If a bottleneck is possible as previously tested on a 7850 when using an i3 3220 with Hyper Threading giving 4 threads then you can be sure it will be even more noticeable on an older gen i3 with only two cores. 40% gpu usage missing from skyrim and 30% missing from Sleeping Dogs which is a gpu dependant game. You can probably expect even lower usage with an older gen cpu with less cores/threads. In this instance unless he is planning to upgrade or only play older games that benefit from two cores he would be better spending his money elsewhere than buying a gpu that his cpu will not be able to keep up with. You should try playing bf3 64 player with an i3. Expect 30 fps a lot.

 

Let's say the OP takes your advice and buys a 7790. Nothing wrong with the GPU and a card suited to the very casual gamer, it will probably still bottleneck but let's not worry about that for now.

Now in let's say, 9 months time, the OP is a fan of Crysis 3, Battlefield 4, Tomb Raider, blah blah blah, the 7790 isn't really the card if the OP decides he 'very much enjoys gaming on his PC' and likes the smoothness/gfx detail that the PC offers. He has spent his money on a 7790 and will need to upgrade that, as well as his CPU. At least if he buys a 7850 or a 660, he only has to upgrade the CPU.

You see my point? It is all about having further options in the future and possibly saving a few quid.



When we take this bench result, you can clearly see it isn't up to max details and playable with either a 7790 or a 650TI in my opinion but owners of a 7850 and a 660 will tell you it is playable on their system. I am not saying the OP wants max details but if in the future he decides he does, he already has the GPU to give him that option and just needs a CPU to go with it. With your way of thinking, he would have to get a new GPU as well as a new CPU and for the fact of £15-£30 on the original purchase, I just don't think it is worth that saving.

And you had the cheek to ask what planet I live on....

Ohhh and the OP has already said he isn't adverse to upgrading his CPU in the future if needed or are you just wanting to make me look wrong and in doing so, cost the OP more in the long run?

 

Read my posts again Greg. All this has already been said.

 

Plenty of Bottleneck scaremongering and Mickey did recommend a 650ti, which you backed him up on twice (fair enough and not a bad card at all) but again, it offers no future proofing at all.

The OP has enough info hopefully and can make his own choice.

I stand by my original choice of a 660 or a 7850. It will cost ~£20 more but worth it in the long run.

 

Hopefully its fine and it is the GPU that is the issue but for instance the PSU could be on the may out and not powering the 430 while which uses far more power than the on board chip. Or another scenario is the motherboard having PCI-E issues.

You are right that the only way you can find out is try new hardware, I just wanted to make sure that you know that there is a chance that you would get your shiny new card and still have a problem.

You will need to check if your current power supply will be able to power your new card (12v rail Amps and PCI-E connectors). - we can do this for you if you can tell us your powersupply model.

 

LOL future proofing now theres a topic in itself.

650ti boost in sli

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_650_Ti_Boost_SLI/23.html

Buy for now not for tomorrow, i remember buying an AMD 64 Bit processor back in the day it was at least 2 upgrades and 4 years before any benefit. Now cpu cores are a different matter as games are starting to utilize more than 2 cores.

 

Don't normally agree with you Greg, but from my experience of an i3 2120, games like bf3 mutliplayer choke with a 6950 or a 7850 at 1080p, asasins creed 3 engine is so poorly coded ether my 2600k or the i3 both dip now and then. If the op was to game at 1080p the 7790 is pretty poor for its price, 2gb and 128 bit memory is too pricey. This is where I agree with you spend a little more on a 650ti boost or 7850 or 660 and even if the CPU will hold back the true potential at least if the CPU was upgraded he wouldn't be left with a poor gpu.

 

+1 for 660
It's a little over budget, but if you sell on the vouchers that come with it, it'll come in well under budget, and is a good chunk more powerful than a 650Ti.

 

Very good Matthew, the trouble with that is, straight after, you tell the OP to take Mickey's and Your advice, which again is a 650TI.

Let it go, you have made your recommendation and stuck by it. I have made mine and stuck by it. It isn't for us to tell the OP what he should do but merely advise to the best of our knowledge.

Edit:

A good idea would be to show the OP how much of a bottleneck he should expect with a 7850/660 and the difference with a 7790/650TI. I have no idea personally, but I am sure it isn't as bad as you are making it out. I will see if I can find anything out.

Edit 2:

Nope, anytime a GPU is tested, it is done with a fast CPU so as not to see a bottleneck at all.

 

If the op can stretch to an extra £10 he can get a 2GB GTX 660 for around £147.

Unfortunately not from OcUK though, as their 660's are quite high in price in comparison to other places.