When do you know your CPU is throttling your system?

[mpj88]

I've been through a few graphics card upgrades over the years but still got the same CPU.

Latest is a 4070 and still using a 4790k.

How do you know when the CPU would be holding back the rest of your system? Still seeing increases when upgrading graphics cards in terms of FPS in games.

Only other reason to upgrade mobo/cpu would be for PCIE 4 but research online seems to suggest not much of a difference between PCIE 3 and 4

 

[mpj88]

When your GPU can't hit 100% usage

There's no way I'd be running a 4070 on a Haswell lol

What the best way to test this?

Sounding like an upgrade might be needed!

 

[mpj88]

What games and what resolution do you play at? It is always going to vary, but older games and higher resolutions will make your CPU last longer.

When you can't reliably hit 60 fps and changing the graphics settings doesn't change the FPS, then your CPU has hit the end of the road.

Just switched to a 2560x1440 @ 165Hz monitor. Was on 2560x1600 @60Hz before.

Only graphic heavy game I play is COD/Warzone. I like DOTA too but doubt that would challenge a GFX card.

I'm still seeing over 100fps in COD

 

[mpj88]

I think it safe to say you’re leaving at least half the performance of the 4070 on the table with a quad core DDR3 system. I’ve run GPU top heavy systems in the past, but Nvidia cards need a super highend system behind or the performance tanks.

Wow, that's a hell of a lot. Sounds like I need to do some research on what the go to cpu/mobo/ram combo is at the moment.

 

[mpj88]

I'm impressed your 4790k has lasted this long. I'm normally not one to press on upgrading and saying people over hype upgrading but I think your definitely in need with combo like that.

Ha, yeah I guess I'd never really seen the need to! Everything was/is still working fine. Still atleast I know that's the next thing to do if I'm looking for additional performance. Now I have to clue myself up on all the latest intel/AMD offerings.

 

[mpj88]

id say when you 10 generations old, BUT what res are we gaming at

2560x1440 is fine for me. No plans for 4k yet.

 

[mpj88]

Run Afterburner while running an intensive game and if your CPU is running at 100% and your GPU isn't, then you'll find out.

I was running a Q6600 @ 3600 and upgraded to a 1070.

Ran my favourite game at the time, Dying Light, and soon found out the Q6600 wasn't up to the job, totally CPU bound.

Did the below in COD. At around 100FPS, so not capping out on refresh rate.

CPU not full 100% but GPU only reaching 50% ish.....!

 

[mpj88]

what refresh rate is the screen and or do you have a cap or G-sync set?

165Hz refresh rate, cap set at 160 and G-sync on.

 

[mpj88]

new CPU time buddy, could even been ram speed or storage speed limiting but something's holding it back

i won a 4070 and tested it for a bit with a 11700kf, its a very good GPU
but that said 100FPS in a AAA title @ 1440 is good for a 4th gen i7

EDIT:
Kingston HyperX 8GB 2400MHz // is this the ram your running?

Yeah certainly sounds like it.

I do have a lot of non essential graphics bits turned down to low or off to try and keep FPS up.

RAM needed updating in my sig - Now using G.Skill F3-2400C10D-16GTX

 

[mpj88]

you dont need to spend much used AM4 and or LGA1200 can be had for nothing now days and at 1440p thats would do a stellar job.

i would go used AM4 is budget is tight or you just dont want to spend too much i got 5600 / mobo / 16gb ram for 180 in December

Yeah there's other bits that'll come into question now; will my PSU be enough, I'll need a new cooler perhaps as different socket....and so on!

Thanks for pointers