[SOLVED] Need serious upgrades for Uni and also for Gaming

[ronanwhite2011]

So i recently started my uni course studying games development and will obviously need to do some of the work at home and i am looking to upgrade my computer because i know it wont be able to handle the programs that i will be using to do my course. Some of the programs I will be using are Maya, Unreal Engine and Unity and also i want to play games at pretty high settings and a good framerate. Mostly triple A titles

My current S pecs are:

Mobo - Asus M5a78l-M USB-3

CPU - AMD Phenom II X4 965 Processor 3.4Ghz

RAM - I have crucial ballistix sport DDR3 1600mhz 8gb ram and 16gb Corsair vengeance 1600mz ddr3 ram

Graphics card - GTX 750 1gb

PSU - Corsair TX550 550w 80+ gold rated power supply

HDD and SSD - 1TB hard drive and a 240gb SSD

kolink observatory rgb case with 4x fans included and a fan controller - 3 front fans and 1 back fan (not that much ventilation)

Any suggestions for upgrades whether i upgrade my current system or i buy a completely new system? i would have about £1150-1200 to spend on upgrades or a new system. Thanks

But as well as like performance I like aesthetics too so if anyone helping doesn’t mind finding a few components that look snazzy with nice lighting. Chuck them in 😂😂

Edit
I was doing a wee bitta looking for parts but stumbled across these 2 pre built systems, haven’t a clue if they’re even worth it but seem pretty good

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076C45S44/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_jSNMDbW2RQH9B

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076BQ3Q31/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kSNMDb5EC6B9X

Would someone be able to tell me if they’re even any good 😂😂

 

[PC Tailor]

Presumably this is 600-700 USD?
The AM3+ platform is pretty dead now, and won't be an worthwhile investment with current platform costs IMO.
Even the Vega 11 integrated GPU on the later Ryzen G chips are on par or an improvement over the GTX750.

Personally i would get a new system for that budget. How long have you had the PSU?
If the PSU isn't drastically old, you could consider:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($194.79 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI B450M GAMING PLUS Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($99.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI GeForce RTX 2060 6 GB VENTUS OC Video Card ($329.99 @ B&H)
Total: $694.66
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-09-29 15:53 EDT-0400

The RX5700/RX5700XT would probably be better value for money, but pushes the budget up.

 

[ronanwhite2011]

Presumably this is 600-700 USD?
The AM3+ platform is pretty dead now, and won't be an worthwhile investment with current platform costs IMO.
Even the Vega 11 integrated GPU on the later Ryzen G chips are on par or an improvement over the GTX750.

Personally i would get a new system for that budget. How long have you had the PSU?
If the PSU isn't drastically old, you could consider:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($194.79 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI B450M GAMING PLUS Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($99.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI GeForce RTX 2060 6 GB VENTUS OC Video Card ($329.99 @ B&H)
Total: $694.66
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-09-29 15:53 EDT-0400

The RX5700/RX5700XT would probably be better value for money, but pushes the budget up.

Had the PSU about 7 months now so it’s pretty new and also I would keep the case even tho I might needa invest in a better/more ventilated case in the future but for now I’m just looking for parts to get for my rig. Yea I’ve had the 750 for like years now and it’s played what I’ve wanted it to play and yea the AM3+’S are gone now, also the phenom is quite old now and defo needs replaced.

Also no I’m from the UK so I would be using pounds so I could even go for a slightly better upgrade or slightly better part for any of this. Thanks for the help tho! but yea would keep the case, have Windows, have enough storage and I have a SSD so I’m good for that, also would the 550w PSU be able to power all of that? Seems like a pretty hard rig to power 😂 especially that 6gb 2060 lol, but also is there any parts I can swap out for others for aesthetics because I do like a good looking system 😂😂 would I need a new CPU cooler or a radiator or anything?

 

[PC Tailor]

The budget would still be about the same for the UK. (I am also UK but this is a dominantly US forum).

It's a common misconception that you need more power, a good quality 650w can run a 2080ti system. Everyone commonly spends more than they need to for PSUs.

The Ryzen come with their own coolers. I can't check at the moment but you may find slightly cheaper RAM. You could always go an earlier gen processor, but the 3600 is excellent. Also you could sacrifice GPU performance and get an RX590 for example. Depends what you want and monitor resolution/refresh rate.

 

[PC Tailor]

Done a little rejig, you could (in the UK) go down to a GTX 1660 ti which is more favourable:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor (£183.18 @ Aria PC)
Motherboard: MSI B450M GAMING PLUS Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard (£72.99 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: Patriot Viper 4 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory (£72.72 @ CCL Computers)
Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6 GB GAMING Video Card (£264.71 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £593.60
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-09-29 23:51 BST+0100

 

[ronanwhite2011]

Done a little rejig, you could (in the UK) go down to a GTX 1660 ti which is more favourable:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor (£183.18 @ Aria PC)
Motherboard: MSI B450M GAMING PLUS Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard (£72.99 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: Patriot Viper 4 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory (£72.72 @ CCL Computers)
Video Card: Zotac GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6 GB GAMING Video Card (£264.71 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £593.60
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-09-29 23:51 BST+0100

I would be able to get that 2060, but I was still thinking I would need some better cooling for the heat that would come off that because although my system is quite steady with its temperature it can spike up when playing some games and also I want to like get the best specs I can get for the budget I have just for the games that will be released in the future id like to play and also just for the future of my course im doing. So id probs be able to go a bit over £700 but want to keep it around that if ya get me. I will also need to buy some thermal paste for the cpu unless it comes with it (not too sure if it does) but yea id probs stick with that ryzen 5 chip and I might get RGB ram because I do like a bit of aesthetics too lol, would I be best selling my current PSU and going for a 650W or something if im thinking of upgrading again in the future probably sometime next yearish? or do you think the 550W should be a good PSU to stick with for now?

thanks for the help btw

 

[PC Tailor]

Your welcome my friend! Jsut glad i can help in some way

temperature it can spike up when playing some games

This is perfectly normal depending on the "spike" - what max temps do you reach?

I will also need to buy some thermal paste for the cpu unless it comes with it

It does come with thermal paste pre-applied, but it's always good practice to have some spare in case you need to clean and reapply. and this is pennies so not worth worrying about really. The actual type of thermal paste used doesn't really make much of a difference.

or do you think the 550W should be a good PSU to stick with for now?

For YOUR particular PSU, it is a great quality PSU. If it was some generic or low quality 550W, I'd say upgrade. But the TXM is a great PSU. So it'll be fine unless you plan on doing insane overclocking. If you want to upgrade even more in the future, then you can always upgrade too, but just remember even 650W powers top end nowadays.

If you're not streaming - I'd go this:
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor (£190.00 @ AWD-IT)
Motherboard: MSI B450M GAMING PLUS Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard (£72.99 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory (£96.59 @ Amazon UK)
Video Card: PowerColor Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB Red Dragon Video Card (£389.99 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £749.57
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-09-30 10:07 BST+0100

The RX5700XT is an excellent value GPU. Just you want the Turin or later NVIDIA cards for streaming purposes really.
The 3600 and RX5700XT could go through nearly all gaming needs.
Also what monitor resolution/refresh rate would you be running? If it's only low HZ 1080p, then you probably won't want to go above a 2060 for example.

 

[ronanwhite2011]

This is perfectly normal depending on the "spike" - what max temps do you reach?

It would only go to about 70ish but it normally sits around 50-60 when I play like overwatch for example and I like it to be pretty cool if you get me

 

[PC Tailor]

It would only go to about 70ish but it normally sits around 50-60 when I play like overwatch for example and I like it to be pretty cool if you get me

70ish is perfectly fine.
And with a 3600 - you've got another 25 degrees headroom really.

I understand wanting to run cool, realistically if you stay below 85 degrees ish, doesn't matter HOW cool you are. So I wouldn't be too worried about the cooling situation at that point.I would try the stock, then if you're not happy, upgrade it. But all in all, if you stay below a generally recommended temperature (and below throttle), then it makes no difference running cooler.

For example there isn't necessarily anything that ssuggests running a CPU at 40 degrees as opposed to 70 all the time significantly improves the lifespan of the component

 

[ronanwhite2011]

The RX5700XT is an excellent value GPU. Just you want the Turin or later NVIDIA cards for streaming purposes really.
The 3600 and RX5700XT could go through nearly all gaming needs.
Also what monitor resolution/refresh rate would you be running? If it's only low HZ 1080p, then you probably won't want to go above a 2060 for example.

well my monitor is a 1080p 75hz monitor but I want to upgrade to a 144hz monitor and probs keep it 1080p as 4k is really expensive lol but yea it looks pretty good, is that card better than the 2060? and I mainly need it for 3D modeling and high end gaming

 

[PC Tailor]

The RX5700XT is better. It's closer to a 2070/2070S but cheaper. A good 550W typically is fine for it too, although technically it recommends a 600W. And may not be needed if you're running 1080p and 144Hz. A 2060 would satsify that.

 

[ronanwhite2011]

The RX5700XT is better. It's closer to a 2070/2070S but cheaper. A good 550W typically is fine for it too, although technically it recommends a 600W. And may not be needed if you're running 1080p and 144Hz. A 2060 would satsify that.

so would you say get the 2060? my budget isnt like tight or anything at the minute i just want it around 700-800 and for it to be able to run smoothly, with good temps and also be able to handle the modelling/sculpting i would be using the computer for, as well as playing like the new triple A games coming out like the new COD for example

By the way, thanks for the help with this! greatly appreciated

 

[ronanwhite2011]

The RX5700XT is better. It's closer to a 2070/2070S but cheaper. A good 550W typically is fine for it too, although technically it recommends a 600W. And may not be needed if you're running 1080p and 144Hz. A 2060 would satsify that.

Soooo I’ve been able to save up and also I’ve been able to borrow money so I’m not able to spend £1200 on a pc so would you be able to suggest anything that I could get for this price range. I’m not really that flexible over that price range but 20-30 over wouldn’t do that much harm, still looking for 3D modelling, sculpting, rendering and a good bit of high end gaming

Thanks for the help previously btw!

 

[ronanwhite2011]

So i recently started my uni course studying games development and will obviously need to do some of the work at home and i am looking to upgrade my computer because i know it wont be able to handle the programs that i will be using to do my course. Some of the programs I will be using are Maya, Unreal Engine and Unity and also i want to play games at pretty high settings and a good framerate. Mostly triple A titles

My current S pecs are:

Mobo - Asus M5a78l-M USB-3

CPU - AMD Phenom II X4 965 Processor 3.4Ghz

RAM - I have crucial ballistix sport DDR3 1600mhz 8gb ram and 16gb Corsair vengeance 1600mz ddr3 ram

Graphics card - GTX 750 1gb

PSU - Corsair TX550 550w 80+ gold rated power supply

HDD and SSD - 1TB hard drive and a 240gb SSD

kolink observatory rgb case with 4x fans included and a fan controller - 3 front fans and 1 back fan (not that much ventilation)

Any suggestions for upgrades whether i upgrade my current system or i buy a completely new system? i would have about £1150-1200 to spend on upgrades or a new system. Thanks

But as well as like performance I like aesthetics too so if anyone helping doesn’t mind finding a few components that look snazzy with nice lighting. Chuck them in 😂😂

Edit
I was doing a wee bitta looking for parts but stumbled across these 2 pre built systems, haven’t a clue if they’re even worth it but seem pretty good

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076C45S44/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_jSNMDbW2RQH9B

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076BQ3Q31/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kSNMDb5EC6B9X

Would someone be able to tell me if they’re even any good 😂😂

 

[ronanwhite2011]

I was doing a wee bitta looking for parts but stumbled across these 2 pre built systems, haven’t a clue if they’re even worth it but seem pretty good

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076C45S44/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_jSNMDbW2RQH9B

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076BQ3Q31/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kSNMDb5EC6B9X

 

[USAFRet]

Please...no more threads on this same question.
New ones will simply be deleted.

 

[ronanwhite2011]

Please...no more threads on this same question.
New ones will simply be deleted.

How do I delete all previous comments? just so people can see my actual question at the top of the page?

 

[PC Tailor]

Soooo I’ve been able to save up and also I’ve been able to borrow money so I’m not able to spend £1200 on a pc so would you be able to suggest anything that I could get for this price range. I’m not really that flexible over that price range but 20-30 over wouldn’t do that much harm, still looking for 3D modelling, sculpting, rendering and a good bit of high end gaming

Thanks for the help previously btw!

Obviously just remember that the reason why I'm not recommending higher than a 2060 / RX5700 is because of the resolution/refresh rate, as I personally believe anything above that is a bit wasteful, as they will sit idle until the monitor can support their capabilities.

The 2060 would be better for streaming, the RX5700XT is better performance for money and is better than the 2060.

The prebuilts you have found are good, but i suspect you can build for much cheaper, and a Ryzen build may give you much better value for money at the moment.

 

[ronanwhite2011]

Obviously just remember that the reason why I'm not recommending higher than a 2060 / RX5700 is because of the resolution/refresh rate, as I personally believe anything above that is a bit wasteful, as they will sit idle until the monitor can support their capabilities.

The 2060 would be better for streaming, the RX5700XT is better performance for money and is better than the 2060.

The prebuilts you have found are good, but i suspect you can build for much cheaper, and a Ryzen build may give you much better value for money at the moment.

im thinking of getting this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07DTN4BM8/ref=psdc_428652031_t1_B07THFC6KC

so although I can go for the 2060 super or the RX5700, I could also upgrade to a 2070 or something like that, I do have an extra £400 to improve the build so do you recommend any powerful ryzen based builds that would best suit the needs I need it for?

 

[PC Tailor]

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor (£187.49 @ Amazon UK)
Motherboard: MSI B450 TOMAHAWK ATX AM4 Motherboard (£106.99 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory (£77.04 @ Amazon UK)
Video Card: MSI Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB MECH OC Video Card (£409.98 @ Amazon UK)
Monitor: AOC C24G1 24.0" 1920x1080 144 Hz Monitor (£172.98 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £954.48
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-10-07 12:42 BST+0100

 

[ronanwhite2011]

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor (£187.49 @ Amazon UK)
Motherboard: MSI B450 TOMAHAWK ATX AM4 Motherboard (£106.99 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory (£77.04 @ Amazon UK)
Video Card: MSI Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB MECH OC Video Card (£409.98 @ Amazon UK)
Monitor: AOC C24G1 24.0" 1920x1080 144 Hz Monitor (£172.98 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £954.48
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-10-07 12:42 BST+0100

Is this probably the best possible upgrades I can do for my PC as I still have a quite a bit more that I could be spending on this upgrade, like maybe ryzen 7 series and a better mobo or like extra RAM or more cooling etc?

Im just not too sure as I can afford to spend £1200 on a computer without a monitor if you get me

 

[ronanwhite2011]

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor (£187.49 @ Amazon UK)
Motherboard: MSI B450 TOMAHAWK ATX AM4 Motherboard (£106.99 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory (£77.04 @ Amazon UK)
Video Card: MSI Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB MECH OC Video Card (£409.98 @ Amazon UK)
Monitor: AOC C24G1 24.0" 1920x1080 144 Hz Monitor (£172.98 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £954.48
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-10-07 12:42 BST+0100

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/xPXrHB I made this idk if its any good? but I would still have enough to add in a good 144hz monitor

 

[PC Tailor]

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor (£309.33 @ Amazon UK)
Motherboard: MSI B450 TOMAHAWK ATX AM4 Motherboard (£106.99 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory (£77.04 @ Amazon UK)
Video Card: MSI Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB MECH OC Video Card (£409.98 @ Amazon UK)
Monitor: AOC C24G1 24.0" 1920x1080 144 Hz Monitor (£172.98 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £1076.32
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-10-07 13:49 BST+0100

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor (£334.99 @ Amazon UK)
Motherboard: Asus TUF Z390-PLUS GAMING (WI-FI) ATX LGA1151 Motherboard (£150.00 @ AWD-IT)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory (£77.04 @ Amazon UK)
Video Card: MSI Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB MECH OC Video Card (£409.98 @ Amazon UK)
Monitor: AOC C24G1 24.0" 1920x1080 144 Hz Monitor (£172.98 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £1144.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-10-07 13:51 BST+0100

 

[PC Tailor]

The X470 board is fine, but you'd have to find a seller that will ship it with latest BIOS as you can't update it without a compatible CPU out the box.

The MSI B450 I have linked above you can update without a CPU at home.
Alternatively you can go brand new chipset and get a X570.

 

[ronanwhite2011]

The X470 board is fine, but you'd have to find a seller that will ship it with latest BIOS as you can't update it without a compatible CPU out the box.

The MSI B450 I have linked above you can update without a CPU at home.
Alternatively you can go brand new chipset and get a X570.

lmao I cant wait to stop bothering you but I ended up adding a x570 mobo which will give me the option to upgrade further in the future as its newer

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/Rh73CL