Back in the game-ish (cont'd)

Soarer

Afternoon all.

I was recommended to come here from my old thread https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058318715/back-in-the-game-ish

My machine is a few years old, even though I've only recently purchased it.

Alienware Area-51 R5.

Intel i9-7920X CPU @ 2.9Ghz

64GB RAM


Nvidia GeForce 1080 TI


2TB SSD for the OS

2 x 6TB HDDs for storage

Think that’s everything.

I’m currently running a dual monitor setup, both Dell.

One monitor is a 29” widescreen (U2917W). The system says it's 2560x1080 @ 60Hz.

The other 24” non-widescreen (P2419H). She's 1920x1080 @ 60Hz.

Visually it's a bit lopsided, and tbh I tend to look at the 29" all the time and use the 24" to move something out of the way for a while.

I’m thinking of swapping the dual setup for a single super widescreen (probably curved) unit.

Only thing is, I’ve no idea of what my system can handle (refresh rate, fps, resolution), and if I’d be wasting my money by buying a new monitor.

As a continuation of that, if the system is a bit slow/under-powered, would it be worth upgrading the graphics card?

Thanks folks.

Homelander

To be honest you're really looking at a new PC at that point as you'd need a new CPU, new motherboard, new RAM, new GPU.

I would say its current spec is still somewhat decent especially at 2560x1080 60hz. Most things should run pretty well on it.

Parts are old though. CPU and GPU are both six years old. It wouldn't really make sense to upgrade one without the other.

If I had to chose something to upgrade first it would be CPU/Board/RAM. A 1080Ti at 2560x1080 would still be respectable and you can always lower settings where needed. There's nothing you can do about a CPU limitation, and that CPU was never a great gaming CPU, it's a productivity CPU.

Something like a Ryzen 5600 would easily beat it in modern games for example despite having less cores and threads.

Soarer

Thanks Homelander.

So ignoring the fact I won't be getting top spec gaming, is my spec good enough for a decent (curved super wide) monitor?

To be honest, I didn't get the machine for gaming. It was to replace my laptop that was never good for gaming, and never moved from my desk! So figured I may as well get a desktop, and once I did, figured I'd try get "back in the game-ish".

Would something like this AOC in Curry's be wasted on me? https://www.currys.ie/products/aoc-cu34g2xbk-wide-quad-hd-34-curved-va-gaming-monitor-black-and-red-10206733.html

K.O.Kiki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121275521#Comment_121275521

Small disagree.

If OP is going to get a big ultrawide, the system is going to be GPU bottlenecked rather than CPU. Though, the 7920X would eat a lot more power even if undervolted.

Soarer

nVidia's website says the maximum resolution of the 1080ti is 7680x4320@60Hz.

Surely that would be enough to run the monitor linked above?

Homelander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121275655#Comment_121275655

To drive a beast like that in modern games you really would want a better PC.

High-refresh gaming needs a strong CPU as well as a strong GPU, and obviously the resolution alone demands a strong GPU as well.

The current CPU is sub-par by current standards and there's nothing you can upgrade to on that platform. The GPU is still respectable despite its age but showing said age these days and badly in some cases due to the architecture.

Of course it can very much depend on your games as well. Overwatch 2? FIFA? Games from a few years ago like Assassins Creed Valhalla, Doom Eternal, Fallout 76, etc? Current PC would still run them fine on the UW at a decent level.

Starfield? It would be basically unplayable on that UW even at low settings. Cyberpunk Phantom Liberty? Probably would handle it at 3440x1440 low settings well enough though not at high refresh. Modern Warfare 2? Again, 3440x1440 low settings reasonably well but also not at high refresh.

Many new games will fall in between, some will run OK, some not so OK, it really depends on the specific title and genres.

That's on the 3440x1440 144hz monitor I mean, your current monitor of 2560x1080 60hz is generally fairly managable for a 1080ti and most games should work fine at reasonable settings overall.

I would say really it depends on what games you play at the end of the day. I wouldn't personally pair a 3440x1440 144hz monitor with a six year old cpu/gpu combo as the whole point is to have high-image fidelity and high-framerate.

The Alienware is still a decent-ish PC but what was radical overkill in 2017 hasn't translated to power in 2023. It rarely does. I don't know what you paid for it but there are some systems on adverts with much more modern parts/upgrade potential and similar/better performing cards for about €600.

It's hard to really put a value on the Alienware as for everything non-gaming it's still fairly killer due to the 12-core CPU and 64GB of ram, but as an actual 2023 gaming PC it's on the lower end of things. So what it's worth can vary immensely based on what it's being bought for.

Above is also correct, if you are buying an UW 144hz first thing you need is a GPU upgrade. CPU is going to still hold you back in certain games from high refresh but it should run most things reasonably decent.

I would say something like an RX6750XT is the absolute minimum class of cards you should be looking at. Ideally 7800XT or beyond.

Soarer

Thanks for the detailed reply.

So for a monitor, is it the pixels or the refresh rate will be the killer for me?

And whichever (or both) it is, would would mind recommending me a 32”+ monitor that I could run without too much hassle?

Homelander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121276511#Comment_121276511

Yes but there's a massive difference between desktop resolution versus running games at said resolution, and particularly running games at that resolution at high refresh.

If we take the high refresh out of it for the moment, even to run the new bigger games at 3440x1440 60fps at medium settings you would realistically need something like a 6750XT at a bare minimum.

The 1080ti is six years old, it was an amazing card in its time and the fact it's still capable of gaming in 2023 is testament to that but it's generally a lower end card by today's standards. It probably compares to something like an RX6600 which is an entry level 1080P card.

Doesn't help that game requirements are getting out of control with some of the bigger AAA games.

I already mentioned Starfield, but you have the likes of Alan Wake 2, the 1080ti just roughly meets the requirements for low settings at 1080p at 30fps.

With the Alienware, when it comes to high resolution, the GPU is holding you back, when it comes to high resolution and high refresh, the GPU and CPU will hold you back.

To be able to run modern games at native res on that monitor at any sort of decent image quality level you would need a 6750XT at a minimum (around €400), ideally something better like 7800XT and beyond (around €550 and above). To run games at native res, decent image quality and high refresh, you'd ideally want a new CPU as well, which involves a new board, new set of RAM.

That only applies to games. For normal desktop use, for productivity and general use, the PC will be completely fine with the monitor.

K.O.Kiki

The 1080 Ti doesn't even meet the requirements for Alan Wake 2 since it lacks Mesh Shader capability.