What to upgrade...

[vwcrusher]

Thanks in advance for the guidance....

My current system: ASUS P8H77-V mb, i7-3770 (3.4GHz) cpu, 16GB DDR3 RAM, 256GB SSD, with an EVGA GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST SuperClocked 2GB GDDR5 video card. The newest component is the video card (2013); the other major components obtained a year earlier.

I am concerned that the current system will not be enough for some of the new games being released in the near future. What should I upgrade, and any suggestions would be welcome.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Weakest component is GPU there.
Upgrading GPU may also require change of PSU. What's the model name of your current PSU?
How much are you willing to spend on upgrades?

 

[Calvin7]

ASUS P8H77-V is a socket LGA 1155 motherboard. That size socket was replaced in 2013 by socket LGA 1150. Today a different size socket is also used.

DDR3 memory has been replaced by DDR4 memory in current models.

A current up-to-date system would likely require a new motherboard/CPU and DDR4 memory.

 

[camieabz]

Definitely the gfx card, given that your CPU is comparable to lower-end Ryzen 5 CPUs, while your gfx card isn't quite as powerful as lower-end 10 series cards.

Consider the 1050 as the budget option - http://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-GTX-650-Ti-Boost-vs-Nvidia-GTX-1050/2190vs3650

However, while the gains are reasonable, the 1050 won't be a match for (many) new games, unless on low settings. So consider these, based on budget:

1050Ti - http://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-GTX-650-Ti-Boost-vs-Nvidia-GTX-1050-Ti/2190vs3649

1060 3GB - http://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-GTX-650-Ti-Boost-vs-Nvidia-GTX-1060-3GB/2190vs3646

1060 - 6GB - http://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-GTX-650-Ti-Boost-vs-Nvidia-GTX-1060-6GB/2190vs3639

If gaming at 1080p 60fps, the last card should be more than enough for new games. If you're planning on VRAM-hungry games, consider the 1050Ti or 1060 6GB, depending on others' reviews of said cards with specific games. If really keen for FPS performance and on a budget, the 1060 3GB is the best option.

For what it's worth, I threw a 1050 into my A8-7600 system (from the Radeon R7 gfx), and it took previously low-settings games up to Ultra 30-50fps / High 50-60fps, so the CPU speed wasn't a huge problem, and it's half the CPU of yours in benchmarking. Older games, of course, but the principle is the same.

The 1060 6GB isn't too different from the 3GB version, other than an extra 10% cuda cores, and 3GB VRAM. Also consider your PSU and any planned TDP changes (an upgrade will probably use less, when I think about it), and whether your PSU has the required connectors for any gfx card you consider.

 

[zyh1987]

if all you want is to run the latest game, you can get a 1050ti without psu upgrade. you can pbbly get away with 1060 too, as the power requirement is just 10w more for the 1060 from 650ti.

upgrade cpu /ram /mobo is pricy and likely not able to provide enough gain to justify it's cost.

 

[cryoburner]

if all you want is to run the latest game, you can get a 1050ti without psu upgrade. you can pbbly get away with 1060 too, as the power requirement is just 10w more for the 1060 from 650ti.

Actually, the Boost version of the 650 Ti has a 134 watt TDP, so even a 1060 6GB would draw less power...

https://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-650ti-boost/specifications

If your PSU can run the 650 Ti Boost fine, then it shouldn't have a problem with any of these GPUs. The 1050 Ti would only be a moderate performance upgrade, so the 1060 3GB and 6GB are probably more worth considering.

 

[vwcrusher]

Thanks guys,

Forgot the GPU...its a XFX PRO550W.
Regarding budget, in the past I found purchasing hardware one generation old was way more cost effective than the premium you pay for the latest and greatest....saying that, I am not opposed to upgrading everything if that is the right thing to do.

Also, I am not whetted to only Intel for CPU, but I seem to have had better luck with NVidia products over Radeon....if that helps.

Regarding manufacturers of the GPU, are there any to stay away from or are worth the extra $$?

 

[zyh1987]

970 and 980 is probably the better choice then.

they can are a bit more power hungry but your psu should be okay to handle it.

 

[vwcrusher]

970 and 980 is probably the better choice then.

they can are a bit more power hungry but your psu should be okay to handle it.

Thanks for the reply. Just so that I completely understand, you are suggesting a different GPU from the 1060?
But not any other system component? If so could you please point me to a specific card(s)?

 

[zyh1987]

yes, keep your current system,

get a gtx970 or gtx980 as indicated that you want something 1 generation ago.

gtx970 is about the same performance level as 1060 3gb, and gtx980 is between 1060 to 1070.

 

[vwcrusher]

@ zyh1987,

Thanks for the reply; perhaps I am not looking in the right place, but it looks like the 6GB 1060 is less expensive than either the 970 or 980 and with comparable performance....unless I am missing something. Please understand my comment regarding 1 generation old, was only if there was a significant price/performance advantage.

 

[zyh1987]

the gpu mining has disturbed the market price, it's difficult to get a accurate price as it is very volatile at the moment.

performance wise.

here is the hierarchy:

1050ti/960

1060 3gb/970

1060 6 gb

980

980ti/1070

1070 ti

1080

1080 ti

 

[zyh1987]

just put it into perspective. 2 month ago, the gtx 1080 used cost close to 1080ti at msrp.

2nd hand market, people will try to get some extra dollar, if someone is not aware of the recent market change.

 

[cryoburner]

Yeah, it doesn't make that much sense to go with a 970 or 980, at least if you are buying new, since they cost as much or more than a 1060, and use more power. There isn't any significant price savings by going with those, perhaps due in part to cryptocurrency miners buying up lots of cards over the last year. And even the 1060 has been out for nearly 2 years at this point, and there will likely be a successor to it within the next several months or so.