[SOLVED] CPU or GPU upgrade?

[SAM_189]

I badly want to upgrade my system but I can only upgrade either the gpu or the cpu and not both. I do edit videos/photos occasionally and also play a lot of games.

Current system:
Intel core i7-3770(non k)
8gb of ddr3 1333mhz ram
Gtx 1060 3gb
Cheap mini itx motherboard

Preferred upgrade:

Ryzen 7 3700x
16gb of ddr4 3200mhz ram
Asus rog strix x470-f mb

Or

Sapphire 5700xt nitro+

I am put off at the fact that x470 mbs need a bios update for the new ryzen 3000 chips to work and the mb I like doesnt have bios flashback. So I thought maybe wait for b550 mbs and then upgrade the cpu and upgrade the gpu now.

This might be a dumb reason to like a motherboard but I really want aura sync and that's the only asus motherboard that checks all the boxes.

What do you guys think?

 

[Phaaze88]

The cpu option definitely looks more attractive.

Well, if you have to have Aura Sync... is there something wrong with Msi's Mystic Light?
All of Msi's B450 boards come with bios flashback needed for Ryzen 3000 out of the box, and would be more affordable than that X470.

 

[LordVile]

If you do video editing I’d do the CPU upgrade although if you went for a 2700 and a B450 board you could probably get a minor GPU bump too to like a 1660Tin or maybe a RTX 2060 at a push

 

[SAM_189]

The cpu option definitely looks more attractive.

Well, if you have to have Aura Sync... is there something wrong with Msi's Mystic Light?
All of Msi's B450 boards come with bios flashback needed for Ryzen 3000 out of the box, and would be more affordable than that X470.

Thx for the reply. I was considering buying an msi board but mystic light is not as good as aura sync so I decided not to. But if I don't have a choice then mystic light isn't a huge deal breaker

 

[Zitizen]

The i7 3770 system are still a capable system and I kept my i5 3570 system as a solid stand by (I'm using my new build, the Ryzen 5 2600 system). When it comes to editing videos you'd want speed and power and you'll get it from the Ryzen system you're looking at.

So I'd say go for it.

 

[SgtScream]

This upgrade depends on your current/planned monitor's resolution and refresh rate and the games you'll be playing.

 

[SAM_189]

This upgrade depends on your current/planned monitor's resolution and refresh rate and the games you'll be playing.

I have a 1080p 144hz monitor
I play-
Overwatch
World of tanks
Borderlands 3
Destiny 2

 

[SgtScream]

I have a 1080p 144hz monitor
I play-
Overwatch
World of tanks
Borderlands 3
Destiny 2

What's your fps when you play these games?

 

[SAM_189]

What's your fps when you play these games?

I can hit around 144 on high to medium settings on all of them but borderlands 3 is awful with it barely hitting 40 on medium settings.

 

[Phaaze88]

This may help with BL3:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6FWiVwq1fI

 

[need4speeds]

There are some new drivers out. (Likely you already tried that)
It also shows a big list of cards.

Borderlands 3 Graphics Benchmark

We nearly lost count of how many graphics cards we put down for this test, but let's say it was roughly sixty GPUs from both camps to...

www.techspot.com

This one shows some cpu comparisons.

Borderlands 3 system requirements, settings, benchmarks, and performance analysis

The latest tale from the Borderlands starts off easy on hardware, but you'll need to bring the big guns for higher resolutions.

www.pcgamer.com

Another benchmark test..
https://www.techpowerup.com/review/borderlands-3-benchmark-test-performance-analysis/4.html

Installing MSI afterburner and making a more aggressive fan profile and some overclocking should also help. I have my fan set to stay off until 50C. Then 25% fan to 57C, 46% fan till 62C, 67% fan till 67C, Max fan at 76C and the line slants to it so it's variable after 67C. Power limit at 106%, Core Clock +84mhz, Memory +687mhz. (It's a factory OC card with the faster samsung memory.) (This is just a example, you will have to do a search into the clocks and stuff your card normally can overclock to, ect.)

More clock speed usually helps.

Try the fan in Manual first so you can hear how loud it is so you know the fan speed % to use for certain temp points. You will have to test it with a game like Borderlands 3, Furmark, ect.

I would go with the cheaper RX5700. For $329 it's the best deal and a closer match for your cpu.
Sell the GTX1060.
https://pcpartpicker.com/products/video-card/#sort=price&c=446,425,447,445,405,437

 

[need4speeds]

It's possible to buy a stand along RGB controller.
https://www.amazon.com/RGB-Controller/s?k=RGB-Controller

ModMyMods.com

These controllers can remotely alter the color of the RGB LED strip with just a push of a button. A great addition to any PC Modification.

modmymods.com

The best RGB lighting kit

Light up your world with the best RGB lighting kits

www.pcgamer.com

I seen guys with remotes and blinged out 4x4 trucks with RGB headlights, even the Ford oval, Chevy Bowtie or Dodge Ram emblem. Are you sure you want RGB? LOL.. They look like a rolling disco. It's kinda a Austin Powers theme. "Check out my new RGB Shag Carpeting.. Hey Groovay!"

 

[Rdslw]

It definitely looks like you choose games vs work.
Games will gain more from GPU and that CPU will hold, BUT work will benefit more from new platform/ram/threads ...
I would go with Ryzen upgrade as that would be more noticeable all over the place, with m2 storage available and other stuff it gives you a lot more options to play with.

 

[SgtScream]

It all depends on the system requirements of said game and hardware utilization. Install MSI afterburner and configure the onscreen display for gpu and cpu load. Run BL3 and if the GPU is constantly pegged at 100% load, upgrade the GPU. If the GPU isn't hitting full load (which it should) and the CPU is hitting full load, upgrade the CPU/Motherboard/Memory platform.

 

[Phaaze88]

It all depends on the system requirements of said game and hardware utilization. Install MSI afterburner and configure the onscreen display for gpu and cpu load. Run BL3 and if the GPU is constantly pegged at 100% load, upgrade the GPU. If the GPU isn't hitting full load (which it should) and the CPU is hitting full load, upgrade the CPU/Motherboard/Memory platform.

Should also mention, that unlike gpu, a cpu can hit full load without using all it's cores/threads. If the primary threads are at 100%, then the cpu isn't going to do any better, even though it has extra resources.
So it's important to check usage of all cores.

 

[SAM_189]

It definitely looks like you choose games vs work.
Games will gain more from GPU and that CPU will hold, BUT work will benefit more from new platform/ram/threads ...
I would go with Ryzen upgrade as that would be more noticeable all over the place, with m2 storage available and other stuff it gives you a lot more options to play with.

Yeah after some consideration i've decided to go with the cpu upgrade since any gpu I buy would be bottlenecked by my i7-3770. Thanks

 

[Zitizen]

Good idea. While the i7 3770 are good stuff they are dated when it comes to new generations of software.