Build Advice Can anyone advise me on new parts for a system upgrade ?

[Max_Zeta]

Hello everyone.

So, time has cometh for my old best friend to retire. It's 10 years old and has served me well, but with all the new games that are coming out that require more hardware and are optimized as good as aged milk, I noticed it's time to move forward and update some stuff.

Luckily I only need to replace 4 components: Motherboard, CPU, RAM and GPU.
I have some hardware in mind, but I lack some answers for some very important questions that I have in my mind (which prevent me from making a decision) and I cannot find them online. So, I wanted to ask to this community, because the last time I asked here, is when I bought the PC I'm going to retire now (you guys helped a lot). So, here it goes:

CPU
This time I decided to go with Ryzen. I'm not an intel fanboy, but I won't deny I had a preference for those i5's and i7's, but since the microcode disaster and the expensive and not very desirable core ultra, I decided to go with AMD this time. I don't want to test my luck and get a faulty cpu or discover in a few years that my cpu got rusted and i need to change everything again. Having said that, I have 2 cpu's in mind: The Ryzen 5 9600x and the Ryzen 7 9700x.

I chose those 2 cpu for a couple of reasons. Lower watt consumption and therefore, lower heat. I know the X3D series are on another level, but if I get one of those I would need to change my PSU (which I don't want) and I would need to get (probably) an AIO, which means more money, which I don't want to spend. Also, I don't consider the 7000 series because, again, watt consumption and heat.

So my questions regarding to those 2 cpu are: Which one would you recommend me? I play games like civilization and stellaris, and in the late game it gets laggy when I play big maps because, you know... old rig and the games need juice. Also, I do some light video editing for work. But besides that, it's mostly gaming.

The price difference between them is around 25% in the region where I am. So, Is there a significant hardware performance that justifies going to the Ryzen 7 instead of the 5? Will I have a noticeable impact while gaming those kind of games?

MOTHERBOARD AND RAM
Here I will go with the B850 that looks better and it's a decent price. The RAM will also be 32GB and i will try to get CL30 or 32. I would appreciate some brand recommendations, but i must emphasize NO RGB. I don't like it.

GPU
Well, here is another core dilemma, and this is a big one for me. So, my budget allows me one of these 2 gpu: RTX 5060 Ti or RX 9060 XT, both of 16gb of course. I can't go higher than those two because the price jump is so big in my region that the extra money would cover all the other components that I mentioned before and I still would need to put extra on top, so please bare with me.

Now I will tell you why I want each gpu and why I don't want each of them, and I hope you can give me your recommendation based on your experience, not benchmarks and such (I watched them all).

RTX 5060 Ti: I currently have a GTX 1060 6gb and that card is a warrior. I mean, not only its quality but it is stable, reliable and great overall, that's why I want to continue with Nvidia. It's been almost 10 years and never had an issue. On the other side, the reason I don't want this gpu is because it's damn expensive. I mean, daaamn!. The ones from Asus and MSI cost at least 35% more than the AMD ones. I know there are cheaper brands like Palit, Zotac or even Gigabyte, but I don't like them in regards of built in quality components and aestetics.

RX 9060 XT: this is the card that everyone is recommending and I have to say that it has caught my attention and I was almost decided to just get it. The XFX and Saphire ones (which we all know are top quality manufacturers) are very affordable my region and I have to say that I'm tempted. NEVERTHELESS.... the reason I didn't decide on it, is because I had 3 AMD cards in the past (more than 10 years ago... yeah, but still hear me out) and the main problem I had with them was with driver compatibility and mostly software issues. I don't want to deal with that anymore, and besides that, this gpu is, by viewing some benchmarks, slighlty behind the Nvidia. Not much, but still.

So, Is the Nvidia worth it compared to the AMD? Is the AMD having the same issues as I had in the past? Is there a significant performance difference between them to justify one over the other? I just want plug and forget, I don't want to deal with errors nor any other problems in the future, but I also don't want to eat rice and water for 3 months because I spent a lot of money needlessly when I could've had the same pc part but at a sensible lower price.

I am willing to sacrifice some budget for quality and peace of mind, but I would prefer not to do it if it is not necessary, hence this post.



Thank you for reading all of this and I greatly appreciate your recommendations.

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

Users are advised to stylize their threads with info asked of in this thread;

*How to Ask for New Build or Upgrade Advice*

How to Ask for New Build or Upgrade Advice First off, respect where respect is due - this is an adaptation of the Animal's *How To Ask For New Build Advice* Sticky. I created this because there's a lot of posts nowadays asking for upgrade advice both on here and on the CPU forums, and I feel...

forums.tomshardware.com

which helps lend context to your predicament and the community will chime in with worthwhile suggestions.

Luckily I only need to replace 4 parts: Motherboard, cpu, ram and gpu.
Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model. BIOS version for your motherboard at this moment of time.

 

[Eximo]

I don't think there are any particular problems with AMD drivers since Polaris. The whole RDNA series has been pretty smooth from everything I have read.

Nvidia has some advantages with DLSS, but for the most part AMD FSR can fill the same role. Ray tracing is as equal as it has ever been, and general compute performance is comparable. If the price difference is worth it to you, 9060 XT makes a lot of sense. GPUs are also fairly easy to upgrade if you ever need more performance later on.

If you are only gaming there is a little power draw difference between the 9600X/9700X/9800X3D/7800X3D/7700X. If you are planning on heavy workstation loads then the large 12 and 16 core chips make more sense than the X3D, but for just gaming, nothing better. Besides, if your PSU is ten years old, it is a good idea to preemptively replace it. GPUs have a lot more instant power demand then previous models, and getting an ATX 3.1 spec PSU is a good idea.

Without knowing where you are purchasing, hard to say what memory to get. Teamgroup T-Create Expert, Kingston Fury, G.Skill Flare X, Crucial Pro Overclocking are common RGBless sticks I recommend.

 

[Aeacus]

Having said that, I have 2 cpu's in mind: The Ryzen 5 9600x and the Ryzen 7 9700x.

So my questions regarding to those 2 cpu are: Which one would you recommend me? I play games like civilization and stellaris, and in the late game it gets laggy when I play big maps because, you know... old rig and the games need juice. Also, I do some light video editing for work. But besides that, it's mostly gaming.

Matters little gaming wise. R7 9700X is slightly better, but not much.

Source: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/amd-ryzen-7-9700x/18.html

Overall, depends on your budget. R7 9700X is nice 100 bucks more than R5 9600X,
pcpp: https://pcpartpicker.com/products/compare/YMzXsY,4r4Zxr/

IMO, 100 bucks for 2 extra cores and 4 extra threads is too much. Better go with R5 9600X.

I chose those 2 cpu for a couple of reasons. Lower watt consumption and therefore, lower heat. I know the X3D series are on another level, but if I get one of those I would need to change my PSU (which I don't want) and I would need to get (probably) an AIO, which means more money, which I don't want to spend.

King of games: R7 9800X3D does not need an AIO to cool itself. It will do fine with air cooler.

Heck, i, personally, am buying R7 9800X3D next month and i'll pair it with king of air coolers: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVO.
King of air coolers will beat some of the AIOs and even the notorious Noctua NH-D15 (former king of air coolers);
review: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/thermalright-phantom-spirit-120-evo-argb-cpu-air-cooler/6.html

And all that for mere 54 bucks,
pcpp: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/BR...-evo-69-cfm-cpu-cooler-phantom-spirit-120-evo

Here I will go with the B850 that looks better and it's a decent price.

With B850 chipset, best is MSI Tomahawk Max Wifi. Also, doesn't have RGB on it.
For other options: https://www.pcguide.com/motherboard/guide/best-b850/

(I'll be getting X870E chipset MoBo for my chip.)

The RAM will also be 32gb and i will try to get CL30 or 32. I would appreciate some brand recommendations, but i must emphasize NO RGB. I don't like it.

Kingston, G.Skill and Corsair are good. They also have ample selection of non-RGB RAM.

Though, i suggest that once you've picked out MoBo, you look for memory QVL list and pick the RAM listed there. This way, there is a guarantee that the RAM will work at advertised speeds.

E.g for my upcoming build, i specifically picked Kingston Fury Beast RAM out of the MoBo memory QVL list, to ensure it works.
(Kingston is my own personal preference. Both of my current builds are also running Kingston RAM currently. One has DDR3 and another has DDR4.)

So, my budget allows me one of these 2 gpu: RTX 5060 Ti or RX 9060 XT, both of 16gb of course.

I'm more interested in your current PSU make and model (or part number)? Also, how old the PSU is, and was the PSU bought new or used/refurbished?

But i can answer about GPUs too;

So, Is the Nvidia worth it compared to the AMD? Is the AMD having the same issues as I had in the past? Is there a significant performance difference between them to justify one over the other? I just want plug and forget, I don't want to deal with errors nor any other problems in the future, but I also don't want to eat rice and water for 3 months because I spent a lot of money needlessly when I could've had the same pc part but at a sensible lower price.

Performance wise, it comes down to individual game;

Source: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/sapphire-radeon-rx-9060-xt-pulse-oc/34.html


Personally, i'd go with Nvidia.

Nvidia drivers, usually, are better optimized than Radeon drivers are (less stutters/hiccups).
Also, RTX 5060 Ti can utilize DLSS 4, which is better than Radeon FSR 4.

Now, FSR 4 on 4K, is essentially equal to DLSS 4 in terms of image quality, but on 1440p, DLSS 4 is still better.
And there is, of course, game support issue for either of the two. FAR more games support DLSS 4 than those that support FSR 4.

Here's good article comparing the two of them,
link: https://www.techspot.com/article/2976-amd-fsr4-4k-upscaling/

While it is a long read, it has plenty of info about these two and at the end of the article, there is talk about game support.
Found also short (6min) video that compares the two as well (if you don't want to read that article);

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkGCwiEIdOA


Overall, DLSS 4 is a touch better than FSR 4, but main argument would be game support.
When you have mere 65 titles that support FSR 4, some 200 games that support FSR 3.1 but easy 700+ games that support DLSS 4, is there really much to think about which one to choose?

RTX 5060 Ti - DLSS 4 (or FSR 3.1)
RX 9060 - FSR 4 (or FSR 3.1)

That is, even if you are going to use frame gen and FSR/DLSS for more FPS and better image quality.
Maybe you're good with native and doesn't want to use those gimmicks at all.

I, personally, would use native. 60 FPS is good enough for me and i play on 1080p. I can even manage 40 FPS. Also, i play small/indie titles (including pixel art games) and i don't look towards AAA titles with fancy graphics, where frame gen and/or FSR/DLSS would be used.


Another argument would be power consumption;
GTX 1060 6GB - 120W
RX 9060 XT - 160W
RTX 5060 Ti 16GB - 180W

Hence why i asked about the PSU and why i'm more interested in the PSU than the GPU you go with.
Since PSU powers everything, it is the most important component inside the PC.
Hence why NEVER cheap out on PSU! Also, never buy used PSU either.

 

[Max_Zeta]

Thank you guys for your responses and help! Now, as I did before, I will also go by parts:


- CPU

First I would like to clarify that I try not to talk with prices because where I live, the prices are crazy different. For example, the differences between R5 and R7 9000 series, is not that much and if I make it in payments, the difference has minimal impact in my pocket.

I ruled out the X3D because I felt that with a 5060 or a 9060 I wouldn't be taking much juice of it (feels like overkill). Also due to the heating and wattage. BUT, if you say that a good air cooler can do the trick, I will consider it an option then. I can only afford a 7000 series, the 9000 X3D ones are more expensive than the gpu now, so they are out of the question. Regarding my wattage problem, I will mention it down this post.

So, should I go with R5/R7 9000 series, or maybe and R5/R7 7000 X3D series? What's your opinion about it? Prices are very similar where I live, we are talking something between 10% to 20% difference.

Also, many retailers are selling "tray" cpu's. The prices of those CPU (which are new) go down exponentially, but also it scares me a little. What are your thoughts about it?


- MOBO

Yeah, I was also thinking on going with a MSI board.

- RAM

Yeap, I think I will go with good old Kingston, but if I can, I will try Gskil or Corsair (at the moment there aren't any that are not rgb, and also they are expensive and they are CL 36 and CL40)

- GPU

I am more and more leaning towards Nvidia. I'm between MSI Gaming OC or Trio version. I'm 60% Nvidia and 40% AMD at the moment. I think it will all come down as to how much I can afford.

- PSU

After reading some comments and later some slightly technical stuff, I realized I was in the wrong.

I have a Seasonic V2 620watts. Great quality and superb PSU. The problem? It's almost 10 years old.

Despite being a quality PSU, it got old, and if I plug newer equipment, I'm under a big risk, especially considering that at the time the ATX 3.0/3.1 standard didn't even exist. So I am in need of a new PSU.

The one I checked and, as I read in "PSU tier list", my best and affordable option is the Corsair 850W RMe Series 80+ Gold. Or the 750W version. The other available ones in my region are some weird brands or they are super expensive, like almost triple the price of this Corsair.

 

[Why_Me]

Thank you guys for your responses and help! Now, as I did before, I will also go by parts:


- CPU

First I would like to clarify that I try not to talk with prices because where I live, the prices are crazy different. For example, the differences between R5 and R7 9000 series, is not that much and if I make it in payments, the difference has minimal impact in my pocket.

I ruled out the X3D because I felt that with a 5060 or a 9060 I wouldn't be taking much juice of it (feels like overkill). Also due to the heating and wattage. BUT, if you say that a good air cooler can do the trick, I will consider it an option then. I can only afford a 7000 series, the 9000 X3D ones are more expensive than the gpu now, so they are out of the question. Regarding my wattage problem, I will mention it down this post.

So, should I go with R5/R7 9000 series, or maybe and R5/R7 7000 X3D series? What's your opinion about it? Prices are very similar where I live, we are talking something between 10% to 20% difference.

Also, many retailers are selling "tray" cpu's. The prices of those CPU (which are new) go down exponentially, but also it scares me a little. What are your thoughts about it?


- MOBO

Yeah, I was also thinking on going with a MSI board.

- RAM

Yeap, I think I will go with good old Kingston, but if I can, I will try Gskil or Corsair (at the moment there aren't any that are not rgb, and also they are expensive and they are CL 36 and CL40)

- GPU

I am more and more leaning towards Nvidia. I'm between MSI Gaming OC or Trio version. I'm 60% Nvidia and 40% AMD at the moment. I think it will all come down as to how much I can afford.

- PSU

After reading some comments and later some slightly technical stuff, I realized I was in the wrong.

I have a Seasonic V2 620watts. Great quality and superb PSU. The problem? It's almost 10 years old.

Despite being a quality PSU, it got old, and if I plug newer equipment, I'm under a big risk, especially considering that at the time the ATX 3.0/3.1 standard didn't even exist. So I am in need of a new PSU.

The one I checked and, as I read in "PSU tier list", my best and affordable option is the Corsair 850W RMe Series 80+ Gold. Or the 750W version. The other available ones in my region are some weird brands or they are super expensive, like almost triple the price of this Corsair.

What country are you located, what is your budget, what resolution is your monitor and do you have any links to where you plan on purchasing from?