CPU Upgrade vs 1080ti?

[BlackAzrael]

I am thinking of upgrading once again, and right now not entirely sure on what I should choose between a cpu upgrade or a 1080ti.

First of all, here are my specs:
CPU: i5-3570k
GPU: 2 x Gigabyte G1 Gaming GeForce 970
RAM: 2 x 8GB Ballistix DDR3 1600Mhz
PSU: Thermaltake 850 Watts (can't quite remember the exact model)
MOBO: Gigabyte Z77X-UD5H
CPU Fan: CoolerMaster Hyper 212 EVO

I game using a 1080p 144Hz monitor, and if I can, I also use Dynamic Super Resolution when framerate allows depending on the game. I play a lot of Witcher 3 still to this day (modded mind you), which I know is a more CPU demanding game and one of the reasons for this dilemma.

So I am either thinking of getting a 6th or 7th gen CPU (most likely 6700k or 7700k) if I am to go this route but If I was to get a 1080ti I would wait for the manufacturer custom cards.

What do you guys think?

EDIT: Forgot to add the motherboard and CPU cooler sorry!

 

[BlackAzrael]

So I don't know if I should really pursue this OCing anyway. I ran Prime95 again right after I posted and it BSOD'ed like 15 minutes in. It did help a little bit with the Witcher 3 but the boost is pretty minimal, like a couple FPSes maybe. It did help matching the load between CPU and GPU though but nothing really astonishing. In the past two hours I dropped it down to 4.0GHz and ran Prime95 for 2 hours and it was fine at max 77C so I might just leave it there and be content with that, I don't feel comfortable risking more to be honest. All these different voltages you can increase or decrease has me a little overwhelmed and confused even after reading a guide and watching some video tutorials.

I think I might just go the 1080ti route afterall if I didn't damage my CPU hopefully.

Also, I am really not sure why some of you keep saying that a card like this is overkill at 1080p. Funny enough, I was told the same thing when picking up my 970s and there are still some games I can't max out at a constant 60fps. Besides, I prefer having higher FPS than higher resolution, though I never tried higher except with DSR. I just don't really want to change my monitor that I bought only a year ago already.

I'm pretty sure the reason your cpu is crashing is because the v-core is too low. You posted 1.2 in your previous post - I believe you can go as high as 1.35 before things get dicey. Mine is at 4.5 on 1.4 v-core(holy expletive), asus ai suite must be bugged, as I've been running that OC for years....).

Hmm well I do remember trying out 43 multiplier at the same time as changing the vcore to 1.205v, maybe the vcore still wasnt high enough. Perhaps I'll try a little more, I'm not sure. I think I might just go for a new CPU+Mobo+RAM.

 

[RobCrezz]

Youll need some more vcore to be stable, I had to get to around 1.35 to get 4.7Ghz.

Try putting vcore at 1.25.

 

[HOkay]

I would say if you're a high refresh nutter like me then getting a new CPU is the better option, that way you can reduce a couple of GPU settings to get the FPS up to the level you want without the CPU holding things back. However the reverse isn't true, you can't get an uber GPU and dial back settings to unblock any CPU bottleneck.

If you're not as bothered about 100+ FPS and are content in the 75-100 FPS region then I'd recommend switching out the GPU instead and using the extra GPU power to turn up the DSR/super sampling for nicer image quality at that FPS. A 1080ti will DESTROY your 970s. I just upgraded from 2x980ti to a 1080ti and of the few benchmarks I quickly ran, the 1080ti won all but one of them. Granted it was close in a few, but the point is 2x970 << 2x980ti so it'd be a big leap for you, not to mention the enormous relief of no longer relying on a good SLI profile to play a game at the settings you want.

 

[bystander]

I'd say get a better HSF for your current system if you want a better OC. I wouldn't go with a full on water cooling setup, unless you are talking about an All-in-one liquid cooler. Water cooling setups are expensive, and you might not be on this current CPU long enough to be worth it. Maybe do that on your next upgrade.

As far as your current OCing goes, you may be crashing due to the low voltage, but your temps are getting too high, which voltage increases will make go higher. You may have to settle for a modest OC without improving your HSF setup.

 

[rcald2000]

+BlackAzrael Do both. Purchase a new GTX 1080 Ti with cash or credit. Then sell your two GTX 970's, and also sell your CPU / MB / RAM, and use the proceeds to purchase a i7-7700K / Z270 MB / DDR4 RAM.

 

[BlackAzrael]

I think it's decided, I will wait and see the new Ryzen first but will probably end up upgrading my cpu and go with 7700k. I have been putting it off for a while, upgrading 4 generations of cpus will probably help with the overall experience not just for gaming. I will probably take a look at the aftermarket 1080 ti's, I'm especially waiting to see the Gigabyte one.