Is my AMD FX-4170 bottlenecking my Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 XT?

mrgo0dwin

Reputable
Apr 26, 2014
19
0
4,510
So, I've been having many problems recently in terms of gaming with this set-up. Especially open world games like GTA IV, Mafia II and the AC Franchise.

Motherboard: MSI 760GM-P23(FX)
CPU: AMD FX-4170
GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 XT
Displays: Samsung SyncMaster BX2231 // Benq EW2740 (I use either two, not both at the same time).
8gb RAM.

My question is, is the reason my GPU has been performing so badly because of the FX-4170? or is it just a bad GPU for games of this category?

I've been looking to upgrade either one of the two, my first thought was GPU but I really don't know.

The GPU I want is the GTX 970 (which would certainly get bottlenecked by my FX-4170).
The CPU I want to upgrade to is the FX-8320 (but would I need a new motherboard to support it?)

Any thoughts or recommendation will gladly be accepted!!
 
Your MSI 760GM may be throttling your CPU ... monitor for throttling in the AMD OverDrive (AOD) 'CPU Status' tab during a stability test.

You may be able to shut down 'APM' (the core-throttler) in the BIOS if it is an issue. Otherwise, the FX-4170 should not hold back your HD7870.

 

AS118

Reputable
Jun 6, 2015
40
0
4,540
I agree with Wisecracker, your motherboard might be the issue. Also, if you're overlocking anything, you may want to reset things to base clocks 1 device at a time to see if that helps things. Overclocking can actually decrease performance or cause inconsistent performance (very fast, followed by very slow performance) if there's a bottleneck somewhere. AKA, your mobo, PSU, CPU, or just any link in the chain causes a problem.

When I overlock my FX-8350 CPU, some games (Mostly the Saint's Row ones, which are open world) actually get LOWER fps. Or at best, very fast fps, followed by a sudden stall/crawl. Basically, overclocking my CPU can cause stuttering.
 

mrgo0dwin

Reputable
Apr 26, 2014
19
0
4,510
Right. So my options at the moment are:

(1) Upgrade to a FX-8320E. (£100)
(2) Upgrade the motherboard and FX-8350 (£217)
(3) Overhaul to a i5 4690k and Intel Motherboard (£280)

Which one would you pick?
 
(1) Upgrade to a FX-8320E. (£100)

This upgrade would be the most cost efficient and would allow for some better the gpu upgrades. I would get the is upgrade unless you going to get a gpu better than gtx 970 or 390.

(2) Upgrade the motherboard and FX-8350 (£217)

The difference between 8350 and 8350e is big enough to warrant a new motherboard. This one is the worst option unless you plan to overclock the 8350.

(3) Overhaul to a i5 4690k and Intel Motherboard (£280)

This option will give the most upgradability with the possibility of getting i7 4790k in the future. i5 4690k won't bottleneck if the fastest gpus in the market. Can't really recommend this option unless your going to pair with a gpu like the 390x or better.
 

mrgo0dwin

Reputable
Apr 26, 2014
19
0
4,510
How long before the FX-8320E is considered "out of date" ? I am thinking about upgrading to the GTX 970 so that pairing sounds like it could be the one for me as it doesn't require the Inter Overhaul i thought it would. I also have a Cooler Master 212 and a CX750M PSU. Do you think with all in mind the FX-8320E is the best bet?
 

mrgo0dwin

Reputable
Apr 26, 2014
19
0
4,510
Yeah, i've decided to go the Intel route and get an i5 4690k with a MSI Z97 motherboard. Also not gonna bother with the GTX 960 and just save for a 970. Thanks for all of your input :)