Looking for Gpu update (Old PC)

[Takui]

Hi, i'm trying to give a new life to my old computer, these are the parts:

-Nox 600W AT-600P12P

-Asus p8h77

-Ati Hd 4770

-Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3470 CPU @ 3.20GHz 3.20 GHz

-16,00 GB Ram DDR3

My idea is to play some new games at Full HD and Quest 2 pcvr games fluidly


I'm in doubt of a gtx 1080 or a rtx 2060, they have a similar price (2060 a bit higher) at my local second hand marketplace.

Other option is getting a 3060 or 4060 brand new for 100€ more

Anyway, i don't know if i would have a problematic bottleneck with some of the cards I have named

Any recommendation?


Pd: for the record, I have no thoughts of changing the board or microprocessor for now.

 

[dgianstefani]

4060 or 2060.

You'll be bottlenecked ever so slightly by gen 3 PCIe x8 but it's a minor issue.

€100 more for a brand new current gen card is great deal tbh.

 

[arbiter]

4060 or 2060.

You'll be bottlenecked ever so slightly by gen 3 PCIe x8 but it's a minor issue.

€100 more for a brand new current gen card is great deal tbh.

I think cpu will be the bottleneck before the pcie ever becomes a problem. Yea any *60 you can get is best you can really go for as anything more is gonna get hamstrung by the cpu. I had a gtx1080 and it was being held back in some games on a 4770k. I would probably go with rtx2060 and save $ you can possible for maybe some upgrades.

 

[Vya Domus]

I'm in doubt of a gtx 1080 or a rtx 2060, they have a similar price (2060 a bit higher) at my local second hand marketplace.

These are very old GPUs, I wouldn't buy either of them today, the 2060 is an especially bad choice having just 6 GB.

Your CPU and platform are very old as well, I don't know if it's worth buying a modern GPU.

 

[evernessince]

My idea is to play some new games at Full HD and Quest 2 pcvr games fluidly

You straight up won't get a good experience in VR games with that CPU regardless of GPU. If you want to VR game you need to upgrade that CPU.

Nvidia has a higher CPU overhead due to the use of a software scheduler as well. If you can only upgrade your GPU you want to go AMD in order to get as much performance out of your CPU as possible. Something like a 5700 XT or RX 6600 (if you want something more efficient) might be a decent option. I would only go Nvidia if you plan on upgrading your CPU and platform.

In addition I believe it's important to note that your PSU has two 12v rails which only support up to 251w each. Depending on how the PSU is configured each PCIe connector could be part of a separate rail or they could be sharing the same rail with the 2nd rail going to other 12v parts like the motherboard. In any case unless you know how those rails are configured you do not want your GPU power consumption to exceed the capacity of any single 12v rail as that could trip the PSU (assuming it's protection systems are good, if they are bad much worse can happen).

You don't make mention of storage either but given that your motherboard lacks M.2 I assume you are either on SATA SSD or HDD. That will be a limiting factor in how smooth games and the system feels.

 

[Chrispy_]

That CPU is a huge bottleneck indeed, I remember a friend struggling with gaming back in 2017 with an i5-3450 I built him. I built them a new Ryzen 1600 rig which is still (just about) holding up.

It sounds like the budget is extremely tight which probably rules out a newer system so I'd suggest something like a GTX 1060 6GB or an RX 480/570/580 8GB on the used market. The GTX 1650 or 1650 Super are also viable candidates if you can get a good price on them, but they're often overpriced.

I know you said you have no plan to change the CPU, but honestly you can and should pick up a 2600K/2700K/3770/3700K on ebay if it's cheap - it'll be a drop in upgrade and if you can find any of those for about $25 then it's worth it to double your cache size and number of threads. Take that budget out of what you were going to spend on the graphics card and you'll likely see an overall improvement over spending $25 more on a GPU that's held back by the i5-3470 you have.

You're not going to get the best experience with new AAA games, but an i7 quad-core with a GTX 1060 isn't awful - you should be able to get playable framerates in modern games at low or medium settings. Check out some videos like "GTX 1060 in 2024" and see what you can expect:

 

[dgianstefani]

Guys, you realise that no matter what brand of GPU he picks, he'll be CPU bottlenecked.

Accepting this and moving on, NVIDIA cards are better for VR, and getting a new model now doesn't preclude the possibility of updating the rest of the system later, at such point it would suck to have bought an old model card just to be in line with the performance of the CPU at that time.

If that PSU is as old as the rest of the system, I wouldn't trust it to run anything more demanding than a 4060, which is most of the alternatives being suggested. An RX580 for instance, can hit 260 W, with spikes above that.

 

[Takui]

You straight up won't get a good experience in VR games with that CPU regardless of GPU. If you want to VR game you need to upgrade that CPU.

Nvidia has a higher CPU overhead due to the use of a software scheduler as well. If you can only upgrade your GPU you want to go AMD in order to get as much performance out of your CPU as possible. Something like a 5700 XT or RX 6600 (if you want something more efficient) might be a decent option. I would only go Nvidia if you plan on upgrading your CPU and platform.

In addition I believe it's important to note that your PSU has two 12v rails which only support up to 251w each. Depending on how the PSU is configured each PCIe connector could be part of a separate rail or they could be sharing the same rail with the 2nd rail going to other 12v parts like the motherboard. In any case unless you know how those rails are configured you do not want your GPU power consumption to exceed the capacity of any single 12v rail as that could trip the PSU (assuming it's protection systems are good, if they are bad much worse can happen).

You don't make mention of storage either but given that your motherboard lacks M.2 I assume you are either on SATA SSD or HDD. That will be a limiting factor in how smooth games and the system feels.

I have 2 6 pins cables and a extra 2 pins
i have a sata SSD

 

[dgianstefani]

The first thing you need to do is disassemble your PC and properly clean it, before thinking of spending more money on parts.

 

[Bobaganoosh]

I have 2 6 pins cables and a extra 2 pins
i have a sata SSD

You might get some speed improvements if you clean that system and make sure the fans can actually move. That looks like overheat-central right there with all the caked on dust. No offense, but that is quite in need of cleaning.

 

[Chrispy_]

Guys, you realise that no matter what brand of GPU he picks, he'll be CPU bottlenecked.

Accepting this and moving on, NVIDIA cards are better for VR, and getting a new model now doesn't preclude the possibility of updating the rest of the system later, at such point it would suck to have bought an old model card just to be in line with the performance of the CPU at that time.

If that PSU is as old as the rest of the system, I wouldn't trust it to run anything more demanding than a 4060, which is most of the alternatives being suggested.

I'm thinking $25-30 CPU replacement (mandatory) and $50-70 GPU at under $100 max is much better than wasting money on any faster GPU that's probably going to depreciate in value by more than $100 in the next 12 months of just using it in this ancient Ivy Bridge i5 system.

IMO you buy a new GPU only when you buy a whole new system when they're as mismatched as a 4060 with a 4-thread 12-year-old processor! Clearly, this thread is about finding something that will work with this system in question, on a tight budget. Upgrading to a whole new platform isn't on the cards given that we're talking about someone who's trying to eke life out of a 12-year-old rig!

Granted, if there aren't budget constraints, something newer like a Ryzen5 5600 on AM4 with an RX 6600 or RTX 3060 is a much better option, but that's probably a $600+ build once you factor in a compatible PSU.

 

[Takui]

yes, a little cleaning is needed

 

[dgianstefani]

I'm thinking $25-30 CPU replacement (mandatory) and $50-70 GPU at under $100 max is much better than wasting money on any faster GPU that's probably going to depreciate in value by more than $100 in the next 12 months of just using it in this ancient Ivy Bridge i5 system.

IMO you buy a new GPU only when you buy a whole new system when they're as mismatched as a 4060 with a 4-thread 12-year-old processor! Clearly, this thread is about finding something that will work with this system in question, on a tight budget. Upgrading to a whole new platform isn't on the cards given that we're talking about someone who's trying to eke life out of a 12-year-old rig!

Any suggestions for a ~100 watt $50-70 GPU that's not a complete waste of money? 1050 Ti is all that comes to mind but it's a 4 GB card which I seriously doubt would be able to play anything in VR.

OP asked which of the listed cards he should buy, emphasising he isn't interested in changing other parts of his system, but you are suggesting otherwise regardless?

The i5 3470 is roughly comparable in performance to an i3 7100, a dual core four thread part, which works reasonably well for entry level gaming, even in 2024.

 

[KedsDead]

Well, considering your CPU limitations and if your tight on budget but are looking for a slight upgrade. I would recommend a RX 580 8GB or a RX 5500XT 8GB. At this point the CPU will only do so much.

 

[dgianstefani]

I really do find it amazing the eagerness of people to suggest 250 watt+ seven year old AMD cards, when the OP has specifically asked which of four NVIDIA cards they should buy, and has an ancient 600 watt PSU.

 

[Chrispy_]

Any suggestions for a ~100 watt $50-70 GPU that's not a complete waste of money? 1050 Ti is all that comes to mind but it's a 4 GB card.

OP asked which of the listed cards he should buy, emphasising he isn't interested in changing other parts of his system, but you are suggesting otherwise regardless?

The i5 3470 is roughly comparable in performance to an i3 7100, a dual core four thread part, which works reasonably well for entry level gaming, even in 2024.

What is this artificial 100W limit you're introducing and why?

His PSU has two 12V rails delivering 22A and 23A respectively. Even erring on the side of caution, the RX480/570/580 or GTX1060 I suggested will all pull less than 12A from whichever rail it's plugged into. IIRC the hungriest card from that selection is the RX 580 at ~180W and AMD pulls about 50W from the slot, leaving 130W from the connector for ~11A typical draw. Since his PSU has 6-pin PCIe connectors he is going to have to tap two connectors to make an 8-pin, which means he can connect both rails to ensure neither are overloaded by the GPU being on the same rail as the motherboard+CPU.

 

[dgianstefani]

What is this artificial 100W limit you're introducing and why?

His PSU has two 12V rails delivering 22A and 23A respectively. Even erring on the side of caution, the RX480/570/580 or GTX1060 I suggested will all pull less than 12A from whichever rail it's plugged into.

View attachment 338668

When new, maybe. A cheapo Spanish PSU that's aready 10+ years old is another story, wattage output degrades over time, and that's assuming that PSU was accurate in its specification claims in the first place, which I find dubious.

But if you feel it's responsible to suggest those kinds of wattages and age (7-8 year old cards) to a user with such components, go right ahead.

Max output on 12 V rail for that model is 456 W. If specs are accurate, when new.

 

[Chrispy_]

GTX 1060 and RX570 are 120W cards. Honestly I think the 1060 6GB is the best option and they do sell on ebay US for $50-70, and ebay ES for €55-90 based on sold, non-faulty listings sorted by most recent. More importantly, his existing GPU draws ~80W of power from a single rail, so any GPU pulling up to 160W from two rails should be fine. I do appreciate the PSU is an unknown quantity at the moment, but we know what it can currently power off a single rail at present and have to assume that the second rail is capable of at least the same, regardless of ageing and the true capabilities.

I've already linked videos showcasing how that GPU performs in modern games, and that's a best case scenario with a faster Ryzen5 5600X processor. Spending more money on a faster GPU is totally wasted on either an i5-3470 or i7-3770K if OP can find a cheap drop-in upgrade to a faster 4C/8T CPU with more cache and faster clocks.

 

[dgianstefani]

What is this artificial 100W limit you're introducing and why?

His PSU has two 12V rails delivering 22A and 23A respectively. Even erring on the side of caution, the RX480/570/580 or GTX1060 I suggested will all pull less than 12A from whichever rail it's plugged into. IIRC the hungriest card from that selection is the RX 580 at ~180W and AMD pulls about 50W from the slot, leaving 130W from the connector for ~11A typical draw. Since his PSU has 6-pin PCIe connectors he is going to have to tap two connectors to make an 8-pin, which means he can connect both rails to ensure neither are overloaded by the GPU being on the same rail as the motherboard+CPU.

View attachment 338668

More accurate information is 215 W, with spikes of 260 W.

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[Takui]

i'm seing GTX 1060 6G at 80€ the cheapest, i bit cheaper than the cheapest 1080 -> 90 €

 

[dgianstefani]

GTX 1060 and RX570 are 120W cards. Honestly I think the 1060 6GB is the best option and they do sell on ebay US for $50-70, and ebay ES for €55-90 based on sold, non-faulty listings sorted by most recent.

I've already linked videos showcasing how that GPU performs in modern games, and that's a best case scenario with a faster Ryzen5 5600X processor. Spending more money on a faster GPU is totally wasted on either an i5-3470 or i7-3770K if OP can find a cheap drop-in upgrade to a faster 4C/8T CPU with more cache and faster clocks.

RX570 is a 180 W card, with spikes to 230 W.

i'm seing GTX 1060 6G at 80€ the cheapest, i bit cheaper than the cheapest 1080 -> 90 €

They're that cheap beside its crazy to buy used GPUs that are six, seven, even eight years old. Like what's being suggested here. These aren't low power cards either that will have been running cool all this time, unlike what some people are trying to claim.

 

[Chrispy_]

i'm seing GTX 1060 6G at 80€ the cheapest, i bit cheaper than the cheapest 1080 -> 90 €

Where are you shopping? Midweek is generally higher-priced than weekends on eBay.

If your PSU is an issue the GTX 1650 might make more sense.

 

[dgianstefani]

i7 3770K CPU will hit 160 watts stock.
Suggesting that, together with an RX580 would be 420 watts under load. For a questionable branded cheapo PSU that can theoretically deliver 456 W on the 12 V rail, if specs are accurate, when brand new, not 10+ years old.

I really am shocked at the irresponsibility of what's being suggested here. Beyond just the simple fact that OP had clearly stated he's not interested in upgraded CPU/motherboard, and is using an ancient case with a single tower, single fan budget CPU cooler.

 

[Chrispy_]

RX570 is a 180 W card, with spikes to 230 W.

Every card has always had spikes going back 2 decades at least. PSUs dealt with it then, and it was only really the 30-series that brought the issue to light for mainstream builds.

If the PSU is an issue, it's going to be an issue for just about anything suggested here, including your suggestion of a 4060.

Unfortunately jonnyguru.com is dead but if you can bear to search the waybackmachine you'll find they covered re-reviews of a few decade-old PSUs both high-end OCZ units and low-end Antec models, both of which aced the tests and managed to still hit their specified ratings after more than a decade of genuine use. I'm sure they tested more, but this myth that PSUs lose huge amounts of their rated power delivery over time is simply that, a debunked myth.

If it's a bad PSU then it's a bad PSU and will be a problem soon regardless of whether OP changes hardware. It's worth considering but IMO you're overreacting in every way possible. There's no way any GPU will be at 100% when bottlenecked by an older CPU, and the power consumption of the 3770K isn't that different to the existing i5 he has:

(these are total system consumption levels, from Guru3D - very few sites measured CPU-only draw back in those days)

 

[Takui]

Where are you shopping? Midweek is generally higher-priced than weekends on eBay.

If your PSU is an issue the GTX 1650 might make more sense.

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