What to upgrade: CPU or GPU (with Pimax 5K+ enroute)?

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum and would like your advise

Currently I'm using an i7-2600K overclocked to 4,2Ghz stable.

As to my graphics card, I'm using a Gigabyte GTX1080 G1 with a mild OC

Furthermore 16GB RAM DDR3

DCS (non-steam) is installed on a Samsung Evo 1TB 860 SATA-SSD

I use my Oculus Rift CV1 to fly in DCS

I've always build my own PC's with the best hardware available in my budget and try to build a rig so it could last at least 5 years in that setup.

Now...I've orderd a Pimax 5K+ last week. I've done quite some reading on this forum and looked at various YT video's (like Sweviver) concerning the best way to 'power' the Pimax.

So..I basically have 2 options:

1. Keep my 2600K @4.2Ghz and replace only the 1080

2. Keep the GTX1080 and replace the rest to a Z390 board, i7-9700k, 32GB ram with NVMe 1/2TB Evo's.

Since I live in Europe, as many already know, the price of any RTX2080, 'specially the Ti version, is..well...waaaayyyy expensive.

Therefore a RTX2080 is doable since it costs €900. But a Ti version is about €1200

Sweviver mentioned that even a Ti won't be able to fully address the requirements of the Pimax at this moment (unsure what the future might bring)....and it looks like he's actually saying that a RTX2080 is probably the best buy right now, looking at price vs performance.

But what do your own real-word experiences tell you? Go for the videocard upgrade and keep the 2600K, at least untill the Vulkan change-over is complete? Or vice versa?

From what I can tell so far, the CPU upgrade might contribute a little but the 2080(Ti) might give me a big boost for the next couple of months untill I have the money to upgrade to the desired 9700k.

EDIT: I mentioned the 9700k instead of a Ryzen since DCS is currently more dependent on brute CPU horsepower right? So the Intel will give DCS more umpf than a Ryzen 2700.

Thanks!

Option 2.

I will say, on my previous i7 4820k rig I went from 1080 Ti to 2080 Ti and saw very little difference, but when I upgraded to my new Z390 rig I saw a large difference with the same 2080 Ti.

Option 2.

 

I will say, on my previous i7 4820k rig I went from 1080 Ti to 2080 Ti and saw very little difference, but when I upgraded to my new Z390 rig I saw a large difference with the same 2080 Ti.

Thanks! Even though I'm still running a GTX1080? I can imagine that a RTX2080Ti will benefit from a quicker CPU to deliver the data fast to the card, but the other way round?

Curious how you see this?

Thanks! Even though I'm still running a GTX1080? I can imagine that a RTX2080Ti will benefit from a quicker CPU to deliver the data fast to the card, but the other way round?

Curious how you see this?

I would think so - my personal opinion anyway, 1080 is still a decent card and a Z390 Rig with DDR4 ram should feed it nicely.

With the newer Pimax headsets though, eventually you will want to get a 2080 Ti.

But I would start with the platform.

Hmmm ok. And your setup is also with VR?

Hmmm ok. And your setup is also with VR?

Yes with the Rift.

Well, I just ordered the 9700K, 32GB 3200Mhz RAM, NVMe's to install DCS on and a new motherboard. I'm keeping the 1080 for now...hoping the prices will drop and/or the performance of the cards will increase by new/better drivers (but mainly the price now :-) ).

Well, I just ordered the 9700K, 32GB 3200Mhz RAM, NVMe's to install DCS on and a new motherboard. I'm keeping the 1080 for now...hoping the prices will drop and/or the performance of the cards will increase by new/better drivers (but mainly the price now :-) ).

:thumbup:

Congrats!

Be sure and let us know how you make out with it.

My preliminary findings so far (haven't installed the Rift yet)

Did some benchmarks with the i7-2600K, 16GB DDR3 RAM, Sata SSD and the GTX1080 (slightly OC'ed) before upgrading.

Passmark's results:

- Rating: 4641,4

- CPU 8490,6

- 2D Graphics : 790,3

- 3D Graphics : 12809,5

- Memory : 2402,2

- Disk: 5240,9

VRMark Orange Room: 7672

3DMark: 6047

Then changed to an i7-9700K with 32GB 3200Mhz RAM, Z390 motherbord, 2x NVMe Evo 970 500GB and the same GTX1080 (not OC'ed this time)

Passmark's results:

- Rating: 8250,6

- CPU 19046,8

- 2D Graphics : 1147,1

- 3D Graphics : 14303

- Memory : 3830,8

- Disk: 25916,9

VRMark Orange Room: 12442

3DMark: 7732

The overall performance increase is quite visible (doubling of the CPU score, 1,5x 2D increase, almost no increase in the 3D area according to Passmark) and a 4,5x increase in diskperformance.

VRMark, which simulates VR (as the name suggests) shows an 1,6x increase.

So...my guess is that the card is almost stretched out concerning it's performance now. Maybe a OC will give me a bit more.

Next: get the Rift installed and do some DCS :) As far as I've read, I might get some visual enhancements at a higher level than before...with the exception of MSAA since that'll kill DCS in VR.

I'm blaming both of you for my decision to do a new build. ;) I'm going to start with the 9900k and Asus mobo. It'll probably take me a little over a month to get everything together, chip, mobo, SSD, gfx card. That is if I don't get impulsive. Have the M2 drives proven to help with DCS performance at all?

I'm blaming both of you for my decision to do a new build. ;) I'm going to start with the 9900k and Asus mobo. It'll probably take me a little over a month to get everything together, chip, mobo, SSD, gfx card. That is if I don't get impulsive. Have the M2 drives proven to help with DCS performance at all?

:megalol:

I haven't tried DCS yet (only started it to see if it would start at all :smilewink:

Right now I'm testing my 9700K running at 5,1Ghz :D

Cool. Please keep us posted.:thumbup:

I got the 5k+ and the standard 1080. Not spending on a gfx card as spending on even a 2080ti will give the desired performance.

This is a DCS problem and I will wait for ED to update the graphics engine so I know what kind of card I need.

Silly to spend on this generation card if it turns out in 6 months, you need next gen. :)

Honestly, I'm trying to keep pace with Wags. Not even a couple of months ago, he had the same specs as I do. I might go broke doing it though. :)

Latest update: I was able to get the 9700K up to 5,1Ghz quite easily and also OC'ed my GTX1080 again.

In DCS I can run almost everything at high settings. Right now I'm running PD1.8 with MSAAA 2x and AF at 8x and get about 60-80fps on the Caucasus map in a F-15 (I use the Shaders mod btw)

I can see that the 1080 is constantly at 100% while the CPU sits comfortably at 21-25% load.

Next I'll await the Pimax 5K+ and see how it performs, especially since they keep updating Pitool with some nice features such as Brainwarp.

In the meantime I'll keep monitoring the 2080Ti prices (hopefully they'll start dropping soon :) )

Thanks for the update. I’ve been thinking real heavy on my steps and I’m leaning towards just getting the 2080ti first, but I haven’t made up my mind yet. I’ve read the 6700k could possibly bottleneck the 2080ti so upgrading the chip would be necessary. Also dburne said when he jumped from 4th gen to 9th gen he saw a big difference. I’ll be jumping 3 generations, so there might be big improvement also. I’m still weighing my options though. I just want to have everything up and running by the time the Tomcat is released. :)