Ultra-wide screen - need new video card?

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BiggusDoggus

391 posts

Ultimate Geek

#299014 3-Aug-2022 09:56

Hi all,

So I'm considering upgrading my existing setup of 2 x 24 flat monitors to a 32 or 34 ultra-wide, potentially https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/MONMIX34140/Xiaomi-Mi-34-UltraWide-QHD-Curved-Gaming-Monitor-3.

For a combination of WFH and a bit of gaming (occasional World of Tanks/World of Warships kind of level).

WFH - no issue as I use a laptop for that. But for my PC - I currently have an AMD RX470.

From what I have read on the Google, while it's an ok (albeit old in the tooth) card for 1080p, it's going to struggle to drive one of those ultra-wides at anywhere near top resolution for games.

Assuming that's correct, it means I'm likely to have to upgrade the card. And, again, from what I have read, really the best (cost-effective) upgrade option is a RX6600.

But...even they are pretty pricey: https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/VGAAS06600/ASUS-Dual-AMD-Radeon-RX-6600-Graphics-Card-8GB-GDD

So, two questions please:

Do I need to upgrade my RX470?
If I do, is the RX6600 really my "cheapest" option to achieve a worthwhile upgrade, that will also get even close to the best out of an ultra-wide?

I also run an i5-4570 CPU (would that be a real bottleneck even if I upgrade the video card?). PSU no issue.

Thanks!

Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries

1 | 2

4243 posts

Uber Geek

#2950078 3-Aug-2022 10:06

this site is really good for comparing video cards and cpu

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i5-4570+%40+3.20GHz&id=1896

Common sense is not as common as you think.

askelon

875 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#2950103 3-Aug-2022 10:47

If your going to get that card get the 6600XT over it. Runs around 20-30% faster. The 6600XT was designed to run 1080 well. I got myself one a couple of months back to replace a 960. Works well. I run everything at 2560x1440 and its more than capable for the stuff I run.

ratsun81

508 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2950122 3-Aug-2022 11:22

Id say you should plan for a GPU upgrade. you could try it out with the 470 but my money is on an upgrade.

Im not sure how demanding WOT is but if you try to drive an ultra wide on any AAA titles the 6600 would struggle unless you turn down the quality settings.

andrew75

145 posts

Master Geek

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#2950125 3-Aug-2022 11:32

Not sure how demanding your games are but I ran a 1060 on my ultrawide 3440x1440 for a while. On low settings it would usually be 50-60fps in games like The Witcher 3.

I'd say you'd would be rather hopeful wanting to do much on a 470...

You can scale down to 25560 x 1080 but it won't look as good.

toejam316

1466 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2950132 3-Aug-2022 11:57

That card can output 4K, so it can output 3440x1440. It'll work just fine, but you'll almost certainly notice it struggle a bit to game at those resolutions. the 6600XT and the 3060 are the two GPUs where it seems worthwhile biting, in my opinion. Everything below is a bit gimped.

Anything I say is the ramblings of an ill informed, opinionated so-and-so, and not representative of any of my past, present or future employers, and is also probably best disregarded.

BiggusDoggus

391 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2950190 3-Aug-2022 14:37

Thanks for the replies so far - appreciate it!

One other thing - am I correct in saying that 32" curved monitors can only display a max of 16:9, while 34 can display 21:9?

And so while something like this: https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/MONSAM72532/Samsung-Odyssey-G5-32-QHD-144Hz-Curved-Gaming-Moni

is a little cheaper, I'm better off spending a little extra to get a 34?

Although if I got a 32" I may not be forced into upgrading my RX470 card quite so soon....

Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries

tchart

2379 posts

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#2950260 3-Aug-2022 15:52

My 2c

I tried an ultra wide with my laptop. I couldnt get it to run beyond 60hz and 1440p in ultrawide really didnt agree with my eyes (glasses wearer). Ended up selling it and got a Lenovo 31.5" QHD Monitor - 2560x1440 75Hz 4ms IPS Panel which Ive been very happy with.

Its a big step up from my previous 27" 1080p 16:9 and gives enough extra real estate for side by side windows etc

Edit: Oh I see youre looking at the Samsung Odyssey G5 32", very similar to mine, I'd say that would be the safer bet.

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tchart

2379 posts

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#2950267 3-Aug-2022 15:56

This might be useful too - http://www.displaywars.com/34-inch-21x9-vs-32-inch-16x9

Green is 32inch 16:9

andrew75

145 posts

Master Geek

ID Verified

#2950294 3-Aug-2022 16:39

tchart:

My 2c

I tried an ultra wide with my laptop. I couldnt get it to run beyond 60hz and 1440p in ultrawide really didnt agree with my eyes (glasses wearer). Ended up selling it and got a Lenovo 31.5" QHD Monitor - 2560x1440 75Hz 4ms IPS Panel which Ive been very happy with.

Its a big step up from my previous 27" 1080p 16:9 and gives enough extra real estate for side by side windows etc

Edit: Oh I see youre looking at the Samsung Odyssey G5 32", very similar to mine, I'd say that would be the safer bet.

I'm a glasses wearer too and much prefer my ultrawide over a 16:9. Very useful for running two windows side by side, and much more immersive.

Because it is so big you will be more aware of low refresh rates and ghosting though. I initially got a 60Hz panel but then upgraded to a 144 because of it.

Huntakillaz

268 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2950547 4-Aug-2022 10:05

Get like a Xiaomi or Dell 34' 144hz ultrawide 3440x1440p monitor. they go on special often and are a great bang for buck monitor at around ~600-650

That way you can spend more on the gpu 6600XT would be the minimum, 6700Xt would be ideal

You can use a RX470 and wait till Black Friday deals int he mean time, gaming will just happen low-med 30-60fps on AAA games, I did it for a while with RX580 before upgrading the gpu wasn't too bad.

Your cpu would be the next bottleneck after the gpu upgrade, but i'd hold out to AM5 Ryzen 7000/Intel 13th gen for that upgrade at this point

https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=77&topicid=299020

https://www.cheapies.nz/product/xiaomi-mi-curved-gaming-monitor

https://www.cheapies.nz/product/dell-s3423dwg

BiggusDoggus

391 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2951980 8-Aug-2022 10:53

Sorry - one other question please.

From what I have read R1000 screens are the ideal to get, basically because it fits best with the distance from the eye or something.

Does anyone have a R1000, or (even better) has moved from a R1500 or R1800?

I'm just concerned that a R1000 could be too curvy....I worked for a week in a different office a few weeks back and they had Dell R1800 ultra-wides, which seemed ok to me.

Dell's seem to be all R1800, the Xiaomi is R1500, and this one (an AOC) is R1000 https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/MONAOC83403/AOC-CU34G3S-34-Ultrawide-QHD-165Hz-Curved-Gaming-M

Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries

andrew75

145 posts

Master Geek

ID Verified

#2952223 8-Aug-2022 18:05

I've got a LG 34GN850, with a 1900 curve. This feels just about right. I would think a 1000 curve would be way too aggressive for me. Might be ok in some games but wouldn't be good for general computing I would have thought. Definitely try before you buy.

005t

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2953200 10-Aug-2022 21:01

I thoroughly recommend the 6600XT over the 6600 if you can squeeze it, I have been blown away by its performance at 1440p, but it's not like I'm at ultra getting 144fps, it's likely the case at 1080p though for what it's worth. the 6600 base I can't imagine is great above 1080p.
admittedly I'm entirely ignorant of WoT and how it runs/optimization etc, I know it's an older game so you'll be fine if that's the extent of gaming.

I'll also add in slightly unrelated but the 6600XT also OC/UVs really well and consistently, there's heaps of guides and posts about it but the card really punches above its weight.