Help me upgrade my gaming PC ( Currently have decent graphics card but bad CPU)

[Tri_5_]

I currently have
CPU: Intel Pentium 3258( runs at stock since i can't overclock on "H" motherboard)
Graphics card: Rx 460 Gigabyte 2GB
I'm planing to upgrade to the i5 7500 first, I will plan to upgrade to the GTX 1060 for the graphics card later.
Do you have any suggestion about picking the right CPU so the RX 460 will not bottleneck the i5 7500 while I am waiting to upgrade the new graphics card?. ( Do graphics cards major bottleneck CPU?)
Ps: Is it ok to pair the i5 7500 with the RX 460?

 

[Anthony Mondz]

I don't really know if it will bottleneck the GPU since I buy laptops but a AMD won't.

 

[Hardware Brad]

If you are planning to upgrade to an i5, I would recommend a 4th generation i5, such as an i5-4690. If you wanted to upgrade to an i5-7500, you would need to also replace your motherboard and RAM, because they are different sockets and newer standards of RAM.

 

[Tri_5_]

If you are planning to upgrade to an i5, I would recommend a 4th generation i5, such as an i5-4690. If you wanted to upgrade to an i5-7500, you would need to also replace your motherboard and RAM, because they are different sockets and newer standards of RAM.

Yes, I am planning to upgrade to 6th or 7th gen CPU with newer components. Do these make major improvements compare to your suggestion?

 

[Hardware Brad]

Honestly, they will be very very comparable, you may not notice a performance difference at all. I've tested a 4th gen i5 running at 3.5GHz compared to a 7th gen i5, also running at 3.5Ghz. Both of them performed identical in benchmarks. (Same amount of RAM, same video card) The benchmark I used was Unigine Valley at the time, and I ran several passes and they scored essentially the same. It is totally up to you whether you want to just upgrade the CPU or completely rebuild your system with all new parts. Just keep in mind that the performance gains you will see are negligible if you see any at all.

Also the i5-4690 runs 100MHz faster than the i5-7500, so the 4th gen may be slightly faster (however most likely not noticeable).

 

[Tri_5_]

Honestly, they will be very very comparable, you may not notice a performance difference at all. I've tested a 4th gen i5 running at 3.5GHz compared to a 7th gen i5, also running at 3.5Ghz. Both of them performed identical in benchmarks. (Same amount of RAM, same video card) The benchmark I used was Unigine Valley at the time, and I ran several passes and they scored essentially the same. It is totally up to you whether you want to just upgrade the CPU or completely rebuild your system with all new parts. Just keep in mind that the performance gains you will see are negligible if you see any at all.

Also the i5-4690 runs 100MHz faster than the i5-7500, so the 4th gen may be slightly faster (however most likely not noticeable).

Thank you for your response. Also what do you think about I am saying that my RX 460 will bottleneck the i5. If i pair an i3 with the RX 460 will it run better or the i5 run better. (Do higher CPU decrease performance) or I have to keep graphics card and CPU equally.

 

[sizzling]

To be honest I wouldn't buy an i5, Ryzen looks a much better investment for the same money.

 

[Hardware Brad]

A better CPU will never decrease the performance in gaming. The i5 is overkill for a RX 460, but you mentioned that you plan to upgrade to a gtx 1060 in the future. An i5 with a 1060 is a great pair for 1080p@60fps gaming.

 

[Hardware Brad]

To be honest I wouldn't buy an i5, Ryzen looks a much better investment for the same money.

In this particular case, for him to switch to ryzen, he'd have to rebuild his whole PC. Upgrading a pentium to an i5 is just one part.

 

[sizzling]

He said he wanted a 6th or 7th gen i5. That's the same as going Ryzen. However I think the plan to stay with his current motherboard is also good.