Dilemma - CPU or GPU upgrade?

banjoted

banjoted

banjoted

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Help me out here guys!

This is my current rig:

AMD FX-6300 (oc'd to 4.5ghz)
Crossfire HD 7950s (oc'd to 1200/1350)
Asus Sabertooth 990FX
8GB 1600 RAM
850w XFX PSU
Bitfenix Shinobi

Now, I'd been all set on upgrading the CPU to either an i5 3570k or i7 3770k. I've got a mobo (ASRock Extreme 4) and had ordered an i7 from a popular auction site. However, the guy ripped me off. No communication and never turned up (he even blocked me on YouTube when I found him there and deleted his Twitter account to avoid my questions!) I have a case open with him which I can escalate for a refund on Wednesday, at which point I was planning to order another Intel CPU (this time from a reliable seller like Overclockers!).

However, I've got cold feet!

After reading a couple of articles saying that an FX-8350 would be the better "future-proof" upgrade due to the multi-core AMD processors on PS3 and Xbox One, I'm wondering if I should go down that route instead.

If I did that it would free up cash for me to ditch the 7950s and go for a GTX 780. I know AMD has these new drivers on the way next month for Crossfire owners but I'd be lying if I said a single GPU solution doesn't appeal - quieter, cooler, potentially smoother!

But the i5/i7 benchmarks suggest either will destroy an FX-8350.

So which will give me the best performance and the better long-term build? The Intel CPU with my Crossfire 7950s or the eight-core AMD with a 780?

Help!
 
I would go for an i7 because lots of games utilise more than 4 threads these days.

You could probably pick up a used i7 2600K/2700K for a reasonable price. And as the P67/Z68 chipsets were designed for Sandybridge, and the Sandybridge chips generally get lower temps, I would consider it a better option to a 3770K in all honesty. Overclock a 2600K/2700K by as little as 250MHz and you have 3770K performance anyway.

And unless the board is a Gen 3, you wouldn't be able to use PCI-E 3.0 anyway. (Which Ivy but not Sandy supports)
 
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banjoted said:
Mmm, interesting. I hadn't considered the 2600k or 2700k. They don't seem that much cheaper?
Click to expand...

Are they not? That honestly surprises me... Well keep looking for 3770K's I suppose. But don't hesitate to get a 2600K/2700K if one comes up cheaper. It's a shame that you don't have access to the MM really.
 
mickyflinn said:
You named 3 thats not lots, and give stats of performance gains with hyperthreading .
Click to expand...
Just because I can only recall 3 doesn't mean there are only 3. I'm not lucky enough to have an i7 system so I can't compare performance with HT on or off.

I dont know what the gains are, but I know there are gains, and I know that more games are likely to utilise more threads in the future.

I have heard that people who go from an i7 920 to a 3570K (heaven knows why they did that buy hey ho) actually get worse frame rates in some games due to the fact that hyperthreading was being utilised with their old CPU. :rolleyes:
 
banjoted said:
Help me out here guys!

This is my current rig:

AMD FX-6300 (oc'd to 4.5ghz)
Crossfire HD 7950s (oc'd to 1200/1350)
Asus Sabertooth 990FX
8GB 1600 RAM
850w XFX PSU
Bitfenix Shinobi

Now, I'd been all set on upgrading the CPU to either an i5 3570k or i7 3770k. I've got a mobo (ASRock Extreme 4) and had ordered an i7 from a popular auction site. However, the guy ripped me off. No communication and never turned up (he even blocked me on YouTube when I found him there and deleted his Twitter account to avoid my questions!) I have a case open with him which I can escalate for a refund on Wednesday, at which point I was planning to order another Intel CPU (this time from a reliable seller like Overclockers!).

However, I've got cold feet!

After reading a couple of articles saying that an FX-8350 would be the better "future-proof" upgrade due to the multi-core AMD processors on PS3 and Xbox One, I'm wondering if I should go down that route instead.

If I did that it would free up cash for me to ditch the 7950s and go for a GTX 780. I know AMD has these new drivers on the way next month for Crossfire owners but I'd be lying if I said a single GPU solution doesn't appeal - quieter, cooler, potentially smoother!

But the i5/i7 benchmarks suggest either will destroy an FX-8350.

So which will give me the best performance and the better long-term build? The Intel CPU with my Crossfire 7950s or the eight-core AMD with a 780?

Help!
Click to expand...

In all honestly you will not gain CRAZY performance increases if you changed cpu to i5/i7/8350 or 780

From what you already have I think its good enough to be considered a "long term build" because surely it does not give you any issues? I mean an SSD if you do not have one would be a great addition!

If you really DO wanna upgrade CPU then yeah the i5 or 8350 would be fine as you have the motherboards for them (personally I love the sabertooth you have).

GPU I really think 2x7950 are great I mean you must be getting some good performance in game and if you really want to go overkill then sli 780 :P.
 
3570k is a very good choice, for just gaming you wont notice enough of a difference (I.M.O) to warrant the extra money for the i7. I highly recommend the Asrock extreme 4 see my sig :)
 
Whoops sorry, if your motherboard is a Z77 then it is designed for Ivybridge so you should discount my previous advice to get a Sandybridge CPU.

I thought that it was the P67/Z68 version as they share the same name (see sig)
 
Go for the CPU and here's why.

The fact that you are running Crossfire means that you are getting more performance for your money. I would bet your dual Crossfire cards can outperform a single 7970 or 7990 easily.

The choice is obvious for me.
 
banjoted said:
OK, thank for all the feedback guys. Looks like it'll be either an i5 3570k or an i7 3770k.
Click to expand...

Good plan. I also suggest budgeting for a good aftermarket cooler too. Around £50-£80..

Getting a good overclock on them may increase you performance in some games/benchmarks.

Id look at the D14, K2, H80i.. These are all very good coolers. :)
 
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