Build Advice Need advice to upgrade my current gaming PC build!

[yogagogga]

I've had this build for some years now, it was top of the line during the time of purchase however I feel like it's becoming more and more outdated now. On newer games, I find myself turning most graphic settings to medium, lowering the resolution to 1080p and shadows to the lowest, and I cant seem to get past 60FPS even with those settings.
My current monitor is a 27inch 1440p 144hz, and I really cant benefit from any of those since I need to downscale graphic settings.

Apart from gaming, I also do some light photoshopping for work, though not a lot.

I will soon receive my annual bonus which will allow me to spare around 1400 USD to upgrade my PC, but I dont really know where to begin or which part should I prioritize.

Here's the build.
PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/spyJZJ

CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 64.95 CFM CPU Cooler
Thermal Compound: Noctua NT-H1 3.5 g Thermal Paste
Motherboard: MSI Z370 SLI PLUS ATX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-2800 CL15 Memory
Storage: Western Digital Green 240 GB M.2-2280 SATA Solid State Drive
Storage: Toshiba DT01ACA100 1 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive
Storage: Seagate BarraCuda 1 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive
Video Card: Zotac AMP GeForce GTX 1080 8 GB Video Card
Case: Deepcool MATREXX 55 V3 ADD-RGB 3F ATX Mid Tower Case
Power Supply: Corsair RM650x (2018) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM - DVD 64-bit
Monitor: Dell S2716DG 27.0" 2560 x 1440 144 Hz Monitor
Monitor: LG 25UM58-P 25.0" 2560 x 1080 75 Hz Monitor
Keyboard: Corsair K55 RGB Wired Gaming Keyboard
Mouse: Razer DeathAdder Elite Wired Optical Mouse
Headphones: HP HyperX Cloud Revolver S 7.1 Channel Headset
Speakers: Logitech Z150 Speakers

Any advice on what I should do?
Any help would be highly appreciated!

 

[punkncat]

This appears to be a really well balanced build. Should still be quite capable at 1080/60/mid settings for most games.

You could technically build a whole new system for $1400.

IMO if you do only the CPU/mobo/RAM then the 1080 (card) will be holding back performance.
If you do the card then the main hardware will be holding back performance.

I think if it were mine to do and given the monitor you are on, I would focus on a new main board, CPU, RAM, perhaps a good newer power supply, and storage at least on the main OS drive. That will feed that 1080 enough to make full use of the 1080/75 monitor you have on hand. Then with what is left over and skip Starbucks for a few weeks, should leave enough for a meaningful GPU update.

 

[yogagogga]

This appears to be a really well balanced build. Should still be quite capable at 1080/60/mid settings for most games.

You could technically build a whole new system for $1400.

IMO if you do only the CPU/mobo/RAM then the 1080 (card) will be holding back performance.
If you do the card then the main hardware will be holding back performance.

I think if it were mine to do and given the monitor you are on, I would focus on a new main board, CPU, RAM, perhaps a good newer power supply, and storage at least on the main OS drive. That will feed that 1080 enough to make full use of the 1080/75 monitor you have on hand. Then with what is left over and skip Starbucks for a few weeks, should leave enough for a meaningful GPU update.

Thanks for the reply!
Actually I have 2 monitors, the 1080/75 is my secondary monitor, whereas my main one is 1440/144. So i cant actually use my main monitor to the fullest of its potential, which is why im looking at upgrading my build.

 

[punkncat]

Thanks for the reply!
Actually I have 2 monitors, the 1080/75 is my secondary monitor, whereas my main one is 1440/144. So i cant actually use my main monitor to the fullest of its potential, which is why im looking at upgrading my build.

The higher the resolution the more of the work that gets passed off to the GPU. IMO, this being the case, it may be worth consideration to get a new graphics card targeting the performance you want and a new power supply to safely run it.
Considering how far up that ladder you go, there may still be enough in budget to consider where to go on the mobo/CPU/RAM situation.

 

[yogagogga]

The higher the resolution the more of the work that gets passed off to the GPU. IMO, this being the case, it may be worth consideration to get a new graphics card targeting the performance you want and a new power supply to safely run it.
Considering how far up that ladder you go, there may still be enough in budget to consider where to go on the mobo/CPU/RAM situation.

Ive actually been searching for a decent GPU while not breaking the bank, and am considering the 4070 ti. Do you think that would be wise?

 

[Eximo]

Hmm, might be a little large for the PSU.

4070 Super is about as high as I would go. Roughly equivalent to an RTX 3080/3080Ti and perfectly suitable for 1440p gaming for some years.

 

[geofelt]

First, find out how limiting your 8700K is.
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 you are graphics limited, a graphics card upgrade is easy, if not pricey.
Tom's gpu hierarchy chart will give you some idea:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html
You should probably skip the next tier and look for 3070 class or better.
To do that, you will need to upgrade your excellent 650w psu for something like 850w or more.

If you are cpu limited, you can get some 25% better performance by overclocking.
Past that you are looking at a new cpu, motherboard and possibly ram if 16gb is limiting you.

I might think I5-14600K would be a good upgrade.
Your NH-D14 will cool any intel chip out there adequately and noctua will send you a free lg1700 upgrade kit.

There is a continuous spectrum of price/performance.
If you don't know, I3/i5/i7/i9 no longer indicate number of cores and hyperthreading.
It is now a general performance category.
You will get recommendations for amd and radeon that are reasonable, but I think since you are now in the intel/nvidia camp, it will be simpler to stick with that.

On ram, ddr4 and ddr5 performs comparably with DDR4 parts being a bit cheaper.

Most will suggest a 2 x 16gb DDR5 ram kit and I would agree.
No big benefit from chasing extra fast ram.
Unlike ryzen, intel does not need fast ram for performance.

240gb is a bit small for the C drive.
Repurpose your hdd as an external back up device.
I would try to buy a single 2tb m.2 ssd for everything.

If all this does not fit your current budget, upgrade the gpu/psu first.

 

[yogagogga]

Thanks for all of your feedback! After reading through them and given my current budget, it's possible for me to upgrade to the items below:

PSU: Thermaltake Toughpower SFX 850w
Storage: WD Black SN850X M.2 2TB
GPU: ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4070ti Super 16GB
CPU: Intel i5-14600k

In total it would be around 1600 USD. Over budget indeed but it would be wise to future proof my build I think. Which is why I still would like to get the 4070ti super.

What do you guys think? Would there be any compatibility issues with my current mobo?

As for the RAM, is 32GB of memory as you recommended really necessary? It was to my understanding that 16GB is enough for gaming? I don't stream, but I do watch YouTube whilst gaming from time to time.

 

[Eximo]

SFX power supply? Will that fit the chassis? Rather expensive too.

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/vN...-modular-atx-power-supply-ps-tpd-0850fnfagu-l

 

[yogagogga]

SFX power supply? Will that fit the chassis? Rather expensive too.

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/vN...-modular-atx-power-supply-ps-tpd-0850fnfagu-l

Whoops! You're right, it shouldn't be the SFX version. The one on your link is the correct one.

 

[logainofhades]

Thanks for all of your feedback! After reading through them and given my current budget, it's possible for me to upgrade to the items below:

PSU: Thermaltake Toughpower SFX 850w
Storage: WD Black SN850X M.2 2TB
GPU: ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4070ti Super 16GB
CPU: Intel i5-14600k

In total it would be around 1600 USD. Over budget indeed but it would be wise to future proof my build I think. Which is why I still would like to get the 4070ti super.

What do you guys think? Would there be any compatibility issues with my current mobo?

As for the RAM, is 32GB of memory as you recommended really necessary? It was to my understanding that 16GB is enough for gaming? I don't stream, but I do watch YouTube whilst gaming from time to time.

Your current motherboard would not support that CPU. The 7900xt is similar performance, for less money, and with 20gb of vram, should hold up longer. You definitely want 32gb ram now, and for into the future. I only play World of Warcraft and have seen 15gb+ total ram usage, even on my laptop. If you care about longevity of the system, AM5 is the way to go, as it will give you an upgrade path. For around the formentioned $1600, you could do this, and have a system that can hold up longer. I left your case and cooler in there, to ensure compatibilty.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($369.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 64.95 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard: ASRock B650E PG RIPTIDE WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($106.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: TEAMGROUP MP44 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($123.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: ASRock Phantom Gaming OC Radeon RX 7900 XT 20 GB Video Card ($699.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Deepcool MATREXX 55 V3 ADD-RGB 3F ATX Mid Tower Case (Purchased For $0.00)
Power Supply: be quiet! Pure Power 12 M 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($109.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $1609.86
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-03-07 12:43 EST-0500

 

[helper800]

For an Intel/Nvidia build it would be hard to beat something like this for value, meaning an intel CPU and a 4070 ti super may not be in budget:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-14600KF 3.5 GHz 14-Core Processor ($279.99 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit EVO 69 CFM CPU Cooler ($42.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE X AX ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($229.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws S5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($97.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Acer Predator GM7000 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($125.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte WINDFORCE OC GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16 GB Video Card ($799.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Focus 2 ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ B&H)
Power Supply: Corsair RM850e (2023) 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: ARCTIC P12 Max 81.04 CFM 120 mm Fan ($9.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1775.92
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-03-07 14:40 EST-0500

However if you were to pull the budget back on the CPU and motherboard it is possible:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-12600KF 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor ($158.30 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit EVO 69 CFM CPU Cooler ($42.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI PRO Z690-A WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($149.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws S5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($97.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Acer Predator GM7000 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($125.00 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte WINDFORCE OC GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16 GB Video Card ($799.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design Focus 2 ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ B&H)
Power Supply: Corsair RM850e (2023) 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($119.99 @ Amazon)
Case Fan: ARCTIC P12 Max 81.04 CFM 120 mm Fan ($9.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1574.23
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-03-07 14:45 EST-0500

 

[Why_Me]

https://noctua.at/en/webforms/form/preview/id/44

Use the Q-Flash Plus to update the bios on this board if needed.
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B760-GAMING-X-AX-rev-1x#kf

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: *Intel Core i5-14400F 2.5 GHz 10-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: *Gigabyte B760 GAMING X AX ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($159.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: *Silicon Power Value Gaming 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($92.97 @ Amazon)
Video Card: *Gigabyte WINDFORCE OC GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16 GB Video Card ($799.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: *be quiet! Pure Power 12 M 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($109.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $1362.84
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-03-07 15:30 EST-0500

 

[Lucky_SLS]

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($369.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 64.95 CFM CPU Cooler (Purchased For $0.00)
Thermal Compound: Noctua NT-H1 3.5 g Thermal Paste (Purchased For $0.00)
Motherboard: ASRock B650E PG RIPTIDE WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: TEAMGROUP T-Create Expert 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6400 CL32 Memory ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Green 240 GB M.2-2280 SATA Solid State Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Storage: Acer Predator GM7000 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($125.00 @ Amazon)
Storage: Toshiba DT01ACA100 1 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Storage: Seagate BarraCuda 1 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Video Card: Gigabyte GAMING OC Radeon RX 7900 GRE 16 GB Video Card ($549.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Phanteks XT PRO ULTRA ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: ADATA XPG Core Reactor II 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM - DVD 64-bit
Monitor: Dell S2716DG 27.0" 2560 x 1440 144 Hz Monitor (Purchased For $0.00)
Monitor: LG 25UM58-P 25.0" 2560 x 1080 75 Hz Monitor
Keyboard: Corsair K55 RGB Wired Gaming Keyboard (Purchased For $0.00)
Mouse: Razer DeathAdder Elite Wired Optical Mouse (Purchased For $0.00)
Headphones: HP HyperX Cloud Revolver S 7.1 Channel Headset
Speakers: Logitech Z150 Speakers (Purchased For $0.00)
Total: $1533.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-03-08 10:52 EST-0500