1440p144, or 4k60 (freesync, weak CPU)

[Asa]

Hey,

Recently switched brand on my main PC because I simply needed HDMI 2.0. That means my spare parts PC has inherited an R9-295x-2, and potentially 2 R9-290s. Unfortunately paired with a gen 1 i5 @3Ghz, and 8GB of 1333Mhz RAM.

I quite fancy taking the opportunity to get the old boy up to some gaming, and I don't like all that GPU grunt powering my aging monitor. Looking to upgrade that.

So bearing in mind the weak CPU on my system, would you think I will get the best freesync experience out of a 1440p monitor, or from one of Samsung's 4k efforts?

I will upgrade the rest of that system in time (and add at least 1 spare 290 when I do), but for now it's just going to be the monitor.

Thanks!

 

[Howling]

Thought about 3440x1440? The ultra wides seem sick. I'm on a Samsung 4k at the minute and I'm just waiting for reviews on the Acer ultrawide freesync before picking it up

 

[JediFragger]

4k has less emphasis on the cpu when gaming, so it might be worth thinking on. Also as Howling says the Ultrawides are pretty sweet

 

[ALXAndy]

When my motherboard went bang I had to use a 8 core Ivy Xeon @ 2ghz. This is compared to what I was running, a 3970x @ 4.7ghz.

In GTAV I saw absolutely no difference.

However, you need to remember that both my 3970x and Xeon had considerably more cache than your first gen I5.

I used to run an I5 2400 and in Crysis 3 it fell apart, easily swatted aside by an AMD FX 8320 running at 4.5ghz. I'm talking doubles on the min FPS (from 19 to low 40s)

Personally I would invest in a better CPU that runs a faster clock.

 

[Poneros]

I'd go for the big Mango 4K Freesync monitor.

 

[Asa]

Thanks, I'll probably give the 4k a shot.

I try not to buy things for this PC directly, prefer to buy for my main PC and cycle things through to this one. The i7-3820 isn't really showing it's age yet though, so I might have to find an excuse to force that issue lol.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

The way games are being released these days, you'd be best with 4k eye candy and 60fps, which is the locked frame rate of choice it seems.