Picking the right GPU for 2D dcs with out breaking the bank

[spikef22]

Hey y'all. I've just begun the process of researching new hardware for my next upgrade. I'm only getting a new CPU and GPU this time but it's been about 5 years since I built my PC and I'm still using a 1660 ti and a zen+ CPU x.x. The market has changed a lot since the last time I've looked at consumer hardware and it seems I have a lot of avenues to go. I'm planning to get a nice 4K curved monitor so my criteria is 90~ fps at 4k (2D) and with a preferred but not hard budget of about $500 which is yes I know optimistic but I just want to future proof and actually enjoy a steady DCS experience performance wise. At the moment the 4060 TI and the 4070 look appealing as well as the older 3080 chip set but the new AMD cards are a possibility too! 

[kksnowbear]

To be clear: Are you saying $500 for the GPU alone, as part of an overall system upgrade at additional cost?
 

[spikef22]

Just now, kksnowbear said:

To be clear: Are you saying $500 for the GPU alone, as part of an overall system upgrade at additional cost?
 

$500 for the GPU alone IDEALLY but it's not a hard cap if I have to pay 600-800 for a GPU I will I just prefer not to lmao. 

[kksnowbear]

Ah, OK, thanks for the clarification (and I hear ya about the cost lol).  Lemme give it some thought.

PS: What do you plan to do for the rest of the upgrade?  Is there a budget and time frame?

Edited September 4, 2023 by kksnowbear

[spikef22]

5 minutes ago, kksnowbear said:

Ah, OK, thanks for the clarification (and I hear ya about the cost lol).  Lemme give it some thought.

PS: What do you plan to do for the rest of the upgrade?  Is there a budget and time frame?

 

I'm just gonna grab a ryzen 5 7600/x probably! And the stated new monitor. But I'm also probably gonna grab a VKB STECTS or winwing F-15EX throttle as well. Lastly a brand new audio set up something more professional compared to my gaming head set I have right now. I can't stand listening to music on my computer lol.

[kksnowbear]

Oh, and I meant to ask...are you looking at strictly new hardware, or is used also an option?

[spikef22]

7 minutes ago, kksnowbear said:

Oh, and I meant to ask...are you looking at strictly new hardware, or is used also an option?

Im hesitant with used stuff so preferably new but I'm open to it 

[kksnowbear]

So...having considered the matter for a little while now, here's what I've come up with:

The 4070 (at least right now) is going for ~$600 (and up) retail - before taxes.  So it's already over your 'initial base' budget of $500, potentially by ~$150.

Also, I have to say I have serious reservations about whether even a 4070 will maintain a 90+ frame rate at 4k  in DCS.  I'm not even sure you'd get 90FPS most of the time, never mind as a 'fluid' experience.

Now, to be accurate, this is based on studying specs, as opposed real-world, first hand experience.  I think it would be a great idea for you to seek out others here on the forum who actually have 4070s and run 4k - you'd probably want to title a new thread very specifically to get the appropriate responses.  I regret that I cannot speak from that first hand experience.

I do know, first hand, that a 3090 at 1440p will do 100+ FPS at altitude...but get on certain maps and down low near densely populated buildings etc...you're looking at ~70-80 FPS (and that's not at max settings, either).  And a 4070 isn't as capable as a 3090.  So you can see why I have real doubts about the 4070 doing what you expect.

Maybe the 4070 price will come down as we approach the holidays - they usually do at least somewhat. So maybe it'll be closer to your budget.  Unfortunately that won't change the performance aspect, and I'm afraid you'd want something more capable if you want 90 frames stable and smooth.  And of course, that's going to increase cost.  You might be looking at closer to the upper end of your range (500-800) rather than the lower end.

Maybe finding something used would bring performance at a price you could live with.

I don't wish to sound pessimistic, but the last thing I'd want to do is say I think it will work OK when I don't honestly think it will.  If I'm being honest I think it's going to require that you go to the higher end of your budget, and/or reduce your expectation for performance - and most likely a bit of both.

HTH...best of luck Look at the bright side, maybe I'm just plain wrong about it - like I said, ask around to see who's done it already    

Edited September 6, 2023 by kksnowbear

[Art-J]

^ Hear hear! I don't own a 4k screen, but do read with some interest what performance people are getting on higher demands side if the spectrum (VR or 4k) with their hardware. Reading that 90fps @4k criterion was an eyebrow rising experience. That's a an ambituous goal in DCS. It just doesn't belong in the same sentence together with "500$ card" and "future proof" I'm afraid, unless one reduces gfx settings considerably, or flies only over fps-friendly maps ie. Caucasus or Nevada.

Granted, we all wait and hope for the "second coming of Jesus" in form of mythical Vulkan implementation in DCS, but nobody knows when it's going to happen and how much it'll really improve GPU performance.

I'd say go for that 600-800$ stretch right away but with clear understanding that it will still require some gfx settings compromises to maintain that 90'ish fps level.

[spikef22]

16 hours ago, kksnowbear said:

So...having considered the matter for a little while now, here's what I've come up with:

The 4070 (at least right now) is going for ~$600 (and up) retail - before taxes.  So it's already over your 'initial base' budget of $500, potentially by ~$150.

Also, I have to say I have serious reservations about whether even a 4070 will maintain a 90+ frame rate at 4k  in DCS.  I'm not even sure you'd get 90FPS most of the time, never mind as a 'fluid' experience.

Now, to be accurate, this is based on studying specs, as opposed real-world, first hand experience.  I think it would be a great idea for you to seek out others here on the forum who actually have 4070s and run 4k - you'd probably want to title a new thread very specifically to get the appropriate responses.  I regret that I cannot speak from that first hand experience.

I do know, first hand, that a 3090 at 1440p will do 100+ FPS at altitude...but get on certain maps and down low near densely populated buildings etc...you're looking at ~70-80 FPS (and that's not at max settings, either).  And a 4070 isn't as capable as a 3090.  So you can see why I have real doubts about the 4070 doing what you expect.

Maybe the 4070 price will come down as we approach the holidays - they usually do at least somewhat. So maybe it'll be closer to your budget.  Unfortunately that won't change the performance aspect, and I'm afraid you'd want something more capable if you want 90 frames stable and smooth.  And of course, that's going to increase cost.  You might be looking at closer to the upper end of your range (500-800) rather than the lower end.

Maybe finding something used would bring performance at a price you could live with.

I don't wish to sound pessimistic, but the last thing I'd want to do is say I think it will work OK when I don't honestly think it will.  If I'm being honest I think it's going to require that you go to the higher end of your budget, and/or reduce your expectation for performance - and most likely a bit of both.

HTH...best of luck Look at the bright side, maybe I'm just plain wrong about it - like I said, ask around to see who's done it already    

 

Thanks for the input and yeah I'm definitely going to be doing some head hunting. Currently I'm actually starting to weigh getting a used 3080/3090 just because if I want to really get anywhere near this criteria it's clear that I'm going to have to drop alot more than I wish I had to. It may just be best to wait at this point and I do sorta plan to anyway but hey maybe we'll get vulkan someday XD

[BitMaster]

I personally don't expect Vulkan to arrive anytime soon after reading this thread here:  see post 30th Aug '23.....still a long way to go.

 

[bigdaddybones30]

Get as much GPU as you can afford! Things always change. Things always improve. No such thing as future proof. So throw down on as much as you can afford.

Later Tater