Question Need help in upgrding my desktop PC, what would you suggest?

[sharath_83]

Hi all,

Am looking to upgrade my current PC, solely for Graphic/UI/Web design, plus Video editing, plus Music Production .... Budget i have not set as am looking to upgrade Processor and Motherboard, or only Processor if required for now. Suggestions would be helpful.

My current PC configuration:

• Operating System: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit SP1
• CPU - Intel Core i5 4440 @ 3.10GHz | Haswell 22nm Technology
• RAM - 16.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 666MHz
• Motherboard - Gigabyte Technology Co. Ltd. Z97-D3H-CF (SOCKET 0)
• Graphics - S24B370 (1920x1080@60Hz) | Intel HD Graphics 4600 (Gigabyte) | 2048MB ATI AMD Radeon R7 200 Series (Sapphire/PCPartner) - CrossFire Disabled

Now as i mentioned, can the above Gigabyte Motherboard have an i7 processor, if yes, latest processor can be added? Plus what about DD3 RAM, can i use the same or have to change it?

Probably i should spend on getting a workstation, if processor cannot be changed? Below is what i use every time:

Design and Digital painting:

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Indesign
• CorelDraw

Video editing:

• After Effects (taking lot of RAM and CPU usage currently for simple works)
• Adobe Premiere Pro (will use in future)
• 3Ds Max (will use in future)
• And other video softwares which are popular

Music production software:

• FL Studio
• Ableton Live
• Cubase in future
• Using a Novation Launchkey 61 Midi-keyboard, Steinberg External sound card, Pair Studio monitors, plus a Behringer semi modular.

Hardware to get:

• Extra 24 inch monitor
• Planning to get a Wacom product for digital painting

Thank you for taking time in replying. Appreciate it.

 

[Lutfij]

Same question, nearly a year ago. You should look at the i7-4790K as the last CPU you can drop on that board. with DDR3-2133MHz rams as the last ram upgrade in terms of frequency to bring the best out of your platform.

 

[guanyu210379]

Most cost effective: -

• buy an I7 4790k or I7 5775c, if your BIOS permits and depending which one is cheaper. I7 4790k will definitely compatible. I would try to grab second handed processor instead of getting a new unit.
• grab a stronger GPU e.g. gtx980 or better. Your software e.g. 3DMax can use e.g. the extra cuda cores and perhaps also the extra VRAM. Check your PSU before getting the new GPU.

Best result but costs a lot more:

• Go to the newer platform e.g. I7 8700k, I7 9700k, Ryzen 7 2700x, Ryzen 5 2600/x. Get a new mainboard and RAM and an M.2 NVME SSD.
• Get a stronger GPU e.g. RTX2070.

 

[sharath_83]

@Lutfij @guanyu210379 Thanks for the reply.

Below is a suggestion i got from a PC assemble shop today:

• Intel i7 8700 9th Gen -OR- Intel i9 9900K
• ASUS Motherboard Z390 (Which model should i go for?)
• Corsair RAM 16 GB DDR4 (Looking to have 16X4 or 32X4 RAM) (What maximum speed is recommended?)
• SSD 480 GB M.2
• Graphic Card Nvidia - 1650 -OR- Graphic Card Nvidia - 1660 Ti
• New Cabinet + SMPS - 550Watts

Questions:
• Does above Hardware supports each other?
• What will be next higher end should i go for?
• Which Asus motherboard supports Latest i7 and i9, with 128 GB DDR4 RAM?
• How about AMD Ryzen, i read about the heat issue, how is the review of Ryzen compared to Intel though? And which motherboard supports AMD Ryzen?

My budget will be 1000 USD to 1500 USD, (1 lakh INR)

 

[guanyu210379]

1. If you choose to get 8700 without k, you can get the cheapest z390 or simply go for the non-Z to decrease the price.
Z is needed only for the processors with K in order to OC.
9900k is not among my choices, I would go only up to 9700k.

2. For speed, just get about 3000-3200MHz for RAM speed, thumb rule. No need to invest a lot more only to get faster RAM. Just avoid those below 2400.

3. For GPU, go as high as your money allows, 1660ti is good.

4. 550W should be enough up to 1660ti, if the PSU is good. SMPS? never heard of that.

5. Z390 mainboards can go, as far as I know only up to 64GB RAM. For the I7 8xxx/9xxx, I think the compatible mainboards can only 64GB. unless I am missing something here.

6. Ryzen is good, it is slower on the single core side but has more cores. Ryzen 7 is better on some but worse on some compared to Intel. Ryzen 7 2700x price is like half of 9900k, do not forget this. Ryzen 7 is the better value by far! NOpe, no heat issue. I built 3 rigs already, everything is fine so far.

Prices in India, I can not help you with that, sorry.

 

[sharath_83]

1. If you choose to get 8700 without k, you can get the cheapest z390 or simply go for the non-Z to decrease the price.
Z is needed only for the processors with K in order to OC.
9900k is not among my choices, I would go only up to 9700k.

2. For speed, just get about 3000-3200MHz for RAM speed, thumb rule. No need to invest a lot more only to get faster RAM. Just avoid those below 2400.

3. For GPU, go as high as your money allows, 1660ti is good.

4. 550W should be enough up to 1660ti, if the PSU is good. SMPS? never heard of that.

5. Z390 mainboards can go, as far as I know only up to 64GB RAM. For the I7 8xxx/9xxx, I think the compatible mainboards can only 64GB. unless I am missing something here.

6. Ryzen is good, it is slower on the single core side but has more cores. Ryzen 7 is better on some but worse on some compared to Intel. Ryzen 7 2700x price is like half of 9900k, do not forget this. Ryzen 7 is the better value by far! NOpe, no heat issue. I built 3 rigs already, everything is fine so far.

Prices in India, I can not help you with that, sorry.

Thank you for the reply guanyu210379, i have noted down what you mentioned.

A video i had watched on youtube on ASUS motherboard reviews, after when i mailed the person, he mentioned to wait for Ryzen new processors being released by July and also prices of pc hardware being dropped in july/august.

The ASUS motherboard which supports upto 128 GB RAM is this one: https://www.asus.com/in/Motherboards/PRIME-X299-A/ - It also supports i7 and i9, with M.2 and multiple graphic card, but still going through it.

The rigs you built can i have the configurations with pricing please?

 

[guanyu210379]

For pricing, I do not think I can support you reliably because I am not familiar with prices in India.
Someone else might be able to help?

 

[sharath_83]

Hi all,

I happened to wait for the new AMD processors, and when looking for options, 2 shop mentioned below ones. Which do you think should i go for? PC hardware Experts please help me choose a proper graphic card and motherboard below :

Current: INR to USD = 71.44 INR

Shop 1:

• Intel i7 9th Gen (not sure which exact model) - 377 USD
• ASUS Motherboard Z390P - 174 USD
• G-skill 32 GB RAM DDR4 - 167 USD
• 1 TB NVMe - 140 USD
• Graphic Card Nvidia - 2070 - 518 USD
• New Cabinet + SMPS (power supply) + Fan - 154 USD

Totaling - 1805 USD approx., including Tax

Shop 2:

• Amd Ryzen 7 3700X 3rd Generation - 350 USD
• MSI Motherboard 570 89B - 202 USD ( not sure if this is exact model, but i would prefer ASUS. Which ASUS motherboard should i go for, for above processor? )
• Corsair 32 GB RAM DDR4 - 168 USD
• 1 TB NVMe - 132 USD
• Radeon RX570 8GB GDDR5 - 259 USD
• New Cabinet + SMPS (power supply) - 175 USD

Totaling - 1516 USD approx., including Tax

Budget i have not set, but am looking for an high-end PC, which will run all the softwares i have mentioned without any lag/interuption, and multitasking with rendering in After Affects and others. Am thinking to keep the current PC only for design work, and the new for Music Production.

Let me know people!