Question Best GPU for CPU

kryhtz

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Jan 6, 2020
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So, i'm currently going to stock my rig with a core 2 quad q9650,(Yes, i've checked the system requirements. My mobo the lenovo MTQ45NK supports proccesors with 12mb of L2 Cache, {Exactly what the C2Q uses}) and i'm currently running a c2d E7500, and a GT 710. Bottleneck Calculator told me 100%, which isn't ok. But the target game(s) i wanna play is Minecraft, and ROBLOX. And ROBLOX being the CPU dependent game, i'm sure a C2Q will do the trick. So what GPU should work? I also have a 280W PSU and the system is a prebuilt Lenovo M58 7360C12, with 8GB RAM ( og. 4) and a low profile case. Bummer.
 

R_1

Expert
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low profile, low wattage PSU, that narrows the field considerably.
I would look to the gtx 1050 ti in a half height card. low power and much better than the 710.
results for the gist, the general idea only. your mileage will vary, but you get the picture.
https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-GTX-1050-Ti-vs-Nvidia-GeForce-GT-710/3649vsm77649

please verify that your motherboard supplies a full 75W through the PCIe slot. some pre-made boards will only support 30W cards. the gt 710 is one such card hence the warning. if the slot is limited to 30W the GT 1030 would be the only real solution on the nvidia side
 
Last edited:

Callum Clarke

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May 28, 2014
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Depends on price range etc. Are you looking to get something brand new or are you willing to get a used graphics card with better value. Also, Core 2 Quads are slowly starting to drift over to the obsolete side, however you will defiantly not run into issues unless you try running a more modern demanding game.
 
280w will limit you to a graphics card that does not need auxiliary 6 pin power.
The strongest might be a GTX1050ti.
Those cards require two slots as does a GTX1050.
You can find a GT1030 card in single slot format.
GTX1050ti and GTX1050 are 75w cards which should be ok on your 280w psu.
Note that the GTX1050 come in 2 and 3gb vram variants.
The gt 1030 comes in two variants, GDDR5 and SDDR4. Each is a 30w card.
For fast action games, buy the strongest you can afford.

On the cpu side, The upgrade to a Q9650 will gain you two added cores.
But, the single thread performance will not be improved over your E7500.
My reading says that ROBLOX is single threaded so you may not get a big boost from a Q9650 upgrade.
It can't hurt though.

Try this test:
Run your games but lower the resolution and quality settings to lower the dem,and on your current gpu.
If your fps increases, it suggests that you can take advantage of a stronger gpu.
If your fps stays the same, you are likely cpu limited.

If you are cpu limited, it is time to start thinking about a cpu/motherboard/DDR4 upgrade.
$250 will buy you a modern cpu/motherboard/8gb of ddr4 that is perhaps twice as capable.