Is my i3 3220 holding my 7850 2GB back?

[Drake5]

I have an i3 3220 along with an overclocked 7850 2GB (1150/1225).

In Sleeping Dogs with VSYNC OFF, I'm not always getting maximum GPU usage. Does this indicate a CPU bottleneck?

I'm under the impression that the GPU should ALWAYS be 99% GPU usage, but I notice that mine fluctuates between 80% and 99% on Sleeping Dogs.

Can anyone please advise?

Thanks

 

[Drake5]

Yes, more than likely - time for an upgrade?

It's a bit gutting because I only bought this system a few weeks ago brand new.

Oh well payday isn't to far away, which CPU to go for?

 

[Drake5]

i5 3570K. I take it you have a Z77 motherboard?

Nope, the motherboard is a b75. I think I'll sell the cpu and mobo I have now and get the i5 and b77. Good idea?

 

[Drake5]

Yeah z77 sorry.

Might even go for the 7890 as well? Is. It worth it?

 

[Drake5]

So I'm thinking the i5, z77 and 7970.

 

[Drake5]

So just go for the cpu then guys? I'm not bothered about ocing the cpu for now so the motherboard is okay to stay as is?

Also how can I be fully sure it's bottlenecking?

 

[Drake5]

How about getting an i7 and a 7970? If money is no object.

Don't tempt me.

I just don't really have cash to spend on anything else lol. Really don't know what to do.

 

[Drake5]

Ok, so a few things.

When I put AA on extreme in Sleeping Dogs, GPU Usage is always 99% - Does this still resemble a bottleneck?

Will a STOCK i5 3570k bottleneck with my 7850? Will I see a noticeable performance increase?

Cheers

 

[Drake5]

i can play sleeping dogs on a 7850 with an older i3 540 @stock clocks just fine,ok so not all the eye candy is switched on but still playable at 1920x1080

It's does run ok, it can dip in the 30's which is annoying though.

 

[Drake5]

No CPU bottleneck, that's the GPU being maxed out.
I assume if you don't put extreme AA on, it isn't 99%, not being at 99% would be a CPU limitation.

Yeah as said if I put AA on High, the GPU usage sometimes goes up to 99 but it does vary between 80-99.

One thing I do want to know, would the i5 give me a noticeable performance increase?

 

[Drake5]

Probably not with a 7850.
But there's some games that can't utilise more than 2 threads, in those there won't be much/anything between the i3 and i5 (Older games)

So even though the GPU would no longer be bottle necking I still wouldn't see a performance increase?

Budget really isn't an issue here and I could get a Z77 Mobo aswell, however it took so much time and effort to get my graphics card stable on the overclock, I don't know if I want to go through that again with the CPU lol.

 

[Drake5]

I need to know if it's actually going to be worth it though... Performance wise.

 

[Drake5]

Hard decision to make...

 

[Drake5]

I noticed on Skyrim aswell my GPU was only being used 60%... Just really frustrated now because I do want everything running properly.

 

[Drake5]

Which i7 should I get Matt? I really don't know anything about i7's.

 

[Drake5]

As I said above I just want everything to run properly. If that means just getting the i5 3570k and a Z77 then that's fine with me. Is it really worth waiting for the new CPU's? Are they going to provide that much of a difference?

 

[Drake5]

To be honest, I just don't know what to do. PC's seem like to much hassle and I don't even feel like gaming anymore... Might even just consider downgrading again... And getting rid of my rig for a laptop.

 

[Drake5]

I just want to get the i5 3570k and the Z77 but am I wasting my money...

The i5 3570k will be future proof won't it? and I can always overclock it.

So the 2 benifits will be overclocking it and my GPU won't be getting bottlenecked?

 

[Drake5]

Which Z77 board should I go for?

 

[Drake5]

How long till Haswell though?