[SOLVED] Upgrading my setup from 2017 HELP !

ricardof92

Honorable
Oct 29, 2015
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10,530
Hello everyone, recently i have moved to a new apartment and i'm going to realize my gaming room.

My currently setup is,

Case: Nox Coolbay HX
GPU: Intel i7 HD4790 3.6Ghz BOX
Rams: Kingston Hyperx 4x4GB 1600MHz DDR3
PSU: Corsair Modular HX 620W
MB: MSI z97 Gaming 7
GPU Cooler: Intel TS13X
Graphics: MSI GTX 970 Gaming 4G (4gb)
SDD: Samsung 850 EVO Basic (500GB, 2.5")
Hard disk: Old one that i had. 500gb

I'm out of date with all the changes that has been done in the past years and i also want to upgrade some on my PC.

First i would like to start with a gaming monitor since my old one is totally wrecked.
Second i would like to know if i should get a new GPU since i'm getting a new monitor? Or gtx970 is still good enough?

Usage of PC is for games like GTA 5, CS GO, Overwatch , World of Warcraft etc and also daily usage.

My budget is about 500-800€ i would really apreciate if someone could help me with some good advices.

Greetings from Switzerland.

PS: i game mostly in PS5 and the only thing i dont have atm is a good monitor.
 
Solution
Buy your monitor first.
Then, you will have a better idea as to what graphics upgrade, if any you need to run it well.
Today, I would look for a wide screen 32-25" monitor.
It will be much more immersive for gaming and much more useful for desktop work.
Really best if you can visit a shop and see some units for yourself.

Games like CSGO tend to be more cpu centric than graphics.
They also tend to be largely single threaded.
Try this simple test:

Run YOUR games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
This makes the graphics card loaf a bit.
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.

Your i7 was a...
GPUs are out of stock all over the world. Have you checked availability in your area? Most in-stock GPUs are massively overpriced because of supply shortages.

PCPartPicker Part List

Monitor: Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQ 27.0" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor (€479.99 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Total: €479.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-02-12 16:24 CET+0100


From there, you're in the budget range for a (price-inflated) GTX1660 Super, which would be about... 30-40% faster than your GTX970. I would buy the monitor first and play with your GTX970 to see what you think before going after a GPU.

The RTX3060 is set to launch on Feb. 25th. If you can wait till then and nab one for close to MSRP....
 
Last edited:

ricardof92

Honorable
Oct 29, 2015
26
0
10,530
GPUs are out of stock all over the world. Have you checked availability in your area? Most in-stock GPUs are massively overpriced because of supply shortages.

PCPartPicker Part List

Monitor: Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQ 27.0" 2560x1440 165 Hz Monitor (€479.99 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Total: €479.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-02-12 16:24 CET+0100

I did check some of the stores here and most got some stock for now.. i saw an GTX 1060 gaming X for 330€.. would it be a good deal?

So you think that asus monitor will go good enough with 970 or should i get 1060?
 
Here, scroll down to the bottom of the page there are a bunch of benchmarks comparing the 1060 6GB vs a 970, on average your going to see a 7-10% boost with the 1060. whether thats worth 330€ to upgrade is for you to decide.

The GPU market is a S-show right now, with Nvidia even releasing new 2060 and 1080 ti cards again just to get something back on the market. I saw reports yesterday where stores had gotten a shipment of 3060's and were selling them before release date @ twice the MRSP
 

ricardof92

Honorable
Oct 29, 2015
26
0
10,530
Here, scroll down to the bottom of the page there are a bunch of benchmarks comparing the 1060 6GB vs a 970, on average your going to see a 7-10% boost with the 1060. whether thats worth 330€ to upgrade is for you to decide.

The GPU market is a S-show right now, with Nvidia even releasing new 2060 and 1080 ti cards again just to get something back on the market. I saw reports yesterday where stores had gotten a shipment of 3060's and were selling them before release date @ twice the MRSP

Thanks that helps alot.

Right now everything seems to be upside down, no gpu market, no ps5 market.. everything is wrong 🙄

Would you advices any monitor? Thats my priority.

For 7-10 % boost i think i will keep my GPU.

Thanks mate.
 
Buy your monitor first.
Then, you will have a better idea as to what graphics upgrade, if any you need to run it well.
Today, I would look for a wide screen 32-25" monitor.
It will be much more immersive for gaming and much more useful for desktop work.
Really best if you can visit a shop and see some units for yourself.

Games like CSGO tend to be more cpu centric than graphics.
They also tend to be largely single threaded.
Try this simple test:

Run YOUR games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
This makes the graphics card loaf a bit.
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.

Your i7 was a good processor, at one time.
It has 8 threads and a passmark rating of 7200. That is when all 8 threads are fully 100% used.
The single thread rating is 2225 which is arguably the more important metric for gaming.

Today, in the US, you can for $110 buy a i3-10100 processor with 8 threads and a rating of 8949/2648.
a lga1200 motherboard for $75, and a 2 x 8gb ddr4 2666 speed ram kit for $75.
I would not rush to do that.
In march, you should see an 11th gen version of those ships with some 20% better performance per clock.
 
Solution

Karadjgne

Titan
Ambassador
Gtx1060 isn't that much better than the gtx970, it's more of a sideways move than an upgrade.

It's decent for 1080p, and will handle most games at at least medium settings, some ultra.

1440p is @ 1.7x more pixels than 1080p, so expect a commensurate drop in fps. On the other side, 1440p is definitely crisper and cleaner, so lower detail settings still look better than compared to 1080p, the only things missing will be the uber fine details of grass, shadows, pimple on targets nose etc.

With monitors the pixel size and resolution mean everything, size of the monitor is meaningless. There's the exact same pixel count in a 60" big screen 1080p TV as there is in a 23" 1080p monitor, the pixels are physically the only size difference. So a 28" 1080p at arms length looks muddy (like sitting too close to a TV) whereas a 24" at the same distance looks far better (smaller pixels, sharper image).

So your viewing distance to monitor plays a crucial role in necessary size. Go too big and the picture suffers unless you back away, go too small and you can't see anything.

Best bet when buying a monitor is go physically shopping. Hit every store you can, stand at the same distance as at home, decide if 1080p is good enough, or upto 4k is better. Once you know what size/resolution is appropriate for you, that's when you shop online for the best fit for your needs and budget.
 
Higher resolution at the same panel size is always going to LOOK better. However, it may not PERFORM better unless you're spending significantly more on a GPU. That's why I gravitate toward 1440p.
  • You can get 100+ FPS on many/most games with a $300-$400 GPU (think RTX3060/3060Ti), whereas (again depending on the game) 4k may have you spending $700+ on a GPU.
  • 4k monitors are still evolving to more widespread support of >60-75Hz refresh rates.
I do echo the recommendation to see monitors in person, if for the only reason of determining what SIZE you want. When I bought my current monitor, I had a 27" monitor I was using at work that I brought home and set on my desk. We also had a 32" TV at home that I swapped out to. 32" was just too large for my liking (at my viewing distance) so I went 27"

As Geofelt stated, the games you listed aren't terribly GPU demanding. I play on an RX580 (eqiv to a GTX970) at 1440p and do fine. In all reality, I've got a very similar system to you (specs in my sig. below)
 

ricardof92

Honorable
Oct 29, 2015
26
0
10,530
Buy your monitor first.
Then, you will have a better idea as to what graphics upgrade, if any you need to run it well.
Today, I would look for a wide screen 32-25" monitor.
It will be much more immersive for gaming and much more useful for desktop work.
Really best if you can visit a shop and see some units for yourself.

Games like CSGO tend to be more cpu centric than graphics.
They also tend to be largely single threaded.
Try this simple test:

Run YOUR games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
This makes the graphics card loaf a bit.
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.

Your i7 was a good processor, at one time.
It has 8 threads and a passmark rating of 7200. That is when all 8 threads are fully 100% used.
The single thread rating is 2225 which is arguably the more important metric for gaming.

Today, in the US, you can for $110 buy a i3-10100 processor with 8 threads and a rating of 8949/2648.
a lga1200 motherboard for $75, and a 2 x 8gb ddr4 2666 speed ram kit for $75.
I would not rush to do that.
In march, you should see an 11th gen version of those ships with some 20% better performance per clock.

Thanks that really helped alot. Seems you guys understend really alot of whats going on nowdays..

I will wait until June to upgrade anything else.

By now im going to buy gl850 from lg. Would you purchase it or should i get another one?
 

ricardof92

Honorable
Oct 29, 2015
26
0
10,530
Gtx1060 isn't that much better than the gtx970, it's more of a sideways move than an upgrade.

It's decent for 1080p, and will handle most games at at least medium settings, some ultra.

1440p is @ 1.7x more pixels than 1080p, so expect a commensurate drop in fps. On the other side, 1440p is definitely crisper and cleaner, so lower detail settings still look better than compared to 1080p, the only things missing will be the uber fine details of grass, shadows, pimple on targets nose etc.

With monitors the pixel size and resolution mean everything, size of the monitor is meaningless. There's the exact same pixel count in a 60" big screen 1080p TV as there is in a 23" 1080p monitor, the pixels are physically the only size difference. So a 28" 1080p at arms length looks muddy (like sitting too close to a TV) whereas a 24" at the same distance looks far better (smaller pixels, sharper image).

So your viewing distance to monitor plays a crucial role in necessary size. Go too big and the picture suffers unless you back away, go too small and you can't see anything.

Best bet when buying a monitor is go physically shopping. Hit every store you can, stand at the same distance as at home, decide if 1080p is good enough, or upto 4k is better. Once you know what size/resolution is appropriate for you, that's when you shop online for the best fit for your needs and budget.

Hey Mate,

Really nice from you what you explained. It really helped.
Actually its way more clearly to know what to choose and what not.

I got 80cm from display place to my head.
What would you advice me to buy as monitor?

Really apreciate thanks.
 

ricardof92

Honorable
Oct 29, 2015
26
0
10,530
Higher resolution at the same panel size is always going to LOOK better. However, it may not PERFORM better unless you're spending significantly more on a GPU. That's why I gravitate toward 1440p.
  • You can get 100+ FPS on many/most games with a $300-$400 GPU (think RTX3060/3060Ti), whereas (again depending on the game) 4k may have you spending $700+ on a GPU.
  • 4k monitors are still evolving to more widespread support of >60-75Hz refresh rates.
I do echo the recommendation to see monitors in person, if for the only reason of determining what SIZE you want. When I bought my current monitor, I had a 27" monitor I was using at work that I brought home and set on my desk. We also had a 32" TV at home that I swapped out to. 32" was just too large for my liking (at my viewing distance) so I went 27"

As Geofelt stated, the games you listed aren't terribly GPU demanding. I play on an RX580 (eqiv to a GTX970) at 1440p and do fine. In all reality, I've got a very similar system to you (specs in my sig. below)

Thanks again tennis2.

Well seems i will keep my setup for a few more months until i get the money to upgrade for a new gpu.

So for my distance view should i get the 27'?
I saw also the 32 g7 from samsung and im quite confused right now 🙄
 

Karadjgne

Titan
Ambassador
That all depends on you. You have to look at it, not us lol. So we can't say what's good for your eyes and viewing pleasure. Figure out roughly what 80cm is on arms length, go to a store and put your nose about the same distance away from a 24" or a 27" or 32". You'll see the differences right away. A 24 you'll easily see the whole screen, a 32 and you'll be moving your head/eyes constantly.

But it's a matter of personal preference. Generally most prefer 24" for 1080p, 27" for 1440p as a good balance since the pixels on a 27" at 1080p are too large and the picture with their head at that viewing distance loses clarity. Meaning it gains in clarity if they move further back.

So you'd first see what size fits your liking, then the resolution will fall into place. Once you get the right monitor for you, the gpu to power it becomes easy.
 
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ricardof92

Honorable
Oct 29, 2015
26
0
10,530
That all depends on you. You have to look at it, not us lol. So we can't say what's good for your eyes and viewing pleasure. Figure out roughly what 80cm is on arms length, go to a store and put your nose about the same distance away from a 24" or a 27" or 32". You'll see the differences right away. A 24 you'll easily see the whole screen, a 32 and you'll be moving your head/eyes constantly.

But it's a matter of personal preference. Generally most prefer 24" for 1080p, 27" for 1440p as a good balance since the pixels on a 27" at 1080p are too large and the picture with their head at that viewing distance loses clarity. Meaning it gains in clarity if they move further back.

So you'd first see what size fits your liking, then the resolution will fall into place. Once you get the right monitor for you, the gpu to power it becomes easy.

I have bought the lg 27gl850-b and already returned it.
I plan get the samsung lc32g7 by tomorrow.

So right now what should i get next for gpu with my current setup?

Greetz and thanks
 
I mean....both are/were 1440p, so we're still talking about the same GPU requirements.

Buy what you can afford. If you're talking current-gen. I'd say a RTX3060Ti is a great place to be for 1440p (AMD doesn't have a 6000 series GPU in this price/performance category yet).

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-rtx-3060-ti-founders-edition-review/4

We'll have to see what benchmarks say about the RTX3060 on Feb 25. It will probably be sufficient as long as you don't run at ULTRA settings (which is an inefficient quality setting anyway)