[SOLVED] Quick upgrade question: CPU or GPU?

[EngineerWatkins]

So I currently have a gigabyte GTX-1060 GPU and an Intel core i5-7500 cpu. I can run games at low-medium settings with about 60-90 fps, but I want to be able to run high settings with higher fps. Should I spring for a new i7-9700k? Or Upgrade the GPU instead?

 

[XxDarkMario20xX]

Carry on playing the way you are now and think about saving up so you can buy them both but if your thinking getting i7 9 gen cpu might need to upgrade motherboard because certain cpu might not be able to run on your current motherboard!.

 

[EngineerWatkins]

Carry on playing the way you are now and think about saving up so you can buy them both but if your thinking getting i7 9 gen cpu might need to upgrade motherboard because certain cpu might not be able to run on your current motherboard!.

My current mobo is already an LGA 1151 mtx, which I believe is the correct chipset for coffee lakes. So I'm thinking about getting the CPU first.

 

[XxDarkMario20xX]

My current mobo is already an LGA 1151 mtx, which I believe is the correct chipset for coffee lakes. So I'm thinking about getting the CPU first.

Could you give the full name of MB

 

[anthonyc821]

It depends on what you wanna do. If you want more frames, you should upgrade GPU, but check to make sure (like google) to see if the GPU that you're going to get is going to be bottle-necked by your CPU (I doubt but check anyways). If you're planning to do more of video rendering/editing or any CPU intensive applications or games (such as Arma 3), then go for CPU upgrade.

-edit-
Also, check to make sure if you have a motherboard that is capable of overclocking (Z370 motherboards) just in case if you want to overclock your CPU in the future. It'd be a waste to get a K processor and not be able to overclock. If you don't then i'd suggest upgrading GPU first because you'd have to upgrade your motherboard and CPU.

 

[EngineerWatkins]

Could you give the full name of MB

MSI Arsenal Gaming Intel Kaby Lake Z270

 

[EngineerWatkins]

It depends on what you wanna do. If you want more frames, you should upgrade GPU, but check to make sure (like google) to see if the GPU that you're going to get is going to be bottle-necked by your CPU (I doubt but check anyways). If you're planning to do more of video rendering/editing or any CPU intensive applications or games (such as Arma 3), then go for CPU upgrade.

-edit-
Also, check to make sure if you have a motherboard that is capable of overclocking (Z370 motherboards) just in case if you want to overclock your CPU in the future. It'd be a waste to get a K processor and not be able to overclock. If you don't then i'd suggest upgrading GPU first because you'd have to upgrade your motherboard and CPU.

So I used the PC-builds bottleneck calculator, and my current CPU is to weak for my GPU (13% bottleneck) https://pc-builds.com/calculator/Core_i5-7500/GeForce_GTX_1060_3GB/0KW0Vwlu/16/
And an i7-9700k would be too strong for my GPU. So I calculated for the core i7-6700k, and the bottleneck was 2.16%. This seems perfect for my budget and seems like a very significant upgrade.

 

[Bob125484]

MSI Arsenal Gaming Intel Kaby Lake Z270

Your MSI Z270 mb support only 6th and 7th gen Intel CPU only. 8th or 9th gen CPU will require 300 series mobo.

 

[RodroX]

MSI Arsenal Gaming Intel Kaby Lake Z270

Your motherboard does not support 8th or 9th gen intel CPU (you can check out yourself on the oficial MSI website: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/Z270-GAMING-PLUS#support-cpu).

Welcome to intel's world, they change socket very often. And the new CPUs comin later this year (lets hope), they are a new iteration of the old 14nm ++++++ node, but they still drop into a new socket.

Just to make things clear can you list your main gaming titles (the ones you play all days)?
Is not the same to said I can play Red Dead Redemtion 2 at low-mid settings with 60~90 FPS (Im guessing this is AVG FPS - a measure that never tells the whole story about gameplaying-), that said the same thing but talking about GTA V. So knowing the games you play more often will be a great point to start with.

Also it will help a lot if you post your full system specs (brand and model of motherboard, CPU, RAM, PSU, Storage, case, cooling solution), cause, for example, changing CPU and/or GPU will affect power draw so it will be great to know what brand and model PSU do you have to be sure it can take the new component. Also knowing the detail of your RAM, how much do you have, whats the rated speed? whats the configuration like 1x8GB, 2x4GB, 2x8GB, 4x4GB?

A bad RAM choice can affect the CPU performance. Thats why many of us ask for full system specs, to have a better idea of the whole system, not just two components.

 

[mdd1963]

If you have a 100/200 series mainboard, all 8000/9000 series CPUs are not compatible (there is the oddball mainboard that might work with 8100/9100, which is effectively a rebadged 7600, but, not worthy of consideration) The 100/200 series boards top out at the 7700K, which at $400-$450, is ridiculously priced.

The 9700K is an excellent gaming CPU, but, it's cost ($400 plus a $50-$100 cooler?) is such that a Ryzen 3600 or 3700X and a B450 mainboard makes a more logical acquisition for most folks.

 

[EngineerWatkins]

Your motherboard does not support 8th or 9th gen intel CPU (you can check out yourself on the oficial MSI website: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/Z270-GAMING-PLUS#support-cpu).

Welcome to intel's world, they change socket very often. And the new CPUs comin later this year (lets hope), they are a new iteration of the old 14nm ++++++ node, but they still drop into a new socket.

Just to make things clear can you list your main gaming titles (the ones you play all days)?
Is not the same to said I can play Red Dead Redemtion 2 at low-mid settings with 60~90 FPS (Im guessing this is AVG FPS - a measure that never tells the whole story about gameplaying-), that said the same thing but talking about GTA V. So knowing the games you play more often will be a great point to start with.

Also it will help a lot if you post your full system specs (brand and model of motherboard, CPU, RAM, PSU, Storage, case, cooling solution), cause, for example, changing CPU and/or GPU will affect power draw so it will be great to know what brand and model PSU do you have to be sure it can take the new component. Also knowing the detail of your RAM, how much do you have, whats the rated speed? whats the configuration like 1x8GB, 2x4GB, 2x8GB, 4x4GB?

A bad RAM choice can affect the CPU performance. Thats why many of us ask for full system specs, to have a better idea of the whole system, not just two components.

Sorry I forgot to post more details.

RAM: 16gb (2x8)

PSU: Corsair CX750 750w

Mobo: MSI Arsenal gaming Intel Kaby Lake z270

CPU: Core i5-7500

GPU: GTX 1060 3gb

I play alot of Planetside 2, For Honor, Watch dogs, Risk of Rain 2, Titanfall 2, Destiny 2

 

[RodroX]

Sorry I forgot to post more details.

RAM: 16gb (2x8)
PSU: Corsair CX750 750w
Mobo: MSI Arsenal gaming Intel Kaby Lake z270
CPU: Core i5-7500
GPU: GTX 1060 3gb

I play alot of Planetside 2, For Honor, Watch dogs, Risk of Rain 2, Titanfall 2, Destiny 2

Thanks for posting the full system specs/and game list, I can see now that your PSU shouldn't be an issue for upgrading.

Now regarding your original question, from my humble point of view I can tell you this:

• Is your CPU holding GPU available performance? YES
• Changing the current i5 7500 (4 cores/4threads) to some compatible model, like the Core i7 6700/7700 (4 cores/8 threads) would give you more performance out of your GPU? YES
• Does your GPU Have enough power to play every game you listed and maybe some new title you may buy soon?, well.... thats a Maybe and probably, sometimes.....

Now you will ask me: Why is that?, the answer is simple, Higher setting means: More VRAM (for high detail texture, shadows, effects, etc.), and your current graphic card only have 3 GB of VRAM, when anything below 4GB will have troubles (4 GB of VRAM is currently not the best for high/ultra settings).

Lets look at the bright side, this doesn't mean a new CPU wont help it means, as someone mention earlier, that you may need to think about changing your GPU later on too if you wana enjoy games at 1080p highest details levels without loosing too many FPS.

As I wrote, one course of action will be trying to find a cheap Core i7 6700/7700 (preferably the latest one), but this may seems to be somehow not worth it, if the price is too high.

The other path will be getting a new modern platform, and if you need/want to buy now the option is AMD. (I don't know if you like it or not, is just the way it is)

You could get for the price of a i7 9700K - 8 cores/8threads - CPU (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/WtyV3C/intel-core-i7-9700k-36ghz-8-core-processor-bx80684i79700k), a whole new platform which will have best midrange gaming CPU today the Ryzen 5 3600 with 6 cores /12 threads, 2x8GB of DDR4 3200 RAM, and one, if not the best budget B450 motherboard out there (when I said budget I don't mean dirty cheap):

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX ATX AM4 Motherboard ($114.99 @ B&H)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $359.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-17 17:33 EDT-0400

Not to mention the Core i7 9700K requires you to buy a new motherboard of a dead platform, cause the next intel CPU launching, wont work on the current motherboards.

Finally, once you save enough money you could upgrade the GPU and still getting awesome performance from paring it with the Ryzen 5 3600 (which according to AMD should be upgradable to the new Ryzen 4xxx CPUs launching in september 2020 using the same AM4 socket motherboard)

Then again, what you do is your choice. If you wana wait till Oct/Nov 2020, the Ryzen 3xxx will probably get cheaper as the new Ryzen 4xxx get to the market.

Cheers

 

[EngineerWatkins]

Thanks for posting the full system specs/and game list, I can see now that your PSU shouldn't be an issue for upgrading.

Now regarding your original question, from my humble point of view I can tell you this:

• Is your CPU holding GPU available performance? YES
• Changing the current i5 7500 (4 cores/4threads) to some compatible model, like the Core i7 6700/7700 (4 cores/8 threads) would give you more performance out of your GPU? YES
• Does your GPU Have enough power to play every game you listed and maybe some new title you may buy soon?, well.... thats a Maybe and probably, sometimes.....

Now you will ask me: Why is that?, the answer is simple, Higher setting means: More VRAM (for high detail texture, shadows, effects, etc.), and your current graphic card only have 3 GB of VRAM, when anything below 4GB will have troubles (4 GB of VRAM is currently not the best for high/ultra settings).

Lets look at the bright side, this doesn't mean a new CPU wont help it means, as someone mention earlier, that you may need to think about changing your GPU later on too if you wana enjoy games at 1080p highest details levels without loosing too many FPS.

As I wrote, one course of action will be trying to find a cheap Core i7 6700/7700 (preferably the latest one), but this may seems to be somehow not worth it, if the price is too high.

The other path will be getting a new modern platform, and if you need/want to buy now the option is AMD. (I don't know if you like it or not, is just the way it is)

You could get for the price of a i7 9700K - 8 cores/8threads - CPU (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/WtyV3C/intel-core-i7-9700k-36ghz-8-core-processor-bx80684i79700k), a whole new platform which will have best midrange gaming CPU today the Ryzen 5 3600 with 6 cores /12 threads, 2x8GB of DDR4 3200 RAM, and one, if not the best budget B450 motherboard out there (when I said budget I don't mean dirty cheap):

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX ATX AM4 Motherboard ($114.99 @ B&H)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($74.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $359.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-04-17 17:33 EDT-0400

Not to mention the Core i7 9700K requires you to buy a new motherboard of a dead platform, cause the next intel CPU launching, wont work on the current motherboards.

Finally, once you save enough money you could upgrade the GPU and still getting awesome performance from paring it with the Ryzen 5 3600 (which according to AMD should be upgradable to the new Ryzen 4xxx CPUs launching in september 2020 using the same AM4 socket motherboard)

Then again, what you do is your choice. If you wana wait till Oct/Nov 2020, the Ryzen 3xxx will probably get cheaper as the new Ryzen 4xxx get to the market.

Cheers

Thank you guys for the advice and reminding of compatibility issues with Intel sockets lol. I think I have a solid idea of what I want to upgrade: I don't want to change my motherboard right now as I bought only a year ago, so I'm going with the Core i7-6700k. This is one of the higher performance CPU's available for this socket, and it works great with my current GPU. I will definitely be looking into building a new system later down the line though. Thanks a lot!