Another Upgrade Advice Thread

Hello ya'll!

I'm on the hunt to upgrade, and was hoping for some tips from the community. My main goal is to upgrade my GPU, and Processor if need be.

Current Build:

i5-4690K @ 3.5GHz

16GB RAM

AMD R9 380 4GB DDR5

MSI Z97S Motherboard

600W Power Supply

I'm not too concerned with current GPU prices. I'm just looking for something that can run 2.5 well with MSAA, etc. Appreciate any help!

Hello,

Resolution? CPU cooler? Power supply model?

I have water cooling and I currently run on a 1920x1080 monitor. I honestly don't know the power supply model. It literally just says standard 600W.

All you need is to overclock the CPU at 4.4+Ghz, and a 1060 6GB or 1070.

All you need is to overclock the CPU at 4.4+Ghz, and a 1060 6GB or 1070.

+1

The PSU should be on that lis too for replacement if you encounter instability, too much heat and / or noise. If it is a good one, it will suffice, if it is of lesser quality 600w might be on the edge.

Expect a 300-350w power draw overclocked while gaming. Maybe more, depending on various factors.

It's no bad idea to buy a PSU 1 step bigger than actually needed. the goal is to have a 50% load as a maximum daily use. If you draw more, they get all hot n loud after an hour or so, no exception. Even the best ones need a fan beyond 50-60%, been there with mine too at 800w in Dual GPU mining + CPU. That got noisy :(. Whereas I can mine single GPU+CPU 24/7 or any other task and the fan never spins up, PSU never above 48°C, cool running.

If I'm reading you right, your CPU is perfectly fine and your graphics card (I'm not an AMD user) is a 2015 960 equivalent. Simply get a 1060 3GB (if you plan on staying in 1920x1080), a 1070, or a 1080 depending on your budget and you will be able to max out most graphics options (even with the 1060) in 1080p 60 Hz.

Check out my optimisation guide to see what kind of performance you can expect even with a 1060 3GB upgrade (our other components are almost the same and I play in 1200p).

Even a 1060 would almost double your performance. Why I'm mentioning the 1060 3GB specifically (beyond the fact that I have one) is because I managed to get one discounted at 50% of a full price 1060 6GB and if you find a deal like that, the bang for your buck really shoots through the roof.

+1

 

The PSU should be on that lis too for replacement if you encounter instability, too much heat and / or noise. If it is a good one, it will suffice, if it is of lesser quality 600w might be on the edge.

Expect a 300-350w power draw overclocked while gaming. Maybe more, depending on various factors.

 

It's no bad idea to buy a PSU 1 step bigger than actually needed. the goal is to have a 50% load as a maximum daily use. If you draw more, they get all hot n loud after an hour or so, no exception. Even the best ones need a fan beyond 50-60%, been there with mine too at 800w in Dual GPU mining + CPU. That got noisy :(. Whereas I can mine single GPU+CPU 24/7 or any other task and the fan never spins up, PSU never above 48°C, cool running.

600W "on the edge"? He will need about 330W and efficiency peaks at about 40-60%, which is well within that margin and even then, I've personally been using a 420W PSU with probably 95% load and no problems to speak of for years... it's also fully passively cooled, which is the exception to your "no exception".

Thanks for the help! Your thread is a great value!

He said "If it's of lesser quality 600w"

Yes, a cheap/average psu will degrade rapidly over time, and less capable to feed the power hungry GPU/CPU. His system need 350+w (30w CPU overclock room) to run.

How can you suggest 3GB of Vram, when you experience frame drops due to low Vram quantity (3GB)?

I'd upgrade the gpu first if I were you. Get 1070 or 1080 and forget getting 1060.

As mentioned by above poster OC your CPU as high as it can.

And listen to Bitmaster recommendation :D

Good luck

The absolute minimum GPU I would ever recommend for DCS or a good decent "gaming PC" would be the 1060 "6GB" and then match a CPU to max this card out.

I think your CPU would, if you ring the neck out of it with an overclock?

You should be able to run high settings in DCS @ 1080P.

Below would be the most cost effective option.

All you need is to overclock the CPU at 4.4+Ghz, and a 1060 6GB or 1070.

+1

 

The PSU should be on that lis too for replacement if you encounter instability, too much heat and / or noise. If it is a good one, it will suffice, if it is of lesser quality 600w might be on the edge.

Expect a 300-350w power draw overclocked while gaming. Maybe more, depending on various factors.

 

It's no bad idea to buy a PSU 1 step bigger than actually needed. the goal is to have a 50% load as a maximum daily use. If you draw more, they get all hot n loud after an hour or so, no exception. Even the best ones need a fan beyond 50-60%, been there with mine too at 800w in Dual GPU mining + CPU. That got noisy . Whereas I can mine single GPU+CPU 24/7 or any other task and the fan never spins up, PSU never above 48°C, cool running.

snip...

 

600W "on the edge"? He will need about 330W and efficiency peaks at about 40-60%, which is well within that margin and even then, I've personally been using a 420W PSU with probably 95% load and no problems to speak of for years... it's also fully passively cooled, which is the exception to your "no exception".

You are pulling 95% load from a PASSIV cooled 420w PSU for years ?

You must be very lucky or something is not true in that statement.

What are the specs and modell of that said PSU, Demon will for sure have a chart for it, he got charts for every PSU on this damn planet I guess ;)

How can you suggest 3GB of Vram, when you experience frame drops due to low Vram quantity (3GB)?

I don't.

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=3402062&postcount=13

Are you English-native? "I've yet to experience" means I haven't experienced it yet.

Thus, you think that it can happen... The way you talk. You get my point? End of story.

Well. I just got the new card. GTX 1060 3GB.

The difference is night and day. 60-70 FPS with near maxed settings. No stutter. I still have some testing to do but I'm really happy with the card.

D.Va you were right, I was able to save significantly with the 3GB model. Thank you for the help!

Thus, you think that it can happen... The way you talk. You get my point? End of story.

I've only played DCS 2.5 for about 12 hours, but if it hasn't happened in any situation I've thrown at it yet, including free flights over Caucasus and Nevada, over forests and cities, and some included missions, including flying over the most graphically intense areas I've been able to find and a small amount of combat as well, I have little reason to think it will happen. This is called evidence-based research.

Well. I just got the new card. GTX 1060 3GB.

 

The difference is night and day. 60-70 FPS with near maxed settings. No stutter. I still have some testing to do but I'm really happy with the card.

 

D.Va you were right, I was able to save significantly with the 3GB model. Thank you for the help!

Great!