Minimum Graphics Card for 4k monitor. (No gaming.)

I currently have a Nvidia Geforce GTX 660. How do you determine what a graphics card can do?

I have two monitors right now but I've been saving up to upgrade one of my two monitors into a 32 inch 4k monitor. Will my graphics card be able to handle it? I do some gaming but not too much. I mostly come home and web surf, watch movies, and sometimes get some work done.

Do I need to upgrade my graphics card?

Actually, maybe you guys can also let me know if I should upgrade my motherboard at this time if I have to open up the computer case? My motherboard is a AsusTek P8B75-V with an intel i7-3770 processor. I really don't know what motherboards do but it seems like my motherboard is holding me back from my computer going faster. (I actually just picked any motherboard at random when first created my setup and bought my computer on CyberPower PC. I didn't know motherboards were important. Stupid me.)

You think I should upgrade the motherboard as well as the video card if I get a 4k monitor? (I don't want to if I don't have to since this is getting quite expensive.)

Look it up, this is for reference cards others manufacturers may differ:
https://www.geforce.com/hardware/des...specifications
The notes indicate you would need to be using DisplayPort to get 4K at a reasonable frame rate just for Windows. Games are a lot more taxing.

I believe that to get 4k at 60fps over HDMI, you'd need a graphics card that supports HDMI 2.0. According to this link (a bit dated, August of 2016), the nVidia cards that do that are the 950, 960, 1050, 1060, 1070, and 1080. I see that the 970, 980, and 1030 also support HDMI 2.0.

It might be nice to have a frame rate greater than 60 Hz, but I don't know of any 4k monitors that do that.

Your i7-3770 isn't the most powerful CPU on the market, but it's pretty good. I doubt that you'd get a large improvement by upgrading it.

The GTX 1060 may be the sweet spot in terms of price/performance. Whether it's adequate for gaming at 4k, I have no idea.

I definitely want to keep the i7 CPU. I just wanted to change out the graphics card in case it was going to be a problem. But it's insane how graphics card has gone up these days.

I also wanted to switch the motherboard if it's a bottleneck to my performance. (I don't know how to tell a good motherboard from a bad one.)

bobkn said:

I believe that to get 4k at 60fps over HDMI, you'd need a graphics card that supports HDMI 2.0. According to this link (a bit dated, August of 2016), the nVidia cards that do that are the 950, 960, 1050, 1060, 1070, and 1080. I see that the 970, 980, and 1030 also support HDMI 2.0.

CerebralFreeze said:

I definitely want to keep the i7 CPU. I just wanted to change out the graphics card in case it was going to be a problem. But it's insane how graphics card has gone up these days.

I also wanted to switch the motherboard if it's a bottleneck to my performance. (I don't know how to tell a good motherboard from a bad one.)

The B75 isn't the highest end chipset for that socket, but I doubt that system performance with it is significantly worse than the Z75 or Z77 systems.

Don't worry about it.

The 1060 definitely seems like the sweet spot because the 1070 is twice the cost!

However, I briefly read some articles and someone said to go for the 1070 if you are going to go for anything higher than 1440p. And 1080 if I'm going for 4k. I’m going to go for 3840x2160. Should I go for the 1070? Or even the 1080. I really don't want to because of my budget. This will really, really hurt my finances.

What do you think?

bobkn said:

I believe that to get 4k at 60fps over HDMI, you'd need a graphics card that supports HDMI 2.0. According to this link (a bit dated, August of 2016), the nVidia cards that do that are the 950, 960, 1050, 1060, 1070, and 1080. I see that the 970, 980, and 1030 also support HDMI 2.0.

It might be nice to have a frame rate greater than 60 Hz, but I don't know of any 4k monitors that do that.

Your i7-3770 isn't the most powerful CPU on the market, but it's pretty good. I doubt that you'd get a large improvement by upgrading it.

The GTX 1060 may be the sweet spot in terms of price/performance. Whether it's adequate for gaming at 4k, I have no idea.

CerebralFreeze said:

The 1060 definitely seems like the sweet spot because the 1070 is twice the cost!

However, I briefly read some articles and someone said to go for the 1070 if you are going to go for anything higher than 1440p. And 1080 if I'm going for 4k. I’m going to go for 3840x2160. Should I go for the 1070? Or even the 1080. I really don't want to because of my budget. This will really, really hurt my finances.

What do you think?

I think that would depend on what you're doing with the system. 3D gaming is a lot more demanding than running a web browser.

Can't verify the adequacy of a 1060 from experience. I'm running a Maxwell Titan X. (About the same as a 980ti.)

If you can afford it, get the 6GB 1060 not the 3GB which is slower in modern games , but if you game on the old monitor (1080p?) perhaps you can get away with a 1050Ti 4GB for about the same price as a 1060 3gb ( less if you buy a lower spec one) , I have one in my Laptop and it handles older games as the screen is only 1080p, it is likely okay for 4k web browsing and movies too , but I can't test 4K so can't advise on that. You can move the GFX Card to your next computer though , so one way of thinking is to buy the best you can afford now.....however Nvidia may bring out their new 11 Series Cards this year which may drive prices down a bit? but the next step up to a 1070 is a steep one still right now.

My desktop is a 1070Ti and I doubt it would game really well ( high settings) at 4K (60fps) with the latest titles, it is pushing things at 1440p on my 32" BenQ monitor with some games and benchmarks like Superposition or FFXV.... though it is great with older games


3GB 1060 EVGA - Products - EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 SC GAMING, 03G-P4-6162-KR, 3GB GDDR5, ACX 2.0 (Single Fan) - 03G-P4-6162-KR

6GB 1060 EVGA - Products - EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 SSC GAMING, 06G-P4-6267-KR, 6GB GDDR5, ACX 3.0 & LED - 06G-P4-6267-KR

4Gb 1050Ti EVGA - Products - EVGA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti FTW GAMING, 04G-P4-6258-KR, 4GB GDDR5, ACX 3.0 - 04G-P4-6258-KR


Some models have an instant rebate ATM

I would advise asking on whatever company's Card you decide on, Forums to advice too , with luck you'll get advice from a User of the card your are considering that way....

KB

Im running GTX 970 (3.5Gb lol) with 4K and I have no problems with the desktop use. I even play some games as 4K@60Hz and its fine. i5-3450 / 12Gb memory.

Ofc, better is better but on desktop im doing surfing, coding and drawing designs and its fine for me.