Background

My computer was having a issue back in February that I tracked down to a bad ram stick and it is has been fine ever since. BUT I am occasionally getting black lines on the screen, the card is over 5 years old (i think) plus I run sims 3 with all expansions up to Seasons(plan to get the rest eventually), a few stuff packs and lots of CC. I can lag or freeze for a few seconds, and textures can take a bit to load, especially with lots of cc (I do use CC magic it helps)

Thinking next spring or summer would be a better time for a whole new system. When I might know IF I will be interested in sims 4. BIG IF right now.
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Current Specks
Desktop
OS: MS Windows 7 SP1- 64bit
Motherboard: Gigabyte EP5t-UD3P
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q9650 3 GHZ
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce 9800GTX+
RAM: 8 GB DDR3 PC3 667MHZ (down from 16 after a stick went bad)
HD space: 1Tb (739 gb free)
Power supply: 700 watts
monitor: nec lcd 1712

BUS: PCI-E 2.0 x16

Budget: prefer under $300 US

my current card (NVIDIA GeForce 9800GTX+) vs GeForce GTX 660 Ti : http://www.hwcompare.com/13261/gefo...rce-gtx-660-ti/


Question 1:
I note that the cards I am looking at have a PCI-E 16x 3.0 BUS vs the PCI-E 2.0 x16 my system has. Does this matter?
I think what I have read said it does not.

Question 2:
Would I get noticeably improved performance updating my video card to say a GeForce GTX 660 Ti on my current system?
or should I just wait until I can update the whole system next year?


Question 3:
What are your thoughts on a GeForce GTX 660 Ti card verses other Geforce cards with current system?

Thanks in advance for the input

The new card is more than double what you have.
This is a good site to see the dif. http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php

You would see a drastic improvement where you're not at a bottleneck. Also no, it won't really matter for a single GPU if you're using PCI-E 2.0.

I would suggest you take a look at the GTX 760 instead of the GTX 660 Ti. Its slightly cheaper and slightly more powerful.

Benchmarks: http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/860?vs=854

GTX 760 prices: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...rce%20GTX%20760

GTX 660 Ti prices: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...0GTX%20660%20Ti

ajaxsirius thanks you for the replay and for answering all three of the questions and the quick response.

Another question. I understand the concept of "a bottleneck" as being, where other components aren't able to keep up with a new GPU. Is that accurate?
So back to question 2 - are my other components going to slow things down to the point I won't see much if any improvement with a new card? i.e. how much of a bottle neck are the other components going to create sims 3 is the most demanding I game play.

I have read that Sim 3 depends a great deal on the CPU speed and I'd need a new motherboard to significantly improve the CPU specs. All that is next year.

My computer helper will not be around to help on a new build until then (ie do it for me but he will put in a new graphics card for me this weekend or next if I want. I am just above a parrot repeating words I have heard when it come to computers... You probably know the type, just knows enough to sound really stupid and be absolutely wrong.

Q9650 OC to 3.8Ghz can handle GTX660 , beyond that you will see bottleneck.
Anyway Sims 3 horrible code make even strong CPU still bottleneck. (worst optimize game probably GTA IV is still better lol)
I never see my 7970 stand at 100% load even OC 3770K to 5.2Ghz.
That is because game can mostly use 2 cores.

Overclock your CPU is an instant boost in Sims 3.

Yeah, a bottleneck is where your game has reached its max because your slowest part has reached 100% of its potential. Even if the other parts can go faster, the slow part cannot.

The Q9650 is fairly balanced with video card you have, but even so if you WILL see some improvement, and you can still keep the 760 for another three years, so if you buy a new CPU let's say next year (you should, Q9650 is getting old) you can put the 760 into the new PC.

I would agree with enterprise24, if you already own a good CPU cooler, start by overclocking the CPU to 3.4ghz - 3.8ghz. It's a free performance boost, and let's you see if you still want to buy a new GPU.

You can always buy the GPU after the overclock if you still want to.

Thanks again for the response and the information. I am learning new stuff!

I have also been reading the comments both of you (ajaxsirius and enterprise24 ) have made on this thread: athttp://modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=510767
As well as some other threads on recommended builds.

I do not own a CPU cooler and not sure about my comfort at the moment with overclocking.

looking at a GTX 760 in light of the comments here and else where and my desire to carry the card over to a new build in the next year.

BUT wow so many different GTX 760s - spoiled for choice.

thanks again

Here is some explain about bottleneck.
Core 2 Quad Q9550 @ 3.8Ghz + Radeon 7970 @ 1150Mhz/6600Mhz test with Battlefield 3.

Look at GPU usage graph. You will see GPU never work more than 50%.
50% horsepower of 7970 is 7850. So you buy 7970 but it work like 7850.

i use the 760 MSI oc one, in normal mode ( not in oc i m afraid to destroy it, i dont have FPS limiter) very good and not noisy at all, i only hear the fan of my cpu!