Should I update my CPU or my Graphics Card?

[Blip Blobit]

I recently just put together a new PC with an i5 2400 and a HD 7950 from an old build, i've noticed performance in games like Star Citizen and my modded Skyrim to be less than ideal and I have enough cash to upgrade to either an i7 3770 or just stick with the i5 2400 and upgrade the graphics card to an R9 290 or GTX 970. Which upgrade would be more beneficial to game performance?

 

[RCFProd]

To be fair both the i5-2400 and HD 7950 are solid parts.

Maybe the R9 290/GTX 970 upgrade would be better, however I would expect good performance in Skyrim with your current parts.

You gave 8GB RAM right?

 

[Blip Blobit]

To be fair both the i5-2400 and HD 7950 are solid parts.

Maybe the R9 290/GTX 970 upgrade would be better, however I would expect good performance in Skyrim with your current parts.

You gave 8GB RAM right?

Yes I have 8 Gigs of RAM and my Skyrim performance is decent but hangs around 30-40 fps with AA enabled and that's without mods.

 

[geofelt]

The answer is not clear.
Here is my stock approach to finding out:
------------------------------------------------------------
To help clarify your CPU/GPU options, run these two tests:

a) Run YOUR games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
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.

b) Limit your cpu, either by reducing the OC, or, in windows power management, limit the maximum cpu% to something like 70%.
Go to control panel/power options/change plan settings/change advanced power settings/processor power management/maximum processor state/
This will simulate what a lack of cpu power will do.
Conversely what a 30% improvement in core speed might do.

You should also experiment with removing one core. You can do this in the windows msconfig boot advanced options option. set the number of processors to less than you have.
This will tell you how sensitive your games are to the benefits of many cores.

If your FPS drops significantly, it is an indicator that your cpu is the limiting factor, and a cpu upgrade is in order.

It is possible that both tests are positive, indicating that you have a well balanced system, and both cpu and gpu need to be upgraded to get better gaming FPS.
-------------------------------------------------------------

If you determine that you need more cpu power, the 3770 will give you only 10% more. Likely not enough to make a difference.
What is your motherboard? If possible, a "K" suffix i5-2500K, i5-2550K, or 2600K can be overclocked to considerable advantage.
I think it unlikely that the extra threads of a I7 would help.

If graphics is the limiter, a GTX970 or R9-290 would be the minimum upgrade.
You will need a 650w psu for the R9-290, or a 500w psu for the GTX970.

 

[RCFProd]

That is too low. You should manage 60 FPS with full AA with those specs I think at 1080p.

 

[Blip Blobit]

The answer is not clear.
Here is my stock approach to finding out:
------------------------------------------------------------
To help clarify your CPU/GPU options, run these two tests:

a) Run YOUR games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
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.

b) Limit your cpu, either by reducing the OC, or, in windows power management, limit the maximum cpu% to something like 70%.
Go to control panel/power options/change plan settings/change advanced power settings/processor power management/maximum processor state/
This will simulate what a lack of cpu power will do.
Conversely what a 30% improvement in core speed might do.

You should also experiment with removing one core. You can do this in the windows msconfig boot advanced options option. set the number of processors to less than you have.
This will tell you how sensitive your games are to the benefits of many cores.

If your FPS drops significantly, it is an indicator that your cpu is the limiting factor, and a cpu upgrade is in order.

It is possible that both tests are positive, indicating that you have a well balanced system, and both cpu and gpu need to be upgraded to get better gaming FPS.
-------------------------------------------------------------

If you determine that you need more cpu power, the 3770 will give you only 10% more. Likely not enough to make a difference.
What is your motherboard? If possible, a "K" suffix i5-2500K, i5-2550K, or 2600K can be overclocked to considerable advantage.
I think it unlikely that the extra threads of a I7 would help.

If graphics is the limiter, a GTX970 or R9-290 would be the minimum upgrade.
You will need a 650w psu for the R9-290, or a 500w psu for the GTX970.

With Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon, Skyrim, and The Witcher 3 I get a very notable FPS difference by turning down the visuals, in Star Citizen I get an FPS increase but only by 5 or 6 frames which could be due to the games' poor optimization.

 

[Blip Blobit]

That is too low. You should manage 60 FPS with full AA with those specs I think at 1080p.

It seems to bounce around a lot at least in the opening scene, with no Anisotropic Filtering and no AA I get an average of 60 FPS until I get closer to Riften, once im in Riften my FPS bounces back to 60 FPS.

 

[geofelt]

I think you are in the "both" category.

It is easiest to upgrade the graphics card first.

Many sims, mmo and strategy games depend on the performance of a single master core. I think Star citizen might be one of those.
For that, you are looking to be able to increase the individual master core efficiency.

If you have a suitable motherboard that will let you overclock a sandy bridge "K" suffix cpu, you can get a major boost in cpu performance.
If you need a motherboard change, It is time to bite the bullet and change to lga1150 Z97, and a i5-4690K.
Better yet, lga1151 , Z170 and a Skylake i5-6670K.