Will CPU Bottleneck 780GTX?

[orbster556]

Hey All:

I'm probably going to purchase a 780GTX in the near future as I'm the market for a new card and would just has soon have something that can last for 2~3 years (at which point I can buy a second card for SLI at a low price) then pay less now but have to upgrade sooner.

I am concerned, however, that the card will be severely bottlenecked by my current CPU. I am running an i5 760 @ 4.0 GHz. I have no problems with stability and am generally happy with the performance so I'm not necessarily looking to upgrade but also don't want to cap other components.

To the extent it will affect responses, I don't do any video rendering/editing on the rig and the only really process-intensive task for which the rig is used is gaming. Moreover, I currently play at 1080p but might be purchasing a 2560 x 1600 monitor sometime in the future.

Thanks, in advance, for any insight or suggestions you all might be willing to provide.

Regards,

 

[frozentundra123456]

Hey All:

I'm probably going to purchase a 780GTX in the near future as I'm the market for a new card and would just has soon have something that can last for 2~3 years (at which point I can buy a second card for SLI at a low price) then pay less now but have to upgrade sooner.

I am concerned, however, that the card will be severely bottlenecked by my current CPU. I am running an i5 760 @ 4.0 GHz. I have no problems with stability and am generally happy with the performance so I'm not necessarily looking to upgrade but also don't want to cap other components.

To the extent it will affect responses, I don't do any video rendering/editing on the rig and the only really process-intensive task for which the rig is used is gaming. Moreover, I currently play at 1080p but might be purchasing a 2560 x 1600 monitor sometime in the future.

Thanks, in advance, for any insight or suggestions you all might be willing to provide.

Regards,

I think at 1080p you would have a good match for your cpu. You might run into cpu limitations in a few games, but overall I think you should be good. My only reservation is that at 1600p, any single card solution I believe will struggle. I am not that familiar with the GTX 780, but I recall seeing tests that a single 7970 struggles at 1440p or higher.

 

[Makaveli]

Hey All:

I'm probably going to purchase a 780GTX in the near future as I'm the market for a new card and would just has soon have something that can last for 2~3 years (at which point I can buy a second card for SLI at a low price) then pay less now but have to upgrade sooner.

I am concerned, however, that the card will be severely bottlenecked by my current CPU. I am running an i5 760 @ 4.0 GHz. I have no problems with stability and am generally happy with the performance so I'm not necessarily looking to upgrade but also don't want to cap other components.

To the extent it will affect responses, I don't do any video rendering/editing on the rig and the only really process-intensive task for which the rig is used is gaming. Moreover, I currently play at 1080p but might be purchasing a 2560 x 1600 monitor sometime in the future.

Thanks, in advance, for any insight or suggestions you all might be willing to provide.

Regards,

At your overclocked speed I think you will be ok.

The gains from the newer Gen i7s isn't as great with games as you are more GPU bottlenecked.

760,920,930 etc will all produce comparable frames in games to the newer stuff if you get the clock speed up in the 4+ ghz range.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

At 1080p 60Hz in cpu limited games you'll have some issues, in gpu limited games you will not.

At 1600p in a few cpu limited games you might still have issues but generally with higher settings you'll be at a low frame rate anyways.

If you moved to 1080p @ 120Hz you'd want a faster processor without question.


If you're going all in for a $700 video card though, considering the difference between it and $350 cards is only 20-30%, if you start losing some of that due to cpu limitations, you're wasting a ton of money.

 

[blackened23]

Your CPU will hold you back in some games, absolutely. I've upgraded several lynnfield systems to IVB or higher and the difference in CPU limited games is substantial. I mean, very very noticeable. On the other hand, GPU limited games can be played on nearly any CPU from the past 3 years and will run at roughly the same framerate.

If you're able to upgrade the CPU, I would do so - heck, I don't think a GTX 780 is entirely needed for 1080p. Perhaps you could go a little lower on the GPU side - perhaps a 770 - and do a more balanced system upgrade? That's my suggestion.

 

[tweakboy]

780 would perform better with a higher end CPU.

 

[jacktesterson]

I currently play at 1080p but might be purchasing a 2560 x 1600 monitor sometime in the future.


Regards,

If you're able to upgrade the CPU, I would do so - heck, I don't think a GTX 780 is entirely needed for 1080p. Perhaps you could go a little lower on the GPU side - perhaps a 770 - and do a more balanced system upgrade? That's my suggestion.

Honestly you will be fine for most games OP

 

[daveybrat]

I personally wouldn't buy a GTX 780 with your system as a GTX 770 should be more than enough for 1080P gameplay.

That extra money you save can be put towards a new cpu and motherboard down the road.

 

[jacktesterson]

I personally wouldn't buy a GTX 780 with your system as a GTX 770 should be more than enough for 1080P gameplay.

That extra money you save can be put towards a new cpu and motherboard down the road.

Really, a 760 can handle 1080p just fine for most

OP- How soon you going x 1600 ?

 

[Makaveli]

I personally wouldn't buy a GTX 780 with your system as a GTX 770 should be more than enough for 1080P gameplay.

That extra money you save can be put towards a new cpu and motherboard down the road.

I was thinking this also and agree.

 

[jacktesterson]

Isn't the 770 quite overpriced? Hard to recommend over a 7950 or even a 7870 Tahiti for 1080p

 

[Makaveli]

Isn't the 770 quite overpriced? Hard to recommend over a 7950 or even a 7870 Tahiti for 1080p

Those are also great options all depends on his budget.

He did also state this

Moreover, I currently play at 1080p but might be purchasing a 2560 x 1600 monitor sometime in the future.

 

[toyota]

I would not buy a $650 card if I could not get the best use out of it. a 770 is the most I would put with that cpu at 1920x1080.

"might be purchasing a 2560 x 1600 monitor sometime in the future"

worry about a card for that res when and if you ever do go with a monitor like that.

 

[jacktesterson]

Those are also great options all depends on his budget.

He did also state this

haha..... I already mentioned this above, thanks

 

[Makaveli]

haha..... I already mentioned this above, thanks

I know I agree with your advice.

 

[orbster556]

Thanks for the input everyone, I appreciate the advice you've given.

I suppose I should provide a little more context as this might help you all more accurately assess my options. I'm currently running a GTX 760 FTW at stock speeds. In anticipation of some of the Fall releases -- especially TW: Rome 2 and BF4 -- was thinking of either getting another 670 or purchasing a new card altogether.

Although I initially had favored getting another card to run SLI, I slowly began to favor getting the 780 with the principal reason being that if I could sell my current 670 FTW for $250~300 then the price differential between a new 670 FTW and a 780 becomes mostly negligible. Moreover, I like going the 780 route because I'll be able to purchase a second 780 in two years or so to supplement my overall performance rather than having to dismantle a 670 SLI config and start with an entirely new single card.

That's my reasoning for looking at the 780. I don't know if it makes sense (hence my soliciting the advice of those more knowledgeable than I ) Finally, for those asking, I can't imagine I'll be making the jump to a 1600p monitor until the end of the year, especially if I purchase a new gfx card.

Thanks again for all your help and suggestions.

Regards,

 

[blackened23]

Thanks for the input everyone, I appreciate the advice you've given.

I suppose I should provide a little more context as this might help you all more accurately assess my options. I'm currently running a GTX 760 FTW at stock speeds. In anticipation of some of the Fall releases -- especially TW: Rome 2 and BF4 -- was thinking of either getting another 670 or purchasing a new card altogether.

Although I initially had favored getting another card to run SLI, I slowly began to favor getting the 780 with the principal reason being that if I could sell my current 670 FTW for $250~300 then the price differential between a new 670 FTW and a 780 becomes mostly negligible. Moreover, I like going the 780 route because I'll be able to purchase a second 780 in two years or so to supplement my overall performance rather than having to dismantle a 670 SLI config and start with an entirely new single card.

That's my reasoning for looking at the 780. I don't know if it makes sense (hence my soliciting the advice of those more knowledgeable than I ) Finally, for those asking, I can't imagine I'll be making the jump to a 1600p monitor until the end of the year, especially if I purchase a new gfx card.

Thanks again for all your help and suggestions.

Regards,

You're still focusing too much on the GPU. Your focus should be on a balanced system.

You're spending too much on your GPU when your CPU is - no offense - a joke in many games. CPU limited games absolutely will suffer. Some GPU limited games won't be much different. However, the great majority of games, especially newer ones such as crysis 3, demand a better CPU. BF4 will be heavy on CPU load as well, especially in multiplayer. You're setting yourself up for failure by not upgrading your CPU.

Your system is completely imbalanced, you should balance your CPU and GPU rather than throw all of your resources at the GPU and spending too much on it, while leaving your weak CPU alone. Just my advice. Obviously you can do whatever you want with your $ and nobody here cares, but I think you're spending too much money on an imbalanced system. I've upgraded many lynnfield level systems (i7-870) to Haswell for friends and the difference in most games is fairly immense, regardless of what GPU is in use.

 

[Vesku]

His CPU is at least equivalent to a current i5 at stock, while he may not be extracting 100% of the GTX 780 in a small subset of CPU intensive games @ 1080P the same thing could be said of even a max overclocked Haswell K.

 

[Makaveli]

You're still focusing too much on the GPU. Your focus should be on a balanced system.

You're spending too much on your GPU when your CPU is - no offense - a joke in many games. CPU limited games absolutely will suffer. Some GPU limited games won't be much different. However, the great majority of games, especially newer ones such as crysis 3, demand a better CPU. BF4 will be heavy on CPU load as well, especially in multiplayer. You're setting yourself up for failure by not upgrading your CPU.

Your system is completely imbalanced, you should balance your CPU and GPU rather than throw all of your resources at the GPU and spending too much on it, while leaving your weak CPU alone. Just my advice. Obviously you can do whatever you want with your $ and nobody here cares, but I think you're spending too much money on an imbalanced system. I've upgraded many lynnfield level systems (i7-870) to Haswell for friends and the difference in most games is fairly immense, regardless of what GPU is in use.

What games is a lynnfield processor @ 4ghz a joke?

It should still provide better fps in game than a 8350 at stock.

 

[blackened23]

It should still provide better fps in game than a 8350 at stock.

Oh, you think ? The 8350 is a joke as well. I don't seem to remember ever suggesting an FX CPU to anyone. Nor would I, ever. It's pretty clear that if you want performance, you want intel.

Anyway, the i3-3220 is faster than the i5-760 CPU. The i3-3220 is also faster in nearly every benchmark than the i7-860. But, it is his decision. If he wants a 700$ GPU with a 5 year old CPU that's completely on him. It is, however, the wrong direction to take. If he wants 40-50% of his potential performance in modern games because he has an imbalanced system, it's his money to waste. It's his prerogative. I say, go for it, whatever. I'm just warning him against the bad advice some have presented in favor of a 780 when his CPU WILL hold him back in many games. But, again, it's his money to waste.

 

[Vesku]

In terms of games his 4GHz Nehalem is not a joke anymore than a stock IB or Haswell i5/i7 is a joke.

http://alienbabeltech.com/main/plat...ecs-golden-series-motherboard-and-kingston/8/

 

[Makaveli]

Oh, you think ? The 8350 is a joke as well. I don't seem to remember ever suggesting an FX CPU to anyone. Nor would I, ever. It's pretty clear that if you want performance, you want intel.

Anyway, the i3-3220 is faster than the i5-760 CPU. The i3-3220 is also faster in nearly every benchmark than the i7-860. But, it is his decision. If he wants a 700$ GPU with a 5 year old CPU that's completely on him. It is, however, the wrong direction to take. If he wants 40-50% of his potential performance in modern games because he has an imbalanced system, it's his money to waste. It's his prerogative. I say, go for it, whatever. I'm just warning him against the bad advice some have presented in favor of a 780 when his CPU WILL hold him back in many games. But, again, it's his money to waste.

The AMD chip was only used as an example I don't see where I suggested him buying it.

And you seems to miss the part where I said the 760 is clocked at 4Ghz that chart doesn't show this.

I've seen others imply there is this massive gap between the 1st Gen i7 and the 4th Gen in games and there isn't when first gen is overclocked to 4Ghz+ speeds. If we are talking about apps using AVX,AVX2 maybe but in games that are generally gpu limited this is not the case.

As for the recommendation of the 780 I think most of us have told him to go with a 760 or 770 or 7950 instead of it.

 

[NTMBK]

It's an Intel quad core at 4GHz; you should be fine.

 

[Sazuzaki]

shouldn't have any bottle neck, if there is it should be very minimal.

 

[Bill Brasky]

You're still focusing too much on the GPU. Your focus should be on a balanced system.

You're spending too much on your GPU when your CPU is - no offense - a joke in many games. CPU limited games absolutely will suffer. Some GPU limited games won't be much different. However, the great majority of games, especially newer ones such as crysis 3, demand a better CPU. BF4 will be heavy on CPU load as well, especially in multiplayer. You're setting yourself up for failure by not upgrading your CPU.

Your system is completely imbalanced, you should balance your CPU and GPU rather than throw all of your resources at the GPU and spending too much on it, while leaving your weak CPU alone. Just my advice. Obviously you can do whatever you want with your $ and nobody here cares, but I think you're spending too much money on an imbalanced system. I've upgraded many lynnfield level systems (i7-870) to Haswell for friends and the difference in most games is fairly immense, regardless of what GPU is in use.

I couldn't disagree more in this situation. I think the OP's assessment is right on and he should be focusing on the gpu. In an ideal world, yes you try to have a balanced system. But in this case the money spent on a faster gpu will have a far greater effect on games than what he would get from spending that cash on a new mobo and CPU. Basically, the ROI doesn't justify a new CPU.