Upgrade path

[brucek 38]

I use X-Plane mostly, now XP11 (still in public beta). I have been using a Mac (iMac 2014, i7-2700K with 32GB DDR3) and an AMD 4GB imbedded GPU with a 5k Retina display. Before I was a Mac convert (some 3 years ago), I built my own PC's- but got sick of the hardware stuff.

 

Fast forward to the XP11 beta (and I know they have done no performance and CPU-GPU tuning yet of the software). XP11 is slower than XP10 on the Mac, so I thought I would drag out the old PC and try that. It also has an i7-2700K CPU on a P8/P67 motherboard, 16GB of DDR3 RAM. I had overclocked the CPU to 4GHz, and I have water cooling. The GPU is a GTX780 with 3GB VRAM. I have Windows 10 installed on it, as well as using SSD's and a 1080p monitor.

 

I've purchased (not yet installed) a GTX1080 with 8GB of VRAM, that I'n going to install to help bring the rig up to date. I realize that the CPU is old and less effective than the 6700K models now, but to change that will need a new mobo plus memory, and I'm not ready to do all that yet. I've been running XP on the Mac at 4K, so I also know that the 1080p monitor will look a little soft.

 

Is there anything I can do to the CPU to improve the bottle-necking that I expect the GPU will suffer?

 

Also- when I do change out the mobo, unless things have radically changed I anticipate needing to reinstall the OS. I upgraded to Win 10 from Win 8.1 through the free upgrade window, so I don't have the OS in a DVD or flash drive. Any ideas on how I should proceed on that score once I'm ready to do so?

 

Thanks, Bruce.

[martin-w 3,235]

Is there anything I can do to the CPU to improve the bottle-necking that I expect the GPU will suffer? 

 

 

 

Overclock further. If possible.

 

Water cooling you say, what kind? 

 

Also- when I do change out the mobo, unless things have radically changed I anticipate needing to reinstall the OS.

 

 

 

Motherboard, CPU and RAM is a system upgrade. So all that's required is to reactivate on line.

 

It is possible to install MB, RAM and CPU without reinstalling OS. Delete all motherboard related software before you do,  chip-set drivers etc. Install the kit, install all new motherboard software, reactivate windows. 

[wiler 394]

waiting to see how amd ryzen performs vs i7 7700k in the xplane and p3d world, not benchmarks which apparently they are very close. I wouldnt hesitate to switch to amd if they offer better permorance for cheaper price then intel. 

[Bob Scott 7,721]

 

 

Is there anything I can do to the CPU to improve the bottle-necking that I expect the GPU will suffer?

 

The 2700k should be good to 4.6 - 4.8 GHz, especially on water...every one of the Sandy Bridge CPUs I've overclocked hit at least 4.5 easily, then some attention to voltage bumps was needed for the last few steps up.

 

Regards

[brucek 38]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I've been laid up with a stomach bug but am now back "on deck"..... much appreciate everyone's responses. More later.'

 

Bruce.