GPU/Monitor upgrade advice, 1K budget

Ian13 · 23 Jun 2019 at 21:28

I've got an i7 4790K processor at 4ghz, currently using just an AMD R9 290 card, & a cheap 27 inch monitor, years old. Used to have a 980TI, died on me a few years ago.

I'm considering getting a 4K monitor, 32 inch, & probably an AMD Vega 64.

This is for gaming, nothing too demanding, World of Tanks & heavily modded Skyrim, eye candy at 4K hopefully.

I'm seeing a variety of 32/34" 4K monitors with a 4ms refresh at around £500, I doubt I'd notice the difference between 4ms & 1ms. My current monitor is an Asus VE278, can't tell what variant of that, so just possibly 2ms.

I've read something saying 4k on a 27" isn't so hot, anything bigger than a 34" & I'd have desk space problems.

So, these fairly cheap 32" 4K monitors look tempting, & the Vega 64s look pretty good value for money (& may drop in July when AMD release, what is it, Navi?).

Any recommendations?

Oh, a gpu quieter than the R9 290 would be very welcome, though I think most are these days?

EsaT · 23 Jun 2019 at 22:02

3840x2160 is extremely demanding for GPU power, which goes directly up with the pixel count.
And 32" choise is rather lackluster.
Myself have had 30" 2560x1600 for IIRC 5½ years and 32" 3840x2160 would be pretty much only one not clear downgrade in something.

2560x1440 is still pretty much the sweet spot not needing expensive GPU.
It has ~80% more pixels per frame than your current 1920x1080.
3840x2160 has 4x the pixel count.

Quartz · 23 Jun 2019 at 23:30

Ian13 said:
I've read something saying 4k on a 27" isn't so hot,

I game at 4k on a 27" monitor and whatever you've been reading is utter tosh. The high ppi makes graphics look far better.

Ian13 · 24 Jun 2019 at 19:21

Thank you, I'm considering then a 34" monitor with less than 4K, plus, currently a Vega 64 - I'd also like the bigger size.