I'm currently using an i5 4690 with 12GB of RAM, and I had planned to upgrade to an AM5 setup this year. However, I've had to put that on hold due to rising RAM and storage prices. Instead, I've decided to buy a Gunnir Photon Arc A770 16GB to replace my old 1050 Ti. My H81 motherboard supports PCI Gen 3, and I managed to mod the BIOS to enable Resizable BAR. As the new graphics card is set to arrive soon, I'm concerned about how much my CPU will bottleneck the GPU when gaming at 4K. I understand it will bottleneck at lower resolutions, but my main worry is about stuttering—I can tolerate low frame rates as long as they're above 30 FPS. I'm considering whether to invest in an 8GB RAM stick to make it dual-channel 16GB or to replace my CPU with an i7 4790 for more threads. I'll update this post once I try the new card to share how it performs, especially regarding stuttering in games.
5 Answers
I recommend considering an i7 upgrade down the line. It worked wonders for my setup, boosting performance significantly with modern games. Happy gaming!
Honestly, your hardware is just not meant for solid 4K gaming. If you are okay with 30+ FPS, you might get by, but you could face annoyance from stutters in more demanding games like Cyberpunk or AC Odyssey.
Exactly. I don't mind lower FPS as long as it feels smooth enough for fun.
You could always wait and upgrade to a better CPU later, but for now, just see how the card performs.
At 4K resolution, you're likely going to run into limitations not just from your CPU but also because the GPU will struggle. It’s not optimal for seamless gameplay at that resolution, so managing your expectations is key here.
Totally agree, not every setup is meant for high-end gaming; sometimes it's just about what works for you.
If you're okay with lower frames, you can still enjoy some games, but they won't be anything spectacular.
Intel GPUs really do well with Resizable BAR, but yours is an older i5 which might restrict performance. Just keep in mind that it was released before this technology became mainstream, so you could face a notable bottleneck with your setup. Good luck!
I actually managed to mod my BIOS to enable it, so I’m hoping for the best.
My i7 8700K performs at a solid level with a similar setup, so it can definitely improve your experience.
If you can get your memory in dual-channel mode by adding another 8GB stick, that may help with performance and stability. Higher memory configurations can sometimes ease CPU load.
I managed to upgrade my GPU pretty easily that way, and it made a big difference.