Question Best upgrade path

[johnofo]

I recently upgraded from a GTX 1070 to an RTX 2080. The 1070 used to run at ~99% usage in most games with CPU usage topping out around 80% (which I take to mean the GPU is being fed what it needs by the CPU to work as hard as it can) but since upgrading to the 2080 the GPU is usually 40 - 60% with CPU usage >90% and each core hits 100% at times. Has this upgrade meant my old I5 3570K has reached the point where it can't keep up with the 2080? I game on a 1440p, 144Hz G sync monitor. I usually play PUBG, Rocket League, No Mans Sky as well as the odd game from my steam library. Most games aren't pushing above the 100 FPS I would expect from this GPU. I've been through Nvidia settings to ensure the card is running on maximum performance etc.

I5 3570K OC to 4.4Ghz all cores
Asus P8Z77VLX2 Mobo
4x 4GB Patriot DDR3 RAM 1600Mhz
XFX XXX 850W PSU (overkill I know)
EVGA RTX 2080 XC Ultra

I was considering upgrading to a Ryzen 2600 in the short term to try and get the GPU usage higher then swap it out for a 3000 part if needed. Would this CPU swap likely remove the CPU usage issues? Also if I was planning to get a Ryzen 5 3XXX part would there be a benefit to getting an X470 board now for the 2600 as it might have better support for the 3600 in the future?

Thanks for your time

 

[taeioum]

You've effectively created a CPU bottleneck, yes. Good example:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYIqJcI717U


I wouldn't upgrade anything until you're ready to upgrade your MOBO/CPU/RAM combo. A lot of hassle to go through unless you can't wait any longer..

 

[johnofo]

Thanks taeioum

I'm ready to upgrade CPU/RAM/MOBO now and was looking at:-

Ryzen 5 2600
MSI B450 Tomahawk
HyperX Predator CL16 RAM 2x 8GB either 3200Mhz or 3333Mhz

But wasn't sure if a more expensive X470 Mobo might serve a future Zen 2 CPU better. I read that the MSI B450s were good valve with better VRMs than other manufacturers at present.

Also wasn't sure if the 2600 would be enough to remove this "bottleneck" or if I would be better off with either the 2600X or a move up to 2700(X) though they do cost a fair bit more, especially if I was to swap it out within the next year or so.

 

[RobCrezz]

Indeed, the 3570k is struggling to keep up.

With a card that high end, I would really look more to the i7 8700k or 9700k to avoid bottlenecks, or hold on for Ryzen 3000 series.

 

[-Fran-]

Oof... A couple things.

I strongly believe you won't ever get rid of a "bottleneck" with any high end GPU and a mid-range CPU without a massive OC. I'm not saying this just for being pedantic, but it's important to understand what the system can do and set expectations accordingly.

That being said, going from the i5 to the Ry2600(x) won't change things that much for games, but it will certainly help the System (as a whole) stretch its legs a bit more on your day-to-day usage. I moved from an i7 2700K at 4.6Ghz to a 2700X running at 4.2Ghz (all cores) and although there was a jump using the same Video card, it wasn't massive as upgrading the GPU would do other than helping with the lower band of the FPS'es as there are more resources Windows can use while running stuff in the background.

All in all, make sure the MoBo is good for keeping that 2600 running in top shape as well as having a good track record with RAM settings. Ryzen is really sensitive to RAM speeds and timings (more timings than speed), but a good balance of both is going to yield great performance.

As a conclusion, I'd advice for you to wait until the Ryzen 3K series is out and you can bench how it compares to what's out there. Your current system, although you can see it's bottlenecked, seems like it still usable, right?

Cheers!

 

[johnofo]

Thanks Rob and Yuka.

I know Intel has been top dog for gaming for a while now but I didn't think the speed was as big a factor at 1440p. An 8700K build would cost about double that of the 2600 build and wouldn't offer any further upgrade path as far as I can see whereas the AM4 is going to be supported at least for the 3000 series.

I'll try and hold off a bit for now and see when Zen 2 looks like I reckon. If I get desperate I can always try the 2600 and have the upgrade path open. The 3570K has done well for the countless thousands of hours its run and is still doing its best. Or I can always dip into the savings a bit more and go for an I7. Interesting that the 9700K has higher speeds than the 8700K out the box but has lost hyper-threading, makes the 8700K look like a better buy.

I'll do a bit of research on RAM timings if I do decide on 2600 or Zen 2. Speed is easy enough for anyone to understand, higher is better. I assume RAM timings can be adjusted a bit along with speeds, like overclocking which I've done on the 3570K and 2080. CL16 seemed by far the most common RAM when I browsed pcpartpicker.

 

[johnofo]

I saw this video

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uzfMZYx5tQ
which shows the 2080 usage in the 90s and the CPU well below that which made me think the 2600 would allow the 2080 to churn out a lot more

 

[-Fran-]

Uhm... If you're willing to "take the hit" with the 2600 while you wait for the Ryzen 3K series, then upgrading could be your way to go. Just keep in mind 2 things:

1.- Prices WILL go down for current gens as Intel will just have to adjust and AMD still needs to sell inventory (you can see great offers everyday as well). So waiting and holding your money today, will most likely yield a better "yesterday's top dog" build than "currents top dog". This is a fact when new CPUs are released, so it's a safe thing to consider.
2.- Although most manufacturers and AMD will intend to keep the Ryzen 3K series in old MoBos, you will still lose PCIe 4 and the extra PCIe lanes AMD is going to add (half-confirmed, I believe). This is not a trivial thing to consider, specially for long-term cycles. You can still get a newer mid-range MoBo when they are released, but it would still add up to the cost of your build swap. You need to consider the long/mid term plan for your platform as well.

Again, I would imagine your gaming experience is not terrible and you can live with your system for 3-6 extra months from now, yes? If so, I stand by my "wait" recommendation. Your GPU should carry the rest of the system while you wait nicely.

Cheers!

 

[johnofo]

OK I'll hold off for the Zen 2 release

Got all excited about the 2080 but was dissapointed when it didn't seem to be running as hard as it could.

I forgot that there would be benefits other than core/thread/speed with Zen 2. As my current CPU has lasted me 6 - 7 years it would be nice for the next one to last the same, so might as well get the best I manage this year.

Thanks again Yuka

 

[-Fran-]

No problem.

If you're willing to experiment, I'd even suggest you look for a used i7 3770K from a trust-worthy source. You will see a performance jump thanks to the extra threads and it won't break your piggy bank (as they should be reasonably cheap: 40/50 bucks tops?). Just keep your i5 3570K around.

Cheers!

 

[johnofo]

I had a look on eBay and they're going for ~£100 ($130) 2nd hand so think I'll stick to my maxed out i5 for now. How do I mark the thread as solved/closed?

 

[-Fran-]

I had a look on eBay and they're going for ~£100 ($130) 2nd hand so think I'll stick to my maxed out i5 for now. How do I mark the thread as solved/closed?

I think you need to select a "best answer" from someone (including your own answers/replies) and then it will mark itself as "Solved".

Cheers!