Basically I want to get a better processor for my PC for video gaming. I have read, and personally experienced an unpleasant time when gaming due to very poor frames per second.
I want to know why my games are not performing as they should and whether I should consider upgrading my PC to a better AMD cpu or switch to Intel and grab an i5 with a new motherboard or something... I'm not very experienced (only 17) and I don't know much about hardware.
CPU: AMD FX(tm)-4300 Quad-Core Processor (4 CPUs), ~3.8GHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960-
Display Memory: 6112 MB
Dedicated Memory: 2016 MB
Shared Memory: 4095 MB
Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz) ( Acer P226HQ)
RAM: 8GB
Hard drive: 1TB
PSU: 500W
My PC is a prebuilt gaming computer from Currys -
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/computing/desktop-pcs/desktop-pcs/cyberpower-gaming-empire-elite-ii-gaming-pc-10140548-pdt.html
Games such as Skyrim, Paladins: Champions of the realm, Rust, Borderlands 2, Dirty Bomb- just a handful of the game I play, I have to use minimum settings and custom config files and run games in lower resolutions in windowed mode just to get 40, 50 or 60 frames.
Running in fullscreen is playable (30frames) but it's not what I want.
I can run Formula 1 2014 at max settings though with constant 60 frames... I'm so confused.
I know my graphics driver is good (to an extent) and is supposed to handle newer (2015+) games to medium graphics at 60 frames... But i'm too scared to buy more games just to find out I have to use terrible graphics settings just to play them- It's inevitable
From the information given to me at Currys (where I bought the PC) it says it can handle games.
"The Empire Elite II is a great choice for anyone new to PC gaming as it has more than enough power to run the latest and greatest games with impressive graphics and high frame rates. Older games can be turned right up to max, so if you want to experience any of the vast collection of must-play PC classics, you can enjoy them at their best"
This is really really not the case^ Apart from turning up the older games to max that is true. I can play Mount and Blade, Star Wars Battle Front 2, XCOM enemy unknown all at max graphics with 60 frames.
I am wondering whether:
-My PCU is not good enough?
-I Need more RAM?
-The CPU is bottlenecking my GPU? (website says "Performance comes courtesy of an AMD FX processor. With a high clock speed and four cores it won't hold the graphics card back")
Before anyone replies...
-I am correctly using the DVI port on the graphics card, not the motherboard
-MSI afterburner has confirmed my graphics card is working when I run benchmarks (Valley Benchmark)
-I've tried overclocking both CPU (withe AMD overdrive) and GPU (with MSI afterburner) A 5-10 frame boost isn't really worth it for the effort
Budget is £150-200 looking to buy either a new AMD CPU or upgrading to an Intel CPU and getting a new motherboard (for compatibility)
Any comments, thoughts, suggestions and recommendations are highly appreciated! Thank you in advance
PS: Sorry for the long post
I want to know why my games are not performing as they should and whether I should consider upgrading my PC to a better AMD cpu or switch to Intel and grab an i5 with a new motherboard or something... I'm not very experienced (only 17) and I don't know much about hardware.
CPU: AMD FX(tm)-4300 Quad-Core Processor (4 CPUs), ~3.8GHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960-
Display Memory: 6112 MB
Dedicated Memory: 2016 MB
Shared Memory: 4095 MB
Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz) ( Acer P226HQ)
RAM: 8GB
Hard drive: 1TB
PSU: 500W
My PC is a prebuilt gaming computer from Currys -
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/computing/desktop-pcs/desktop-pcs/cyberpower-gaming-empire-elite-ii-gaming-pc-10140548-pdt.html
Games such as Skyrim, Paladins: Champions of the realm, Rust, Borderlands 2, Dirty Bomb- just a handful of the game I play, I have to use minimum settings and custom config files and run games in lower resolutions in windowed mode just to get 40, 50 or 60 frames.
Running in fullscreen is playable (30frames) but it's not what I want.
I can run Formula 1 2014 at max settings though with constant 60 frames... I'm so confused.
I know my graphics driver is good (to an extent) and is supposed to handle newer (2015+) games to medium graphics at 60 frames... But i'm too scared to buy more games just to find out I have to use terrible graphics settings just to play them- It's inevitable
From the information given to me at Currys (where I bought the PC) it says it can handle games.
"The Empire Elite II is a great choice for anyone new to PC gaming as it has more than enough power to run the latest and greatest games with impressive graphics and high frame rates. Older games can be turned right up to max, so if you want to experience any of the vast collection of must-play PC classics, you can enjoy them at their best"
This is really really not the case^ Apart from turning up the older games to max that is true. I can play Mount and Blade, Star Wars Battle Front 2, XCOM enemy unknown all at max graphics with 60 frames.
I am wondering whether:
-My PCU is not good enough?
-I Need more RAM?
-The CPU is bottlenecking my GPU? (website says "Performance comes courtesy of an AMD FX processor. With a high clock speed and four cores it won't hold the graphics card back")
Before anyone replies...
-I am correctly using the DVI port on the graphics card, not the motherboard
-MSI afterburner has confirmed my graphics card is working when I run benchmarks (Valley Benchmark)
-I've tried overclocking both CPU (withe AMD overdrive) and GPU (with MSI afterburner) A 5-10 frame boost isn't really worth it for the effort
Budget is £150-200 looking to buy either a new AMD CPU or upgrading to an Intel CPU and getting a new motherboard (for compatibility)
Any comments, thoughts, suggestions and recommendations are highly appreciated! Thank you in advance
PS: Sorry for the long post