Questioni5-9600K e 9060XT 16GB
Questioni5-9600K e 9060XT 16GB
Hi All,
I’m currently using an i5-9600K with a 2060 6GB GPU, 32GB RAM, and a 550W power supply. I’m considering an upgrade but the cost of RAM is holding me back. Instead of replacing everything, I’m thinking about swapping parts and keeping my existing RAM. I’ve been experimenting with AM4 and an 9060 XT 16GB card. After checking a bottleneck calculator, the results showed only an 11% bottleneck, which surprised me since the GPU is from five years ago. I know the calculator isn’t perfect, but it seems the current setup still works well. I’m also aware the PSU is fine, though upgrading to 650W would be better.
I’m wondering if this upgrade makes sense or if I should also consider changing the motherboard and CPU.
Thanks for your advice!
The 9060XT offers around 65% improvement over the 2060 at 1080p and 75% at 1440p speeds. The 9600K might limit performance in newer games that require more than six threads. Keep in mind these bottleneck estimates are unreliable. Even with top components, a bottleneck will likely exist in a system. You can always upgrade to a DDR4 14th Gen Intel for better CPU performance. With your current configuration, a 550W PSU should suffice. For higher power needs, a 650 or 750W PSU would be more appropriate.
Bottleneck calculators are essentially pointless. Your CPU doesn't limit your GPU, as they function as separate computing units handling different tasks.
Still, the 9060XT represents a substantial GPU upgrade, while the 9600K remains outdated by PC standards and may hinder performance in CPU-intensive scenarios.
For an AM4 setup, maintaining your PSU and upgrading the CPU and motherboard seems like the most economical approach.
If aiming for an Intel 14th gen processor, a 600-650W power supply would likely be more practical than 750W unless you're planning a future upgrade with a more powerful GPU.
Should you decide to enhance your GPU, it makes sense to proceed and monitor your results.
Achieving your desired FPS after a GPU upgrade can indicate sufficient performance for now.
If you encounter bottlenecks, checking CPU usage via Task Manager can help determine if further upgrades are necessary.
Hey there,
Firstly, there is most certainly a relationship between the CPU and GPU and how much FPS it can pump out.
Some folks use the term bottleneck, and although this seems correct at first glance, it doesn't tell the whole story.
Your CPU sends pre-rendered frames to your GPU. Your GPU takes that data and does all it's magic, and then displays it on screen. Lets say for arguments sake, that your CPU can send 100 pre-rendered frames to the GPU, and then the GPU will output that 100pre-rendered frames into rendered frames. Changing only the GPU will not change that your CPU can still only send 100 pre-rendered frames to the GPU. So what happens then is that your GPU usage will be lower that it should be. This is because with newer gen GPU's, they will always be waiting on the your slower CPU to send frames, and because they aren't any faster than before, there will be little increase in FPS, but massive increase in graphical fidelity.
The I5 9600k, wasn't a bad CPU in it's day, but compared to more modern CPU's lags behind in IPC. So at lower refresh rates your CPU simply won't be able to keep up with the GPU. Conversely, at higher refresh rates like 1440p and above, the gaming load shifts to the GPU, and then this perceived 'bottleneck' changes so that the GPU being used is better for FPS/hz.
Limiting factor is a more appropriate term, IMO. In this case it's quite simple: At 1080p, your CPU will hold back the GPU. At higher resolutions that then balances out, as the GPU is doing more work, which it's designed for.
In terms of an upgrade, well, you could get the GPU, and with a plan in mind, get an AM4 mobo, Zen 3 CPU, keep your ram, and PSU, and then you've at least got a good bump in CPU power which will help push your new card further at lower resolutions.
You might also consider Intel 12th generation processors. Many i7 12700 CPUs are available for around $200. The i5 12600k or kf models can often be found for $130 to $140.