[SOLVED] Is this a good upgrade?

May 16, 2021
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Hello everyone,

I was thinking about updating my PC (motherboard, RAM, CPU and GPU) but I would like to have some feedback first.

My current specs are as follows:
Motherboard - Asus Z97-KUSB3.1
RAM - 16GB DDR3 1333MHz
CPU - Intel Core i5-4460 3.2 GHz
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 Asus Strix OC 4GB Edition
HDD's - Kingston SV3000S37A120G 120GB (SSD, where the OS is); WD10EZRX 1TB
PSU - Corsair CX 500M 500W
Case - NOX Hummer ZX

And I would like to replace the components above mentioned by:
Motherboard - MSI MPG Z390 GAMING PLUS
RAM - 16GB DDR4 3000MHz
CPU - Intel Core i5-9500F 6-Core 3.0GHz
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super EVGA SC Ultra Gaming 6GB

So, as the title suggests, is this a good update? And how future proof is it? According to Game Debate, my current CPU and GPU are about 65% and 39% worse, respectively, to the ones I want to replace them with. And I'm assuming there won't be any problems regarding case space or the PSU not being powerful enough (I saw on PCPartPicker that the wattage is ok since it will only take 299W out of 500W but I don't know how accurate that is).

I can sense my PC already falling behind in more recent games and that's normal. I got my PC as it currently is in March 2016 and it has been alright so far but I feel it's time for something better, especially now that I got a 144Hz monitor and I can't take full advantage of it.

Also, since I won't be messing with the HDD's, is it really necessary to do a fresh Windows 10 install? I already confirmed the Windows 10 activation is linked to my Microsoft account.

Anyway, sorry for long post but I kindly look forward for a reply.

Thanks in advance.
 
Solution
That upgrade is just fine for 1080p gaming, might not be able to handle 144FPS at ultra settings for some AAA titles but it will definitely get the job done a t medium-high.

If your previous build was a prebuilt then you're most likely not using a retail version of windows OS (pre-builts use OEM versions that bind to the motherboard) - if that's the case then you will most likely need to reinstall windows.
That upgrade is just fine for 1080p gaming, might not be able to handle 144FPS at ultra settings for some AAA titles but it will definitely get the job done a t medium-high.

If your previous build was a prebuilt then you're most likely not using a retail version of windows OS (pre-builts use OEM versions that bind to the motherboard) - if that's the case then you will most likely need to reinstall windows.
 
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May 16, 2021
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That upgrade is just fine for 1080p gaming, might not be able to handle 144FPS at ultra settings for some AAA titles but it will definitely get the job done a t medium-high.

If your previous build was a prebuilt then you're most likely not using a retail version of windows OS (pre-builts use OEM versions that bind to the motherboard) - if that's the case then you will most likely need to reinstall windows.
Thank you for your reply Newtonius.

Yeah, I'm aiming for 1080p and I don't mind having things set at medium/high as long as it's still visually decent and with fairly good FPS.

Oh no it wasn't a prebuilt (what I did in March 2016 was also an update but basically a whole new PC). Although it did have a fresh install of Windows because back in 2016 I changed from an AMD motherboard to an Intel.

Anyway, thanks once again for your feedback, much appreciated!
 
Most games are limited more by the graphics card than the cpu.
You can test this assertion with this simple test:
Run YOUR games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
This makes the graphics card loaf a bit.
If your FPS increases, it indicates that your cpu is strong enough to drive a better graphics configuration.
If your FPS stays the same, you are likely more cpu limited.

If a graphics upgrade is in order, good luck in finding a card at anything less than 2x MSRP.
GTX1660 super would be a decent upgrade.
If you are cpu limited, then you have some options.

First of all, you do have the option to upgrade with a I7-4790K.
They sell on ebay for $150-$200.
Your i5-4460 has 4 threads and a passmark rating of 4814 which is when all 4 threads are fully utilized.
The single thread rating is 1898, arguably the more important aspect for games.
A i7-4790K has 8 threads and a rating of 8060/2648. Possibly more with a conservative overclock.

I do not think I would bother today with upgrading to an older platform like 9400f/Z390.
If your list is used, and dirt cheap, perhaps.
The processor is only marginally faster than a 4790k.
6 cores, 10269/2689 rating. Plus the expense of new motherboard and ram.

What is your budget?

I would look for a rocket lake i5-11400 or i5-10400f for about $200.
12 threads, 17761/3052
Same DDR4 2 x 8gb ram for about $75. Speed is not important.
Any lga1200 motherboard will do. MATX is usually cheaper. $80-$100

i5-11400 is a great budget gamer; here is a review:
 
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So, as the title suggests, is this a good update? And how future proof is it?
Rather minor upgrade. Not worth it.

CPU from 4core/4thread to 6core/6thread. Would suggest going to at least 6core/12thread cpu.
GPU upgrade also rather minor.
GTX970 is similar to GTX 1060. GTX 1660 super is similar to GTX 1070. So basically you're upgrading from GTX 1060 to GTX 1070. Meh.
 
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Unless you are getting a substantial discount on the 9500F/Z390, I would strongly recommend stepping up to an i5 10400(F) or 11400(F) with an appropriate 400/500-series board so you get a CPU with SMT that gives you 30-40% extra performance in heavily threaded workloads and general multi-tasking.

Having a CPU-hosted NVMe slot that goes up to 4.0x4 on 11th-gen and 4.0x16 for the GPU on 500-series board are also a nice bonus if you plan to keep the system for a relatively long time. Those are the sort of things you may not need now but will likely wish you had 4-5 years down the road even if you are still otherwise happy with your computer.
 
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Corsair CX500M is an old groupregulated PSU. Replace it
GTX970 is similar to GTX 1060. GTX 1660 super is similar to GTX 1070. So basically you're upgrading from GTX 1060 to GTX 1070. Meh.
GTX 1060 6GB performs about 20% better than GTX 970. 1660 Super performs almost 40% better than GTX 1060 6GB. If you have 50 fps with GTX 970 you get 60 fps with GTX 1060 and 84 fps with 1660 Super. 1660 Super performs 65 - 70% better than GTX 970. That's a great upgrade.
 

TommyTwoTone66

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Its a great upgrade, the 1660 SUPER is a lot better in games than the 970 and the 9500F gives you 2 more CPU cores than you have now and the cores are individually about twice as fast as the cores in your 4460. You will be enjoying 60FPS gaming at 1080p at "high" settings on this card, or higher resolutions at "low" / "medium" settings.

You are definitely going to have to reinstall Windows as part of this upgrade. But do not worry. It is very cheap and very easy to buy a new copy of Windows 10. Simply type "Windows 10 Pro Key" into eBay, and you will find one for less than $10. Most sellers will email you the key about 10 minutes after paying, and I've never had any problems with this in the past 5 years.

I hear what the other guys are saying about upgrading into a "dead end" socket, and get why they are reccomending the 10500F instead. But it doesn't really matter. Personally I would spend the extra $50 or so it would cost me to go with the newer socket so that I could upgrade in a couple of years to an 11900 or something. But you haven't upgraded in 10 years, so chances are you are going to skip 10, 11, 12 and 13 series CPUs, so we will definitely be on yet another socket by the time you want to upgrade again anyway. The 9500F will be fine in games for at least the next 4 years, just as your 4460 was fine up until the last couple.

If the saving is good by going for the previous generation and getting the 9500F, then there's no real reason to get the 10500F, it won't perform significantly better.

My only advice would be to get a Gigabyte or Asus board, not MSI. That's my personal preference I always find MSI boards more prone to failure and software / driver issues than those other brands.

And assuming you are going to sell the old parts on eBay rather than repurpose them into another machine, then bear in mind selling parts individually works out a lot better than selling in bundles, even after taking into account shipping etc. I always sell my CPU, Motherboard, RAM and GPU in separate listings to maximise how much I get for them.
 
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Thank you all for your suggestions and feedback!

After reading your posts, I decided to change some things on my list. It's now as follows:

Motherboard - Asus PRIME H510M-A
RAM - Kingston DDR4 16GB 3200MHz CL16
CPU - Intel Core i5-10400F 6-Core 2.9GHz
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super EVGA SC Ultra Gaming 6GB

Also, should I really change the PSU? If so, what wattage should I aim for?

I'm sticking with the GPU despite some contradictory opinions because I can't find anything better where I live (on that price range anyway) and I don't want to order from abroad, sometimes it takes on forever.

What do you all think of these new components?

EDIT: I may be going for the Intel Core i5-11400F 6-Core 2.6GHz instead as it's not that much more expensive than the 10400F.
 
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Thank you all for your suggestions and feedback!

After reading your posts, I decided to change some things on my list. It's now as follows:

Motherboard - Asus PRIME H510M-A
RAM - Kingston DDR4 16GB 3200MHz CL16
CPU - Intel Core i5-10400F 6-Core 2.9GHz
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super EVGA SC Ultra Gaming 6GB

Also, should I really change the PSU? If so, what wattage should I aim for?

I'm sticking with the GPU despite some contradictory opinions because I can't find anything better where I live (on that price range anyway) and I don't want to order from abroad, sometimes it takes on forever.

What do you all think of these new components?
550w will do just fine.

Example

https://www.newegg.com/evga-supernova-550-gm-123-gm-0550-y1-550w/p/N82E16817438150
EVGA SuperNOVA 550 GM, 80 Plus Gold 550W, Modular PSU $69.99
 
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I like the changes.
A 500w psu is sufficient to run a GTX1650 super:
http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm
Unless you suspect a problem with the psu, I would keep it for now.

If you are inclined to change the psu, but something in the 650/750w range with a good 7 to 10 year warranty.
I don't know that I would use the SFX psu mentioned above unless the case requires it.
 

TommyTwoTone66

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Thank you all for your suggestions and feedback!

After reading your posts, I decided to change some things on my list. It's now as follows:

Motherboard - Asus PRIME H510M-A
RAM - Kingston DDR4 16GB 3200MHz CL16
CPU - Intel Core i5-10400F 6-Core 2.9GHz
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super EVGA SC Ultra Gaming 6GB

Also, should I really change the PSU? If so, what wattage should I aim for?

I'm sticking with the GPU despite some contradictory opinions because I can't find anything better where I live (on that price range anyway) and I don't want to order from abroad, sometimes it takes on forever.

What do you all think of these new components?

Really great choices.

How old is your CX500? If it's more than 7 years old I'd change it, otherwise no, it will be fine. This board is mainly US people on 110V and they are rightly paranoid about PSU, but in the EU on 230V a CX500 is more than enough for that setup.

The 10400 uses about 30W more than your old CPU did, and the 1660 SUPER uses about 90W less than your old GTX970. Everything else will be more or less the same.
 
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Its a great upgrade, the 1660 SUPER is a lot better in games than the 970 and the 9500F gives you 2 more CPU cores than you have now and the cores are individually about twice as fast as the cores in your 4460. You will be enjoying 60FPS gaming at 1080p at "high" settings on this card, or higher resolutions at "low" / "medium" settings.

You are definitely going to have to reinstall Windows as part of this upgrade. But do not worry. It is very cheap and very easy to buy a new copy of Windows 10. Simply type "Windows 10 Pro Key" into eBay, and you will find one for less than $10. Most sellers will email you the key about 10 minutes after paying, and I've never had any problems with this in the past 5 years.

I hear what the other guys are saying about upgrading into a "dead end" socket, and get why they are reccomending the 10500F instead. But it doesn't really matter. Personally I would spend the extra $50 or so it would cost me to go with the newer socket so that I could upgrade in a couple of years to an 11900 or something. But you haven't upgraded in 10 years, so chances are you are going to skip 10, 11, 12 and 13 series CPUs, so we will definitely be on yet another socket by the time you want to upgrade again anyway. The 9500F will be fine in games for at least the next 4 years, just as your 4460 was fine up until the last couple.

If the saving is good by going for the previous generation and getting the 9500F, then there's no real reason to get the 10500F, it won't perform significantly better.

My only advice would be to get a Gigabyte or Asus board, not MSI. That's my personal preference I always find MSI boards more prone to failure and software / drive issues than those other brands.

And assuming you are going to sell the old parts on eBay rather than repurpose them into another machine, then bear in mind selling parts individually works out a lot better than selling in bundles, even after taking into account shipping etc. I always sell my CPU, Motherboard, RAM and GPU in separate listings to maximise how much I get for them.
Thanks for the insight on the Windows issue!

Yeah, they are right, why bother going to the almost outdated LGA 1151 socket when I can go to the 1200 one with a CPU that's just as good plus cheaper?

I was thinking about reselling them, yes. Thanks for the advice!
 
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May 16, 2021
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Really great choices.

How old is your CX500? If it's more than 7 years old I'd change it, otherwise no, it will be fine. This board is mainly US people on 110V and they are rightly paranoid about PSU, but in the EU on 230V a CX500 is more than enough for that setup.
I bought the PSU when I did the major upgrade in March 2016 so it's at least 5 years old and I never had problems with it, thankfully.

Yeah, I live in Portugal, and electricity here is expensive but the thing is, components are getting more efficient and less consuming as time goes on which is a great thing! Especially the Intel/NVIDIA, not so much AMD which is also a reason why I'm not a fan of AMD products.
 

TommyTwoTone66

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I bought the PSU when I did the major upgrade in March 2016 so it's at least 5 years old and I never had problems with it, thankfully.

Yeah, I live in Portugal, and electricity here is expensive but the thing is, components are getting more efficient and less consuming as time goes on which is a great thing! Especially the Intel/NVIDIA, not so much AMD which is also a reason why I'm not a fan of AMD products.

With the lower power consumption of the 1660 SUPER you will be on about 300W under load, which is right in the correct range for a 500W PSU to be in for best efficiency. If you leave the PC on 24 / 7 you'd save a few Euros per month by upgrading to an RM650 that powers down on idle and has a very low power sleep mode etc, but if you turn your PC off at night then it makes no difference really. Just watch out for a whine on the CX500 after a few years.
 
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I think you will be pleasantly surprised at what your old hardware gets you. I always carefully open and keep the packaging that my new parts just came in, so I can use it to ship the old ones out.
I did exactly that with my old AMD graphics card (can't even remember what model it was anymore) so that I could buy the GTX 970. Lucky me was that said GPU was only an year old back then so it was really easy to sell it, not sure it would happen the same with a 5 year old GTX 970. But yeah, I'm careful and always save the original packages and such!
 
May 16, 2021
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With the lower power consumption of the 1660 SUPER you will be on about 300W under load, which is right in the correct range for a 500W PSU to be in for best efficiency. If you leave the PC on 24 / 7 you'd save a few Euros per month by upgrading to an RM650 that powers down on idle and has a very low power sleep mode etc, but if you turn your PC off at night then it makes no difference really. Just watch out for a whine on the CX500 after a few years.
I usually turn it off everytime I'm not using precisely to save electricity.

I'm still not sure if I'm changing the PSU then, but if I do I'd probably go for a Corsair TX550M 80+ Gold Semi-Modular.

Also, I might be getting the Intel Core i5-11400F 6-Core 2.6GHz instead of the 10400F, not that much more expensive and a bit better.
 
I bought the PSU when I did the major upgrade in March 2016 so it's at least 5 years old and I never had problems with it, thankfully.

Yeah, I live in Portugal, and electricity here is expensive but the thing is, components are getting more efficient and less consuming as time goes on which is a great thing! Especially the Intel/NVIDIA, not so much AMD which is also a reason why I'm not a fan of AMD products.
https://www.pcdiga.com/componentes/...-micro-atx-asus-prime-b560m-a-90mb17a0-m0eay0
Asus Prime B560M-A 119,90 €

https://www.pcdiga.com/componentes/...ghz-c-turbo-4-4ghz-12mb-skt1200-bx8070811400f
Intel Core i5-11400F 167,90 €

https://www.pcdiga.com/componentes/...aster-hyper-212-black-edition-rr-212s-20pk-r1
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition 34.90 €

https://www.pcdiga.com/componentes/...8gb-ddr4-3200mhz-cl16-preta-f4-3200c16d-16gis
G.SKILL Aegis 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4-3200MHz CL16 78,90 €
 
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Thanks for those suggestions Why_Me!

I added all of those to my list, along with the EVGA GPU, (replacing the motherboard for a B560M-K since I am using another store, Switch Technology, that operates in my city, unlike PCDIGA).

I might delete the PSU off my list though since according to what's been said here, will get the job done.
 
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