Build Advice PC setup upgrade options ?

[Jsamzldn]

Hey, I was wondering if this was the right place to ask for some suggestions on my PC setup at the moment and the upgradability of it. It was built on a budget, but I can now upgrade it as I would like to use it more, have had this for 2 years. Is there potential in doing so?

Approximate Purchase Date: This month

Budget Range: (Depends on how much needs to be changed, but can be flexible £1000 if needed for a lot of things) After Rebates; After Shipping

System Usage from Most to Least Important: (Gaming, watching movies, surfing the internet)

Are you buying a monitor: Yes
(I have a monitor, but would like to purchase a second gaming monitor. Ideally 1440p, 1ms, 144Hz+)

Parts to Upgrade: (Unsure what needs to be upgraded really...? Would appreciate suggestions)

Do you need to buy OS: Yes
Please note that if you're using an OEM license of Windows, you will need a new one when buying a new motherboard.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: (PC Builder - Amazon)

Location: London, England

Parts Preferences: by brand or type (No preference)

Overclocking: No (Don't really know much about this or how to)

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

Your Monitor Resolution: (Currently 1920 x 1080, 1MS, 144Hz)

Additional Comments: (I would like to game at 144fps+ . I currently play Valorant, Call of Duty and Rocket League, but I want to play more intensive FPS and graphic intensive adventure games too after getting it)

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: (Would like to level up my setup and run the games I want to play more smoothly even if I decide to play on high graphics for some of them. Second monitor is so I don't have to constantly tab in and out.)
The closest I could get to remaking my current build
I can also send the actual accurate list of parts my PC is made of if needed, but that should be close enough I believe.

These are benchmark results if needed too:
UserBenchmarks: Game 86%, Desk 102%, Work 81%
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 - 98.8%
GPU: Nvidia RTX 2060 - 83%
SSD: Intel SSDPEKNU512GZ 512GB - 179.6%
USB: TOSHIBA EXTERNAL_USB 2TB - 39.9%
RAM: Corsair CM4X8GD3200C16K4 2x8GB - 89.5%
MBD: Asus ROG STRIX B550-F GAMING

 

[Why_Me]

Hey, I was wondering if this was the right place to ask for some suggestions on my PC setup at the moment and the upgradability of it. It was built on a budget, but I can now upgrade it as I would like to use it more, have had this for 2 years. Is there potential in doing so?

Approximate Purchase Date: This month

Budget Range: (Depends on how much needs to be changed, but can be flexible £1000 if needed for a lot of things) After Rebates; After Shipping

System Usage from Most to Least Important: (Gaming, watching movies, surfing the internet)

Are you buying a monitor: Yes
(I have a monitor, but would like to purchase a second gaming monitor. Ideally 1440p, 1ms, 144Hz+)

Parts to Upgrade: (Unsure what needs to be upgraded really...? Would appreciate suggestions)

Do you need to buy OS: Yes
Please note that if you're using an OEM license of Windows, you will need a new one when buying a new motherboard.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: (PC Builder - Amazon)

Location: London, England

Parts Preferences: by brand or type (No preference)

Overclocking: No (Don't really know much about this or how to)

SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

Your Monitor Resolution: (Currently 1920 x 1080, 1MS, 144Hz)

Additional Comments: (I would like to game at 144fps+ . I currently play Valorant, Call of Duty and Rocket League, but I want to play more intensive FPS and graphic intensive adventure games too after getting it)

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: (Would like to level up my setup and run the games I want to play more smoothly even if I decide to play on high graphics for some of them. Second monitor is so I don't have to constantly tab in and out.)
The closest I could get to remaking my current build
I can also send the actual accurate list of parts my PC is made of if needed, but that should be close enough I believe.

These are benchmark results if needed too:
UserBenchmarks: Game 86%, Desk 102%, Work 81%
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 - 98.8%
GPU: Nvidia RTX 2060 - 83%
SSD: Intel SSDPEKNU512GZ 512GB - 179.6%
USB: TOSHIBA EXTERNAL_USB 2TB - 39.9%
RAM: Corsair CM4X8GD3200C16K4 2x8GB - 89.5%
MBD: Asus ROG STRIX B550-F GAMING

I would make these upgrades including an identical 2x8GB set of RAM giving you a total of 32GB.
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/products/memory/#b=ddr4&S=3200&L=160&m=11&Z=16384002

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: *AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D 3 GHz 8-Core Processor (£219.00 @ Computer Orbit)
CPU Cooler: *Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler (£36.29 @ Amazon UK)
Video Card: *Gigabyte GAMING OC Radeon RX 7700 XT 12 GB Video Card (£382.99 @ MoreCoCo)
Total: £638.28
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-05-11 11:41 BST+0100

 

[--SID--]

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 - 98.8%
GPU: Nvidia RTX 2060 - 83%
SSD: Intel SSDPEKNU512GZ 512GB - 179.6%
USB: TOSHIBA EXTERNAL_USB 2TB - 39.9%
RAM: Corsair CM4X8GD3200C16K4 2x8GB - 89.5%
MBD: Asus ROG STRIX B550-F GAMING

What's the brand and model of the PSU?

including an identical 2x8GB set of RAM giving you a total of 32GB.
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/products/memory/#b=ddr4&S=3200&L=160&m=11&Z=16384002

They're not identical. It's only identical when bought in the same kit. Corsair known I'm very sure even the MIC is different when you buy the same SKU several times later.

 

[Why_Me]

What's the brand and model of the PSU?

They're not identical. It's only identical when bought in the same kit. Corsair known I'm very sure even the MIC is different when you buy the same SKU several times later.

From the OP's link:
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/7Dx9TW/corsair-power-supply-cp9020093na

 

[--SID--]

From the OP's link:
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/7Dx9TW/corsair-power-supply-cp9020093na

Yeah, two kits of 2. No guarantee itĺl work properly together. It's only identical when bought in a kit of 4. And even then it's a hit or mis with 4 sticks Corsair RAM and Ryzen. It really depends on the version number aka the MIC used on the sticks.

 

[Jsamzldn]

What's the brand and model of the PSU?

Unsure the exact make, I typed it into google and saw roughly the same one. It was put together by PC Specialist website and was a custom suggested build when I asked on that forum.

Case
LIAN LI LANCOOL 215 GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen 5 5600 Six Core CPU (3.5GHz-4.4GHz/35MB CACHE/AM4)
Motherboard
ASUS® ROG STRIX B550-F GAMING (DDR4, USB 3.2, 6Gb/s) - ARGB Ready!
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3200MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
6GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2060 - HDMI, DP - VR Ready!
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB INTEL® 670p M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 3000MB/sR, 1600MB/sW)
2nd M.2 SSD Drive
1TB INTEL® 670p M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 3500MB/sR | 2500MB/sW)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1.5 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
CoolerMaster Hyper 212 (120mm) Fan CPU Cooler Black Edition
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
LED Lighting
50cm RGB LED Strip
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Card
10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORT
Wireless Network Card
WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2,400Mbps/5GHz, 300Mbps/2.4GHz PCI-E CARD + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
MIN. 2 x USB 3.0 & 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL + MIN. 2 FRONT PORTS
Monitor
MSI 24" Optix G24C6 - 1920 x 1080, 1MS, 144Hz
Keyboard & Mouse
CoolerMaster MS110 Combo Keyboard and Mouse
Headsets
Razer Kraken V3 X Gaming Headset

 

[Jsamzldn]

I would make these upgrades including an identical 2x8GB set of RAM giving you a total of 32GB.
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/products/memory/#b=ddr4&S=3200&L=160&m=11&Z=16384002

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: *AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D 3 GHz 8-Core Processor (£219.00 @ Computer Orbit)
CPU Cooler: *Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler (£36.29 @ Amazon UK)
Video Card: *Gigabyte GAMING OC Radeon RX 7700 XT 12 GB Video Card (£382.99 @ MoreCoCo)
Total: £638.28
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-05-11 11:41 BST+0100

Would changing any of these parts affect the storage of my PC, like would it wipe what's already on my PC?

Also a few questions about your suggestions if you don't mind:
- Was the Graphics card suggested due to a budget, because I remember the 7900 GRE did have better stats than the 7700 XT? Or is it something to do with compatibility or not needing that much?

- By changing the CPU cooler, would I need to buy thermal paste and redo it? (As standard thermal paste was used when it was first put together by PC Specialist.)

- Are all the other hardware parts okay to carry on and nothing else needs upgrading apart from the three that was mentioned?

- Would replacing the RAM sticks with 2 x 16GB of something else do the same job if it was marked as compatible on PC Part picker?

 

[Why_Me]

Would changing any of these parts affect the storage of my PC, like would it wipe what's already on my PC?

Also a few questions about your suggestions if you don't mind:
- Was the Graphics card suggested due to a budget, because I remember the 7900 GRE did have better stats than the 7700 XT? Or is it something to do with compatibility or not needing that much?

- By changing the CPU cooler, would I need to buy thermal paste and redo it? (As standard thermal paste was used when it was first put together by PC Specialist.)

- Are all the other hardware parts okay to carry on and nothing else needs upgrading apart from the three that was mentioned?

- Would replacing the RAM sticks with 2 x 16GB of something else do the same job if it was marked as compatible on PC Part picker?

1. I looked at your monitor resolution and didn't want to max your budget hence the 7700 XT. Another card to look at is the 7800 XT.

2. Pretty much all new cpu coolers including that Thermalright come with a small tube of decent thermal paste.

3. A set of 2x16GB would be the way to go so there's no mix and match of RAM.

4. As long as you don't wipe your storage devices all your data should be good.

5. No idea how old your psu is so I can't answer that.

 

[Jsamzldn]

1. I looked at your monitor resolution and didn't want to max your budget hence the 7700 XT. Another card to look at is the 7800 XT.

2. Pretty much all new cpu coolers including that Thermalright come with a small tube of decent thermal paste.

3. A set of 2x16GB would be the way to go so there's no mix and match of RAM.

4. As long as you don't wipe your storage devices all your data should be good.

5. No idea how old your psu is so I can't answer that.

1 - Ah I see, would it matter since I'm planning to buy a second monitor too then? I want to get a 1440p at least, just unsure the exact model to go for. Would it be okay to recommend a more expensive one that won't cause me any issues for the next at least 3-5 years of high fps and intense usage for gaming and lifestyle?

2 - Ah I see, so won't need any new personal bought pastes then?

3 - I shall opt for the 2 x 16 then, would you recommend any certain ones?

4 - Ah I see, that's reassuring, I was just wondering if upgrading parts meant resetting the PC or something.

5 - I've had the setup for around 2 years, but unsure exactly what make it is, just that it's a "CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET" from PC Specialist.

 

[geofelt]

In what way is your current pc not doing the job?
You have no real good cpu upgrades available for your motherboard.
You would need to change out your motherboard.
That would imply the need for a clean wipe and reinstall of windows.

There are many good graphics card upgrades.
If you have a higher resolution monitor or want better graphics settings update the graphics card.
Here is Tom's gpu hierarchy chart which gives the approximate power of different cards:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html
If you make a change, make it a big jump or you may be disappointed if you do not see magical results.
Normally, a 850W psu is sufficient and yours is a good one.
Avoid the factory overclocked cards which may need added power.

Do not buy an additional ram kit.
You are asking for trouble.
Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
A motherboard must manage all the ram using the same specs of voltage, cas and speed.
The internal workings are designed for the capacity of the kit.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards, can be very sensitive to this.
This is more difficult when more sticks are involved.
Ram must be matched for proper operation.
Buy only a kit that is supported for your motherboard on the ram QVL list or explicitly by the ram vendor support app,
If there is any issue with Ryzen that I see on these forums, it is with ram compatibility issues.
I have doubts about partpicker as a way to guarantee compatibility.

 

[Why_Me]

1 - Ah I see, would it matter since I'm planning to buy a second monitor too then? I want to get a 1440p at least, just unsure the exact model to go for. Would it be okay to recommend a more expensive one that won't cause me any issues for the next at least 3-5 years of high fps and intense usage for gaming and lifestyle?

2 - Ah I see, so won't need any new personal bought pastes then?

3 - I shall opt for the 2 x 16 then, would you recommend any certain ones?

4 - Ah I see, that's reassuring, I was just wondering if upgrading parts meant resetting the PC or something.

5 - I've had the setup for around 2 years, but unsure exactly what make it is, just that it's a "CORSAIR 850W RMx SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® GOLD, ULTRA QUIET" from PC Specialist.

That psu is good as gold. Corsair RAM usually goes for a decent price in the UK.

1440 monitors to check out.
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/products/monitor/#r=256001440&D=144000,200000&P=2

 

[Jsamzldn]

In what way is your current pc not doing the job?
You have no real good cpu upgrades available for your motherboard.
You would need to change out your motherboard.
That would imply the need for a clean wipe and reinstall of windows.

There are many good graphics card upgrades.
If you have a higher resolution monitor or want better graphics settings update the graphics card.
Here is Tom's gpu hierarchy chart which gives the approximate power of different cards:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html
If you make a change, make it a big jump or you may be disappointed if you do not see magical results.
Normally, a 850W psu is sufficient and yours is a good one.
Avoid the factory overclocked cards which may need added power.

Do not buy an additional ram kit.
You are asking for trouble.
Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
A motherboard must manage all the ram using the same specs of voltage, cas and speed.
The internal workings are designed for the capacity of the kit.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards, can be very sensitive to this.
This is more difficult when more sticks are involved.
Ram must be matched for proper operation.
Buy only a kit that is supported for your motherboard on the ram QVL list or explicitly by the ram vendor support app,
If there is any issue with Ryzen that I see on these forums, it is with ram compatibility issues.
I have doubts about partpicker as a way to guarantee compatibility.

Maybe it's not more of what it isn't doing, but more about what I would like it to do. I would like to buy a better monitor (1440p) to add to the already owned (1080p) monitor in my setup. But I feel like maybe it would be too much to handle that much with the hardware I have. Would I be correct in assuming so? I would Ideally like to run the graphics on my games at high, but sometimes I do not always reach 144 fps when I do so, if it's on low I have no issues at all. So it's not exactly a needed upgrade, more for preference I should say.

By changing the Ram sticks, (getting a new set of sticks, ideally 2x16 of the same brand Corsair Vengeance) would I be able to solve those issues, when I'm running games and apps, I feel like my PC runs a little slower, which is understandable since I would have my browser, the game, discord, Spotify, clipping software and maybe another few applications running in the background. Would increasing the RAM amount and improving the graphics card solve this?

I checked out the link you sent about the gpu hierarchy chart, I have a few questions about that if you don't mind, just to help me understand a little better. I was looking at the 1080p medium and saw some of the graphics cards Why Me mentioned was doing quite well such as the 7700 XT / 7800 XT with around 160+ fps. Although when compared to the 1440p ultra chart, it was barely pushing to 100 fps...?
Does that mean it cannot even hit 144fps when gaming on a 1440p monitor?
But that cannot be the case since even the other high end cards were not even at 150 in the fps chart, so unsure what the results actually are supposed to show.

Other than that though the 7700 XT & 7800 XT seemed to perform great for the price I saw that was recommended, and does not seem to show any compatibility issues when used in the Part Picker, you mentioned you have some doubts about trusting this for compatibility, would you recommend another site or way to check?

Apologies if this seems like a ridiculous or simpleminded question, I just don't really understand the logic behind it.

 

[Jsamzldn]

That psu is good as gold. Corsair RAM usually goes for a decent price in the UK.

1440 monitors to check out.
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/products/monitor/#r=256001440&D=144000,200000&P=2

Hearing that the PSU I have currently is reassuring, so thanks for that, at least I won't have to worry about that.

As for the monitor suggestions, I would like another curved one to go with the one I have, which put me down to 1 option when I used the filter. (Asus ROG Strix XG27AQV 27.0" 2560 x 1440 170 Hz Curved Monitor)
Just a question out of complete curiosity, is 170Hz all I would be able to handle with the hardware I have, or would that be be the upgrade suggestions you've given so far? (RAM and graphics card)

 

[geofelt]

I am all in favor of upgrading the monitor first.
You then have a better idea of what YOU might need for graphics.
You can adjust the resolution or quality settings of a 1440P monitor if need be for starters.
When gaming on one monitor, the side monitor should have little impact since it usually has static stuff like email or performance monitors.
If you can't see the candidate monitors in person, go to RTINGS.com where they have detailed tests of most monitors.
I might add that amd and nvidia driver environments are different; there is a learning curve.
How Vram is managed will differ and can not be compared exactly.

If upgrading ram. check the motherboard ram qvl list for your motherboard.
Buy the exact same part number that is shown.
It represents a kit that has been tested on that motherboard/cpu combo and found to work.
Of course, not all ram has been tested. If you have a favored ram vendor such as Corsair or G.skil, they will have tested their kits and shown them on a compatible list. Sounds like you have enough going on to warrant a 2 x 16 gb ram upgrade.

It takes both a fast processor and a good graphics card to generate high levels of graphics performance.
They are intertwined. What counts is how YOU do things.
At a gross level, differences among graphics cards in the same price level are minimal.
Anecdotal endorsements is only valid if YOUR specs and settings and games are the same. An unlikely event.

 

[Why_Me]

Hearing that the PSU I have currently is reassuring, so thanks for that, at least I won't have to worry about that.

As for the monitor suggestions, I would like another curved one to go with the one I have, which put me down to 1 option when I used the filter. (Asus ROG Strix XG27AQV 27.0" 2560 x 1440 170 Hz Curved Monitor)
Just a question out of complete curiosity, is 170Hz all I would be able to handle with the hardware I have, or would that be be the upgrade suggestions you've given so far? (RAM and graphics card)

If you play E-sports games then a 240Hz monitor makes sense. Otherwise a 165Hz - 180Hz monitor fits the bill.

 

[Jsamzldn]

If you play E-sports games then a 240Hz monitor makes sense. Otherwise a 165Hz - 180Hz monitor fits the bill.

Would my current setup be able to handle that amount on Hz?

 

[Jsamzldn]

I am all in favor of upgrading the monitor first.
You then have a better idea of what YOU might need for graphics.
You can adjust the resolution or quality settings of a 1440P monitor if need be for starters.
When gaming on one monitor, the side monitor should have little impact since it usually has static stuff like email or performance monitors.
If you can't see the candidate monitors in person, go to RTINGS.com where they have detailed tests of most monitors.
I might add that amd and nvidia driver environments are different; there is a learning curve.
How Vram is managed will differ and can not be compared exactly.

If upgrading ram. check the motherboard ram qvl list for your motherboard.
Buy the exact same part number that is shown.
It represents a kit that has been tested on that motherboard/cpu combo and found to work.
Of course, not all ram has been tested. If you have a favored ram vendor such as Corsair or G.skil, they will have tested their kits and shown them on a compatible list. Sounds like you have enough going on to warrant a 2 x 16 gb ram upgrade.

It takes both a fast processor and a good graphics card to generate high levels of graphics performance.
They are intertwined. What counts is how YOU do things.
At a gross level, differences among graphics cards in the same price level are minimal.
Anecdotal endorsements is only valid if YOUR specs and settings and games are the same. An unlikely event.

Yeah, I'll get the monitor first before upgrading anything, if I need to upgrade after seeing any drops in performance due to preference, I guess i'll change the ram sticks first. and I guess the graphics card too since they go hand in hand.