Planned graphics card/monitor upgrades - advice

DecTenToo

Hi, I'm looking to plan some upgrades this year as it's been some time since anything needed really upgrading.

I have the following setup. The motherboard is MS-7826 (Kaili), Intel Core i7 4770, 16Gb RAM, with Samsung 840 SSD (OS) and 2tb HDD. Now for my kind of thing, development, low volume video processing, strategy gaming, Eve, StarCraft, Battletech, Elite, etc., I think it's fine but the graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660) occasionally sounds like the Dyson on full power.

Given there's a 460W PSU, I was looking at a GTX1050 TI 4G as a replacement card as my primary upgrade. Does anyone foresee any problem with this?

I'm also looking to replace the monitors (dual) as the HP23XI's I have are starting to ghost/pixellate (both in the first 5th of the screens). Would the BenQ GL2580H's be a suitable upgrade or can I aim lower?

Thanks

K.O.Kiki

Get the Sapphire Nitro+ RX570 4Gb instead.
https://www.caseking.de/sapphire-nitro-radeon-rx-570-4g-4096-mb-gddr5-gcsp-170.html?sPartner=185&utm_source=geizhals&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=geizhals&campaign=psm/geizhals&wt_mc=preisvergleich.geizhals.feed

It runs semi-passive (zero fan RPM at light GPU loads), whisper quiet when they are (36 dB by ComputerBase.de tests), twice as powerful as GTX 1050 Ti, and you get 2x free games (choice from Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry 5, The Division 2).

K.O.Kiki

Regarding monitors, not sure the BenQ GL2580H would even be an upgrade - it's a TN panel so will generally look worse than your current IPS panels.

How about a single 32" 1440p monitor?
e.g. AOC Q3279VWFD8 or AOC Q3279VWF?

*edit* At that budget, you might be able to stretch to a 28" 10-bit 4k display
https://skinflint.co.uk/?cat=monlcd19wide&bpmax=240&v=e&hloc=de&hloc=uk&filter=update&sort=p&bl1_id=30&xf=11939_28%7E11955_IPS%7E11955_IPS%2FIGZO%7E11955_TN%7E11955_VA%7E11959_10bit+(8bit+mit+FRC)%7E11960_95%7E11992_Adaptive+Sync%2FAMD+FreeSync%7E13263_38402160%7E13264_38402160

DecTenToo

Thanks for the advice. I'll have a read up on those. I didn't even consider the Radeon cards. Much appreciated.

DecTenToo

My PSU only has 6 pin connectors. The spec on the RX570 states power use as 1 x 8-pin + 1 x 6-pin (optional).

Now I could do a 6 to 8 conversion or I have read that you can plug a 6 into the 8. Apparently, it's designed to work that way but will be limited to the lower wattage provided by the 6 pin version of the cable. Or I just hunt around for a card that's 6 pin. Or I could just get the Pulse instead of the Nitro.

Yes, eventually I will have to go the whole hog and get a new PSU, but this started out as "new graphics card" vs complete rebuild :-)

K.O.Kiki

Yeah no harm getting the Pulse ITX version instead.
It'll still be faster than a GTX 1050 Ti.

CaseKing have it for €165: https://www.caseking.de/en/sapphire-pulse-radeon-rx-570-itx-4g-4096-mb-gddr5-gcsp-188.html

There's also a Portugese seller on AmazonUK if you prefer that: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B078SPWYFL/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new

TerrorFirmer

Some 570's have six pin but the Pulse also has an 8pin, the ITX version has 6 pin. The regular 8pin version actually works with a 6 pin though it may vary depending on the quality of the supply being used.

But on the whole I agree the RX570 is the best value, everything else in your system is fine, and the GTX660 should get about €60 back for you....and the RX570 comes with 2 brand new games, so the cost is almost nil.

DecTenToo

Thanks to you both. I've ordered the Pulse ITX version. Given the fact that it's an HP PSU, I'd rather not take the chance on the 8-pin or a 6-pin to 8-pin adapter. I'll hold off on the monitor change for a while, although the idea of a single, larger monitor is something to consider.

DecTenToo

Installed the Pulse version of the 570. Much more responsive generally, never mind in the games I'm using.

Thanks for the recommendation.