Question Thinking about upgrading my PC

[dovlePC]

Hello, fellow members of the Tom's Hardware forum.

So I've been unhappy with how my PC is performing lately, mainly because I get these weird stutters from time to time in games like RDR2 and the PC remaster of The Last of Us and I have some extra money laying around so I've been itching for some upgrades to smooth out the experience.

Here's my current setup:

OS: Windows 10 Pro 64bit
Monitor: LG 24GN650-B 1080p, 140hz, IPS 1ms
Motherboard: ASUS Prime Z690-P D4
CPU: 12th Gen Intel i5-12400F
GPU: ASRock AMD Radeon™ RX 6700 XT Challenger D 12GB
RAM: Corsair VENGEANCE LPX DDR4 3200 32GB (4x8GB) CL16
Storage: Patriot 1TB 2.5 SATA3 SSD
Power supply: Seasonic G12 GM-Series 750W, 80+Gold
Case: NZXT H510 Flow

Now, looking at my setup my immediate thought is that either my CPU is the bottleneck and that I'd like to upgrade it or to finally get a NVME m.2 SSD, or both. But I know very little about computers so feel free to correct me if my money would be better spent elsewhere. My priority is gaming.

Budget: Anywhere between $200 up to a maximum of $450, but If I'm spending $450 I'd really like to get my money's worth and get something that will noticeably change my experience.

Location: Serbia. We have scalpers from Hungary so I might be able to get certain items cheaper than their "official" market price.

P.S. The small stutters tend to happen when I'm transitioning between places or tasks, like going to an upgrade table in the Last Of Us, or entering/exiting a populated area in RDR2. The FPS is fine though.

P.P.S. I'm using a DeepCool Gammaxx 400 CPU Cooler, and its clearance is very questionable ever since I upgraded from 16gb ram to 32gb (It's touching the RAM stick in the first slot). CPU temps are fine but could that somehow be the source of the stutters?

 

[Nighthawk117]

I would suggest a supple hand lotion for the itch and stick with what you've got, it's a nice system.

 

[Nighthawk117]

I am surprised your having stutters in RDR2 on a 12400F. What frame rate are you trying to run at?

 

[dovlePC]

I am surprised your having stutters in RDR2 on a 12400F. What frame rate are you trying to run at?

Will check now and post the results ASAP, pretty sure I keep my FPS unlocked though but it happens a lot in cities where my FPS is no higher than 80, if that.

 

[Zerk2012]

Will check now and post the results ASAP, pretty sure I keep my FPS unlocked though but it happens a lot in cities where my FPS is no higher than 80, if that.

I have a 10600k and 2080 video card I run RDR2 just fine on a 1440p monitor for the Last of Us it's just poorly optimized.

 

[dovlePC]

Ok just recorded a minute of gameplay in RDR2 in Saint-Dennis and got two really big stutters. Both happened after the 1:00 minute mark.

Video:

View: https://youtu.be/eaAQej4IXaM

I haven't played this game for a while and I don't remember the stutters being nearly this bad. There used to be microstutters but these are a lot worse. Is my PC busted or what?

Bonus info for diagnosing the problem: I f'd up my first attempt at recording, but on that first attempt I also had really bad texture pop-in.

 

[Nighthawk117]

Ok just recorded a minute of gameplay in RDR2 in Saint-Dennis and got two really big stutters. Both happened after the 1:00 minute mark.

Video:

View: https://youtu.be/eaAQej4IXaM

I haven't played this game for a while and I don't remember the stutters being nearly this bad. They used to be microstutters but these are a lot worse. Is my PC busted or what?

I see what you mean, I'm surprised though given you have a relatively powerful system. Two questions:

1) What graphics API are you using to play the game? DirectX 11/12 or Vulkan?
2) What slots are your RAM sticks installed in?

 

[dovlePC]

I see what you mean, I'm surprised though given you have a relatively powerful system. Two questions:

1) What graphics API are you using to play the game? DirectX 11/12 or Vulkan?
2) What slots are your RAM sticks installed in?

1) Vulkan, all my graphics settings are at the beginning of the video.


2) 4x8GB so all four.

Also from my first post: "I'm using a DeepCool Gammaxx 400 CPU Cooler, and its clearance is very questionable ever since I upgraded from 16gb ram to 32gb (It's touching the RAM stick in the first slot). CPU temps are fine but could that somehow be the source of the stutters?"

EDIT: I just played for like 30 mins and I got zero stutters. Set my frame limiter to 80 fps. Perhaps it was the fact that I was recording while playing?

 

[Nighthawk117]

1) Vulkan, all my graphics settings are at the beginning of the video.


2) 4x8GB so all four.

Also from my first post: "I'm using a DeepCool Gammaxx 400 CPU Cooler, and its clearance is very questionable ever since I upgraded from 16gb ram to 32gb (It's touching the RAM stick in the first slot). CPU temps are fine but could that somehow be the source of the stutters?"

Oh ok I missed that in the video, apparently RDR2 did have an issue with stalling which looks like what you have there on quad core and six core CPU's. I'm still a little surprised given that it's one of the most powerful six core CPU's.

Have you tried running the game at 60hz with vsync? That may smooth things out.

 

[ilukey77]

im assuming you looking at spending $450usd max in which case id stick with what you have your not going to get much of a meaningful upgrade at that price ..

a gpu upgrade would be the best option but for cards out right now the 6700xt is still a solid option over any of the 8gb rubbish and anything else is past your price point !!

 

[Bob.B]

Hello, fellow members of the Tom's Hardware forum.

So I've been unhappy with how my PC is performing lately, mainly because I get these weird stutters from time to time in games like RDR2 and the PC remaster of The Last of Us and I have some extra money laying around so I've been itching for some upgrades to smooth out the experience.

Here's my current setup:

OS: Windows 10 Pro 64bit
Monitor: LG 24GN650-B 1080p, 140hz, IPS 1ms
Motherboard: ASUS Prime Z690-P D4
CPU: 12th Gen Intel i5-12400F
GPU: ASRock AMD Radeon™ RX 6700 XT Challenger D 12GB
RAM: Corsair VENGEANCE LPX DDR4 3200 32GB (4x8GB) CL16
Storage: Patriot 1TB 2.5 SATA3 SSD
Power supply: Seasonic G12 GM-Series 750W, 80+Gold
Case: NZXT H510 Flow

Now, looking at my setup my immediate thought is that either my CPU is the bottleneck and that I'd like to upgrade it or to finally get a NVME m.2 SSD, or both. But I know very little about computers so feel free to correct me if my money would be better spent elsewhere. My priority is gaming.

Budget: Anywhere between $200 up to a maximum of $450, but If I'm spending $450 I'd really like to get my money's worth and get something that will noticeably change my experience.

Location: Serbia. We have scalpers from Hungary so I might be able to get certain items cheaper than their "official" market price.

P.S. The small stutters tend to happen when I'm transitioning between places or tasks, like going to an upgrade table in the Last Of Us, or entering/exiting a populated area in RDR2. The FPS is fine though.

P.P.S. I'm using a DeepCool Gammaxx 400 CPU Cooler, and its clearance is very questionable ever since I upgraded from 16gb ram to 32gb (It's touching the RAM stick in the first slot). CPU temps are fine but could that somehow be the source of the stutters?

If you want to fuss look at a 13400 that would give a bump in cpu perf.

 

[ilukey77]

If you want to fuss look at a 13400 that would give a bump in cpu perf.

problem is with the 13400k unless 1080p or maybe and just maybe 1440p the gains are going to be small ..
Now if the OP was to save and buy a 7900xt or 6950xt that would be a meaningful gain in performance !!
whats a 6950xt worth in the US now ( im aussie so i dont know ) add a few hundred more to the 450 and you got yourself a decent gpu with much better performance !!

 

[Bob.B]

problem is with the 13400k unless 1080p or maybe and just maybe 1440p the gains are going to be small ..
Now if the OP was to save and buy a 7900xt or 6950xt that would be a meaningful gain in performance !!
whats a 6950xt worth in the US now ( im aussie so i dont know ) add a few hundred more to the 450 and you got yourself a decent gpu with much better performance !!

Work within the budget.
I don't think much can be done on the gpu side with the op's budget.

 

[ilukey77]

Work within the budget.
I don't think much can be done on the gpu side with the op's budget.

thats why i think the gains from the 13th gen would be a waste saving up a bit more money would be a smarter option for the better gpu !!

 

[dovlePC]

problem is with the 13400k unless 1080p or maybe and just maybe 1440p the gains are going to be small ..
Now if the OP was to save and buy a 7900xt or 6950xt that would be a meaningful gain in performance !!
whats a 6950xt worth in the US now ( im aussie so i dont know ) add a few hundred more to the 450 and you got yourself a decent gpu with much better performance !!

Interesting, I always thought the GPU was already the best part in my rig and that going any higher would be overkill but, gaming eh, I guess it's always going to be the GPU that needs an upgrade unless the other stuff is 4-5 years old.

Technically, I could spend more, but considering my monitor is 1080p I just don't think I can justify dropping $600 or $700 on a new GPU to get little more than future-proofing. Like, I should already be able to run most games on high-ish settings and get over 60 fps so what's the point?

Based on everything I've read in this thread it makes most sense to wait. Perhaps I'll look into the difference between 1080p and 1440p gaming and shop for a new monitor to really get the best visual experience out of my current rig. And the higher resolution would later justify a GPU upgrade.

Oh ok I missed that in the video, apparently RDR2 did have an issue with stalling which looks like what you have there on quad core and six core CPU's. I'm still a little surprised given that it's one of the most powerful six core CPU's.

Have you tried running the game at 60hz with vsync? That may smooth things out.

I tried playing for a while with an 80fps cap and couldn't notice any huge performance dips, except for this tiny drop in frames while slowing down on a my horse. It seems the issue for the huge stutters was the act of recording itself.

 

[ilukey77]

Interesting, I always thought the GPU was already the best part in my rig and that going any higher would be overkill but, gaming eh, I guess it's always going to be the GPU that needs an upgrade unless the other stuff is 4-5 years old.

Technically, I could spend more, but considering my monitor is 1080p I just don't think I can justify dropping $600 or $700 on a new GPU to get little more than future-proofing. Like, I should already be able to run most games on high-ish settings and get over 60 fps so what's the point?

Based on everything I've read in this thread it makes most sense to wait. Perhaps I'll look into the difference between 1080p and 1440p gaming and shop for a new monitor to really get the best visual experience out of my current rig. And the higher resolution would later justify a GPU upgrade.



I tried playing for a while with an 80fps cap and couldn't notice any huge performance dips, except for this tiny drop in frames while slowing down on a my horse. It seems the issue for the huge stutters was the act of recording itself.

almost everyday of the week your always going to get better bang for your buck upgrading the gpu ..

not saying there is no gains with the cpus but its going to be small.

And there is nothing wrong with a 6700xt ive got one myself a powercolor 6700xt spectral white hellhound and i love it !!

just i believe your going to see more gains in a gpu upgrade over a better cpu !!