Question Looking to upgrade my desktop in the next few months

[blanket_enthusiast]

Hello all,

I am looking to upgrade my gaming desktop at home within the next few months.

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/tGpYKB

The link provided above is what I have as of now.

My main focuses are the CPU and GPU. Have my eyes set on the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X for CPU and AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 for GPU.

My concerns are whether an upgrade on the PSU is required? I have read that some people say 550w would still do fine, some saying that is pushing toward the limit and some say that is just waiting for disaster to happen. If an upgrade is needed, would 650w be fine or should I play it safe and go for 750w? Also, I think (not that knowledgeable with motherboards at all) my motherboard isn’t compatible with 3rd gen AMD CPUs, would it be a good investment to look for a 3rd gen AMD ready motherboard or should I wait till later on?

I guess what I am trying to inquire for here is if anyone could provide some information on the questions I have and also if any experts could share some insights on whether I should wait for any particular releases in the near future to then make my decision (any suggestions on parts are also welcomed!).

In the case that it matters, I reside in east coast of Canada and my budget for overall upgrade is around $1000-$1500 Canadian dollars (wouldn’t mind going slightly over since I am not in a rush for the upgrade and would be able to save up more as time go on).

Thank you all for the help in advance

 

[WildCard999]

The Vega 64 would be a good upgrade but I don't think the CPU is worth it unless your getting it for pretty cheap. I would actually buy a good quality CPU air cooler and try to get that 2600 to 4.1-4.2ghz. I agree with getting a better PSU, go for 650W but get something really good like the Seasonic Focus Gold.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen 5 PCGH Edition 43.03 CFM CPU Cooler ($114.14 @ Amazon Canada)
Video Card: Sapphire - Radeon RX VEGA 64 8 GB NITRO+ Video Card ($499.00 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - FOCUS Plus Gold 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($121.99 @ PC-Canada)
Total: $735.13
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-06-19 10:39 EDT-0400

Considering your upgrade budget maybe get more memory or a better monitor?

 

[AngelTech]

If you are getting this in a few months get a Ryzen 3000 series chip if any major issues happen they will be solved before you buy it most likely and according to rumors it'd be a good idea to just get a 2nd gen series motherboard I wouldn't bother getting a super new expensive MOBO bc the pricing for the newer ones seems to be pretty ridiculous from what leaks have been showing

 

[blanket_enthusiast]

The Vega 64 would be a good upgrade but I don't think the CPU is worth it unless your getting it for pretty cheap. I would actually buy a good quality CPU air cooler and try to get that 2600 to 4.1-4.2ghz. I agree with getting a better PSU, go for 650W but get something really good like the Seasonic Focus Gold.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen 5 PCGH Edition 43.03 CFM CPU Cooler ($114.14 @ Amazon Canada)
Video Card: Sapphire - Radeon RX VEGA 64 8 GB NITRO+ Video Card ($499.00 @ Canada Computers)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - FOCUS Plus Gold 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($121.99 @ PC-Canada)
Total: $735.13
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-06-19 10:39 EDT-0400

Considering your upgrade budget maybe get more memory or a better monitor?

Thank you for the suggestions! I do have a question on the CPU cooler though, from what the product detail describes, with CPU frequency tops at 3.9 GHz max. Does better cooling actually push the max to a higher potential frequency? Additionally, what's the difference between Bronze and Gold when they label the PSUs? Is it what material they use as the conductor (bronze or gold)?

 

[blanket_enthusiast]

If you are getting this in a few months get a Ryzen 3000 series chip if any major issues happen they will be solved before you buy it most likely and according to rumors it'd be a good idea to just get a 2nd gen series motherboard I wouldn't bother getting a super new expensive MOBO bc the pricing for the newer ones seems to be pretty ridiculous from what leaks have been showing

So a 2nd gen series MOBO would work with the 3000 series chips? Would there be any compatibility issues?

 

[DMAN999]

The CPU cooler above will keep your CPU at lower temperatures and thereby allow you to OC it to higher levels.
The stock settings on a 2600 boosts 1 or 2 cores to 3.9 GHz but only allows 3.75 GHz (or so) boost on all cores.
With a better cooler like the Scythe linked to above you can OC the CPU so all cores will run at 3.9 to 4.1 GHZ (some 2600's will even get to 4.2 GHZ on all cores).

 

[blanket_enthusiast]

The CPU cooler above will keep your CPU at lower temperatures and thereby allow you to OC it to higher levels.
The stock settings on a 2600 boost 1 o2 cores to 3.9 GHz but only allows 3.75 GHz (or so) boost on all cores.
With a better cooler like the Scythe linked to above you can OC the CPU so all cores will run at 3.9 to 4.1 GHZ (some 2600's will even get to 4.2 GHZ on all cores).

Is overclocking (assuming that is what you mean by OC) safe? I always hear my friends talking about how overclocking is bad for the hardware. Or is the whole issue with high temperature caused from OC; that's why the suggestion on a good CPU cooler?

 

[WildCard999]

Is overclocking (assuming that is what you mean by OC) safe? I always hear my friends talking about how overclocking is bad for the hardware. Or is the whole issue with high temperature caused from OC; that's why the suggestion on a good CPU cooler?

Temperature and voltage affect lifespan. For the Ryzen 2600 as long as the CPU stays under 80C and 1.4V it will last quite a long time. For the PSU that Seasonic is not only a higher wattage but more efficient. Also has better quality components.

 

[DMAN999]

Overclocking a Ryzen 5 2600 is safe as long as you follow a good guide and do it properly and have a good CPU cooler.
And yes that is why you want a good CPU cooler, to keep the temperatures down.
I run my 2600 at 4 GHz all the time and it is completely safe. (see my Signature)
My CPU idles between 27 and 30 C (depending on my room temp) and never gets above 56C even after gaming for hours at a time.
And FYI my PC gets the same (or even better) performance than most 2600x based PCs in the Benchmarks I have run on it.

 

[WildCard999]

You can use AMD Ryzen Master for overclocking however I found it buggy, better off using the BIOS. Also don't use auto overclocking/tuning software as it almost always gives the CPU more voltage then required and that can cause electromigration which will reduce the cpu lifespan.

 

[DMAN999]

^ I agree 100% .
I used Ryzen Master to test a few potential OC's but did the OC I use in the BIOS.
And I also don't like the auto OC software because from what I have seen it applies too much voltage.

 

[blanket_enthusiast]

You can use AMD Ryzen Master for overclocking however I found it buggy, better off using the BIOS. Also don't use auto overclocking/tuning software as it almost always gives the CPU more voltage then required and that can cause electromigration which will reduce the cpu lifespan.

I am looking up on OC guides for Ryzen 5 2600 or 2000 series right now. So the main thing is to play around with the numbers and monitor the voltage and temperature, yes?

 

[DMAN999]

I am looking up on OC guides for Ryzen 5 2600 or 2000 series right now. So the main thing is to play around with the numbers and monitor the voltage and temperature, yes?

^ YES.
And the most important tip I can give you is be systematic and patient.
Do NOT rush it and just jump right in with a high OC.
Also if you are using the stock cooler you will probably NOT get it high enough to make any difference over the stock settings.

 

[WildCard999]

I am looking up on OC guides for Ryzen 5 2600 or 2000 series right now. So the main thing is to play around with the numbers and monitor the voltage and temperature, yes?

Yes, for the 2600 I'd start off at 3.8ghz with the stock voltage. Run Prime95 Small FFT's for about a hour and make sure temp doesn't exceed 80C.

If it doesn't crash move up another 100mhz.

If it crashes increase voltage (usually 0.050V at a time) and try again.

 

[blanket_enthusiast]

^ YES.
And the most important tip I can give you is be systematic and patient.
Do NOT rush it and just jump right in with a high OC.
Also if you are using the stock cooler you will probably NOT get it high enough to make any difference over the stock settings.

Thank you for confirming. Yeah I am just going to take some time on doing a bit more research on OC before I get a new cooler, graphics card and PSU.

Thank you both, @DMAN999 and @WildCard999 for the prompt replies and friendly experience!

Had bad experience inquiring any PC related questions back when I built my first PC (the one I have at the moment). People weren’t all that supportive, if anything they were just commenting to question how I could be so clueless with all these if I considered myself a gamer.

 

[WildCard999]

Thank you for confirming. Yeah I am just going to take some time on doing a bit more research on OC before I get a new cooler, graphics card and PSU.

Thank you both, @DMAN999 and @WildCard999 for the prompt replies and friendly experience!

Had bad experience inquiring any PC related questions back when I built my first PC (the one I have at the moment). People weren’t all that supportive, if anything they were just commenting to question how I could be so clueless with all these if I considered myself a gamer.

The recommendations won't affect the OC, you can still get those and see a big improvement with your graphics. AMD XFR2 is another feature built into the CPU/MB that allows the CPU to go beyond the stock boost clock as long as the temp and voltage is well within safe limits. The Aftermarket cooler would help achieve this and even so, getting an extra 100/200mhz overclock isn't going to be some big game breaking experience. The biggest improvement will be the GPU and with that kind of budget maybe consider a 1440P (or larger) Freesync monitor to pair with that Vega 64.

 

[DMAN999]

blanket_enthusiast,
You are very welcome.
And Yes the majority of users here are Very friendly and helpful unlike a few other forums I have visited.

 

[Karadjgne]

There's only 2 things that affect cpu lifespans worth mentioning, barring of course catastrophic failures of other components. Those are software and user stupidity. Generally you can expect a cpu to last physically well over 20 years. I have a PentiumII 350MHz overclocked to 400MHz that still runs perfectly fine. Albeit slower comparatively to new stuff than a dog with 1 leg in a race. It's running Windows 98SE. It literally can't handle a newer OS, even XP, since it doesn't contain half the needed instruction sets nor does it have the ram capability at just 1Gb of 100Hz. Software has made it totally obsolete, even internet explorer is well beyond its capacity now. Games are no different, just faster. My i5-3570k is still a capable cpu, but the gtx660ti isn't near enough for anything modern newer than minecraft. Software renders a pc old very fast, unless you buy planning for future coverage.

User stupidity covers everything else. You can OC a cpu and not really affect its useable lifespan. As long as you do so within the boundaries of the cpu. That means low voltages, under specified safe limits, and low temps, again under specified safe limits. Be surprised at how many ppl are pushing Ryzen at or beyond 1.4v because that's what their old FX was set for. It's fine if you junk your pc every 2-3 years, to push the envelope to its limits, but for those who keep their pc 5-6 years, a more moderate approach is far wiser course of action.

Not necessary now? Give it 2 months or so. By then Zen2 will be publicly available, and every benchmark under the sun will have results. You'll also have sales, either of the 1000/2000 series, or possibly even Intel in trying to maintain its share of the market. Dunno. Either way, it's a short wait with a bunch of answers at the end.

 

[ConcernedCow]

I have a 2700x its a good cpu for sure, but why not something like the 3800 or 3800x which comes out in july? reguardless either is good but I would recommend either one of the new navi gpus or a 2060 or 2070 rather than vega 64 and you wouldnt have to upgrade your psu. also get a decent x470 motherboard, it will support ryzen 300 and be cheaper. Also a better cooler will keep temps down allowing the cpu to boost higher but not past its limits. 2700x is 4.3 on one core i believe. i have mine at 4.25 all cores. and the difference between bronze and gold is basically gold is more reliable and gold puts out more true power. soo a 500 watt bronze inst pushing a true 500 watts and i believe gold is more effecient money wise