[SOLVED] Recommended upgrade to my PC to run Minecraft Dungeons with smooth graphics

[kiwi_23_137]

Hi guys - I built my system 7 years ago and use it primarily as a linux desktop with a small Win10 partition for anything that doesn't run on linux. It has a Intel Core i7 CPU with integrated Intel Xeon GPU. Over the years I've added stuff here and there, including an M.2 SSD that I installed into an adapter that takes up my only PCIe x 16 slot. Never really needed powerful graphics

Recently I upgraded to a bigger monitor and now fullscreen youtube is choppy. No biggie I don't really watch youtube much.

But now my son wants to play Minecraft Dungeons and the game is a bit choppy.

I suspect I need a new mobo/cpu since I'm already using my PCIe x 16 slot...but thought I'd ask here to see if maybe there is an cheaper alternative I don't know about (having not really followed hardware since my original build).

I think I came across an M.2 SSD adapter that would fit into one of the smaller PCIe slots but I recall reading that it would slow down the SSD...which I really don't want to do. Sorry son daddy likes his speedy bootup times

thanks in advance

ps I have 24gb of RAM

 

[AlexTheFern]

What resolution is your monitor?

 

[geofelt]

Can you post the make/model of all of your parts?
It is unlikely that your cpu/mobo/ram is going to be able to be reused.
But other parts can.

Try this simple test:
Run the game
but lower your resolution and eye candy.
This makes the graphics card loaf a bit.
If your FPS increases, it indicates that your cpu is strong enough to drive a better graphics configuration.
If your FPS stays the same, you are likely more cpu limited.

Do you have a budget?

Top graphics cards are in short supply and are overpriced.
But most any discrete graphics card will be a big boost over any integrated graphics.
You may find that a modest GTX1050ti is available and will do the job.

 

[kiwi_23_137]

Thanks guys for your responses.

I have
ASUS VG27AQ monitor 1440p (2560x1440)
AS ROCK Z87 Pro3 mobo
Intel Core i7-4770K CPU @ 3.5Ghz
24GB of DDR3-1333 memory

when I set to default resolution and features I get 8fps
when I set to lowest resolution and candy off I get 14-16 fps

Thanks for the recommendation GTX 1050ti wouldn't work for me I don't have that slot avail since my SSD is using the only PCIx16 slot.

As for budget, since this is just for the occasional minecraft for my son, as little as possible!

thanks again!

 

[geofelt]

Your test tells me that the 4770K is sufficient to run a discrete graphics card.
You also have the ability to overclock your processor which would give you perhaps 20% better cpu performance if you need it.

The best way to improve performance is to simply use a normal 2.5" sata ssd and a discrete graphics card.
A 1tb samsung 860 evo will be about $110.
Even a simple GT1030 card would be a good boost.
Any graphics card installs in a X16 slot.

m.2 is a size format, not a performance thing.
What is the make/model of your pcie adapter, and what is the make/model/capacity of the m.2 ssd?

If boot time is an issue, do not boot as a normal thing.
Use sleep to ram(no hibernate) instead.
Sleep/wake becomes a handful of seconds and the monitor and pc enter a very low power state, akin to full power off.

 

[kiwi_23_137]

My SSD is an HP SSD EX920M.2 1TB
My adapter is this SYBAM.2 NVMe PCI-e M-key To PCI-e 3.0 x4 Card - SI-PEX40110

Good point about m2 terminology, now that I've looked at it I should say the NVMe ssd.
You point about booting and sleep to ram is well taken. I am more interested in preserving the overall speed improvement of the NVME over sata ssd. My system originally had a sata ssd but then a couple years ago I read about how the NVMe SSDs had much improved read/write times because of bandwidth or something, and the only way to leverage that improvement was to buy the M2 format and connect it using an adapter. So if I switch back to a sata ssd I'm thinking I may notice a difference during the other 95% of time the computer is not running minecraft for my son. Or maybe I'm not even really experiencing the full benefit of the NVMe drive since it connects only through a x4 adapter anyway

thanks for the recommendation for the samsung 860 evo!

 

[geofelt]

I doubt you would notice any difference at all.
Most of what we do is random in nature and there is negligible difference in performance among all ssd devices excepting intel optane.
Pcie has faster sequential capability.
But, how much does that really gain?
Here is one video to watch:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3AMz-xZ2VM


I doubt that you would notice any difference with a good sata ssd.
What was the sata ssd that your originally had? Do you still have it?
Did you notice any difference when you switched?

I only mentioned samsung ssd because they have a nice ssd migration app which will move your C drive to one of theirs.
It seems a shame, though, to abandon a nice 1tb m.2.
Set it aside for whenever you do a new build.

Z87 is a couple of generations too old to include m.2 slots.
So a Z87 motherboard replacement is not feasible.

 

[kiwi_23_137]

thanks for the response you've helped me decide I'll just get a small Sata SSD to free up my pciex16 slot for an upgraded video card. Like you said shame to waste a 1TB NVMe but oh well my boy needs his minecraft

 

[AlexTheFern]

thanks for the response you've helped me decide I'll just get a small Sata SSD to free up my pciex16 slot for an upgraded video card. Like you said shame to waste a 1TB NVMe but oh well my boy needs his minecraft

my data ssd recomendation
here
there are also some different size choices, so you can choose.