[SOLVED] Would this $1500 target build work for 4k gaming at High settings in most current games?

Sep 9, 2019
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I understand some games that are poorly optimized or very demanding, such as AC Odyssey, will not hit 60fps at 2160p with this hardware, for situations like that I will probably use in game res scaling to reduce resolution to 3200x1800 to achieve 60fps.

But is this build capable of playing most 2018-19 games in native 2160p at a average fps 60, while keeping min fps 1% o lower than 45 or so.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/QqNyp8

I was previously going t budget $800-900 to upgrade my existing PC, but decided to turn my 4690k 1070 into a media streaming setup in my living room for 4k movies and some gaming at 1080p.
Decided to budget $1500 for a new build targeting 4k 60fps. I realize if I could stretch it to $2000 I could get a RTX 2080 ti and achieve this easily, but I'm really limited in my budget, and $1500~ is a hard cap.
 
Solution
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($194.79 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI B450-A PRO ATX AM4 Motherboard ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($72.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Intel 660p Series 1.02 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair SPEC-DELTA RGB ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Best Buy)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS Plus Gold 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $647.74
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-09-18...

OllympianGamer

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Sep 9, 2019
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He listed the 2080 super which just edges out the 1080ti now. 2080ti is like 20% better I think but the £1200 price tag is insane.

Yes, and from the tons of benchmarks and gameplay comparisons I've watched between the 2080 and 2080S, the Super version added a few fps to most games, probably about 5-6fps more on average. It has roughly 10% more power than the 2080.
 
Sep 9, 2019
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I want to also add, this PC will be hooked up in my office/man cave to a 55" 4K TV, and when I game, I mostly sit about 6-7ft away on a really comfy chair I have. So a little different than being 2ft away from a 27" monitor.

I think under these circumstances I can probably use most modern games resolution scalers to decrease resolution from 2160p to 1800p and pretty much not tell the difference, especially with so many games usually TAA now.

I'd like to play Far Cry 5/New Dawn, Ghost Recon Wildlands/Breakpoint, Watch Dogs Legion, RAGE 2, and Dying Light 2/Cyberpunk when it releases at 1800p scaled if they can't hit 60fps at 2160p.
 

TJ Hooker

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PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($194.79 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI B450-A PRO ATX AM4 Motherboard ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($72.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Intel 660p Series 1.02 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair SPEC-DELTA RGB ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Best Buy)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS Plus Gold 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $647.74
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-09-18 15:27 EDT-0400


I'd go with something like that plus the best GPU you can fit in your budget. Saved some money with changes the CPU/mobo (which will have no impact on performance at 4K).
 
Solution
Sep 9, 2019
16
3
15
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($194.79 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI B450-A PRO ATX AM4 Motherboard ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($72.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Intel 660p Series 1.02 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Corsair SPEC-DELTA RGB ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ Best Buy)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS Plus Gold 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $647.74
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-09-18 15:27 EDT-0400


I'd go with something like that plus the best GPU you can fit in your budget. Saved some money with changes the CPU/mobo (which will have no impact on performance at 4K).

Won't I be CPU bound in some games if I only go R5 3600?
I'm looking for this to be 3 year build, basically play all AAA games til late 2022.

You really think a R5 3600 will be able to game in 2-3 years even at 1440p, if I pair it with a 2080 Ti?

Consider how much graphics requirements have increased just from 2016-2019 in AAA games

In particular, I'm 99% sure we will get PC versions of Red Dead Redemption 2 and Final Fantasy VII Remake at some point, and those are two games I very much would want to experience at 60fps on PC, as opposed to the console versions locked to 30fps.
 

TJ Hooker

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Resolution has no direct effect on CPU usage. It takes the same amount of CPU power to run a given game at 1080p/60fps as it does 4k/60 fps. The majority of other graphical effects/settings have little/no impact on CPU as well.

A 3600 is easily able to handle 60 fps, and at/near 4K high settings you're going to be limited by your GPU the vast majority of the time anyway.

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-ryzen-5-3600-review,6287-11.html
 
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Sep 9, 2019
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Resolution has no direct effect on CPU usage. It takes the same amount of CPU power to run a given game at 1080p/60fps as it does 4k/60 fps. The majority other graphical effects/settings have little/no impact on CPU as well.

A 3600 is easily able to handle 60 fps, and at/near 4K high settings you're going to be limited by your GPU the vast majority of the time anyway.

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-ryzen-5-3600-review,6287-11.html

I thought things in game settings, like LOD density, foliage, and environment details are more CPU dependent than GPU, or equally CPU and GPU. I know textures, shadows and lighting and ambient occlusson is mostly GPU based.
 

TJ Hooker

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I thought things in game settings, like LOD density, foliage, and environment details are more CPU dependent than GPU, or equally CPU and GPU. I know textures, shadows and lighting and ambient occlusson is mostly GPU based.
Yes, those things would likely be at least somewhat CPU dependent. Based on my rudimentary understanding of rendering, a broad rule of thumb would be that settings that control the amount of stuff on screen will likely depend at least somewhat on the CPU, while settings that merely affect how those things look will likely be mostly GPU based.

Regardless, I can't see the 3600 being unable to manage 60 fps any time soon.