Phenom II x6 1045T paired with Zotac GTX 1660 AMP
Phenom II x6 1045T paired with Zotac GTX 1660 AMP
Hello forum, I'm wondering if pairing a Phenom II x6 1045T with a Zotac GTX 1660 AMP would improve performance compared to an Asus GTX 1050 Ti. Since the 1050Ti already struggles with the CPU, I'm curious if upgrading would help at 60Hz 1680x1050 or even 120Hz. I'm also thinking about whether a GPU upgrade is necessary and if a higher refresh rate screen would be beneficial for playing recent games at around 40+ FPS. Looking forward to your advice!
It really varies by game. Certain titles are heavily influenced by single-core performance and mostly rely on graphics cards. Others (especially recent releases) depend more on multi-core capabilities, with the CPU starting to play a bigger role. Examples include Bannerlord 2, Metro Exodus, and Cyberpunk. For first-person shooters, you should be okay. If you're aiming for new simulations and upcoming RPGs, consider upgrading later. To be clear, Phenom CPU is quite weak, and there aren't many modern options that would match its performance.
Despite having two more cores than an i5 6600, these still struggle with multicore performance for newer titles. Cyberpunk is a solid choice to try, especially if you want to play Bannerlord. I think minor overclocking probably won’t fix it completely—maybe upgrading eventually is the best solution. Thanks for your advice, and I appreciate you helping!
The results of that chip overclocking won't significantly impact performance. You could see a boost of 2-5%, which isn't much right now. For context: Phenom II x6 1045T (6C/6T) - CPU pass mark 2,936 Ryzen 3600X (6C/12T) - CPU pass mark 18,333 Ryzen 3900X (12C/24T) - CPU pass mark 32,864 Ryzen 5600X (6C/12T) - CPU pass mark 22,265 Ryzen 5900X (12C/24T) - CPU pass mark 39,636 You can notice the power difference clearly. Newer models are vastly more capable. Some games today will really test those mid-range chips, and I wouldn't be surprised if they don't run smoothly on the Phenom.
You appreciate the help and have more questions. What would you suggest upgrading when prices are so high? The FX 6300 is an option, but I’m unsure about your motherboard compatibility. It seems the 6300 works with some systems, but I’m not sure about an 1660. Would upgrading the CPU be a better choice? Also, I have a GA-78LMT-USB3 R2—any updates since December 2020?
When discussing processors across multiple generations, newer options generally offer better performance. The choice largely hinges on your budget. Even mid-range chips like an i3 or Ryzen 2600 can outperform older models. Upgrading to a Ryzen 2600 also means your motherboard will support future upgrades on the AM4 platform. However, keep in mind you'll need to replace your RAM. Depending on your gaming needs, the CPU might be the priority upgrade. The 1660 will likely run faster, but you could face CPU limitations with a Phenom, often causing unstable frame rates and stutter during intense gameplay. What is your budget looking like for these improvements?
Technically my budget isn't a limit but I have several components nearby that I wouldn't want to replace. I'm wondering if I could get by with a more efficient setup instead of the ones I already have, like the FX6300, GTX960, Q6600, GT610, and others. I received the 1660 as a gift to help someone set up a new PC, which was really kind of him. He got a Ryzen 5 2600 and a 2070 with 3200Mhz RAM, but he didn't know how to configure it well or handle advanced settings such as mouse/pointer speed adjustments and XMP profiles.
The sad truth is a lot of older PC components end up as e-waste. I often turn them into servers or share them with friends and their kids. Last year I gave an old Xeon E5-2670 to a teenager as a gaming rig. The GTX 1050ti and GTX 960 are the only parts still valuable, especially with the rising prices for GPUs. You might find a bit of value on eBay, but you’d need to search for those specific items. Before Ryzen, each CPU generation usually brought only small improvements, and upgrading was rarely necessary—every few generations. Intel mostly optimized their existing designs to extract every penny possible. Now, with Ryzen, performance has jumped dramatically, offering around 20% better IPC per generation.
Thanks in advance. Prices on the GPU haven<|pad|> have not risen much in Europe. I can even purchase a 30-series unit locally for 100 euros more than listed—though it’s still in stock. I noticed the 960 2Gb model was selling for 20 euros on eBay, which is essentially free when you factor in shipping costs. I was planning to give that one to a friend whose GPU is faulty, as they have an i5 6600k and it would work fine. But since you offered great advice, I’ll focus on saving for a CPU and in the meantime use the 1045T or FX 6300.