[SOLVED] Help! PC upgrade predicament

[KB11211]

Hi! this is my first time posting here although I've been lurking forever, I am not really "tech-savvy" although I've read up tons now so I know the basics, I'd like to thank in advance the knowledgeable person(s) who will go through my post (which i will try to structure as clearly and detailed as possible) and provide feedback THANK YOU so so much.

My Current setup: (upgrade Budget: ~$1200)

Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64-bit
Motherboard: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. Z97-PRO GAMER (SOCKET 1150)
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K @ 4.00GHz, Haswell 22nm Technology
CPU cooling: Stock Fans
RAM: 16.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 799MHz
GPU: 4095MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 (ASUStek Computer Inc)
Storage: 1TB HDD, 250GB SSD

I've had this PC for a little over 4 years now and am looking to upgrade and add liquid cooling too! My main goal is STREAMING games while maintaining high FPS as I play competitively (Fortnite). I usually get ~140-180FPS (240Hz monitor) all settings on low (shadows off etc), which dips lower than that when I stream (using Xsplit software).

Questions:

1) I was looking at RTX 2070S or GTX 1080ti, they seem like significant upgrades, however will my CPU create a bottleneck and make it useless?
2)I purchased a H100i Pro Corsair liquid CPU cooler, should I install that if my CPU temps reach 70-72 while im gaming?
3)Do I need to change my CPU for any upgrade i make to my GPU ?
4) what about RAM? is it worth the upgrade to 32GB ?

Feel free to skip these questions and just show me the way! again thank you for taking the time to familiarize yourselves with my case!

 

[Koekieezz]

Hi! this is my first time posting here although I've been lurking forever, I am not really "tech-savvy" although I've read up tons now so I know the basics, I'd like to thank in advance the knowledgeable person(s) who will go through my post (which i will try to structure as clearly and detailed as possible) and provide feedback THANK YOU so so much.

My Current setup: (upgrade Budget: ~$1200)

Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64-bit
Motherboard: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. Z97-PRO GAMER (SOCKET 1150)
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K @ 4.00GHz, Haswell 22nm Technology
CPU cooling: Stock Fans
RAM: 16.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 799MHz
GPU: 4095MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 (ASUStek Computer Inc)
Storage: 1TB HDD, 250GB SSD

I've had this PC for a little over 4 years now and am looking to upgrade and add liquid cooling too! My main goal is STREAMING games while maintaining high FPS as I play competitively (Fortnite). I usually get ~140-180FPS (240Hz monitor) all settings on low (shadows off etc), which dips lower than that when I stream (using Xsplit software).

Questions:

1) I was looking at RTX 2070S or GTX 1080ti, they seem like significant upgrades, however will my CPU create a bottleneck and make it useless?
2)I purchased a H100i Pro Corsair liquid CPU cooler, should I install that if my CPU temps reach 70-72 while im gaming?
3)Do I need to change my CPU for any upgrade i make to my GPU ?
4) what about RAM? is it worth the upgrade to 32GB ?

Feel free to skip these questions and just show me the way! again thank you for taking the time to familiarize yourselves with my case!

1. RTX 2070S will bottleneck your gpu by, lets say 20% which is not a visible differences, yes you may want to upgrade your cpu, motherboard, and ram for a better FPS increase. it is not useless since i7 4790K is pretty great, but an upgrade will satisfy the 2070S.

2. Well just install it as you have the cooler for a better cooling performance (depends).

3.It depends on you. if You go for a Gaming Performance well upgrade your cpu to Intel. Well if you did some multitasking, go for Ryzen.

4. Depends, if you only stream and game, it would be pretty not worth it, but if you're someone that do heavy workloads than it is worth it.

 

[KB11211]

1. RTX 2070S will bottleneck your gpu by, lets say 20% which is not a visible differences, yes you may want to upgrade your cpu, motherboard, and ram for a better FPS increase. it is not useless since i7 4790K is pretty great, but an upgrade will satisfy the 2070S.

2. Well just install it as you have the cooler for a better cooling performance (depends).

3.It depends on you. if You go for a Gaming Performance well upgrade your cpu to Intel. Well if you did some multitasking, go for Ryzen.

4. Depends, if you only stream and game, it would be pretty not worth it, but if you're someone that do heavy workloads than it is worth it.

Thanks for the reply man, What should i upgrade my CPU to? and would i need to change my motherboard too since its DDR3? (i hear DDR4 is better)

 

[Koekieezz]

Thanks for the reply man, What should i upgrade my CPU to? and would i need to change my motherboard too since its DDR3? (i hear DDR4 is better)

I try to pick up some parts:
AMD:
[PCPartPicker Part List]

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 2600X 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor | $199.90 @ Amazon
CPU Cooler | Deepcool GAMMAXX 400 74.34 CFM CPU Cooler | $29.99 @ Amazon
Motherboard | ASRock B450M Steel Legend Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard | $149.99 @ Amazon
Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory | $72.98 @ Amazon
Video Card | MSI GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB GAMING X Video Card | $638.99 @ Amazon
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $1091.85
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/3gTQ9G

i need to change my motherboard too since its DDR3? (i hear DDR4 is better)

I would recommend it to upgrade from DDR3 to DDR4 cause it gave so much better experience. Try to take a look at the build ive made for you

Intel:
[PCPartPicker Part List]

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-9400F 2.9 GHz 6-Core Processor | $164.95 @ Amazon
CPU Cooler | Deepcool GAMMAXX 400 74.34 CFM CPU Cooler | $29.99 @ Amazon
Motherboard | ASRock B365M Phantom Gaming 4 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $133.59 @ Amazon
Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory | $72.98 @ Amazon
Video Card | MSI GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB GAMING X Video Card | $638.99 @ Amazon
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $1040.50
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/L2FRb8

On AMD build you could overclock pretty much everything, also it is great if you do video editing, streaming and stuffs beside gaming. On Intel you could get a better Gaming performance.

 

[KB11211]

I try to pick up some parts:
AMD:
[PCPartPicker Part List]

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 2600X 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor | $199.90 @ Amazon
CPU Cooler | Deepcool GAMMAXX 400 74.34 CFM CPU Cooler | $29.99 @ Amazon
Motherboard | ASRock B450M Steel Legend Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard | $149.99 @ Amazon
Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory | $72.98 @ Amazon
Video Card | MSI GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB GAMING X Video Card | $638.99 @ Amazon
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $1091.85
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/3gTQ9G



I would recommend it to upgrade from DDR3 to DDR4 cause it gave so much better experience. Try to take a look at the build ive made for you

Intel:
[PCPartPicker Part List]

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-9400F 2.9 GHz 6-Core Processor | $164.95 @ Amazon
CPU Cooler | Deepcool GAMMAXX 400 74.34 CFM CPU Cooler | $29.99 @ Amazon
Motherboard | ASRock B365M Phantom Gaming 4 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $133.59 @ Amazon
Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory | $72.98 @ Amazon
Video Card | MSI GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB GAMING X Video Card | $638.99 @ Amazon
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $1040.50
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/L2FRb8

On AMD build you could overclock pretty much everything, also it is great if you do video editing, streaming and stuffs beside gaming. On Intel you could get a better Gaming performance.

hey Koekieezz, first off thank you so much for taking the time to do that! I would prefer to stick with Intel as i really have a main focus on gaming, on the Intel build you made the processor is i5, i already have an i7 shouldnt i keep that? or is this i5 better than my existing i7?

 

[Koekieezz]

hey Koekieezz, first off thank you so much for taking the time to do that! I would prefer to stick with Intel as i really have a main focus on gaming, on the Intel build you made the processor is i5, i already have an i7 shouldnt i keep that? or is this i5 better than my existing i7?

i5 9400F beats i7 4790K in some point, but based on your budget, it is more than enough, or get an i5 9600/K or i7 9700/K if and get a Z370/Z390 Motherboard if you prefer overclocking. But for now i5 9400F (no gpu in the processor version) is enough. if you increased the budegt a bit, you could get i5 10400/F or a i5 10600K + Z490 motherboard for a long term, since starting 10th gen intel added hyperthreading to all i series CPUs starting from i3. but 10th gen intel and z490 motherboard is new and so pricey, you would want to wait a bit longer for price drop.

 

[Koekieezz]

i already have an i7 shouldnt i keep that? or is this i5 better than my existing i7?

Once you decided to upgrade the parts i mentioned, Probably you could store it whenever someone needs the part, so that you could sell it for some bucks.

 

[Phaaze88]

Hold on...
1)Depends on the games you are trying to play. Everything isn't driven by gpu grunt.
2)Waste of money. Send it back, get a refund... upgrade cooler when you start seeing temps over 85C under load.
3)Goes hand in hand with question 1 - it depends. There are cpu heavy, ram heavy, gpu heavy, software limited, and combinations of the 4 in games.
You will know better than anyone else what upgrade you need the most.

4)Currently, no. You can force it in some games by loading in a ridiculous number of mods in game at once.

1200USD budget huh? Unless you wait for Intel's 10th gen launch at the end of this month, Ryzen 3000 is your best option. The cheaper Intel cpus are hurt by the lack of hyperthreading in more heavily threaded games.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor ($294.14 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI) ATX AM4 Motherboard ($189.99 @ Best Buy)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory ($77.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB WINDFORCE OC 3X Video Card ($499.99 @ Best Buy)
Power Supply: Corsair RM (2019) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($114.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $1177.09
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-05-13 22:24 EDT-0400

 

[KB11211]

Hold on...
1)Depends on the games you are trying to play. Everything isn't driven by gpu grunt.
2)Waste of money. Send it back, get a refund... upgrade cooler when you start seeing temps over 85C under load.
3)Goes hand in hand with question 1 - it depends. There are cpu heavy, ram heavy, gpu heavy, software limited, and combinations of the 4 in games.
You will know better than anyone else what upgrade you need the most.

4)Currently, no. You can force it in some games by loading in a ridiculous number of mods in game at once.

1200USD budget huh? Unless you wait for Intel's 10th gen launch at the end of this month, Ryzen 3000 is your best option. The cheaper Intel cpus are hurt by the lack of hyperthreading in more heavily threaded games.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor ($294.14 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI) ATX AM4 Motherboard ($189.99 @ Best Buy)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory ($77.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB WINDFORCE OC 3X Video Card ($499.99 @ Best Buy)
Power Supply: Corsair RM (2019) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($114.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $1177.09
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-05-13 22:24 EDT-0400

Thanks for the answers @Koekieezz @Phaaze88 , so it would be better for me to spend that $1200 on a whole new setup (like the one you suggested for $1177.09) than to upgrade parts on what i currently have??

 

[Koekieezz]

Thanks for the answers @Koekieezz @Phaaze88 , so it would be better for me to spend that $1200 on a whole new setup (like the one you suggested for $1177.09) than to upgrade parts on what i currently have??

yes to all

 

[Phaaze88]

Basically, yes. You can still carry over your storage and OS - don't forget to reinstall it after changing the motherboard.

 

[KB11211]

whaa.. that i did not expect! that is mind boggling to me here i was thinking i already have a decent setup another 1200 would just boost it even more.. damn.. i guess i might as well try and sell what i currently have (motherboard ram gpu) to add to my budget and get something even better unless theres a reason im missing as to why i cant do that! really happy i asked cuz i was about to spend the whole thing on a new graphics card..

@Phaaze88 @Koekieezz thank you both so much for helping me out truly appreciate it! if either of you are ever looking to get good at Fortnite i'm your guy

 

[Phaaze88]

I'm glad you asked around. Some people do this blind, and the results... aren't always favorable.

I tried to get into the shooter/battle royale type stuff, but they just aren't my cup of tea.

 

[KB11211]

I'm glad you asked around. Some people do this blind, and the results... aren't always favorable.

I tried to get into the shooter/battle royale type stuff, but they just aren't my cup of tea.

hey i get it i regret choosing battle royales (and especially fortnite) at least once per day!

 

[lga1156_ftw]

Gtx 980 is still a decent graphics card, might hold on that while upgrading everything else and see how it performs with new setup. Set voltage 1.212v and try how far you can get it on the core and memory. It beats gtx 1060 in stock and goes past 1070 easily when overclocked.

Its one of the easiest things to swap out anyway if you see its the bottleneck later on.

 

[Koekieezz]

whaa.. that i did not expect! that is mind boggling to me here i was thinking i already have a decent setup another 1200 would just boost it even more.. damn.. i guess i might as well try and sell what i currently have (motherboard ram gpu) to add to my budget and get something even better unless theres a reason im missing as to why i cant do that! really happy i asked cuz i was about to spend the whole thing on a new graphics card..

@Phaaze88 @Koekieezz thank you both so much for helping me out truly appreciate it! if either of you are ever looking to get good at Fortnite i'm your guy

im glad someone asked so maybe i could try to test my knowledge upon this thing, and some "worth it" cases. anyways need friend to play games dm me at Instagram @admkukuh