X5675, W3690, i7-3770 GTX 980 Performance Issue
X5675, W3690, i7-3770 GTX 980 Performance Issue
Hey there, I’ve been diving into processor and GPU research for a while now. I’m planning to assemble my first PC, start gaming on a budget, and handle everyday tasks like video and audio editing. I’m purchasing a used Dell T7500 with an Xeon X5675, 32GB RAM, 500GB SSD, 2TB HDD, and a Quadro FX5800 GPU for $100 tomorrow. I think I’m getting a great deal! I also just bought a used GTX 980 for $70. After checking benchmarks, I ran a “can my PC handle it?” test and used a bottleneck calculator on PC Builds. The results suggest a 20% bottleneck, which isn’t ideal. I switched the CPU to an i7-3770, which works well with my HP 6300 chipset. The bottleneck dropped significantly, and my average FPS jumped by about 30+ compared to the Xeon. My question is: should I invest in an unlocked multiplier CPU like a W3690 to boost performance further, or should I stick with the Xeon and build around the i7-3770? My aim is to get the best value without overspending. Thanks!
Bootneck calculators are just hype. It really depends on what you're working on—games, apps, whatever. Your six main cores will outperform a 3700 in any multithreaded task. A 3770 might be slightly better if you're only playing games from 2014, but newer titles with a few oddities still run much faster on six cores.
I am running x5675 with 980ti & there is no sign of bottleneck so u will be fine too.
x5690 is nearly 3% quicker than x5675, which means you probably don't need to upgrade to the w3690 from x5675.
You're considering whether the upgrade is worthwhile given your current setup. With 24GB RAM and 6 dimms holding 4GB each, adding more RAM could improve performance. The question is whether the extra 6GB or 32GB would make a noticeable difference during everyday tasks. It depends on your workload—light usage might not feel the change, but heavier tasks could benefit. A $20–$50 upgrade to 32GB would likely provide a better experience than the smaller increments.
It varies based on your activity, but it's probably not a big issue. I'm using 24 GB on my X5675 and only use about half of it.
Thanks for the feedback. Perhaps I'll opt for a w3680 and enjoy tweaking it a bit with the multipliers. Upgrading the heatsink to a radiator might be worth considering, since mine is just an aluminum one. I'm not sure if it's essential, but I appreciate the enthusiasm and love for upgrading.
Upgrading the heatsink on the T7500 is definitely a good idea. You have two choices: the U016F and the U042F. The U016F is available for 15-20 dollars from China, while the U042F is larger and higher quality but tends to be more difficult to obtain and pricier. I remember the original specs suggested the aluminum heatsink was meant for CPUs up to 65 watts, though I might be mistaken. I’ve owned around ten of these units and typically run BOINC on them before reselling. Using the U402F heatsink, I managed to run an X5670 at full capacity continuously without overheating. For the T7500, T5500, and T3500 models, installing the U016F heatsink paired with a few 80mm fans and a budget fan controller kept things running smoothly. I spent under five pounds on eBay for this setup, connecting the fans via zip ties to the heatsink and powering them through the controller. Keep in mind that the motherboard’s fan headers use a special 5-pin DIN connector. The T7500 is a solid machine, so unless you lack the second CPU daughterboard, you can usually find replacements on eBay. These let you add another CPU and more RAM—useful if needed. If you run Windows, you’ll need the professional version to enable the second CPU. The Dell website offers a detailed service manual for a thorough disassembly, and there’s a guide for memory installation. You can fit up to 196GB of RAM, but you’ll need to follow instructions carefully. I’ve found various ECC 1333mhz chips that work, and in the past I installed ECC 1600mhz when it was cheaper. It supported SLI only with Quadro cards. The power supply is a 1100W silver-rated unit, though I once had a platinum-rated one—how did that happen? The PSU also came with a DLC 6i RAID controller from Dell for SAS drives, along with clips above the card brackets to route PERC cables and a clip on the heatsink to store the battery. Remember, if your machine dates back to 2009 with 12GB RAM, a Quadro FX3800 and two W5580 Xeons would have cost around $12,000 today—worth it if you’re planning to upgrade.