Question Please help

[king_mester]

Hey folks,
Here are my current specs:

CPU: i5-3470

GPU: RX 580

RAM: 16GB DDR3

Motherboard: Gigabyte P61A-D3 (DDR3)


I’m planning to upgrade my CPU to an i7-3770 and add a Deepcool Gamma Archer cooler.
I don’t have the budget to upgrade the motherboard right now, so I want to get the most out of this setup.

Is this a solid upgrade for gaming?
Would the cooler be enough for the 3770’s heat output?
Any better options within this socket/LGA 1155 and DDR3?

I mainly use the system for gaming.
Pls helpp

 

[Ralston18]

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

Include PSU: make, model, wattage, age, condition (original to build, new, refurbished, used)?

Disk drive(s): make, model, capacity, how full?

List of all connected peripherals.

Wired or wireless network?

= = = =

What games do you play? What gaming problems are happening?

There could be other things that could help without the need for an upgrade.

 

[king_mester]

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

Include PSU: make, model, wattage, age, condition (original to build, new, refurbished, used)?

Disk drive(s): make, model, capacity, how full?

List of all connected peripherals.

Wired or wireless network?

= = = =

What games do you play? What gaming problems are happening?

There could be other things that could help without the need for an upgrade.

No!
Please pay attention… I already mentioned that I want to upgrade. I’m asking whether this CPU is a good choice or not.
If there are ways to improve performance without spending money, they probably won’t have much impact on FPS.

 

[DSzymborski]

It's not very polite to tell other people to pay attention when they're inquiring about details in order to give you a better answer.

In any case, while an upgrade to a 3770 may help a tiny bit in some very specific scenarios in games that can take advantage of hyperthreading, upgrading a 13-year-old CPU to a 13-year-old CPU with a slightly higher clock and hyperthreading won't change your experience by much. Anything that runs well on your current PC will still run well, anything that doesn't, won't.

 

[stonecarver]

I’m asking whether this CPU is a good choice or not.

You will get a bump going to the i7 3770.

But I will say this when it comes to an older 1155 or similar aging platform the first thing I do is jump right over to real time used prices and I have to say I was shocked that the i7 3770 has jumped in price.

I guess the days of $35.00 average used price on them has gone up hard.

But yes if you can find a great deal on one yes you will get a bump and for the most part it will still play everything out there.

I have myself still functioning i7 3770's + many many other older rigs and can with the push of a power button give real time feed back. These old girls still have some kick but there also so so past there life expectancy or EOL.

I know you did not ask but just a heads up the last hurrah as far as a GPU would be a GTX 1080ti.

As far as your CPU cooler you mentioned I have never used that model. What's on there now? Maybe a pic would help.

 

[artk2219]

No!
Please pay attention… I already mentioned that I want to upgrade. I’m asking whether this CPU is a good choice or not.
If there are ways to improve performance without spending money, they probably won’t have much impact on FPS.

We cant give you a full answer without more information, we're only trying to help you out, help us help you. There were about a dozen different ways you could have said that you preferred to not give any more information rather than just screaming no.

 

[king_mester]

You will get a bump going to the i7 3770.

But I will say this when it comes to an older 1155 or similar aging platform the first thing I do is jump right over to real time used prices and I have to say I was shocked that the i7 3770 has jumped in price.

I guess the days of $35.00 average used price on them has gone up hard.

But yes if you can find a great deal on one yes you will get a bump and for the most part it will still play everything out there.

I have myself still functioning i7 3770's + many many other older rigs and can with the push of a power button give real time feed back. These old girls still have some kick but there also so so past there life expectancy or EOL.

I know you did not ask but just a heads up the last hurrah as far as a GPU would be a GTX 1080ti.

As far as your CPU cooler you mentioned I have never used that model. What's on there now? Maybe a pic would help.

I mostly want to play heavy games like The Last of Us Part II. I know it's a demanding game, but I think upgrading the CPU will have some impact. However, I’ve heard that the i7-3770 unfortunately runs quite hot, so I’m looking for a strong cooler like the GAMMAXX 300 or something similar.

Overall, I’m stuck and really confused about whether I should even change the CPU or not. Is it worth upgrading the CPU? Will it affect the FPS? In my opinion, it will, but I’m not sure if it’s worth it considering the temperature issues. I’m just really undecided right now.

 

[king_mester]

We cant give you a full answer without more information, we're only trying to help you out, help us help you. There were about a dozen different ways you could have said that you preferred to not give any more information rather than just screaming no.

Bro, I didn’t say anything offensive — I just said to pay attention because I meant something else. But overall, your opinion is respectable, and we should respect everyone’s views. Still, if I caused any discomfort, I sincerely apologize.

 

[stonecarver]

As far as heat from the i7 3770 I have them on old Dell XPS 8500's and still to this day the OEM CPU cooler from Dell is all it has ever needed. No over clocking though.

Like I said bumping to the i7 3770 over the i5 will give a little more muscle but your also really really pushing it to play The Last of Us Part II.

If I had the game I might give a different answer.

I can't speak for how that would play on the older platform but between the i7 3770 vs the i3 8100 games minimum CPU requirement there so close in performance your good in that department.

You might have issue with the RX 580 but again I don't have that game, I always wait till there on a great sale before I jump and buy them.

But I will say this we do have 3 RX 580's and knock on wood we have had no game we own as of yet have an issue with the RX 580.

The Last of Us Part II

MINIMUM:
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit (version 1909 or higher)
Processor: Intel Core----- i3-8100,----- AMD Ryzen 3 1300X
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, AMD Radeon RX 5500XT
Storage: 150 GB available space
Additional Notes: SSD Required


RECOMMENDED:
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit (version 1909 or higher)
Processor: Intel Core i5-8600, AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, AMD Radeon RX 5700
Storage: 150 GB available space
Additional Notes: SSD Required

 

[Bob.B]

Hey folks,
Here are my current specs:

CPU: i5-3470

GPU: RX 580

RAM: 16GB DDR3

Motherboard: Gigabyte P61A-D3 (DDR3)


I’m planning to upgrade my CPU to an i7-3770 and add a Deepcool Gamma Archer cooler.
I don’t have the budget to upgrade the motherboard right now, so I want to get the most out of this setup.

Is this a solid upgrade for gaming?
Would the cooler be enough for the 3770’s heat output?
Any better options within this socket/LGA 1155 and DDR3?

I mainly use the system for gaming.
Pls helpp

Yes you will get a bump in perf.
The 3770 is close to the top of how far you can go cpu wise.
If the cooler you have is working you might want to try it on the 3770 before buying a new one.

 

[king_mester]

As far as heat from the i7 3770 I have them on old Dell XPS 8500's and still to this day the OEM CPU cooler from Dell is all it has ever needed. No over clocking though.

Like I said bumping to the i7 3770 over the i5 will give a little more muscle but your also really really pushing it to play The Last of Us Part II.

If I had the game I might give a different answer.

I can't speak for how that would play on the older platform but between the i7 3770 vs the i3 8100 games minimum CPU requirement there so close in performance your good in that department.

You might have issue with the RX 580 but again I don't have that game, I always wait till there on a great sale before I jump and buy them.

But I will say this we do have 3 RX 580's and knock on wood I we have had no game we own as of yet have an issue with the RX 580.

The Last of Us Part II

MINIMUM:
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit (version 1909 or higher)
Processor: Intel Core----- i3-8100,----- AMD Ryzen 3 1300X
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, AMD Radeon RX 5500XT
Storage: 150 GB available space
Additional Notes: SSD Required


RECOMMENDED:
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit (version 1909 or higher)
Processor: Intel Core i5-8600, AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, AMD Radeon RX 5700
Storage: 150 GB available space
Additional Notes: SSD Required

With the current system I have, I get between 20 to 48 or around 50 FPS playing The Last of Us Part I. Overall, the graphic is okay, but I’m a bit worried about the CPU temperature being too high. You mentioned it’s not that hot though.

If I play a heavy game like The Last of Us, I think the CPU temperature might rise a lot, so I probably need a good CPU cooler. What’s your opinion?

Because someone else commented that there’s not much difference—it’s not interesting to compare CPUs that are 13 years old.

 

[king_mester]

Yes you will get a bump in perf.
The 3770 is close to the top of how far you can go cpu wise.
If the cooler you have is working you might want to try it on the 3770 before buying a new one.

The cooler I have is very simple. But if I want to change this CPU, I think it’s better to get a new CPU fan.

 

[king_mester]

Yes you will get a bump in perf.
The 3770 is close to the top of how far you can go cpu wise.
If the cooler you have is working you might want to try it on the 3770 before buying a new one.

I was telling ChatGPT, and it said there isn’t much difference, but in my opinion, you’re right and it actually makes more of a difference.

 

[stonecarver]

Use something like https://www.guru3d.com/download/hwinfo64-download/ to see what temp are while playing the game.

Just turn on the hwininfo before you start the game and look at the results after you end the game.

 

[king_mester]

Use something like https://www.guru3d.com/download/hwinfo64-download/ to see what temp are while playing the game.

Just turn on the hwininfo before you start the game and look at the results after you end the game.

Should I do this with the system I have now or after I change the CPU?
I’ll definitely let you know afterward.

 

[stonecarver]

I would do it now. Two reasons you will have a baseline of where you are NOW and if the temps are really high now or not to what they end up after upgrading to the i7 3770.

It also gives you a baseline if for some reason the CPU cooler is not sitting right after the upgrade if temps just skyrocket doing nothing.

 

[Misgar]

I’m planning to upgrade my CPU to an i7-3770

I'm not sure why you're restricting performance with a non-K series CPU.

I was gifted an i7-3770K and it takes a nice overclock. I can't remember if I left mine at a very modest 4.0 or 4.1GHz all-core with Vcore 1.25V, but some crazy/lucky people get their 3770Ks up to 4.7GHz with a Golden Sample and insane voltages.

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ivy-bridge-overclocking-core-i7-3770k,3198.html

You'll probably need a bigger cooler, but the jump in performance with a sensible OC on a K-series chip should make games more playable. You might get a 3770K to work at 4.5GHz all core which is way over the 3.4GHz base frequency/3.9GHz turbo (single/dual core?) of a non-K 3770.

T-junction for the 3770K is 105°C and it's normal for overclocked CPUs to run hot, but don't panic. If the CPU start to throttle, just reduce the voltage or the multiplier.

Overclocking is an "art" and you can end up killing your CPU with too much voltage, but I've run mildly overclocked i7-4770Ks and even a G3258 dual core Pentium at 4.2GHz.

Just accept the CPU will get hot and enjoy the extra performance.

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-P61A-D3-rev-20/support#support-cpu

 

[king_mester]

I'm not sure why you're restricting performance with a non-K series CPU.

I was gifted an i7-3770K and it takes a nice overclock. I can't remember if I left mine at a very modest 4.0 or 4.1GHz all-core with Vcore 1.25V, but some crazy/lucky people get their 3770Ks up to 4.7GHz with a Golden Sample and insane voltages.

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ivy-bridge-overclocking-core-i7-3770k,3198.html

You'll probably need a bigger cooler, but the jump in performance with a sensible OC on a K-series chip should make games more playable. You might get a 3770K to work at 4.5GHz all core which is way over the 3.4GHz base frequency/3.9GHz turbo (single/dual core?) of a non-K 3770.

T-junction for the 3770K is 105°C and it's normal for overclocked CPUs to run hot, but don't panic. If the CPU start to throttle, just reduce the voltage or the multiplier.

Overclocking is an "art" and you can end up killing your CPU with too much voltage, but I've run mildly overclocked i7-4770Ks and even a G3258 dual core Pentium at 4.2GHz.

Just accept the CPU will get hot and enjoy the extra performance.

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-P61A-D3-rev-20/support#support-cpu

Bro
My motherboard doesn't support K-series CPUs for overclocking.
🫠😭

 

[Misgar]

My motherboard doesn't support K-series CPUs for overclocking.

Sorry, my mistake, I should have looked harder at the spec of your board.

I think you're stuck with a limited BCLK overclock which is marginal. You might find a small improvement if you check out the M.I.T section in the BIOS and play around with the multiplier settings. Although you won't be able to increase the multiplier past the Turbo limit, you might get all 4 cores to run at Turbo speed instead of 1 or 2.
https://download1.gigabyte.com/File...v2.0_e.pdf?v=cf4bb451ff431a6bc98362a70c4755c3

Just for info, in the past a very small number mobos with supposedly "non overclockable" Intel chipsets were sold with a special BIOS, which allowed unsanctioned overclocking.

Intel was not particularly happy with manufacturers who supported unofficial overclocking on basic chipsets and an updated BIOS often removed the facility.

I have an overclockable Biostar H81MHV3 mobo with BIOS 4.6.5 which allowed me to overclock an LGA1150 Pentium G3258 up into the mid 4GHz range. The base clock frequency for the G3258 is only 3.2GHz, but I had it running at 4.2GHz (1GHz overclock with x42 multiplier) for many years, until I swapped the CPU for an i7-4770K.

https://www.techporn.ph/biostar-h81mhv3-matx-motherboard-review/#Overclocking

"We achieved a maximum of 4.5GHz (40.6%) with our Intel Pentium G3258 “Anniversary” edition CPU with minor tweaks using the Biostar board. These includes bumping up the vCore to 1.270v, and setting up the multiplier for all cores at x45. That’s some fine overclocking headroom we got there but the processor’s stock cooler can’t just stand the heat, as the CPU throttles itself down, so we decided to nudge the multiplier down to x44 and had the vCore set to 1.250v for performance & stability purposes."

 

[dark_globe]

unfortunatelly the last of us part I is one of those games
which is taxing on both your processor and also the graphics card .
it doesn´t run too good on old quad core cpus , HT helps but not by much ...
even something much more recent like i3 10100 which is also a 4c/8t cpu with much faster single core performance compared to 3770 has its problems
and can´t play this game at more than 50 FPS on average
even while paired with a high end graphics card ...

your graphics card is also the problem because it lacks both the horse power
and also VRAM capacity for this game .

i think the cpu upgrade will not have a desired outcome if this game is your main focus .

part II is a better optimized game overall and should run slightly better even on old hardware .