Is GPU too powerful for my current CPU?

[Miss Lara]

Hi,

My current rig is an i7 950, 6gb triple channel ram, geforce gtx 460 powered by a 750W psu.
I am looking at upgrading my gpu to a gtx 980 or a gtx 980ti. Will my current cpu be able to handle the gtx 980 or 980ti? I am also not sure if I should upgrade my ram as well.

 

[coozie7]

Yes, that venerable i7 is going to hold back a GTX980Ti by quite a bit, less so the slower GTX980.
I'd stick with the 6Gb of RAM for now, until you decide what options to take with the GPU upgrade.

Some points:

Monitor resolution and refresh rate will play an important part in this decision-details, please.

What type of games you play will also play a part, again, details, please.

Old as it is that i7 can be given a very decent boost if you're prepared to overclock it, doing so worked wonders for my equally old i5 750 and could be used as a 'stop gap' upgrade pending a full CPU/MB/RAM upgrade at a more convenient time in the future.

Pricing has really left the GTX980 out in the wilderness, the R9 390X offers similar performance for a good deal less cash while the slightly slower GTX970 and R9 390 are both plenty for most of us mortals on a 1080 screen-and they're even less expensive.

 

[Miss Lara]

Yes, that venerable i7 is going to hold back a GTX980Ti by quite a bit, less so the slower GTX980.
I'd stick with the 6Gb of RAM for now, until you decide what options to take with the GPU upgrade.

Some points:

Monitor resolution and refresh rate will play an important part in this decision-details, please.

What type of games you play will also play a part, again, details, please.

Old as it is that i7 can be given a very decent boost if you're prepared to overclock it, doing so worked wonders for my equally old i5 750 and could be used as a 'stop gap' upgrade pending a full CPU/MB/RAM upgrade at a more convenient time in the future.

Pricing has really left the GTX980 out in the wilderness, the R9 390X offers similar performance for a good deal less cash while the slightly slower GTX970 and R9 390 are both plenty for most of us mortals on a 1080 screen-and they're even less expensive.

Thank you for replying.
I would prefer play games at a 1080p with frame rates at least going at 30fps. I want my rig to be able to play graphice intensive games like far cry 4 and rise of tomb rauder comfortably. Of course 60fps would be ideal but 30fps should suffice, at the very least.

 

[Epicness937]

Yes, that venerable i7 is going to hold back a GTX980Ti by quite a bit, less so the slower GTX980.
I'd stick with the 6Gb of RAM for now, until you decide what options to take with the GPU upgrade.

Some points:

Monitor resolution and refresh rate will play an important part in this decision-details, please.

What type of games you play will also play a part, again, details, please.

Old as it is that i7 can be given a very decent boost if you're prepared to overclock it, doing so worked wonders for my equally old i5 750 and could be used as a 'stop gap' upgrade pending a full CPU/MB/RAM upgrade at a more convenient time in the future.

Pricing has really left the GTX980 out in the wilderness, the R9 390X offers similar performance for a good deal less cash while the slightly slower GTX970 and R9 390 are both plenty for most of us mortals on a 1080 screen-and they're even less expensive.

Thank you for replying.
I would prefer play games at a 1080p with frame rates at least going at 30fps. I want my rig to be able to play graphice intensive games like far cry 4 and rise of tomb rauder comfortably. Of course 60fps would be ideal but 30fps should suffice, at the very least.

you could play at 30fps but the cpu will definantly hold your card back if you want no bottleneck your only option without upgrading is to overclock the crap out of your cpu and you STILL may get some bottleneck you may want to look into getting a i5 4690K it may give a little bottleneck but it has the "k" for overclocking so overclock for no bottleneck

 

[Miss Lara]

Yes, that venerable i7 is going to hold back a GTX980Ti by quite a bit, less so the slower GTX980.
I'd stick with the 6Gb of RAM for now, until you decide what options to take with the GPU upgrade.

Some points:

Monitor resolution and refresh rate will play an important part in this decision-details, please.

What type of games you play will also play a part, again, details, please.

Old as it is that i7 can be given a very decent boost if you're prepared to overclock it, doing so worked wonders for my equally old i5 750 and could be used as a 'stop gap' upgrade pending a full CPU/MB/RAM upgrade at a more convenient time in the future.

Pricing has really left the GTX980 out in the wilderness, the R9 390X offers similar performance for a good deal less cash while the slightly slower GTX970 and R9 390 are both plenty for most of us mortals on a 1080 screen-and they're even less expensive.

Thank you for replying.
I would prefer play games at a 1080p with frame rates at least going at 30fps. I want my rig to be able to play graphice intensive games like far cry 4 and rise of tomb rauder comfortably. Of course 60fps would be ideal but 30fps should suffice, at the very least.

you could play at 30fps but the cpu will definantly hold your card back if you want no bottleneck your only option without upgrading is to overclock the crap out of your cpu and you STILL may get some bottleneck you may want to look into getting a i5 4690K it may give a little bottleneck but it has the "k" for overclocking so overclock for no bottleneck

But if I'm am going to get a new CPU, then wouldn't it be better to get one that doesn't bottleneck without overclocking? At least it can last longer without another upgrade?

 

[coozie7]

@ Miss Lara: Probably your best options would be the GTX970 or R9 390 class of card: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gpu-hierarchy,review-33383.html
Either can play those demanding games very well at 1080 rez and they're a good deal less expensive than a GTX980Ti-which is heavy calibre overkill for a 60Hz 1080 display anyway.
There is masses of threads surrounding which is better: Neither overall beats the other in FPS but the Nvidia cards tend to run cooler while using less power and, sometimes they're quieter. If the system case has less than very good ventilation (dual 120mm front intake and dual 120mm exhaust fans) go Nvidia.

Now the CPU:
Cheapest option is to do nothing and drop down to a R9 380/GTX960 class of card, either can still play at more than 30 FPS at 1080 res with good settings and 60 FPS is easily reachable with a little careful trimming of the settings.
Next cheapest option is to drop a mid sized air cooler or a little 120mm liquid sealed loop cooler in and overclock, not an option everyone wants to take but something I think you should look into, even if you decide against it.
Most expensive is obviously The Big Upgrade: CPU/MB/RAM. Apart from the high cost you'll also need to reinstall Windows which can be a time consuming operation if you're on anything prior to win 10 because of all the updates and you MAY even need to purchase a new license if yours is an OEM one.

 

[Epicness937]

Yes, that venerable i7 is going to hold back a GTX980Ti by quite a bit, less so the slower GTX980.
I'd stick with the 6Gb of RAM for now, until you decide what options to take with the GPU upgrade.

Some points:

Monitor resolution and refresh rate will play an important part in this decision-details, please.

What type of games you play will also play a part, again, details, please.

Old as it is that i7 can be given a very decent boost if you're prepared to overclock it, doing so worked wonders for my equally old i5 750 and could be used as a 'stop gap' upgrade pending a full CPU/MB/RAM upgrade at a more convenient time in the future.

Pricing has really left the GTX980 out in the wilderness, the R9 390X offers similar performance for a good deal less cash while the slightly slower GTX970 and R9 390 are both plenty for most of us mortals on a 1080 screen-and they're even less expensive.

Thank you for replying.
I would prefer play games at a 1080p with frame rates at least going at 30fps. I want my rig to be able to play graphice intensive games like far cry 4 and rise of tomb rauder comfortably. Of course 60fps would be ideal but 30fps should suffice, at the very least.

you could play at 30fps but the cpu will definantly hold your card back if you want no bottleneck your only option without upgrading is to overclock the crap out of your cpu and you STILL may get some bottleneck you may want to look into getting a i5 4690K it may give a little bottleneck but it has the "k" for overclocking so overclock for no bottleneck

But if I'm am going to get a new CPU, then wouldn't it be better to get one that doesn't bottleneck without overclocking? At least it can last longer without another upgrade?

it depends for example a stock amd fx 8350 is a fast cpu but overclocking the crap out of an 6300 can get equal proformance so.... you choose i would overclock and upgrade later. maybe get the new gpu and then a completly new build after

 

[azzazel_99]

your better upgrade path would be a i5 4690k and a motherboard and a gtx970. For about $700 you should be able to squeeze all that in. 970 is $300, 4690k


Here you go http://pcpartpicker.com/p/XGmgD3

 

[azzazel_99]

There is a basically whole new system at least the main parts and that would run what $100 more than just a 980ti and with your current system what i linked would run a LOAD better at 1080 or 1440p than a 980ti in your current system.

 

[azzazel_99]

Here even cheaper and still amazing machine. You can still use for now your current case, psu and hard drive and upgrade those later on

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/8px63C