Upgrade CPU or GPU first for Tera?

[jaymthespinoza]

Here are my specs:

CPU Arch : 1 CPU - 4 Cores - 8 Threads
CPU PSN : Intel Core i7 CPU 950 @ 3.07GHz
CPU EXT : MMX, SSE (1, 2, 3, 3S, 4.1, 4.2), EM64T, VT-x
CPUID : 6.A.5 / Extended : 6.1A
CPU Cache : L1 : 4 x 32 / 4 x 32 KB - L2 : 4 x 256 KB
CPU Cache : L3 : 8192 KB
Core : Bloomfield (45 nm) / Stepping : D0
Freq : 1683.8 MHz (140.32 * 12)
MB Brand : Asus
MB Model : SABERTOOTH X58
NB : Intel X58 rev 13
SB : Intel 82801JR (ICH10R) rev 00
GPU Type : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti
GPU Clocks : Core 830 MHz / RAM 2004 MHz
DirectX Version : 11.0
RAM : 12288 MB DDR3 Triple Channel
RAM Speed : 561.3 MHz (2:8) @ 8-8-8-20
Slot 1 : 4096MB (10700)
Slot 1 Manufacturer : Corsair
Slot 2 : 4096MB (10700)
Slot 2 Manufacturer : Corsair
Slot 3 : 4096MB (10700)
Slot 3 Manufacturer : Corsair

I intend to cross over my HDD (1TB WD Caviar black for non-program storage), 128GB SATA III Octane (boot drive and has SWTOR on it, which I'm transferring to...) 90GB SATA II Vertex II (With WoW on it, which still somehow loads much faster than SWTOR) and RAM, and if I upgrade the MB and CPU first then the graphics card.

The card I'm looking at is a GTX 670 Ti and the CPU is an i7 Ivy Bridge with compatible MB.

Since games are very GPU intensive I'm thinking of going with the GPU first but my MB and CPU might not be able to take full advantage of it.

 

[kcsmacker]

MMOs are different. While all games are GPU intensive, MMOs are more so dependent on the CPU.

After seing your rig i question why you are upgrading? This rig will more then run Tera full graphics. My rig below does at 35-40 fps with 25ish in HEAVY pop. towns.

 

[jaymthespinoza]

MMOs are different. While all games are GPU intensive, MMOs are more so dependent on the CPU.

After seing your rig i question why you are upgrading? This rig will more then run Tera full graphics. My rig below does at 35-40 fps with 25ish in HEAVY pop. towns.

Because Tera is a new game so it might be more intense on all the components and I want to see it to its fullest visual potential (or if that's out of reach then a good setting). As for extra heat generation I was thinking of going liquid cooling anyway (if not liquid then definitely a non-tooless upgrade from the Cooler Master v6, which is a nightmare to dust). I was thinking of the $120 Corsair liquid cooling set if that's any good. If I don't need to upgrade too much then I'll put upgrading on hold though in SWTOR I hear buzzing sounds from my computer sometimes then the Smart Doctor will pop up and say, " Driver recovered".

 

[casualcolors]

MMOs are different. While all games are GPU intensive, MMOs are more so dependent on the CPU.

After seing your rig i question why you are upgrading? This rig will more then run Tera full graphics. My rig below does at 35-40 fps with 25ish in HEAVY pop. towns.

MMO's being cpu-intensive as a genre is a misnomer constructed out of the fact that the MMO genre is literally dominated by a single title, that itself is cpu-limited. The opposite is true for Star Wars for instance though, which is as limited by GPU as most other modern games. As far as the OP's computer, I agree with you that he should be able to run the game without issues, and personally I would suggest to wait until he gets to play the game and then see if he even feels any need to upgrade for game-specific reasons, and go from there.

 

[HEXiT]

if your gonna waste money on an upgrade then get a decent gfx card. your cpu will see you through till 2015 at the least... the reason i say waste is that you will get very little extra from either upgrade... especially for that game which isnt demanding in the least.
yeah your pc is mid range for gfx performance and it will be for at least another 2 years without upgrade. but even if you throw in a high end card you will still be midrange. because high end is 3 high end cards...
performance wise with something like a gtx 680 (which is the only card worth the upgrade cost to the performance gains) will max out every current title but at 450-600 its a pricey upgrade specifically since you already have a gfx card that will run a lot on ultra and everything else on high...

 

[kcsmacker]

MMO's being cpu-intensive as a genre is a misnomer constructed out of the fact that the MMO genre is literally dominated by a single title, that itself is cpu-limited. The opposite is true for Star Wars for instance though, which is as limited by GPU as most other modern games. As far as the OP's computer, I agree with you that he should be able to run the game without issues, and personally I would suggest to wait until he gets to play the game and then see if he even feels any need to upgrade for game-specific reasons, and go from there.

My post was from playing the game, not "constructed out of the fact that the MMO genre is literally dominated by a single title". I am saying with my build which is lower end then his I was able to play the game at full graphics. Intel CPUs kick butt in gaming and even that 3.07 ghz i7 he has is ganna eat that game for breakfast.

The recommended requirements
PROCESSOR AMD Athlon 64 x2 6000+ or INTEL Core2 Duo E6750
VIDEO CARD ATI Radeon HD 3870 or NVidia Geforce 8800GT
MEMORY 4 GB or greater
OS Windows 7 or Vista
HDD SPACE 35 GB (70 GB for download installation*)
ADDITIONAL INFO Connection: Broadband

His rig is WAAAAAY over that requirement. I had friends running i3 with 67xx series cards maxing the game. Should be really easy. But like you suggested he should play it himself to see what it requires.

As far as upgrading to liquid cooling, thats would be a good bet if the dust is pissing you off. I know it bothers me alot ><

 

[casualcolors]

My post was from playing the game, not "constructed out of the fact that the MMO genre is literally dominated by a single title". I am saying with my build which is lower end then his I was able to play the game at full graphics. Intel CPUs kick butt in gaming and even that 3.07 ghz i7 he has is ganna eat that game for breakfast.

The recommended requirements
PROCESSOR AMD Athlon 64 x2 6000+ or INTEL Core2 Duo E6750
VIDEO CARD ATI Radeon HD 3870 or NVidia Geforce 8800GT
MEMORY 4 GB or greater
OS Windows 7 or Vista
HDD SPACE 35 GB (70 GB for download installation*)
ADDITIONAL INFO Connection: Broadband

His rig is WAAAAAY over that requirement. I had friends running i3 with 67xx series cards maxing the game. Should be really easy. But like you suggested he should play it himself to see what it requires.

As far as upgrading to liquid cooling, thats would be a good bet if the dust is pissing you off. I know it bothers me alot ><

I was just correcting the statement that "mmo's are cpu-limited" since it isn't true as a general rule. They vary just like every other genre. I agree with you that his i7 will be fine. I actually stated that in the post you quoted, no less.

To be more specific though (I didn't include this in my earlier post, but I will now since there is the opportunity), there is a good chance that he will have sub-60 fps occasionally if he attempts to max the game out at 1920x1080 or larger. His CPU is not likely going to be the limiting factor however. More likely it will be his GPU, and specifically the stock 1gb VRAM that it comes with when he goes to implement 4x anti-aliasing in a populated area.

Like you said, you play the beta build on your computer at 35 fps maxed. His computer is by far and away better than yours, but by the same token 35 fps is awful. Just because his computer is twice as powerful as yours, does not necessarily mean that the game will operate twice as fast. Hardware and software compatibility is too varied for that to be the case. Beyond that, he does have a nice intel CPU but don't mistake its gaming capacity for that of a sandy bridge chip.

Summation: I agree that his computer will run the game fine. I think if he does run into any issues it will be related to his GPU, and just to clarify MMO's aren't by rule cpu-limited. Only WoW specifically.

 

[kcsmacker]

I was just correcting the statement that "mmo's are cpu-limited" since it isn't true as a general rule. They vary just like every other genre. I agree with you that his i7 will be fine. I actually stated that in the post you quoted, no less.

To be more specific though (I didn't include this in my earlier post, but I will now since there is the opportunity), there is a good chance that he will have sub-60 fps occasionally if he attempts to max the game out at 1920x1080 or larger. His CPU is not likely going to be the limiting factor however. More likely it will be his GPU, and specifically the stock 1gb VRAM that it comes with when he goes to implement 4x anti-aliasing in a populated area.

Like you said, you play the beta build on your computer at 35 fps maxed. His computer is by far and away better than yours, but by the same token 35 fps is awful. Just because his computer is twice as powerful as yours, does not necessarily mean that the game will operate twice as fast. Hardware and software compatibility is too varied for that to be the case. Beyond that, he does have a nice intel CPU but don't mistake its gaming capacity for that of a sandy bridge chip.

Summation: I agree that his computer will run the game fine. I think if he does run into any issues it will be related to his GPU, and just to clarify MMO's aren't by rule cpu-limited. Only WoW specifically.

Nope. not going to get in a argument about this. If you want to throw more money in the system that will get your more FPS then you need, go for it. if you average 35 FPS its fine. If thats awful you then you are just elitest. We are not playing a FPS here.

 

[casualcolors]

Nope. not going to get in a argument about this. If you want to throw more money in the system that will get your more FPS then you need, go for it. if you average 35 FPS its fine. If thats awful you then you are just elitest. We are not playing a FPS here.

Not being an fps elitist but 35 fps in any game on a computer monitor gives me horrible motion sickness. The strobing eats me alive.

 

[HEXiT]

jaymthespinoza odd name this. jay m the spinoza or jay m the blessed....
you do jay mack ? from prodigits?