Need quicker installation?
Need quicker installation?
My current configuration is quite outdated. With limited funds, I haven’t upgraded yet, but when the time comes I’d like some guidance on improving it. My setup includes an Asus Z97 Pro Gamer motherboard, a Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics card, an Intel Core i7-4790K CPU running at 4GHz, 32GB of RAM, and 8GB of VRAM. I’m not very familiar with PC building, so I’m unsure if the GPU alone would have been enough. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
No, that's incorrect. With a 980 Ti, you actually have 6GB of VRAM, not 8GB. There wasn’t an 8GB version available. In reality, you should consider upgrading everything inside there. Your CPU is likely the most in need, but since it’s all from around ten years ago and works well together, plan to save a bit and tackle a major upgrade instead of smaller ones that won’t fully utilize their potential until you replace the rest.
Review your drivers and confirm they're current. Remove unnecessary programs from the task manager. Verify you have enough free disk space to keep your PC running smoothly. Additional steps might include cleaning the registry, defragging the hard drive (only if using an HDD), or reinstalling the operating system. Note: I overlooked the main idea of this message earlier. If you're looking for small tweaks, these could help improve performance slightly until you can make bigger changes. Edited August 15, 2023 by TylerD321 im dumb
Honestly, there’s nothing I’d want to improve about this setup except for a quicker GPU. That would be pointless given your current CPU, creating a major bottleneck. The best move here seems to be switching platforms. A fresh motherboard, new RAM, and a new CPU would make the 980ti still a solid 1080p card. Do you have a budget in mind—like $100 or $350?—and since you’re not planning upgrades just yet, hardware prices and new releases can change quite a bit in a few months.
Save roughly $900 and you’d have a strong foundation while you wait. You can also try saving your CPU if you’re sure and make sure everything’s up to date. Are you planning to play games or is this setup for another purpose? If you’re not playing and it could take a long time to save, Linux might be a better choice—it uses fewer resources and runs very quickly, especially on older hardware like yours.
I'm currently without a job and don't have extra cash for upgrades. I'm just looking for advice on what to save for later. New parts are released frequently, so it's hard to discuss this now. The main issues I face are low frame rates in COD (40-60fps on Vondel Resurgence) and even worse when streaming. I also need to rely on my GPU for encoding with OBS because it gives the best stream quality, but sometimes it crashes and says the encoder is overloaded. So, essentially I'm wondering if I should upgrade my RAM or get a better GPU. Honestly, in reality I should just save up for a full replacement. Outside of that, most other games run smoothly at 80fps or higher, so it's not a huge concern for me.
I think it's unlikely in the PC market. Things shift quickly, so what looks good today might not fit tomorrow, let alone next few weeks. I'd choose a budget you're comfortable with, save up, and decide what to buy once you're ready. For your intended use, I'd suggest aiming for at least $900 USD (maybe lower if you buy used) and around $1200. From what I understand about the newest COD, it's quite demanding on the CPU and GPU, so just updating one component won't significantly boost performance.