Upgrading CPU because of bottleneck on GTX 1080

[Aidan McCabe]

I recently bought an Nvidia GTX 1080 8gb graphics card, but it bottlenecks paired with my Intel Core i5 7400. What processor would you recommend I look at buying to avoid any bottleneck and stuttering with this graphics card? In case its important I have a Gigabyte mainboard with 16gb of DDR4 ram.

 

[sizzling]

Which exact motherboard do you have and are you interested in overclocking?

Your only options are i7 6700/6700k/7700/7700k. Moving to 8th or 9th generation CPU’s will require a new motherboard.

 

[guanyu210379]

I5 7400 is basically still ok for most game, especially if you plan only to get 60 FPS e.g. if your monitor refresh rate is only 60Hz.
There are some games e.g. BF1 which could be bottlenecked by your I5 7400.
If I were you, I would rather keep the system as it is along with the new GTX1080.


If you still want to upgrade there 2 main choices:
- maintaining your current platform ( mainboard, etc.): just buy an I7 7700 or 6700 (no K if you are not on Z mainboard, with k plus a good cpu cooler if you are on Z mainboard) <--- cheap
- move to newer platform. You have to replace the mainboard and processor e.g. to Ryzen 5 2600/2600x/7 2700/7 2700x or I7 8700k/I7 9700k/I5 8600k/9600k....etc. etc. <---expensive

 

[Aidan McCabe]

im using a Z270P-D3-CF mainboard.

 

[Aidan McCabe]

I play on a 144hz monitor so a 7700k is my best bet without changing the motherboard?

 

[Aidan McCabe]

Which exact motherboard do you have and are you interested in overclocking?

Your only options are i7 6700/6700k/7700/7700k. Moving to 8th or 9th generation CPU’s will require a new motherboard.

im using a Z270P-D3-CF mainboard. I want to be able to use my 144hz monitor too so is the 7700k my best option?

 

[guanyu210379]

Yes, 7700k would be the best pick, if you plan to keep the mainboard.

 

[Aidan McCabe]

Yes, 7700k would be the best pick, if you plan to keep the mainboard.

just out of interest im looking at running battlefield 1 and GTA5 so it would handle these at over 60fps?

 

[guanyu210379]

GTA V should not be the problematic game but BF1 on I5 7xxx (or anything similar) should not run that good.
Even an upgrade from I5 7xxx to I7 7700k, should be already quite helpful.
BF1 is among the games that can gain advantage if you have more threads or cores.