Recently I asked about a new PC build. I got helpful responses about the topic but also a suggestion of just upgrading my GPU to a 3080 (from 3050). I looked deeper into it and it looks like I can do it easily even right now. Then I saw a 3080 FE for sale and I've always been a fan of how they look so now I want one.
However I also discovered that my CPU (i5-11400F) will be a severe bottleneck in that configuration. I don't really mind decreased GPU utilization and I'm pretty sure my CPU cooler will keep up just fine (tested in benchmarks and UE5) but will it give me any serious issues such as freezes or full on crashes? My resolution is 1080p btw (with the monitor itself actually being 768p but I increase resolution in games beyond that for better quality) but I might as well upgrade it to a 1440p one soon if necessary and use it for the new build when I undoubtedly waste my money on it.
If the price is right it’s a good upgrade. I always alternate upgrading CPU and GPU.
Games shouldn’t crash, but you’ll probably run into stutters/frame rate inconsistencies. And those drive me insane. But if you adjust your settings so you still get decent FPS then you’ll be fine. If you set an FPS limit you should be fine. I’d imagine an i7 or i9 should be pretty cheap. That would be a nice upgrade, but still bottleneck.
Also idk if I’d want a 1440p monitor with a 3080 at this point. Only 10/12 gigs of vram is pretty dire for such a nice GPU.
Unfortunately I can't upgrade the CPU due to some very important reasons. And I don't need it either as I'm planning to get a new machine next year.