Will a faster processor help with VR?

[SCG_motoadve]

Current is i 7 4770 @ 3.8 GHz

16 Gig of DDR 3 RAM

Zotac GTX 1080 overclocked (I found overclocking the GPU increased the FPS by 10 or so)

 

Settings in VR, high ,4x AA, SS 2.5, Dynamic resolution 0.8, HDR off, Sharpen off, SSAO off.

ASW off, and forced to 45 FPS, most of the time smooth but when lots of AI , it gets slower.

 

If I upgrade to a i7 8700 will I see improvement in VR? (less slow downs, when lots of AI, able to increase dynamic resolution and SS?)

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

You will certainly see a large improvement. Slowdowns will be reduced.

 

Increasing settings, however, I do not know. It's largely down to your preferences and sometimes your GPU. 

[chiliwili69]

There are already several threads talking about this:

 

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/28899-upgrade-i74770-cpu-vr/

 

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/30656-vr-rig-question/

 

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/32581-will-new-cpu-help-vr-framerate/

 

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/33181-vr-fps-bottlenecked-cpu/

 

You can first read them if you have time to get background for your question.

 

You will already know that if you change your CPU for a latest CPUs you will need to pay for MoBo, RAM and OS.

 

You have now the i7-4770 (3.4 Ghz base, 3.9Ghz Turbo), which has no capability to overclock beyond 3.8 GHz. If you want good VR performance you will need a CPU which allows overclocking, those CPUs has the suffix "K" or "X", but I recommend you the "K" ones.

Your i7-4770 uses the LGA1150 socket, so if you don´t want to pay for new MoBo+RAM+OS you can go to the 4790K (4.0 Ghz base, 4.4Ghz Turbo, 4.9GHz with OC and good cooling) and also a good CPU cooler.

Although the 4790K is a 4 year old CPU, it is still quite good for IL-2 VR (assuming RAM is at 2600MHz)

 

What RAM speed do you have?

What CPU cooler do you have?

 

If your current DDR3 RAM is below 2400, then it could be better to go to a full upgrade (MoBo+CPU+RAM+OS and perhaps CPU cooler).

 

If you go for the i7-8700 (3.2 Ghz base, 4.6Ghz Turbo) you will be able to run a 4.6GHz in Turbo mode, which is in fact a quite good clock frequency. But for almost same price (and probably a new cooler) you can choose the i7-8700K which can be overclocked to 5.0GHz and it has deliver an good performance in our VR tests:

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gJmnz_nVxI6_dG_UYNCCpZVK2-f8NBy-y1gia77Hu_k

 

Therefore, answering to your questions:

 

If I upgrade to a i7 8700 will I see improvement in VR?  

Yes, definitely.

 

(less slow downs, when lots of AI)

Yes, you will be at 90fps most of the time, but in complex scenes you might go below 90fps. But for sure always above 45fps.

 

able to increase dynamic resolution

Since you will be more time at 90fps you will need less DRF. I don´t use DRF at all.

 

and SS?)

No. Your CPU will not help in the amount of SS you can achieve. This is the GPU. But your current 2.5 (SS in SteamVR I assume) is quite good already. Ideally you should use a SS which loads your GPU at 90%.

[dburne]

Current is i 7 4770 @ 3.8 GHz

16 Gig of DDR 3 RAM

Zotac GTX 1080 overclocked (I found overclocking the GPU increased the FPS by 10 or so)

 

Settings in VR, high ,4x AA, SS 2.5, Dynamic resolution 0.8, HDR off, Sharpen off, SSAO off.

ASW off, and forced to 45 FPS, most of the time smooth but when lots of AI , it gets slower.

 

If I upgrade to a i7 8700 will I see improvement in VR? (less slow downs, when lots of AI, able to increase dynamic resolution and SS?)

 

Yep, will certainly see an improvement.

If I were doing a new build today, the 8700k would be the one I would go with. 

 

In fact I will likely do a new build at some point this year, probably latter half of the year and will see what is available then. I am tempted already, but as I still get very smooth experience in BoS with my current rig think I will hang in there with it for a little while longer.

[SCG_motoadve]

Thanks for the replies, I am going for it, I hate the my current motherboard, so yes will change everything.

Impossible to use the BIOS, crashes when I connect a third hard drive too.

 

Can you guys recommend a good motherboard, gaming is the priority?

This the memory I have.

Can I use it on a DDR4 slot or need to buy new memory.

 

[katdog5]

highly recommend the msi z270 gaming m7. or check this list per chili: http://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gJmnz_nVxI6_dG_UYNCCpZVK2-f8NBy-y1gia77Hu_k/edit#gid=1870565807

[dburne]

Pretty sure you will need new DDR4 ram.

[chiliwili69]

I see your DDR3 RAM is 2x800 max, so it will need upgrade. If you MoBo BIOS is faulty then, no doubt, change Mobo+CPU+RAM+OS.

 

Now it is up to you to go to i7-8700 or i7-8700K. The second will require a good CPU cooler when doing OC.

I have no idea about Mobos for your new CPU, but the ones in the list have worked for IL-2 VR.

[SCG_motoadve]

I ordered the i7 8700k

The Trident Z DDR 4 , 16 gig

Optane memory boost 32 gig

GIGABYTE Z370 AORUS mbo

 

What recommendations for a good cooler that will fit in there?

[dburne]

I ordered the i7 8700k

The Trident Z DDR 4 , 16 gig

Optane memory boost 32 gig

GIGABYTE Z370 AORUS mbo

 

What recommendations for a good cooler that will fit in there?

 

 

 

Nice rig, I am envious!

 

I personally am a fan of the closed loop water coolers, have been using a Corsair H100i on my 4820k since I built it in Dec 2013, has done very well for me. Not sure how good they are with these latest chips like the 8700k, hopefully some others that have them can comment on this.

[SeaW0lf]

I ordered the i7 8700k

The Trident Z DDR 4 , 16 gig

Optane memory boost 32 gig

GIGABYTE Z370 AORUS mbo

 

What recommendations for a good cooler that will fit in there?

 

If you are handy with hardware and can afford, EK has the best water coolers in the market. Those on the link are kits (the 240mm is not worthy the price, the 360mm is the one). Or you can built your own. But it requires some knowledge and maintainance. But you can add your GPU into the loop with extra fittings and tubing. It is best for a dellided setup. But do some search, because custom loops do have more problems than closed loops.

 

If you prefer a closed loop, a 280 or 360 unit would be a good choice, since you probably will overclock the i7-8700K. In general the 280mm and 360mm units from Corsair, Thermaltake, NZXT and EVGA are from the same OEM manufacturer (Asetek), then you can chose it by the price, stetics and firmware (Corsair Link, CAM software, etc), because the hardware (radiator / pump) is exactly the same. Tubing cover / radiator and pump shroud / fans will differ though. 

 

Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut is the best (non metalic) thermal compound on the market followed by GC-Extreme. A 3.5g tube is enough for several applications.

 

Edit* -- LGA 1156 / 1155 / 1150 / 1151 have the same spacing, mounting system / brackets. Some adds don't update the info, but if the cooler is compatible with 1155 and 1150, it will be compatible with 1151.

Edited January 2, 2018 by SeaW0lf

[Dakpilot]

 

Nice rig, I am envious!

 

I personally am a fan of the closed loop water coolers, have been using a Corsair H100i on my 4820k since I built it in Dec 2013, has done very well for me. Not sure how good they are with these latest chips like the 8700k, hopefully some others that have them can comment on this.

 

I have to agree with dburne here,

 

simply as recommending from personal experience, the Corsair H100i has performed faultlessly for more years than I can remember offhand, and the software program that comes with is very intuitive and useful

 

H100i is now at version 2 but you would have to research which one would be best for 8700k and fit for your case

 

I am not saying Corsair is best, having nothing to personally compare it to, but my experience has been very satisfactory and have had good performance cooling O/C 3570K in a hot climate

 

Cheers Dakpilot

[A_radek]

While there are many good cooling options, I feel like giving my vote for Noctua. Any Noctua but preferably a big one if you have heavy OC:ing in mind.

Fast and easy to install, great quality hardware (none of those cheap bendy metal parts) and most importantly very quiet while providing cooling that matches plenty more expensive alternatives. Despite not having any moving parts my monitor has this faint but annoying buzzing sound that is plenty louder than the twin slow rpm 140mm fans on my noctua D-15. If a new incompatible cpu socket is released on the market noctua also promises to send you a new backplate for free.

Downside is for those cramped on space or those moving their pc around a lot. The D-15 is the size of a child and equally heavy. 

[SeaW0lf]

While there are many good cooling options, I feel like giving my vote for Noctua. Any Noctua but preferably a big one if you have heavy OC:ing in mind.

 

Fast and easy to install, great quality hardware (none of those cheap bendy metal parts) and most importantly very quiet while providing cooling that matches plenty more expensive alternatives. Despite not having any moving parts my monitor has this faint but annoying buzzing sound that is plenty louder than the twin slow rpm 140mm fans on my noctua D-15. If a new incompatible cpu socket is released on the market noctua also promises to send you a new backplate for free.

 

Downside is for those cramped on space or those moving their pc around a lot. The D-15 is the size of a child and equally heavy. 

 

I had a NH-U14S running in push pull (same specification fans) and it did not impress me. Nowadays I consider Noctua an overrated product. I did several tests with methodology / thermometer and the same thermal paste and it will tie with a good 120 water cooler like the H60 that will not occupy much space. So a NH-D15 will probably tie with a 240mm closed loop. By my tests, a Zalman 9900 NT has a much better efficiency for the size than a Noctua one -- the Zalman is a very compact cooler that can fit in most cases and motherboards.

 

I prefer air coolers, but there are myths about these two tower air coolers and Noctua Especially. Those reviews are crazy. For example, they never mention that the H100i is an OEM product shared with several brands, Thermaltake, NZXT and EVGA included. They never mention that some CoolIT units like the H60 have problems of backplate looseness, which can skew the test for worse in several degrees (hence why you see some tests with the H60 tied with an average Hyper 212X), not to mention fans (that you can replace), and then you have different pre-applied thermal pastes that can skew your performance in a couple degrees. And then you have non disclosure agreements on top of it and the results are a mess of manipulation and misinformation.

 

Now I have an Assassin II, and if switch the fans (the original ones have a very low rpm) for Akasa ones, I gain a couple degrees and I'm tied with a NH-D15, but it will tie with a MasterLiquid 240 that I tested and also with the H45, a cheap Corsair 120mm closed loop that has a powerful pump. This with my i7-3770K running from 3.7Ghz (stock) to 4.6Ghz (overclock). Perhaps LGA 2011 will have different results, but for the LGA 115X they are pretty close.

 

But water coolers have inherent problems. An air cooler is like an old Volkswagen. They are problems free. 

Edited January 3, 2018 by SeaW0lf

[A_radek]

I agree the d-15 is roughly an equivalent of a 240 closed loop while not quite reaching the 3 fan ones. Results with these are also more dependent on in/out case fans compared to a closed loop that do double duty there.

 

Also sorry to hear the NH-U14S disappointed you. I've had one as well (1 fan) and only switched for the d-15 once I decided I wanted to push my 7700k

[SeaW0lf]

I agree the d-15 is roughly an equivalent of a 240 closed loop while not quite reaching the 3 fan ones. Results with these are also more dependent on in/out case fans compared to a closed loop that do double duty there.

 

Also sorry to hear the NH-U14S disappointed you. I've had one as well (1 fan) and only switched for the d-15 once I decided I wanted to push my 7700k

 

It was funny because I had the 9900 NT and I expected to gain a lot with the NH-U14S (reviews were saying it was better than the old NH-D14, a benchmark in the market). After the tests, the difference was marginal at stock speeds and the 9900 NT is way more compact (and pretty). I sold the Noctua afterwards. But the The 9900 NT has a tricky mount, so many people may have it underperforming.

[BeastyBaiter]

I've been using an Arctic Liquid Freezer 120 ($70 USD) on my 8700k with the radiator as a front panel intake. Works very well even under sustained heavy loads while overclocked. The limiting factor is voltage and Intel's thermal toothpaste, not the cooler. I have no plans to delid though. It was also super easy to mount. A simple 4 screw system, no pita clips or any of that nonsense. Finding a spot for a 120mm rad, even when 100mm thick (with both fans) is fairly easy. The hoses are nice and long too, can mount it pretty much anywhere except the base of a mid/full tower case. I can't comment on longevity as I've only had it a couple months.

[katdog5]

 

 

able to increase dynamic resolution

Since you will be more time at 90fps you will need less DRF. I don´t use DRF at all.

 

 

 

SP only?  Also, what do you experience in heavy clouds, 45 degree sun, tallest mountains on Kuban.  Surely you grind to a hault with your setup without DRF? Yes? 

[chiliwili69]

 

 

What recommendations for a good cooler that will fit in there?

 

When I bought my 4790K I also bought a mid-low-range aircooler (Scyhte Katana-4), it was OK for moderate OC (until 4.6) but I realised than I also was needing extra fans for the PC box.

I wanted to get a big Noctua air cooler but my small Micro-ATX Mobo didn´t allow enough space, so I went to All-in-One water cooling solution. I also bought a modern ATX PC box (power supply at bottom and separated in a box, allowance for 2 front fans, allowance for 2 top fans) and 2 new noctua fans in the front panel. Then I took the NZXT Kraken X-52 (it is 240 mm with) and installed it in the top. It works quite well and no problems so far (only two months). https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/29881-overclocking-4790k-better-bos-performance/?p=526461

 

But I would prefer large air coolers (less elements --> less chances to fail)

 

 

SP only?  Also, what do you experience in heavy clouds, 45 degree sun, tallest mountains on Kuban.  Surely you grind to a hault with your setup without DRF? Yes?

 

I only flight SP. When Kuban map was released I tested their mountains/clouds/etc but didn´t remember major issues without DRF and using VR test settings. For the future it could be good to have another a bit longer VR test flight in Kuban map with more elements like mountains, heavy clouds, plane with mirror, etc to measure better the DRF effect.