Question Is my current system worth upgrading?

[E85]

Background: I received this PC from my uncle for $600 who used it as a home/work computer. It was taken very good care of and all of the components worked flawlessly. The only thing I changed in it was a 1060 6gb to a 3060 Ti for gaming. The only problem with this PC is that the rest of my components are 8 years old and my uncle insists that there is no need to upgrade the current components (CPU, RAM, Mobo). I’ve been doing some comparisons between components and it seems like an upgrade would bring a decent increase to performance in games, so what are your thoughts? Should I keep my rig and just wait to upgrade the GPU in the future or would it be best to upgrade all the components (minus the storage) and start fresh?

My current rig:
i7-3770k
16gb of DDR3 CORSAIR (at 1666 or 2666mhz? can’t remember)
RTX 3060 Ti FE (formerly a 1060 6gb)
P8Z77-V ASUS Mobo
CORSAIR 650w PSU
1tb Samsung SSD (can’t remember the exact model but it’s relatively new and does just fine)
*If I were to upgrade, both my AIO and case would be upgraded as well (AIO is a 120mm CORSAIR cooler that I wouldn’t want to keep, and a CHUNKY CoolerMaster case)

Upgraded rig: (all of these subject to change with feedback)
i5-12600K
32gb of DDR4 @ 3600 mhz CORSAIR
RTX 3060 Ti (this stays the same)
MSI MPG Z690 EDGE Mobo (Or any MSI motherboard that isn’t actually absurdly priced that is compatible)
CORSAIR 750w or 850w (will need to find out how much power will be consumed)
1tb Samsung SSD (but would eventually look for a Samsung M.2 Nvme drive if you upgrade)
CORSAIR H150i AIO
CORSAIR 4000x or Phanteks p500a case

Any and all feedback would be very, very helpful, so thank you!

 

[Lafong]

Normally-----most here would tell you to full upgrade if you are still on DDR3 era technology.

But you haven't detailed why you are not satisfied with current hardware....what games you play, at what settings, etc.

Nor have you commented on your budget or your location.

Are you wedded to liquid cooling?

32 GB RAM is fine if you can afford it, but 16 is an easy fallback position.

More detail needed.

 

[E85]

Normally-----most here would tell you to full upgrade if you are still on DDR3 era technology.

But you haven't detailed why you are not satisfied with current hardware....what games you play, at what settings, etc.

Nor have you commented on your budget or your location.

Are you wedded to liquid cooling?

32 GB RAM is fine if you can afford it, but 16 is an easy fallback position.

More detail needed.

Sorry for the lack of detail, this is my first time doing this sort of thing.

The biggest reason why I would want to upgrade is to increase my FPS with higher settings. I currently have a 1440p monitor, so of course games will run a little slower hence why I would like to increase my FPS. In addition over the past couple of months basic tasks like running Chrome have been taking longer to process and games have begun to get lower average fps. I’ve also been thinking about streaming/recording more of my games so a faster system would probably assist with that.
Another, but rather less important reason for the upgrade would be how outdated the system itself looks. One thing I love about PC’a is the aesthetic of them so an upgrade like this would help with that. Obviously this reason is pretty dumb but it’s something I like.

My budget would be $1,500 MAX for an upgrade like this but would prefer to keep it in the lower thousands.

Not sure why location is necessarily important but, I live in Colorado.

I’m not “wedded” to water cooling if you’re referring to the use of an AIO. However I would prefer to use an AIO for the performance and looks.

I would prefer to upgrade to 32gb of RAM but it were to be too expensive your 16gb fallback does make sense.

What other details would you like?

 

[E85]

Sorry for the lack of detail, this is my first time doing this sort of thing.

The biggest reason why I would want to upgrade is to increase my FPS with higher settings. I currently have a 1440p monitor, so of course games will run a little slower hence why I would like to increase my FPS. In addition over the past couple of months basic tasks like running Chrome have been taking longer to process and games have begun to get lower average fps. I’ve also been thinking about streaming/recording more of my games so a faster system would probably assist with that.
Another, but rather less important reason for the upgrade would be how outdated the system itself looks. One thing I love about PC’a is the aesthetic of them so an upgrade like this would help with that. Obviously this reason is pretty dumb but it’s something I like.

My budget would be $1,500 MAX for an upgrade like this but would prefer to keep it in the lower thousands.

Not sure why location is necessarily important but, I live in Colorado.

I’m not “wedded” to water cooling if you’re referring to the use of an AIO. However I would prefer to use an AIO for the performance and looks.

I would prefer to upgrade to 32gb of RAM but it were to be too expensive your 16gb fallback does make sense.

What other details would you like?

I just realized I completely neglected one of your bigger questions.
I play very few games but would love to expand. Currently I play Battlefield 1 and Fallout 76. Battlefield 1 can technically run at ultra but I get an average of like 30 fps so it’s not very fun to play, so instead I play on high and get averages a little about 60 fps. For Fallout 76 I play on Medium to High settings with averages coming in at a about 50 fps. So I was hoping that upgrading would maybe help these FPS.

 

[Lafong]

Location matters because prices are wildly different in Turkey or Borneo or Paraguay.

I assume that is 1500 max, with no new monitor.

You may well be a good candidate for an MSI micro ATX board...that would save you maybe 50. B660 chipset rather than Z690.

You need to decide on DDR5 or DDR4 before you choose a board. Price differential is maybe 30 to 80 or 90, depending on if 32 gb or 16 gb.

 

[E85]

Location matters because prices are wildly different in Turkey or Borneo or Paraguay.

I assume that is 1500 max, with no new monitor.

You may well be a good candidate for an MSI micro ATX board...that would save you maybe 50. B660 chipset rather than Z690.

You need to decide on DDR5 or DDR4 before you choose a board. Price differential is maybe 30 to 80 or 90, depending on if 32 gb or 16 gb.

My biggest question is the massive price jump worth the performance with DDR5 memory?
I was looking at benchmarks comparing DDR5 to DDR4 and it seemed like the performance boost was either about 0-20 fps with the DDR5 memory.

I understand what you mean with location now, and if it helps any I do have access to a Microcenter store which I know can sometimes sell parts for cheaper.

And yes, I would not need any new peripherals, so with your thinking you would assume that the upgrade definitely would cost $1500?

 

[RodroX]

My biggest question is the massive price jump worth the performance with DDR5 memory?
I was looking at benchmarks comparing DDR5 to DDR4 and it seemed like the performance boost was either about 0-20 fps with the DDR5 memory.

I understand what you mean with location now, and if it helps any I do have access to a Microcenter store which I know can sometimes sell parts for cheaper.

And yes, I would not need any new peripherals, so with your thinking you would assume that the upgrade definitely would cost $1500?

I don't think so, DDR4 is still very competitive, at least till later when cheaper, fastest and tightest (timmings) DDR 5 kits show up.

If you don't care about messing with overclocking then a i5 12400 will be a cheaper choice (and the 12400F even more, but you wont have the internal GPU then), paired with a good B660 motherboard.

On AMD side you have the 5600 and 5600X + good B550 mobo, but the intel chip maybe be cheaper (F version).

And yes I will get a better cooler for intel, either be a tower cooler or AIO, keep the boxed cooler as backup, but if you buy intel give that chip a better cooler.

 

[Lafong]

If you had 2 machines that were identical except one had DDR 4 and the other DDR 5, you likely would detect very little difference....other than in a benchmark.

At some point (in price) it is worthwhile to jump on the newer technology train regardless. We all do that sooner or later.

I'm kinda in the same position as you. I may rebuild within 6 months. A few months ago, I'd have gone with DDR 4. The price differential has come down noticeably recently, so I'm leaning to DDR 5.

You described the price difference as "massive". I would not, but what's in a word? You can save that amount by moving away from Z690 ATX. Or maybe by going with 16 rather than 32 RAM.

I'd go to PCPartpicker and rig up a few configurations.

Look at B660 micro ATX boards. Like the MSI 660M Mortar Wifi; or the Gigabyte B660M Aorus Pro AX. Both are available in DDR 4 and DDR 5 versions.

Don't rush.

Microcenter is a good idea. Look at their web site too.

Somebody like WhyMe may be along to recommend something to you.

 

[Bob.B]

Sorry for the lack of detail, this is my first time doing this sort of thing.

The biggest reason why I would want to upgrade is to increase my FPS with higher settings. I currently have a 1440p monitor, so of course games will run a little slower hence why I would like to increase my FPS. In addition over the past couple of months basic tasks like running Chrome have been taking longer to process and games have begun to get lower average fps. I’ve also been thinking about streaming/recording more of my games so a faster system would probably assist with that.
Another, but rather less important reason for the upgrade would be how outdated the system itself looks. One thing I love about PC’a is the aesthetic of them so an upgrade like this would help with that. Obviously this reason is pretty dumb but it’s something I like.

My budget would be $1,500 MAX for an upgrade like this but would prefer to keep it in the lower thousands.

Not sure why location is necessarily important but, I live in Colorado.

I’m not “wedded” to water cooling if you’re referring to the use of an AIO. However I would prefer to use an AIO for the performance and looks.

I would prefer to upgrade to 32gb of RAM but it were to be too expensive your 16gb fallback does make sense.

What other details would you like?

Perhaps it's time to monitor things like.

Cpu/gpu temps.
Cpu/gpu/ram usage.

Might give a clue.

 

[RodroX]

Heres an example, you can go cheaper or more expensive:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-12400 2.5 GHz 6-Core Processor ($193.95 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Corsair iCUE H115i ELITE CAPELLIX 97 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI MAG B660 TOMAHAWK WIFI DDR4 ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($189.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Eclipse P500A ATX Mid Tower Case ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx (2021) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($116.84 @ Amazon)
Total: $980.74
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-07-12 21:34 EDT-0400

For cheaper you could pick a 240mm radiator (which should be more than enough for a i5 12400), the B660 Mortar WiFi DDR4, and only 16GB of RAM. You can pick the Corsair case for about the same as phantek.


You could go AMD (but intel seem the better option right now cause of the 13th gen upgrade path):

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor ($174.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Corsair iCUE H115i ELITE CAPELLIX 97 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK ATX AM4 Motherboard ($154.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Eclipse P500A ATX Mid Tower Case ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx (2021) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($116.84 @ Amazon)
Total: $926.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-07-12 21:39 EDT-0400

This are only examples.

 

[E85]

I don't think so, DDR4 is still very competitive, at least till later when cheaper, fastest and tightest (timmings) DDR 5 kits show up.

If you don't care about messing with overclocking then a i5 12400 will be a cheaper choice (and the 12400F even more, but you wont have the internal GPU then), paired with a good B660 motherboard.

On AMD side you have the 5600 and 5600X + good B550 mobo, but the intel chip maybe be cheaper (F version).

And yes I will get a better cooler for intel, either be a tower cooler or AIO, keep the boxed cooler as backup, but if you buy intel give that chip a better cooler.

Thank you!
I agree with you on the RAM side of things so we’ll have to see how that situation pans out.
I more than likely won’t be messing with much over clocking so I’ll definitely give that CPU and look at the AMD options and the motherboards you recommended.
And I will totally make sure to get a good cooler on an intel chip!

 

[E85]

If you had 2 machines that were identical except one had DDR 4 and the other DDR 5, you likely would detect very little difference....other than in a benchmark.

At some point (in price) it is worthwhile to jump on the newer technology train regardless. We all do that sooner or later.

I'm kinda in the same position as you. I may rebuild within 6 months. A few months ago, I'd have gone with DDR 4. The price differential has come down noticeably recently, so I'm leaning to DDR 5.

You described the price difference as "massive". I would not, but what's in a word? You can save that amount by moving away from Z690 ATX. Or maybe by going with 16 rather than 32 RAM.

I'd go to PCPartpicker and rig up a few configurations.

Look at B660 micro ATX boards. Like the MSI 660M Mortar Wifi; or the Gigabyte B660M Aorus Pro AX. Both are available in DDR 4 and DDR 5 versions.

Don't rush.

Microcenter is a good idea. Look at their web site too.

Somebody like WhyMe may be along to recommend something to you.

I definitely understand what you mean about the jumping to the newer technology and will keep that in mind.
I only say “massive” in price difference because for $115 (which is on sale) I could get 32 gb of CORSAIR DDR4 RAM @ 3600 mhz. While for the same amount of RAM DDR5 will get ya about $300 (that is if you go with CORSAIR). Obviously once I do some more looking around I’ll get a better scope on what’s best to spend my money on.
I’ll head to PCPartPicker and make some configurations and might post them here to get a look at and also to have a better idea on what I would be spending my money on.
I’ll try my best not to rush and carefully pick my mobo and really do appreciate the suggestions.

And two more questions, do you think I could get a little money selling my rig now without the graphics card (and maybe the memory?) considering that every component is in great condition and the fact that the i7-3770k isn’t absolutely horrible (i know mine, with the right settings can overclock to a little over 5 ghz with the cooler it has. I didn’t do the overclocking though, my uncle did).
And do you think, for sure, that this upgrade is would be worth it?

But all in all, I really really do appreciate all the help and guidance

 

[E85]

Heres an example, you can go cheaper or more expensive:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-12400 2.5 GHz 6-Core Processor ($193.95 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Corsair iCUE H115i ELITE CAPELLIX 97 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI MAG B660 TOMAHAWK WIFI DDR4 ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($189.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Eclipse P500A ATX Mid Tower Case ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx (2021) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($116.84 @ Amazon)
Total: $980.74
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-07-12 21:34 EDT-0400

For cheaper you could pick a 240mm radiator (which should be more than enough for a i5 12400), the B660 Mortar WiFi DDR4, and only 16GB of RAM. You can pick the Corsair case for about the same as phantek.


You could go AMD (but intel seem the better option right now cause of the 13th gen upgrade path):

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor ($174.99 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Corsair iCUE H115i ELITE CAPELLIX 97 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK ATX AM4 Motherboard ($154.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Eclipse P500A ATX Mid Tower Case ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx (2021) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($116.84 @ Amazon)
Total: $926.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-07-12 21:39 EDT-0400

This are only examples.

WOW! These two lists are AMAZING! I can’t thank you enough, I will definitely be looking through the parts more extensively and go through there

 

[Lafong]

And two more questions, do you think I could get a little money selling my rig now without the graphics card.............................do you think, for sure, that this upgrade is would be worth it?

"Worth it" is known only to you. Probably yes, if you have money falling out of your pockets; probably no if you are looking forward to a cat food dinner.

I have no idea about selling your current equipment.

"32 gb of CORSAIR DDR4 RAM @ 3600 mhz. While for the same amount of RAM DDR5 will get ya about $300 (that is if you go with CORSAIR)."

https://shop.kingston.com/products/beast-ddr5-desktop-memory?variant=41738511581376

32 gb of Kingston DDR 5 (2 x 16 kit) for 175 at 4800 speed and 204 at 5600 speed; this is BEFORE a 10% discount. Cut those prices about in half if you want only 16 in a 2 x 8 kit.

Crucial DDR 5:

https://www.crucial.com/catalog/memory/ddr5-desktop

2 x 8 kit; 16 total for 89

2 x 16 kit; 32 total; 176

both are 4800 speed.

Do as you see fit.

 

[storm-chaser]

I would go for the used DDR4 method myself.

Like someone said, you are not going to see much improvements other than in benchmarks by skipping right ahead to ddr5. Plus latency is slightly better on DDR4, at least at the moment.

Computer components don't normally "wear out" in the normal sense of the word. So as long as you have a return policy in place, it doesn't hurt to go used on your hardware upgrades.

My recommendation would be something like this, since you said you were interested in improving gaming performance:
-Intel Core i5 9600KF
-MSI MEG Z390 ACE motherboard
-Samsung 970 PRO nvme SSD
-Reuse your GPU


Just another option if you really want to focus on cost savings. Anything 8th gen and forward I consider "fast" and "current" meaning, these processors will be able to operate at a very high level for a number of years to come.

 

[RodroX]

I would go for the used DDR4 method myself.

Like someone said, you are not going to see much improvements other than in benchmarks by skipping right ahead to ddr5. Plus latency is slightly better on DDR4, at least at the moment.

Computer components don't normally "wear out" in the normal sense of the word. So as long as you have a return policy in place, it doesn't hurt to go used on your hardware upgrades.

My recommendation would be something like this, since you said you were interested in improving gaming performance:
-Intel Core i5 9600KF
-MSI MEG Z390 ACE motherboard
-Samsung 970 PRO nvme SSD
-Reuse your GPU


Just another option if you really want to focus on cost savings. Anything 8th gen and forward I consider "fast" and "current" meaning, these processors will be able to operate at a very high level for a number of years to come.

Altought the 9600K should be an improvement on the i7 3700K in most games, I fail to see the point in upgrading to a dead, 4 year old platform. Unless OP budget is really, really tight, and wana buy used parts.

When shopping new parts, you can still get 9600K/F new with some effort, the 12600KF is cheaper, and the 12400F is ~ $90 less than the 9600KF (at the time of writing this):

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/MBMwrH/intel-core-i5-9600kf-37-ghz-6-core-processor-bx80684i59600kf - Amazon $ 239
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Tk8bt6/intel-core-i5-12600kf-37-ghz-6-core-processor-bx8071512600kf - Amazon $ 229
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/hvC48d/intel-core-i5-12500-3-ghz-6-core-processor-bx8071512500 - Newegg $ 202.98
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/pQNxFT/intel-core-i5-12400f-25-ghz-6-core-processor-bx8071512400f - Newegg $149.99

 

[RodroX]

Perhaps it's time to monitor things like.

Cpu/gpu temps.
Cpu/gpu/ram usage.

Might give a clue.

Also I would really have a look at what Bob.B wrote here too!!!.
Also scan for malware.
I wonder how old is your Windows installation?.
Another thing is to make sure theres at least a 10% of the total capacity of the SSD as free space. SSD don't run well unless you have at least that amount of free space on them.

The i7 3770K should still be a decent performer for gaming at 1440p, and basic PC operations like chrome and office.

 

[storm-chaser]

Altought the 9600K should be an improvement on the i7 3700K in most games, I fail to see the point in upgrading to a dead, 4 year old platform. Unless OP budget is really, really tight, and wana buy used parts.

When shopping new parts, you can still get 9600K/F new with some effort, the 12600KF is cheaper, and the 12400F is ~ $90 less than the 9600KF (at the time of writing this):

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/MBMwrH/intel-core-i5-9600kf-37-ghz-6-core-processor-bx80684i59600kf - Amazon $ 239
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Tk8bt6/intel-core-i5-12600kf-37-ghz-6-core-processor-bx8071512600kf - Amazon $ 229
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/hvC48d/intel-core-i5-12500-3-ghz-6-core-processor-bx8071512500 - Newegg $ 202.98
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/pQNxFT/intel-core-i5-12400f-25-ghz-6-core-processor-bx8071512400f - Newegg $149.99

No, you are right. It's clear going with the newer generation is better. I didnt realize how close they were in price.

 

[RodroX]

No, you are right. It's clear going with the newer generation is better. I didnt realize how close they were in price.

I do not know the second hand market, but if buying new, theres no much sense in going with a 4 year old cpu and mobo

 

[storm-chaser]

I do not know the second hand market, but if buying new, theres no much sense in going with a 4 year old cpu and mobo

Yeah second hand market for this CPU runs about $110 or slightly higher. It is substantially lower in price than a used 12th gen, such as the
12600K/KF, making it a desirable CPU if you are in it for maximum savings but still want to retain a good level of performance.

I still rock a 9600KF and it has no trouble keeping up with a 9900K or 12600K in terms of gaming performance. Plus the 9600Ks are binned better than the 9700k or the 9900k, meaning there are "more" grade a overclock samples in the wild. And most can OC to 5.3GHz no problem and much higher using chilled water. Also the 9600KF is easier to cool so you can run up the OC ceiling a little further, minimizing the need for a car radiator.

Reason I am recommending this 4 year old processor (kinda lol) is because they are far from obsolete. And there is almost no perceptible loss in performance if going with 9th gen over 12th gen and there is no concern for at least the next decade.

But if he buys new, I am in total agreement with you on the 12600 CPU choice.

8086K to 12900K - Identical FPS @ 1600p and 2160p w/ 3080 ti | Overclock.net

 

[RodroX]

Yeah second hand market for this CPU runs about $110 or slightly higher. It is substantially lower in price than a used 12th gen, such as the
12600K/KF, making it a desirable CPU if you are in it for maximum savings but still want to retain a good level of performance.

I still rock a 9600KF and it has no trouble keeping up with a 9900K or 12600K in terms of gaming performance. Plus the 9600Ks are binned better than the 9700k or the 9900k, meaning there are "more" grade a overclock samples in the wild. And most can OC to 5.3GHz no problem and much higher using chilled water. Also the 9600KF is easier to cool so you can run up the OC ceiling a little further, minimizing the need for a car radiator.

Reason I am recommending this 4 year old processor (kinda lol) is because they are far from obsolete. And there is almost no perceptible loss in performance if going with 9th gen over 12th gen and there is no concern for at least the next decade.

But if he buys new, I am in total agreement with you on the 12600 CPU choice.

8086K to 12900K - Identical FPS @ 1600p and 2160p w/ 3080 ti | Overclock.net

9600K is still a nice CPU when OC and/or when updating for something like a i3 9100, but when paired with a mid to high end GPU (RTX 3070 and above) and depending on how CPU intensive the game is it will fall behind of the i5 12400, not only cause of the different design but also cause of the lack of HT.

And right now in 2022, I would not recommend a non-HT CPU when you have other options available, for example a cheap i5 10400.

But if you are comparing results on GPU bound scenarios then the CPU would not matter.