[SOLVED] Anything that need an upgrade?

[Dreamstreet]

So I've got myself enough money to buy new components, and I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out if I need anything new for my PC. I usually play games like World of Warcraft, Outer Worlds, Football Manager, Civilization and such, with the occasional game that requires a lot, if I'm not getting it on console.

My spec is the following:

GPU: Inno3D GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Twin X2

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 1700X

Motherboard: ASUS TUF B450-GAMING

RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-2400 16GB

PSU: Seasonic Focus+ 7502 85+ GOLD

If anything else is needed, let me know.

Also, I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good CPU fan. I'm currently using a Corsair Hydro Series H80i v2, but don't really like it. It's quite loud and doesn't cool as effectively as I had hoped.

 

[tennis2]

New faster RAM. 2x8GB DDR4-3200 = $60 these days, or maybe just go to 2x16GB for $120. Get rid of the slow stuff.

H80i is good. Maybe just calm the fans down a bit? What are your temps?

Ride it out on the CPU until Ryzen 4xxx next year (purportedly still going to be AM4 compatible)

 

[Newtonius]

Also a new CPU along with the recommendation tennis2 wrote above, your mobo should still be able to handle the new 3700X and with faster RAM you'll definitely get some FPS boosts.

 

[Dreamstreet]

New faster RAM. 2x8GB DDR4-3200 = $60 these days, or maybe just go to 2x16GB for $120. Get rid of the slow stuff.

H80i is good. Maybe just calm the fans down a bit? What are your temps?

Ride it out on the CPU until Ryzen 4xxx next year (purportedly still going to be AM4 compatible)

Thanks will look for some faster RAM.

I use the Corsair Link 4 software to adjust the CPU, and I set it to quiet. Usually it does remain quiet, but under heavy gaming it does speed up and get warm. As for the temperature, it's at 51 degree celcius while running Football manager 2020.

Also no need for a new graphics card? I thought that was the weaker part of the spec.

 

[tennis2]

A GTX1660Ti is plenty good for 1080p high FPS gaming.

 

[Karadjgne]

No, the weakest link is the ram, by a good measure. Ryzen loves moderately fast ram, 3000/14-3200/16 range. Ryzens infinity fabric (communications between cores) is based on data rate, so faster the ram, faster the cores share data, higher the probability of higher fps. You board supports upto 3200MHz, which is the sweet spot for 1+2 series ryzens. 3000 series likes 3733MHz, but that's only found on x570 mobo's atm.

Storage? Best deal is the Crucial P1 M.2 NVMe

 

[Dreamstreet]

No, the weakest link is the ram, by a good measure. Ryzen loves moderately fast ram, 3000/14-3200/16 range. Ryzens infinity fabric (communications between cores) is based on data rate, so faster the ram, faster the cores share data, higher the probability of higher fps. You board supports upto 3200MHz, which is the sweet spot for 1+2 series ryzens. 3000 series likes 3733MHz, but that's only found on x570 mobo's atm.

Storage? Best deal is the Crucial P1 M.2 NVMe

So 32GB DDR4-3200 is going to get the most of out the PC?

As for storage, I use a SSD 256GB and a HDD 1TB. Do want to upgrade with either replacing the HDD with another SSD, or simply having another SSD to go along with it.

 

[Karadjgne]

I use a 128Gb ssd, have for years, I'm tired of juggling programs. A 1Tb would allow everything with room to spare and park the hdd for backups and long term storage.

So if you are good with the ssd as such, no real need to get larger, but if you just want the room....

 

[Dreamstreet]

I use a 128Gb ssd, have for years, I'm tired of juggling programs. A 1Tb would allow everything with room to spare and park the hdd for backups and long term storage.

So if you are good with the ssd as such, no real need to get larger, but if you just want the room....

All right, so first 32GB DDR4-3200 RAM, then possibly a 3700x CPU to replace the one I have, and finally another SSD or two, if needed. Those are all the upgrades needed for me?

 

[tennis2]

Ok, so now we know storage. I'd go

1. RAM
2. 500GB - 1TB SSD (SX8200 Pro or EX950 = $120 for 1TB). The Crucial P1 is cheap because it's slow QLC.
3. 
   
4. CPU

 

[logainofhades]

32gb might be more than you really need, for games, but it doesn't hurt to get, if you can afford it. CPU fan would depend on what your case can house. An Intel 660p, or Crucial P1, is plenty for a gaming rig. Those faster drives are really only useful for users that are doing a lot of file transfers. Games don't take advantage of faster drives. Your CPU is still fine, for the GPU you are using, imo.


PCPartPicker Part List

CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 50.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($89.90 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Intel 660p Series 1.02 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($97.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $312.88
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-14 11:13 EST-0500

 

[Dreamstreet]

32gb might be more than you really need, for games, but it doesn't hurt to get, if you can afford it. CPU fan would depend on what your case can house. An Intel 660p, or Crucial P1, is plenty for a gaming rig. Those faster drives are really only useful for users that are doing a lot of file transfers. Games don't take advantage of faster drives. Your CPU is still fine, for the GPU you are using, imo.


PCPartPicker Part List

CPU Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 50.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($89.90 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($124.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Intel 660p Series 1.02 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($97.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $312.88
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-14 11:13 EST-0500

Sounds good.

Bit of a stupid question. Are there any difference between the DDR4-3200 32GB out there on the marked, or should I just go for the cheapest ones? Also, can I still use it with the DDR4-2400 16GB that already have in the PC?

 

[Karadjgne]

Not a stupid question at all. There's 4 things going against Adding that ram to existing.

1. Ryzen doesn't like 4 sticks. Generally it'll only go upto a maximum of 2667MHz or 2933MHz depending exactly on which ram and cpu, no matter how fast the ram actually is. So it's highly recommended only 2 sticks in size/speed wanted.
2. When adding ram to existing, the cpu memory controller will equalize everything to 1 standard. That's the slowest speeds, worst timing. So if you add 3200 to 2400, it'll all run at 2400MHz no matter what.
3. Right now, most 3200MHz ram is cheaper than 2400MHz, blame competition for the low prices, so now is a good time to sell the 2400 and get the 3200MHz size you want.
4. Ram is ram, but the silicon that makes up the little chips is not the same in Any 2 batches, even identical ram. It has slightly different impurities. You see the standard Primary timings, the 16-18-18-38 2T etc. What you don't see is the 40+ Secondary and Tertiary timings, and all those have to play nice with each other, so with 4 sticks that's @ 6,250,000 combinations of timings that's all got to mesh perfectly. If just 1 is too far out of whack, ram doesn't work.

So mixing different kits of ram is strongly advised against. 1 kit is factory tested, guaranteed, no matter 2 or 4 or 8 sticks. 2 kits means you now become the tester. No guarantee of success.

I'd d not opt for the cheapest, that's generally the value ram or lowest grade stuff. I'd opt for a decent kit from Kingston, Crucial, Patriot, Corsair, GSkill, 3200MHz Cas (CL) 14 or 16. The 16 will be cheaper.

 

[Dreamstreet]

Not a stupid question at all. There's 4 things going against Adding that ram to existing.

1. Ryzen doesn't like 4 sticks. Generally it'll only go upto a maximum of 2667MHz or 2933MHz depending exactly on which ram and cpu, no matter how fast the ram actually is. So it's highly recommended only 2 sticks in size/speed wanted.
2. When adding ram to existing, the cpu memory controller will equalize everything to 1 standard. That's the slowest speeds, worst timing. So if you add 3200 to 2400, it'll all run at 2400MHz no matter what.
3. Right now, most 3200MHz ram is cheaper than 2400MHz, blame competition for the low prices, so now is a good time to sell the 2400 and get the 3200MHz size you want.
4. Ram is ram, but the silicon that makes up the little chips is not the same in Any 2 batches, even identical ram. It has slightly different impurities. You see the standard Primary timings, the 16-18-18-38 2T etc. What you don't see is the 40+ Secondary and Tertiary timings, and all those have to play nice with each other, so with 4 sticks that's @ 6,250,000 combinations of timings that's all got to mesh perfectly. If just 1 is too far out of whack, ram doesn't work.

So mixing different kits of ram is strongly advised against. 1 kit is factory tested, guaranteed, no matter 2 or 4 or 8 sticks. 2 kits means you now become the tester. No guarantee of success.

I'd d not opt for the cheapest, that's generally the value ram or lowest grade stuff. I'd opt for a decent kit from Kingston, Crucial, Patriot, Corsair, GSkill, 3200MHz Cas (CL) 14 or 16. The 16 will be cheaper.

So there wouldn't be any issue if I bought these, and removed the ones already in the setup?
https://www.happii.dk/RAM/Corsair-V...erunner&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pricesite

 

[logainofhades]

So there wouldn't be any issue if I bought these, and removed the ones already in the setup?
https://www.happii.dk/RAM/Corsair-V...erunner&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pricesite

That should work, just fine.

 

[Dreamstreet]

All right, though I did get a bit curious about the SSD. I've always used a 2.5" SSD, and I'm not sure how to install a M.2 SSD, or if it's actually something I can do in my motherboard.

 

[tennis2]

The M.2 connector on your board is between the CPU socket and the first PCIe x16 slot. There's a secondary one below the chipset heatsink.

 

[Karadjgne]

M.2 is easy. It's no more difficult than installing ram. It slides into the slot, but instead of little locking tabs, there's a screw. That's it. No wires, no data cable, nothing. M.2 Sata is exactly the same thing as a 2.5" Sata ssd. Minus the cables. M.2 NVMe is almost exactly the same as M.2 Sata, but uses pcie instead of Sata, so has higher bandwidth and is faster.

The only thing you'll need to know is what slot is which. Some slots are Sata, some slots are NVMe, some take either. Some will disable one or more of the regular Sata ports, because it's basically using that port.

 

[Dreamstreet]

M.2 is easy. It's no more difficult than installing ram. It slides into the slot, but instead of little locking tabs, there's a screw. That's it. No wires, no data cable, nothing. M.2 Sata is exactly the same thing as a 2.5" Sata ssd. Minus the cables. M.2 NVMe is almost exactly the same as M.2 Sata, but uses pcie instead of Sata, so has higher bandwidth and is faster.

The only thing you'll need to know is what slot is which. Some slots are Sata, some slots are NVMe, some take either. Some will disable one or more of the regular Sata ports, because it's basically using that port.

All right, I've checked out which M.2 my motherboard has, and it seems there's a "32Gb/s M.2 SATA & PCIE x4 mode", no idea what it means or what kind of M.2 I can put into it, but just wanna make sure. Only thing I fully know is that I'm going for a 1TB SSD to it.

 

[Karadjgne]

For NVMe to work, it really needs pcie x4. That slot says it's Sata or NVMe. So you could put either a 1Tb Sata ssd or a 1Tb NVMe ssd in it.

A Sata drive would operate at around the same speeds as the drive you have now. An NVMe will operate at closer to double the speeds, but things still take a certain amount of time so don't always translate perfectly.

 

[Dreamstreet]

For NVMe to work, it really needs pcie x4. That slot says it's Sata or NVMe. So you could put either a 1Tb Sata ssd or a 1Tb NVMe ssd in it.

A Sata drive would operate at around the same speeds as the drive you have now. An NVMe will operate at closer to double the speeds, but things still take a certain amount of time so don't always translate perfectly.

Ah all right, so buying a Intel 660p SSD M.2 NVMe 1TB would be just fine? Also does it work with my motherboard? Just to make sure it's compatible.

 

[Karadjgne]

Yes it's fine. Yes it's compatible. It'd basically be the same thing as if you stuck that drive in a box, and plugged in a power and data cable like you have now. Only real difference is you plug it directly into the motherboard without the box or any wires.

 

[RodroX]

Jus t to add to the already very good replies you got, despite logainofhades awesome be quiet! cooler recommendation, if you can't spend that much money on it, you still got some very decent replacements like: https://www.arctic.ac/worldwide_en/freezer-34-esports-duo.html (https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/arctic-freezer-34-esports-duo-cooler,6352.html)

 

[Dreamstreet]

Thanks for the help guys, I just ordered the SSD and 32GB of RAM. Hope that keeps me covered for now. If not, I'll just get something else in a few months

 

[Dreamstreet]

One final question:

I got the SSD and RAM home today, I've installed both, but the computer can't find the SSD. Anything I should do?