Is the 8700K 3070Ti component a bottleneck?
Is the 8700K 3070Ti component a bottleneck?
Tried several free online tools, but the outcomes varied. With 16GB RAM, a 3200MHz CPU and a 3070 Ti GPU, I’m wondering if upgrading now is beneficial. My usage includes gaming at medium-high settings, 60fps or better, 2K resolution, and video rendering. Is it worth delaying the upgrade? Also, are prices likely to drop significantly in 2023?
Your 8700K works well with a 3070ti. In certain situations, your system might still face limitations. For instance, in competitive eSports games like CS GO or Valorant, your CPU could limit your GPU performance. Conversely, in demanding AAA games, your GPU might restrict your CPU. Upgrade only when the current performance isn't meeting your needs. If your games and applications function smoothly, an upgrade isn't necessary.
Flowchart 1. Is performance acceptable, if so then skip upgrading 2. If performance is unacceptable, then are there reasonably priced products out there (or in the near future) that you can get that check the box? My best guess is that unless you're multitasking a bit you're fine. Here's a benchmark showing a 3090 at 1440p performance is averaging ~120FPS in the handful of titles listed. Going to a 12700k (similar to a 13600) gives a moderate uplift but it's not experience shifting. Given that your graphics card is about 35% slower than a 3090, I'd expect most of the gap to disappear. https://www.gpucheck.com/compare/nvidia-...i9-10900k/ Overall, I'd take a guess and say that you're usually more held back by the GPU than the CPU at 1440p, though it'll depend on the title and the scene.
That's a significant slowdown, but if you're comfortable with 60 frames per second it should usually be fine. Online tools for checking bottlenecks often give unreliable results—they can be correct sometimes but aren't trustworthy. This tends to depend more on your own experience; are you happy with the performance you're getting? If not, it's likely the CPU is limiting your speed (this combination isn't usually ideal). A 10th generation Intel processor or a Ryzen 3600+ would probably work better.
It depends on the title and scene. The player mentioned playing at 2K, likely 1440p, and found a benchmark showing an average frame rate of about 120. The low end was around 89 FPS, which is acceptable despite the GPU being roughly 35% slower than a 3090. The difference in CPU performance will mainly be noticeable only under heavy load, unless you're heavily optimized for Factorio or using newer chips. Generally, the GPU is where upgrades are needed most. The common advice is to invest in a good GPU and spend less on the CPU unless multitasking is important. For those with budget, adding more cores can help, and for AMD users, a slight CPU upgrade in a few years might be worthwhile.
It seems you overlooked the opportunity for affordable upgrades. Last week there were solid discounts on Intel and AMD CPUs, but costs are now climbing steadily. Looking ahead to 2023 I don’t foresee a drop… in fact I anticipate the opposite. Production is gradually moving away from China and will likely become more costly. Regarding GPUs, the outcome hinges on the rollout of RDNA 3 and the crypto market’s direction. If the $10k BTC target for late December holds up (everything aligns as expected), expect a surge in ultra-low-priced GPUs, which could push current prices even lower. I wouldn’t upgrade the 3070Ti just yet—only the CPU. Anything before the 10th generation feels outdated. It’s like trying to run an 80s car as a daily commuter—it can get by, but you’ll need serious effort.