3.5 + 5.5 Year Upgrade

[dlockers]

I mostly (exclusively) play Battlefield 5. I think my SSD is holding me back space wise, and given its age should look to be replaced. Is there mileage in upgrading the GTX 970? I don't think CPU is ever a bottleneck but memory on Chrome with infinite Reddit can slow the whole thing down.

I'm fairly sure I am M2 and DDR3 2400MHz compatible if this is worth exploiting?

No budget but definitely not one to send stuff to landfill. I had my i7 920 D0 for 6 years before upgrading.

Mobo: MSI Z97 Gaming 7 | 08/05/2015
RAM: HyperX FURY 2x8GB 1600MHz CL10 | 08/05/2015
CPU: Intel i7 4790K | 08/05/2015
Graphics: MSI GTX 970 Twin Frozr? 4GB | 08/05/2015
PSU: Corsair CXM 650W | RMA in last year
SSD: Samsung 830 256GB | 07/09/2012
Monitor: Dell U2711 | 03/04/2012
Case: Lian Li A05B | 21/01/2010

Thanks!

Edit: I also notice some screen tear on the U2711. I'm connected via DVI-D at 1440p. Is this the best connectivity?

 

[4K8KW10]

Hi,

Well, have you overclocked the processor?
If not and if you have a good cooler, try to overclock it as much as your board and cooling allow, and then upgrade the GTX 970 with the much better Radeon RX 5700.
Once you have the RX 5700, undervolt it and flash its BIOS with the XT one.
There is also a M.2 slot on your board, so a new SSD as well:

My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x Asus Radeon RX 5700 8GB GDDR6 PCI-Express Graphics Card *ASUS £65 CASHBACK*= £314.99
• 1 x Gigabyte 256GB M.2 PCIe x4 NVMe SSD/Solid State Drive= £35.99

Total: £361.48 (includes shipping: £10.50)
​

 

[Journey]

I don't think CPU is ever a bottleneck

BFV likes cores, as well as speed. So it will hold you back, just a fact of that specific title.

I'm fairly sure I am M2 and DDR3 2400MHz compatible if this is worth exploiting?

You are in a position where buying anything other than a graphics card is a waste of money.

I've said this a few time to people in your position, you could just as well sell your whole system for a decent sum of money. Give it a good clean, and rebuild and whack it in a cheap RGB case if you like the Lian Li then and you'll get a good chunk of change for it.

Put that towards a nice new Ryzen 7 3700X build with something like an RX 5700XT for 1440P, and then save up for a high refresh rate monitor 100Hz+

 

[4K8KW10]

Edit: I also notice some screen tear on the U2711. I'm connected via DVI-D at 1440p. Is this the best connectivity?

Nope, the best connection is DisplayPort.

 

[Disco_P]

Upgrade the GPU first, that'll give you the biggest bump in performance. RX 5700 is a great card, either the ASUS blower cause it's so cheap at £250 but it is loud, or the Sapphire Pulse.

M.2 SSDs are good, but don't expect a jump in system speed from them. I didn't upgrading from the same SSD you have, maybe if I got my stopwatch out during a load screen but I digress.

Save the rest of your funds for a platform upgrade to AM4 or the like.

 

[dlockers]

Hi,

Well, have you overclocked the processor?
If not and if you have a good cooler, try to overclock it as much as your board and cooling allow, and then upgrade the GTX 970 with the much better Radeon RX 5700.
Once you have the RX 5700, undervolt it and flash its BIOS with the XT one.
There is also a M.2 slot on your board, so a new SSD as well:

My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x Asus Radeon RX 5700 8GB GDDR6 PCI-Express Graphics Card *ASUS £65 CASHBACK*= £314.99
• 1 x Gigabyte 256GB M.2 PCIe x4 NVMe SSD/Solid State Drive= £35.99

Total: £361.48 (includes shipping: £10.50)
​

Thanks,

Ordered the 5770, some more RAM and will keep my eye out for an M2 SSD.

Will let you know how I get on!

 

[4K8KW10]

Thanks,

Ordered the 5770, some more RAM and will keep my eye out for an M2 SSD.

Will let you know how I get on!

Good, don't forget that the RX 5700 is subject to some tweaking in the Radeon Software.
Undervolting is important, so you would get lower power consumption and a quieter card.