Should I upgrade to i7-8700k or get a 1080?

[bigalbreault]

I can't decide what to upgrade on my PC. Currently I have:
CPU - i5-7600k overclocked to 4.5 GHz
GPU - EVGA Geforce GTX 1070 Gaming

I have the money to buy either of the following but cannot decide which one. Any advice?
i7-8700k or EVGA 1080 SC2 (or any other 1080 card)
Mainly used for gaming and programming
Also, I wouldn't need to upgrade ram or motherboard
Thanks

 

[DRagor]

Unfortunately, that is not true. If you want to get 8700K, you will have to swap motherboard to 3xx series, as your current 1xx or 2xx series motherboard is not compatible with that CPU.
Swapping 1070 to 1080 might have sense if your monitor is at least 1440p or higher res, or 1080p/144 Hz, otherwise you would see no difference.

 

[InvalidError]

Neither upgrade makes much sense to me unless you are actually struggling with either component in some specific way. If you are mainly upgrading for upgrading's sake, at least wait for the 9000-series Coffee Lake refresh which should include in-silicon mitigation for Meltdown and Spectre.

 

[geofelt]

8700K will require a Z370 motherboard.

Practically speaking a GTX1080 is your only option.
But, GTX1080 is not a huge upgrade so you may be disappointed if you do not see magical results.

For gaming, much depends on the types of games you play.
Some games are graphics limited like fast action shooters.
Others are cpu core speed limited like strategy, sims, and mmo.
Multiplayer tends to like many threads.

You need to find out which.
------------------------------------------------------------
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 or more cores/threads. You can do this in the windows msconfig boot advanced options option.
You will need to reboot for the change to take effect. Set the number of threads to less than you have.
This will tell you how sensitive your games are to the benefits of many threads.
If you see little difference, your game does not need all the threads you have.



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.
-------------------------------------------------------------

 

[captaincharisma]

yep, in order to go for the 8700K you would need to get a new motherboard but you could go for the 7700K.

also, what makes you think you need to upgrade? both upgrade options would only give you an unnoticeable to small bump in performance.

 

[Eximo]

If you want a little more CPU performance overclock some more. 4.5Ghz is pretty mild for the 7600k.

 

[photonboy]

Agree with above. (UPDATE: meant the first response)
I have an i7-3770K (at 4.4GHz) with GTX1080... ignoring any hard to identify CPU bottlenecks that show up as stutters (low FPS scores) I'm rarely limited by the CPU.

I also wouldn't upgrade to a GTX1080 since it's only roughly 20% faster... that may sound like a lot to some people but in terms of game quality it's usually pretty MINOR for most games if you just drop a couple settings to hit the same FPS.

My general rule-of-thumb is at least a 2x increase in average FPS in benchmarks (which can translate into better visual quality at same FPS). Heck, the GTX1080 is for many games supposed to be a 3x (300%) increase and many games look only slightly better than on my GTX680!!

I even recorded a video of Crysis 3 at 60FPS (tweaked with Adaptive VSync to hit about 90% of the time and 10% drops) then recorded shortly after I put in my GTX1080 and optimized the same way...

So I jumped up from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, increased a few graphics settings but the difference was shockingly similar at a quick glance and again that's up to 300% faster not just 20%.

(It made a much more noticeable difference in some newer games to go from GTX680 to GTX1080)

So...
I'd put the money aside for either a better monitor, speakers etc or just save up for something in 2019/20. The new NVidia cards for example with Tensor Cores sounds exciting but I don't expect to see much game optimizations that make sense until closer to 2020.

(by "make sense" I mean new eye candy like the Ray Tracing usually comes at the expense of FPS. So like Fur PhysX and other stuff in the past we often left it disabled until a couple years later then went back with a next-gen card to finally play that game on full settings...

Now NVidia may have OTHER features that make sense and maybe there's even one or two games in 2019 that do benefit a lot from Ray Tracing.. in the case of TENSOR CORES I'm guessing they go unused in a game anyway so if that's the case the FPS isn't lower by enabling you just may get a better image quality...though who knows how much we'll PAY to get these Tensor Cores and other new features.

Put another way it may be IMPROVED LIGHTING using Tensor Cores in some 2019+ games to do better global illumination etc, vs games simply NOT using the Tensor Cores and sticking to more traditional rasterization methods)

 

[photonboy]

If you want a little more CPU performance overclock some more. 4.5Ghz is pretty mild for the 7600k.

Well, some can hit 5GHz but personally I always drop down 200MHz below what's "almost" working. So if I got 4.9GHz boot to Windows but got errors/CTD or BSOD then I'd drop to 4.7GHz.

Assuming by that logic he would go from 4.5GHz to a stable 4.8GHz (assuming unstable 5GHz is possible, and also assuming motherboard and cooler allows) then the CPU is running 6.7% faster.

In my experience the CPU isn't usually much of a bottleneck, and even if it was completely the bottleneck you might be looking at maybe 5% or so FPS improvement.

I'm not saying don't do it, but also don't expect to notice much, if any obvious difference in the gaming experience.

 

[jacobweaver800]

Here's the general rule when upgrading a PC. Ask yourself these questions. Is the PC too slow for my current needs? Is it too old or are there any broken parts? If you answered yes, then it may be time to upgrade. What people don't understand is that if a PC is just fine for their needs, then there is no real reason to upgrade. When it gets to the point where your workload is being slowed down due to the performance of a PC, then you need to consider upgrading, but don't just upgrade what ever. You need to figure out if getting a new CPU or upgrading the GPU will be more beneficial to your needs, then upgrade accordingly. Also it's important to take note that an 8700k will require a 3xx series board to work, a 1080 will slot in just fine, so keep that in mind too.

 

[Eximo]

If you want a little more CPU performance overclock some more. 4.5Ghz is pretty mild for the 7600k.

Well, some can hit 5GHz but personally I always drop down 200MHz below what's "almost" working. So if I got 4.9GHz boot to Windows but got errors/CTD or BSOD then I'd drop to 4.7GHz.

Assuming by that logic he would go from 4.5GHz to a stable 4.8GHz (assuming unstable 5GHz is possible, and also assuming motherboard and cooler allows) then the CPU is running 6.7% faster.

In my experience the CPU isn't usually much of a bottleneck, and even if it was completely the bottleneck you might be looking at maybe 5% or so FPS improvement.

I'm not saying don't do it, but also don't expect to notice much, if any obvious difference in the gaming experience.

I've seen quite a few people running 4.8Ghz i5-7600k with relatively inexpensive air cooling. The increase is small, but if FPS is the goal, it should help a little.

I bought mine to go 5.0Ghz and while it is pulling more voltage then I'd like, it is doing it. Then again, I've seen people go for broke with extreme cooling and pump 1.5 volts through the thing and get 5.3Ghz. Not something to do for everyday use, but the potential is there.

 

[Eximo]

Agree with above. (UPDATE: meant the first response)
I have an i7-3770K (at 4.4GHz) with GTX1080... ignoring any hard to identify CPU bottlenecks that show up as stutters (low FPS scores) I'm rarely limited by the CPU.

I also wouldn't upgrade to a GTX1080 since it's only roughly 20% faster... that may sound like a lot to some people but in terms of game quality it's usually pretty MINOR for most games if you just drop a couple settings to hit the same FPS.

My general rule-of-thumb is at least a 2x increase in average FPS in benchmarks (which can translate into better visual quality at same FPS). Heck, the GTX1080 is for many games supposed to be a 3x (300%) increase and many games look only slightly better than on my GTX680!!

I even recorded a video of Crysis 3 at 60FPS (tweaked with Adaptive VSync to hit about 90% of the time and 10% drops) then recorded shortly after I put in my GTX1080 and optimized the same way...

So I jumped up from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, increased a few graphics settings but the difference was shockingly similar at a quick glance and again that's up to 300% faster not just 20%.

(It made a much more noticeable difference in some newer games to go from GTX680 to GTX1080)

So...
I'd put the money aside for either a better monitor, speakers etc or just save up for something in 2019/20. The new NVidia cards for example with Tensor Cores sounds exciting but I don't expect to see much game optimizations that make sense until closer to 2020.

(by "make sense" I mean new eye candy like the Ray Tracing usually comes at the expense of FPS. So like Fur PhysX and other stuff in the past we often left it disabled until a couple years later then went back with a next-gen card to finally play that game on full settings...

Now NVidia may have OTHER features that make sense and maybe there's even one or two games in 2019 that do benefit a lot from Ray Tracing.. in the case of TENSOR CORES I'm guessing they go unused in a game anyway so if that's the case the FPS isn't lower by enabling you just may get a better image quality...though who knows how much we'll PAY to get these Tensor Cores and other new features.

Put another way it may be IMPROVED LIGHTING using Tensor Cores in some 2019+ games to do better global illumination etc, vs games simply NOT using the Tensor Cores and sticking to more traditional rasterization methods)

CryEngine 3 isn't the best example, that is quite a good looking game engine even on quite low settings and was well ahead of the competition when it was released. I upgraded my computer specifically for some CryEngine 2 game mods. CryEngine titles are often quite CPU bound due to physics and player object counts. (Weirdly many things in CryEngine count as players that aren't obvious)

Though I agree about the rest of it. Don't upgrade for small gains.

I have mixed hopes for Nvidia's next launch. Almost certainly they'll do another Founder's Edition release with a high MSRP. They launched the 1080 @ $700, this next card is probably going to be $800 MSRP before the mining crowd even gets ahold of it. AIB cards will be a few weeks after launch and if it is anything like last time I think I managed to order a card 5 times before actually getting one.

 

[mdd1963]

the GTX1070 is still a very competent GPU, adequate for up to 1440P gaming...

4c/4t designs are starting to struggle in some of the most modern titles, but, unless you feel you are stuttering due to 4c/4t limitations, I'd stand pat until you can swing the 8700K/Z370, or, it's successor possibly due out mid- summer (rumors of Z390/8086K at 4.7 GHz base clock,5 GHz turbo)

 

[zyh1987]

I think 7700k could be a good option, I think it depends on the game his plays, if it’s pubg cs go lol. On 1080p doesn’t make sense for 1080, he will see very little fps improvement,pubg for example I have a 6600k oc to 4.5, the fps between my 1080ti and rx580 are 10%-15% of each other 100-120 vs 110-140 and my 1080ti is only using 40-60% it’s utilization, cs go is same. However if you play this single player aaa titles I would say there will a bigger improvement , whether it’s worth $700-800, I don’t know. It’s up to you. I can assure you that isn’t lots of game where 1080 is playable and 1070 is not. You can always tweak the setting by a bit and get similar frame rates.

 

[jacobweaver800]

I think 7700k could be a good option, I think it depends on the game his plays, if it’s pubg cs go lol. On 1080p doesn’t make sense for 1080, he will see very little fps improvement,pubg for example I have a 6600k oc to 4.5, the fps between my 1080ti and rx580 are 10%-15% of each other 100-120 vs 110-140 and my 1080ti is only using 40-60% it’s utilization, cs go is same. However if you play this single player aaa titles I would say there will a bigger improvement , whether it’s worth $700-800, I don’t know. It’s up to you. I can assure you that isn’t lots of game where 1080 is playable and 1070 is not. You can always tweak the setting by a bit and get similar frame rates.

Basically it comes down to this, what games are you playing and at what resolution and settings? Get the new GPU for more GPU bound games or the CPU for CPU bound games like CS Go, PubG, or GTA 5