PC Upgrade

[BimC]

I know NOTHING about hardware and therefore I seek help upgrading my current setup. I have recently experienced a drop in FPS when I use TGP with FLIR. I only fly the A-10C Warthog. It would be nice if someone with a knowledgeable background in this area could suggest how to improve my setup most for the DCS A-10C Warthog.

 

CPU, RAM or GPU etc ...

 

WIN 7 64 bit SP-1, i7-2600K to 3.4GHz, 2x OCZ Vertex 120GB SSD RAID,

Corsair Vengeance 16GB, Gainward GeForce GTX 590,

Thrustmaster Warthog Hotas, Track IR 5 PRO.

DCS 1.5.3.52018 - DCS 2.0.2.52369

 

Thanks so much in advance.

[Rangi]

I would start with the -gpu, upgrade to the best you can afford. Also your 2600k is a great overclocker, get a decent cooler and watch / read some over clocking tutorials.

[agrasyuk]

2600K is still a very solid CPU, especially overcloaked. Unless there is money burning your pocket and you really want some of the features new platform offers (m.2 , etc) I wouldn't bother touching it. You are good on RAM. So I'm agreeing with previous poster, the GPU is the only thing I would consider changing. And even that might get you buy for a bit longer.

[Farlander]

if you are up for current gen gpu's get amd if you want anything less than GTX 980ti

 

AMD gpu's much more future proof than Nvidia currently with new API's utilizing async compute (something that AMD has had for a long time because of mantle, but nvidia does not have yet)

Tests on some dx12 games show that R9 390 beats the gtx 970 (even more than in dx11), and r9 390x sometimes even gets close to the 980ti

 

In dx11 R9 390 is still more powerful than the 970, but the difference is smaller. I'd only reccomend nvidia if you really just want the top line card (980ti), 980 vs r9 390x is also debateable if you are only going to be running dx11 untill next pc upgrade. (hi x-plane, i see you're upgrading to Vulkan (async compute))

 

Honestly, just wait.. jusne is set up for releases on both sides, and at worst you will just get a current series card for alot cheaper than right now..

[BitMaster]

overclock and get a new NV GPU, best bet and cheapest way out ;)

 

I'd check what stepping your CPU is and go from there, the 2600k has at least two major variants, the earlier one needs more Voltage to overclock high and seldomly goes above 4.4/4.5, the later version(s) do better, the best there is is Stepping 7 Revision D2, they go up to 5.2 on some models, most do 4.6-4.8 with any good watercooling :)

 

This thread got me into the 2600k and to 4.8 and above: https://hardforum.com/threads/official-asus-p8p67-series-overclocking-guide-and-information.1578110/

 

be gentle with the voltage, dont do the BUSCLK at all, keep your RAM highest at 2133 ( your board may do 2400, but the 2600k mem controller cant do that ).

 

What you may want to do, if your board has those features is LLC ( Load Line Calibration ) to a higher setting and other relavant settings of your bios that refer to OC enhancements.

Mine goes 4.8 without any of those bios settings despite I have them at max OC or one notch below to allow max current and voltage to cpu, just in case...--but as said, mine clocks straight 4.8 by onyl raising Volts to 1.35 or 1.34 and then bump at the max boost frequency to 48x100. Asus has great tools, if you own an asus or msi board, use thos etools that came with the board to oc.

 

Asus Auto-OC goes well but applies a full 1.45 volts where 1.35 are plenty, so you can try the Auto feature, I did too, but then try to lower voltage as low as possible, until it freezes and then back up a bit until stable. That can be some 20°C difference under full load !! those 0.10 Volts ;)

 

Dont OC that CPU beyond 4 or 4.2 without a watercooler or decent heavy duty air cooler for OC !

 

If it does 4.2 right away on air and even does some little stress test, then i'd go for a wc and go further...

[Farlander]

Not going to start a NV vs. AMD gpu, but do go ahead and reseaech a bit. NV is a good choise for dx 11, but cannot do dx12 (well.. Can do, but no gain.

 

Nvidia is good, but if you are looking at a gtx970 go ahead and look at the r9 390 aswell.

[OldE24]

Not going to start a NV vs. AMD gpu, but do go ahead and reseaech a bit. NV is a good choise for dx 11, but cannot do dx12 (well.. Can do, but no gain.

 

Nvidia is good, but if you are looking at a gtx970 go ahead and look at the r9 390 aswell.

 

i use the same CPU but overclocked with a 25$ coolermaster hyper 212 evo@4.4 and it never breaks 65c.

 

as for the video card i upgraded from 2x6950's 2GB in crossfire to 1 R9 390, i looked at 970vs 390 and decided on AMD due to the Vram. 970 has 3.5Gb of "full speed" ram where for the similar price and performance number the 390 had FULL 8GB.

 

there's no point in getting a video card more expensive then this with out upgrading the whole system as it will just bottleneck on the system, some of it is going to be What you want to do and what resolution you plan on running.

 

looking at your system specs i dont thin i would waste the money on an upgrade. a GTX 590 as long as your 1920x1080 Should be fine, what i would look at is overclocking the CPU would help DCS ALOT, if you have a stock cooler look at an aftermarket one and if you allready have an aftermarket cooler then do some research about overclocking and shoot for 4.2/4.4GHZ should be achievable just watch your temps.

Edited May 4, 2016 by OldE24

[Farlander]

This ^

 

How did you find the r9 390 btw? Working good? Im looking into possibly getting one cheap when new series is out or spend too much on one of the new ones. 670 just doesnt cut it anymore..

[OldE24]

i found one on sale, asus strix for 310 sale a while back. i couldnt justify spending any more money without upgrading the whole machine, and i'm gonna wait for next gen cards before i do that. and maby if Zen works out use that but time will tell i have used intel recently.

 

it works good just have to watch the 0db fan as it went on vacation with the old asus GPU tweak , also forcing 3d clocks helps alot and will get you a few FPS in some bad areas in MP.