Complete Rebuild, a Few Questions

[adam61]

I have been telling myself I'd be replacing my 2500k (which I got on launch day) when Skylake came out. Since that appears to be pretty soon it looks like I need to start putting my ducks in a row and researching.

My Monitors, Speakers, and Keyboard/Mouse are TWO computers old, so my plan was to buy a case and full computer, and also add on top of that a Keyboard/Mouse/Speakers and the much more expensive 2x2160p monitors. I know the details of skylake are still sketchy, but will a brand new computer like this easily push games on ONE of my 2160p monitors with an above average video card or do they still have difficulty pushing the required pixels???

I know there's always something new coming out (3D XPoint for example), but my key worry is that my GPU/CPU combo has plenty of power to push my 4K monitors at good framerates. Thoughts?

 

[DonkeyOatie]

High frame-rates of 4K with good effects is a the limit of the best GPUs available today, so no, a modern computer will not do it easily, but it will do it.

The GTX980ti is the current 'big dog' http://www.anandtech.com/show/9306/the-nvidia-geforce-gtx-980-ti-review/4. Even an i7 4770K is plenty to drive one of these.

 

[adam61]

So based on what you say (and I don't disagree) I seem a little stuck. I can either build a new computer and wait on the new monitors (but my old ones are almost a decade old 1200p and 1080p). I can buy a 4k monitor, but expect mediocre frame rates which is a little silly for a brand new built from scratch PC, or I can wait to buy a computer until video cards go through another cycle or 2 and 4K capable cards are in the 2-300 range. What are most people who want 4k performance going into the 2016-2020 generation doing if they need a new setup in the next 6 months or so?

 

[DonkeyOatie]

1. Wait for Skylake. It will probably not do anything revolutionary or change the pricing significantly, but why take the chance.
2. Read this http://4k.com/gaming/

You are actually in a very good place, comparatively. The GTX 980ti is good, fugal, comparatively cheap, and effective. (as opposed to the Titan X, Titan Z, or 295x2) You can also research AMD Fury and Fury X for guide to their future.

You can get decent frame-rates if you turn the 'effects' wick down a little, and I think you have a long wait for 4K capable at 300ish (probably three more generations) top end 1080p is in that range at the moment, or even a little more.

If you want decent 4K today, 980ti is the answer (compared to previous SLI 2x 970, not so good, or SLI 2x 980, only a bit better). SLI 980ti will be quite good, but very expensive (for me at least). I'd be looking to get about two generations (3ish years) out of my current build, and I think a GTX980ti would do that for me.

HOWEVER, this is all a theoretical exercise for me, because I'm NOT a 4K gamer.