Hey everyone! I'm looking for some advice on an interesting PC setup. I recently bought an RX 9060 XT for a family PC that runs an i7-4790 (non-K), mainly so my mom can slowly explore AAA games since she hasn't played many before. I've seen some benchmarks and they look fine so far. However, I'm considering upgrading to an RX 9070 GRE to see if it enhances the experience at 4K resolution, primarily for older classic titles and maybe newer releases like *Black Myth: Wukong*. Given this situation:
- Will the i7-4790 be a significant bottleneck at 4K?
- Is the performance leap from the 9060 XT to the 9070 GRE worth it, or is it wasted on this CPU?
I know it's not a modern setup, but I'm curious how much of a bottleneck I might see. Any insights or personal experiences would be really helpful! Thanks!
3 Answers
Your CPU is pretty outdated, and it will indeed bottleneck at 4K. However, at that resolution, the GPU does a lot of the heavy lifting. For someone new to gaming, the difference between 45fps and 60fps might not be super noticeable. The RX 9070 GRE can still improve visuals, even if the CPU holds it back a bit. Just remember, if you're looking for a more consistent performance, consider picking up a used 4790K for some overclocking room. But for casual play, your mom might be just fine with the setup you have now.
The bottleneck is real with that lineup. I used an i7-4790K with a decent GPU a while back and even at 1440p, it struggled to keep up. At 4K, the limitations are even more pronounced. If you're mainly focusing on older titles, you might get away with it, but I’d prepare for potential stutters and frame drops in heavier games. Just keep expectations realistic, and you may wanna look into an upgrade soon!
Yeah, you’re definitely right about the limitations! But for now, an old CPU paired with a new GPU could still be fun for her to start out.
Honestly, upgrading to the RX 9070 GRE sounds like a bit of a stretch with the i7-4790. While you might experience some improvement, the old CPU will struggle especially in CPU-intensive games. If you're looking at older classics, it might be okay for now, but for newer titles, you could face severe performance drops. If making your mom's first gaming experience enjoyable is the goal, you might want to stick with what you have until you can upgrade the whole platform later.
Thanks for the input! I think I’ll test the 9060 XT first and see how it goes. If she runs into too many issues, I’ll consider my options.
I get what you're saying, but isn't it misleading to say the GPU will carry the load just because it's 4K? The CPU's job doesn't exactly get easier, right?