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The next best thing for GPU performance

Dirk Diggler

Dirk Diggler

Dirk Diggler

Soldato
Joined
6 Jan 2013
Posts
22,364
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Rollergirl
OP updated May 2019

I'm looking to make a purchase this summer or autumn and I've been doing a lot of research. I'm finding it difficult to fix on what to go for because of fanboy entrenchment and people maybe not understanding that there's no point buying something that doesn't meet the needs of the intended purpose. There's also this kind of gamble going on where people are purchasing tech based on what they think the future will need?

I have no preference for Intel or AMD.

Here's my criteria:
  • I want to push the latest GPU to the highest FPS possible at 1440p.
  • I want to push multiple GPU's in this way (maybe SLI will improve etc) SLI is dead!
  • I'm happy to sell on after a year if something better comes along - so longevity isn't a big factor.
  • My preference is micro ATX/ITX without losing too much CPU performance (overclocking etc).
  • Budget is not an issue
  • This build is for pure GPU performance, I'm not interested in how fast it can encode an episode of Game of Thrones - intended use is gaming only.
  • Current CPU is 2700x.
So where would you invest?
 
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DragonQ said:
Well you can expect a very small clock boost over both of those with X299, and a small IPC boost over the 5930K. Aside from more cores you're not going to get much.
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Yes, that may very well be it. I'm saying longevity isn't important but it may be forced upon me as there isn't much improvement on the way.

That's kind of why I'm asking the question here, for pure engine to GPU performance I'm not convinced that there's much on the way. The 6700k is two years old now, and the 5930k is three years old. With all the talk of resurgence and competition and cores etc.. I'm looking at what's there for a GPU powerhouse and it's not improving much from what I can see?
 
X-Mikuru_Beam-X said:
:D:D:D
I wouldn't be swapping out that beast! :D
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It's for sale in the MM. It breaks my heart to sell it, as it does 4.9Ghz @ 1.4v when benching, and sits comfortable at 4.4 @ 1.26v 24/7 ... But I can't find a mATX board for it, and I don't want to go back to ATX.

I think I need to hang on to the 6700k for a while yet, and look out for a decent upgrade in the mATX form factor. Although, that could be years away!
 
Just checking in to see if much has changed since the major CPU releases recently? Looks like still no point in investing until next year at the earliest?
 
DragonQ said:
Only HEDT has changed since Ryzen launched, so it depends if you're interested in high numbers of PCIe lanes or cores. Threadripper looks interesting for a Linux GPU passthrough system but it's a lot of dough for what is pretty much an experiment. Otherwise, Intel's Coffee Lake comes out next month (high end parts first, lower end next year) and AMD's Pinnacle Ridge is due in February.
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gavinh87 said:
If your looking for the absolute best out of your GPU as the thread title suggests, then its x299 with the 7740x (although buying a quad now is madness) or the 8700k due to release on the 5th october should fit the bill.
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I don't think quad is the way forward as you say @gavinh87 so I'll keep an eye on the 8700k benchmarks.
 
I've had a Google around to assess the 8700k in comparison to my current CPU's and it looks like potential 15% speed increase over the 6700k and 20% over the 5930k. Depending on overclocking potential and subsequent heat being manageable, I could be tempted. I'll obviously need to wait for actual release to assess all that plus motherboard choice, RAM compatibility etc..

Is it safe to say I need to allocate my 5930k as my second system and sell the 6700k to make way for the new CPU in my main gaming system? It might seem an obvious question, but is quad core the new duo? I'm still not seeing games utilise more than one core let alone more than four, but maybe I haven't experienced the games that do?

The question isn't "should I buy a quad core" as the answer is an overwhelming No, the question is are quad core CPU's still relevant for gaming?
 
I've just had a look at TechPowerUp's 8700k review for both average and minimum FPS in gaming benchmarks. I'm actually surprised at the [email protected] v's [email protected] comparisons. There's a fraction of a frame in it on lot of the comparisons, and even when the newer chip pulls away it's not by much at all.

It's great that the CPU market is vibrant right now, but GPU remains king for gaming regardless of core count. I'll resurrect this thread on the next CPU release and see how things stack up. :)
 
The plot has thickened a little recently so I've brought this one back up for some advice. I'm getting a little annoyed at the hitching in AC:O and was contemplating pairing my 5930k up with the 1080ti as I currently have the 1080ti paired with the 6700k (the 5930k is currently paired with a 980ti). A couple of questions are holding me back:

  • Will I see much improvement with a 5930k/1080ti v's the 6700k/1080ti system? Both CPU's will be at 4.4GHz and both PCs are full custom water so this is going to be a bit of a chew switching things around. Worth it?
  • Is there anything imminent in H1 2018 that will significantly outperform both my current CPUs?
  • Is this Intel bug a factor; as in should I be looking to go AMD? Is there a Ryzen refresh due soon?

I've got plenty in the budget, but I don't want to be spending for the sake of it.
 
@SiDeards73 thanks for that.

I just downloaded the game onto the 5930k/980ti system and the 6 cores seem to cope much better, around 50% usage across all 12 threads compared to 90% across all 8 on the 6700k... and the hitching is gone, too.

Bit of a dilemma now. :(
 
I'm going to pull the trigger on the next release, as 4 cores aren't cutting it any longer. It's looking like I'll go AMD this time too, unless Intel do something special (and reassuring).
 
I've switched the 6700k out for the 5930k and have it paired up with the 1080ti and first impressions are that it's a big improvement due to the extra cores.

I'll keep an eye out for what comes along this year, as I fear this bug with Intel may affect my 5930k and steer me over to AMD.

Time will tell. :)
 
DragonQ said:
Do you regret going for the i7-6700K? I remember when it first came out, the i7-5920K was actually cheaper despite having an extra two cores and being on an HEDT platform and most people were recommending it above the Skylake chip.
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It's slightly more complicated as I didn't buy purely for performance. I bought it as I wanted to go micro ATX and I couldn't find a motherboard for the 5930k. I later managed to pick up a motherboard (X99M Fatal1ty) from the MM which opened up my options again. So, at the time it was the best choice for me.

But yeah, the 4 core Intels seem to have had their day.
 
Zeed said:
As someone with Ryzen that moved from 5820k to it. I will say Hold Your Horses. What clock You got that 5930k at ?? Quite possible that Zen+ Wont match it ingaming !!!
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It's running at 4.4GHz/1.25v

Yea, now that I've got it running with the 1080ti I think I may have more time to the next upgrade than I thought. I'll see what comes this year.
 
What prompted me to post in here again was my pain trying to get decent performance from AC:O with the 6700k. As you see, I've went back to the 5930k as the extra cores are making all the difference. This is the first game that I've seen the 4 core struggle with, but I know I'm going to spend a lot of time with this title so it's been worth the hassle of stripping down my custom loop to change the boards out.

As you both point out @gavinh87 & @humbug it can be game specific, even genre specific when you compare FPS (GPU bound) to MMO (CPU bound).
 
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I've got some spare cash and am considering a move from 5930k to an 8700k. I just want to be buying CPU+Motherboard so wondering if my existing memory would play nice with the 8700k?

Team Group Dark Pro "8 Pack Edition" 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4
PC4-25600C14 3200MHz

I'm not very well versed on RAM so would appreciate a pointer.
 
evohicks said:
I am using this memory with my Z370 board and 8700k, works fine
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Thanks for that. In the end I couldn't bring myself to make the purchase, even with what was essentially free money to me. It's just not an upgrade to justify the hassle of stripping my loop down, nevermind the cost.

I'll keep a look out for Pinnacle Ridge and see how that shapes up. :)
 
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