs. So I think I'd be okay for 4K but obviously, only for games that support it. Sounds like I'd have a rough experience with non 4K games (unsure which ones are and are not).

 

[g-unit1111]

I'm already using the 2080, mentioned up above in my specs. So I think I'd be okay for 4K but obviously, only for games that support it. Sounds like I'd have a rough experience with non 4K games (unsure which ones are and are not).

Yeah the main problems happen when you start scaling. Games aren't any different than videos or any other medium where you'd need to scale the images to fit the monitor.

 

[LordMikeus]

Yeah the main problems happen when you start scaling. Games aren't any different than videos or any other medium where you'd need to scale the images to fit the monitor.

How common is it to get games with these issues? I feel like it should be more common by now to support 4K. New games like Anthem, Apex and even some further back games should support 4K by now? I'm also going to be keeping my old monitor assuming that wouldn't cause issues so for some silly older games like Corpse Party, Minecraft etc, I'd be happy with using it still. But I'd love to see the appearance of games like Anthem in 4K. From the sounds of things though, it is not my better option to go 4K, just curious on how the 4K scene is doing right now for game support etc?

 

[assasin32]

Common enough to be a hassle, especially with older games. Newer ones I hear it isnt as bad. A Google search will probably provide better answers as we all have different tastes in games.

 

[g-unit1111]

Common enough to be a hassle, especially with older games. Newer ones I hear it isnt as bad. A Google search will probably provide better answers as we all have different tastes in games.

Yeah the older titles is where you run into issues. GTA V wouldn't have a problem but GTA San Andreas would.

 

[LordMikeus]

Common enough to be a hassle, especially with older games. Newer ones I hear it isnt as bad. A Google search will probably provide better answers as we all have different tastes in games.

I've spent a little while looking through this list: https://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/List_of_games_that_support_4K_resolution
I lot of the main games I play seem to be supported and even a fair few older ones like Diablo 3 too. I don't really think there are many older games I play at all. I wonder more if issues would come in with games like Realm of the Mad God and Town of Salem with their more Indie like gameplay. Have you got any examples of games you've had this issue with? Perhaps more popular games that still get played often? Even Elder Scrolls IV:Oblivion has support for 4K it seems.
The issue then would be if there is a monitor suitable for what I'm after that I could actually afford.

 

[J_E_D_70]

You're talking 4k/60hz right? The 2080 is basically a 1080ti performance-wise so many AAA games will require you to turn down/off antialiasing and some eye candy to hit a consistent 60fps.

 

[LordMikeus]

Hmm, I'll stick to 1440p 144hz for sure then. Seems a bit much money for something like that. Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[J_E_D_70]

I'd go with this if you can stretch the budget:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/BcTrxr/dell-monitor-s2716dg

This if you can't:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/CwgPxr/dell-s2417dg-238-165hz-monitor-s2417dg

That additional 3" is nice on the first one. Had mine going on three years and really like it. RTX 2080 would push it very well.

 

[LordMikeus]

I'd go with this if you can stretch the budget:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/BcTrxr/dell-monitor-s2716dg

This if you can't:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/CwgPxr/dell-s2417dg-238-165hz-monitor-s2417dg

That additional 3" is nice on the first one. Had mine going on three years and really like it. RTX 2080 would push it very well.

Yeah, I definitely want to keep it at least a 27". Wouldn't mind a g-sync but I think that comes with a sizeable increase in prize. I actually have a thread going for monitor recommendations over here (https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/looking-for-a-1440p-144hz-monitor.3455002/) and will 100% consider that first one.

 

[J_E_D_70]

Understood. If you can find a fully gsync compatible one, that would work and save a bit.

 

[LordMikeus]

I'd go with this if you can stretch the budget:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/BcTrxr/dell-monitor-s2716dg

This if you can't:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/CwgPxr/dell-s2417dg-238-165hz-monitor-s2417dg

That additional 3" is nice on the first one. Had mine going on three years and really like it. RTX 2080 would push it very well.

Decided to go with the Dell in the end. It's G-Sync supported and seems to be good for what I'll be doing with it! Thanks everyone for answering my questions though!