2015 Build vs 2018 Build

[Darlok9]

Hello there my fellow enthusiasts.. I need your help.. I haven't done much research into this.. but I am dying to know if any of you could tell me what the overall difference (percentage wise in performance) would be between these 2 current rigs.. One system is from year 2015 the other I'm planning to build this month in 2018 I'm not sure if I want to spend almost $4000 on the new system if it wont offer me a significant boost over the older system.


2015 SYSTEM
-----------------------------------

[PCPartPicker part list](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vBTvYJ) / [Price breakdown by merchant](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/vBTvYJ/by_merchant/)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [Intel - Core i7-4790K 4GHz Quad-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/6vzv6h/intel-cpu-bx80646i74790k) | Purchased For $279.99
**CPU Cooler** | [Cooler Master - Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/hmtCmG/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rr212e20pkr2) | Purchased For $36.99
**Motherboard** | [Asus - MAXIMUS VII HERO ATX LGA1150 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/pYyFf7/asus-motherboard-maximusviihero) | Purchased For $179.99
**Memory** | [G.Skill - Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/kjzv6h/gskill-memory-f314900cl10d16gbxl) | Purchased For $122.99
**Storage** | [Samsung - 850 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/JMPfrH/samsung-internal-hard-drive-mz7ke256bw) | Purchased For $164.99
**Video Card** | [MSI - GeForce GTX 960 2GB Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/WpgPxr/msi-video-card-gtx960gaming2g) | Purchased For $219.99
**Case** | [Fractal Design - Define R5 w/Window (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/9XL7YJ/fractal-design-case-fdcadefr5bkw) | Purchased For $119.99
**Power Supply** | [SeaSonic - 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/sQbp99/seasonic-power-supply-ss650km) | Purchased For $89.99
**Optical Drive** | [Asus - DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/2v9KHx/asus-optical-drive-drw24b1stblkbas) | Purchased For $19.99
**Case Fan** | [Noctua - NF-A14 FLX 68.0 CFM 140mm Fan](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Q3Lypg/noctua-case-fan-nfa14flx) | Purchased For $24.99
**Case Fan** | [Noctua - NF-A14 FLX 68.0 CFM 140mm Fan](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Q3Lypg/noctua-case-fan-nfa14flx) | Purchased For $24.99
**Case Fan** | [Noctua - NF-A14 FLX 68.0 CFM 140mm Fan](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Q3Lypg/noctua-case-fan-nfa14flx) | Purchased For $24.99
**Monitor** | [Asus - MX279H 27.0" 1920x1080 Monitor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/8VkD4D/asus-monitor-mx279h) | Purchased For $269.99
| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
| **Total** | **$1579.87**




2018 SYSTEM
--------------------------

[PCPartPicker part list](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/3pV66s) / [Price breakdown by merchant](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/3pV66s/by_merchant/)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [Intel - Core i7-8086K 4GHz 6-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/CgqhP6/intel-core-i7-8086k-4ghz-6-core-processor-bx80684i78086k) | $399.99
**CPU Cooler** | [Noctua - NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/4vzv6h/noctua-cpu-cooler-nhd15) | $83.61 @ Newegg
**Motherboard** | [Asus - ROG MAXIMUS X HERO (WI-FI AC) ATX LGA1151 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/tqKhP6/asus-maximus-x-hero-wi-fi-ac-atx-lga1151-motherboard-maximus-x-hero-wi-fi-ac) | $249.99
**Memory** | [G.Skill - Trident Z 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3400 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/3CRFf7/gskill-trident-z-32gb-2-x-16gb-ddr4-3400-memory-f4-3400c16d-32gtz) | $469.99
**Storage** | [Samsung - 970 Pro 1.0TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/g6Nv6h/samsung-970-pro-10tb-m2-2280-solid-state-drive-mz-v7p1t0bw) | $495.99 @ Amazon
**Video Card** | [EVGA - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB FTW3 HYBRID GAMING Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/VL8H99/evga-geforce-gtx-1080-ti-11gb-ftw3-hybrid-gaming-video-card-11g-p4-6698-kr) | $849.99 @ Amazon
**Case** | [Fractal Design - Define R6 Blackout TG ATX Mid Tower Case](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/YXPKHx/fractal-design-define-r6-blackout-tg-atx-mid-tower-case-fd-ca-def-r6-bko-tg) | $139.99 @ SuperBiiz
**Power Supply** | [SeaSonic - FOCUS Plus Platinum 750W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/dCs8TW/seasonic-focus-plus-platinum-750w-80-platinum-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-ssr-750px) | $104.90 @ B&H
**Optical Drive** | [Asus - DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/2v9KHx/asus-optical-drive-drw24b1stblkbas) | $17.89 @ OutletPC
**Case Fan** | [Noctua - NF-A14 PWM chromax.black.swap 82.5 CFM 140mm Fan](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/sWM323/noctua-nf-a14-pwm-chromaxblackswap-825-cfm-140mm-fan-nf-a14-pwm-chromaxblackswap) | $24.90 @ Amazon
**Case Fan** | [Noctua - NF-A14 PWM chromax.black.swap 82.5 CFM 140mm Fan](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/sWM323/noctua-nf-a14-pwm-chromaxblackswap-825-cfm-140mm-fan-nf-a14-pwm-chromaxblackswap) | $24.90 @ Amazon
**Case Fan** | [Noctua - NF-A14 PWM chromax.black.swap 82.5 CFM 140mm Fan](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/sWM323/noctua-nf-a14-pwm-chromaxblackswap-825-cfm-140mm-fan-nf-a14-pwm-chromaxblackswap) | $24.90 @ Amazon
**Monitor** | [Dell - AW3418DW 34.1" 3440x1440 120Hz Monitor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/c9qbt6/dell-aw3418dw-341-3440x1440-120hz-monitor-aw3418dw) | $999.99 @ Best Buy
| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $3892.03
| Mail-in rebates | -$5.00
| **Total** | **$3887.03**

 

[jankerson]

Well it will be a lot faster than your current system, you could just get a GTX 1080 and put it in your current system.

That 34" Monitor is $1,000 of the price of the new system, I am sure your current Monitor is fine.



Made a few adjustments in the build.



PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-8086K 4GHz 6-Core Processor ($399.99)
CPU Cooler: Noctua - NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($83.61 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus - ROG MAXIMUS X HERO (WI-FI AC) ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($249.99)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($360.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung - 970 Evo 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($106.82 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung - 860 Evo 1TB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($219.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB FTW3 GAMING iCX Video Card ($794.98 @ Newegg Business)
Case: Fractal Design - Define R6 Blackout TG ATX Mid Tower Case ($139.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - FOCUS Plus Platinum 750W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($104.90 @ B&H)
Optical Drive: Asus - DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($17.89 @ OutletPC)
Case Fan: Noctua - NF-A14 PWM chromax.black.swap 82.5 CFM 140mm Fan ($24.90 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Noctua - NF-A14 PWM chromax.black.swap 82.5 CFM 140mm Fan ($24.90 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: Noctua - NF-A14 PWM chromax.black.swap 82.5 CFM 140mm Fan ($24.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $2553.84
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-07-16 09:21 EDT-0400

 

[bichn]

the i7 8086k is not worth the 75$increase over the 8800k do to its only difference is its boost clock speed on a single core and overclocks the same but everything other would be a large performance upgrade to your current build

 

[zoltan.boese]

So it is a i7-8086k plus 1080ti versus a i7-4790K paired with a GTX 960.

The 1080ti itself has a tree.. three and a half times better performance then its mid range predecessor from the 9th generation. Simply putting that into the older rig would give you a nice boost without cpu bottlenecking.

The i7-8086k has two more cores than the 4790k, similar clock speeds, and a better igpu, which you will not be using anyway. It is somewhat 30% better, but the cpu will not be a limiting factor in gaming, unless you also plan to steam or do something in the background. The in game difference is a 13% fps boost.

The memory makes a marginal difference, since you use the vram. All in all I assume a ratio 1 : 4 for the two rigs. If you were using the same gpu, it would be more of 100 : 115.

 

[jankerson]

the i7 8086k is not worth the 75$increase over the 8800k do to its only difference is its boost clock speed on a single core and overclocks the same but everything other would be a large performance upgrade to your current build

Hardly...

The 8086K is a high binned CPU that will do 5.0 GHZ on all cores at lower voltage than MOST 8700K's.

To get a 8700K that will do what the 8086K will do you have to the Silicon lottery and buy one of theirs..... That will cost more than the 8086K.

100% of 8086K's will do 5.0GHz on all cores....

Not so much with the 8700K.

 

[profoundnoah]

The 8086K is nothing more than a marketing gimmick, which sports SLIGHTLY higher stock clocks. I would not bother investing such a large sum of money in it. Honestly, your system will be fine for another few years. It's most lacking in the Graphics department, so throwing in a 1080/ti or the new 11 series cards when they come out would definitely give you a huge performance increase.

As for CPUs, I'd wait a bit until intel releases their refresh/AMD releases their new Ryzen chips. I'm running on a 100hz Acer Predator X34 rn w/ a 1080 and a 6700k (at only 4Ghz mind you), not dropping below 100 FPS at all. Also, another thing to consider is the form factor of that ultrawide panel. This is just a personal preference, but if you plan on recording/streaming, then I'd HEAVILY recommend a double monitor setup. If you're looking for a fluid gaming experience, I'd actually recommend going for something like the PG279Q from Asus, which is an excellent panel.

 

[King_V]

Honestly, I'd say keep your current system, get a GTX 1080 or 1080Ti, get the monitor (or similar in price/capability/resolution/size and with GSync, such as Acer Predator 34 inch), and call it done. The rest of your system is plenty capable.

Large ultrawide monitors are awesome. Pricey, but awesome.

EDIT: or one of the new 11-series cards, which SUPPOSEDLY are coming out in the next couple of months.

 

[bichn]

the i7 8086k is not worth the 75$increase over the 8800k do to its only difference is its boost clock speed on a single core and overclocks the same but everything other would be a large performance upgrade to your current build

Hardly...

The 8086K is a high binned CPU that will do 5.0 GHZ on all cores at lower voltage than MOST 8700K's.

To get a 8700K that will do what the 8086K will do you have to the Silicon lottery and buy one of theirs..... That will cost more than the 8086K.

i have 2 of each chip and overclocked them both yes the 8086k did get a slightly higher stable overclock but it wasn't worth the increase in price all benchmarks i did where within error range out of a 5 test average

 

[profoundnoah]

If you do end up going for the X34, be sure what you're buying is the newer P version, given that it clocks 20 hz higher vs. the original.

 

[jankerson]

the i7 8086k is not worth the 75$increase over the 8800k do to its only difference is its boost clock speed on a single core and overclocks the same but everything other would be a large performance upgrade to your current build

Hardly...

The 8086K is a high binned CPU that will do 5.0 GHZ on all cores at lower voltage than MOST 8700K's.

To get a 8700K that will do what the 8086K will do you have to the Silicon lottery and buy one of theirs..... That will cost more than the 8086K.

i have 2 of each chip and overclocked them both yes the 8086k did get a slightly higher stable overclock but it wasn't worth the increase in price all benchmarks i did where within error range out of a 5 test average

I have both the 8086K and 8700K.

MY 8700K won't do more than 4.7 GHz MCE at reasonable voltage.

Running my 8086K at 5.0 Ghz MCE now at 1.3V. (Actually runs at 1.236V to 1.248V in stress testing the way I have it set.)

Actually the voltage is lower on the 8086K at 5 GHz than it was with the 8700K at 4.7 Ghz.

 

[profoundnoah]

Personally it won't be the end of the world if the OP doesn't reach that sweet 5Ghz line. The 8700k is still an extremely powerful processor, and in their situation, the OP would actually end up being more GPU bound than anything. We all can debate on the 8700k vs the 8086k, but you can't really deny that both of them are fantastic chips.

 

[jankerson]

Personally it won't be the end of the world if the OP doesn't reach that sweet 5Ghz line. The 8700k is still an extremely powerful processor, and in their situation, the OP would actually end up being more GPU bound than anything. We all can debate on the 8700k vs the 8086k, but you can't really deny that both of them are fantastic chips.

Yes, both are great for sure.

Reason why I kept the 8700K to use in another machine.

 

[feelinfroggy777]

I would hold on to your 4790k and overclock it. It is within 10% gaming performance as a stock 8700k. If you go with a higher resolution monitor, such as the Predator x34, the CPU will matter even less because at higher resolution the bottleneck moves from the CPU to the GPU.

If I were in your shoes today, I would get the GPU and the monitor, and next year see what Intel and AMD have to offer. Right now, there is very little difference in gaming performance with the 4790k and everything else.

 

[bichn]

Personally it won't be the end of the world if the OP doesn't reach that sweet 5Ghz line. The 8700k is still an extremely powerful processor, and in their situation, the OP would actually end up being more GPU bound than anything. We all can debate on the 8700k vs the 8086k, but you can't really deny that both of them are fantastic chips.

that is why i have one of each on my test benches they are awesome chips

 

[bichn]

I would hold on to your 4790k and overclock it. It is within 10% gaming performance as a stock 8700k. If you go with a higher resolution monitor, such as the Predator x34, the CPU will matter even less because at higher resolution the bottleneck moves from the CPU to the GPU.

If I were in your shoes today, I would get the GPU and the monitor, and next year see what Intel and AMD have to offer. Right now, there is very little difference in gaming performance with the 4790k and everything else.

also want to wait on 32g ram no need for it in gaming unless you are playing some crazy next level shit and most games it would be better to just get 2x8 sticks and if for some crazy reason you run out of ram you can drop 2 more in

 

[canbbb]

I purchased a 3440x1440 when they came out a few years ago. Best gaming decision ever (aside from my HTC Vive pro that is 🙂)... the ultrawide monitor will change the way you game. I'm with most people on the rest: just drop a 1080 or 1080 Ti in your old system and it will be night and day. And wait at least one more year to replace the rest. No game needs more than 4 cores these days. Many still run on 1.

 

[profoundnoah]

Personally, if you're looking for competitive gaming, the PG279Q is the best monitor at the moment imo. The ultrawide form factor definitely is immersive, but 165hz is nothing to scoff at either.

 

[King_V]

Pshaw! That is me scoffing at it! I think...

 

[Eximo]

I agree, the 165hz overclocking on those panels isn't great. A lot of the ghosting comes back when you do that. Better to treat them as designed as 144hz panels. (Also 165FPS at QHD is not that easy to achieve)

Though if you are going QHD 144hz, arguments can be made for the PG278QR, Dell SG2716DG. And from what I hear Acer's quality control is better than ASUS when it comes to their high end monitors. (Though I personally don't like the way the chassis looks, ASUS is tolerable at least)

 

[bichn]

idk about your ultra-wide but i am a huge fan of my dual ROG swifts never have had any issues with them and they just look so damn nice

 

[Darlok9]

Guys.. I read all your answers.. Thank you so much for your help! I am not 100% sure what I want to do.. Whether to upgrade the entire PC which will strain my budget or just upgrade a few components. When I originally built it i went a lil cheap on the GPU.. I just needed it for World of Warcraft.. I don't do much gaming except WOW and occasional Secondlife. The problem with my PC is I ran into storage limitation.. I have to uninstall a game in order to install a new one if i want it on an SSD. MMOs are like 40+ Gigs nowadays....

Soo guys.. If i went the component route.. Which parts should i upgrade? I Can get a 1080 GTX TI card from someone for around $550.. but it was used to mine bitcoins for 6 months.. Not sure if it's worth it? is that a risk, to get a GPU that's been used for mining?

I did consider the Asus 27 ROG.. but it would have a 1440 p resolution which would shrink stuff on my monitor and my vision isn't really 20x20. So i dont want to squint at the monitor (or resize too many things when I play WOW or browse the net)

Is a 970 Samsung Evo or Pro SSD a safe bet? Is it pretty future proof?

And How long do you think it will be before gaming in 4K will be a mainstream thing?

Once again guys.. Thank you for your input.. You have been TREMENDOUS HELP! I am now reconsidering buying the entire system and saving a ton of $

 

[King_V]

The Samsung Evo and the Crucial MX500 series are both excellent - long warranties, both in terms of total writes and in time. Can't go wrong with either one of them. On the other hand, a spinning HDD isn't to be overlooked if you want LOTS of storage for cheap, and don't mind load times.

(Full disclosure, I have both a 500GB Samsung 850 EVO SATA and a 500GB Crucial MX500 SATA in my system - only for a few months so far, but I'm quite happy with them, but also have a regular HDD in the system as well)

So, if storage is your immediate concern, yes, another drive is a great idea, and not too expensive.

At your current resolution, a 1080Ti is overkill. Plus, I'd be EXTREMELY hesitant considering that you'd be buying that GPU, which has been run very hard, effectively with no warranty. Shelling out that kind of money, I'd want the full 3 year warranty.

Since you're playing WoW, probably the GPU is less of an issue than I'd otherwise assume.

I say get the storage problem sorted out first.

Then after, well, a monitor upgrade and a GPU upgrade almost go hand in hand. If there are any stores such as Fry's, MicroCenter, etc, near you that have a wide variety of monitors on display, go in person and see them. Monitors are extremely subjective - and I know personally I prefer larger (my eyesight not being the best). Getting a great monitor can be pricey, but it's a component you keep for a long time. If you're going higher resolution, you'll want to go larger. Once you do go higher resolution, though, any shortcomings of the graphics card will become more extreme.

As a fan of ultrawides, if you go 2560x1080, then even a GTX 1070 is more than enough. If you go 3440x1440, a 1070Ti or 1080 would be very capable of handling them.

My son has this monitor (34-inch 2560x1080): https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/lg-34uc79g-34-inch-ultra-wide-freesync-monitor,4891.html

I have this one (38-inch 3840x1600 - I needed the high horizontal resolution for work purposes, otherwise I would've gone 3440x1440): https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/acer-xr382cqk-curved-freesync-monitor,5067.html

WARNING: these will put a SERIOUS dent in your wallet! But they look FANTASTIC.


I don't know if 4K for gaming is going to become mainstream anytime soon. Even a 1080Ti will sometimes struggle to maintain 60fps at 4K on triple-A titles with max details. GPU technology is just not quite up to handling that yet.


EDIT: ah, you'd already mentioned the Dell 3440x1440, I forgot. My brain's not fully awake yet, clearly!

 

[jankerson]

Soo guys.. If i went the component route.. Which parts should i upgrade? I Can get a 1080 GTX TI card from someone for around $550.. but it was used to mine bitcoins for 6 months.. Not sure if it's worth it? is that a risk, to get a GPU that's been used for mining?

No, no way never by a card that was used for mining.

You can get a NEW GTX 1080 for around that.

 

[Darlok9]

Honestly, I'd say keep your current system, get a GTX 1080 or 1080Ti, get the monitor (or similar in price/capability/resolution/size and with GSync, such as Acer Predator 34 inch), and call it done. The rest of your system is plenty capable.

Large ultrawide monitors are awesome. Pricey, but awesome.

EDIT: or one of the new 11-series cards, which SUPPOSEDLY are coming out in the next couple of months.

Soo guys.. If i went the component route.. Which parts should i upgrade? I Can get a 1080 GTX TI card from someone for around $550.. but it was used to mine bitcoins for 6 months.. Not sure if it's worth it? is that a risk, to get a GPU that's been used for mining?

No, no way never by a card that was used for mining.

You can get a NEW GTX 1080 for around that.

Would a 1080 GTX be able to give me as good frame rates as a 1080 GTX Ti in World of Warcraft on the Alienware Dell 34 inch monitor with 3440 x 1440 120hz resolutionr? I mainly want to use it for WOW which is an 11 yr old game not very optimized for best FPS.. But I want to play at pretty stable frame rates. Like, how much difference in FPS if any would it be between the 1080 GTX and the 1080 GTX TI?

 

[jankerson]

Honestly, I'd say keep your current system, get a GTX 1080 or 1080Ti, get the monitor (or similar in price/capability/resolution/size and with GSync, such as Acer Predator 34 inch), and call it done. The rest of your system is plenty capable.

Large ultrawide monitors are awesome. Pricey, but awesome.

EDIT: or one of the new 11-series cards, which SUPPOSEDLY are coming out in the next couple of months.

Soo guys.. If i went the component route.. Which parts should i upgrade? I Can get a 1080 GTX TI card from someone for around $550.. but it was used to mine bitcoins for 6 months.. Not sure if it's worth it? is that a risk, to get a GPU that's been used for mining?

No, no way never by a card that was used for mining.

You can get a NEW GTX 1080 for around that.

Would a 1080 GTX be able to give me as good frame rates as a 1080 GTX Ti in World of Warcraft on the Alienware Dell 34 inch monitor with 3440 x 1440 120hz resolutionr? I mainly want to use it for WOW which is an 11 yr old game not very optimized for best FPS.. But I want to play at pretty stable frame rates. Like, how much difference in FPS if any would it be between the 1080 GTX and the 1080 GTX TI?

I don't think you will be under gunned with a GTX 1080, however the GTX 1080Ti is faster... It's also $200 more.