Should I upgrade?

[gammazeta430]

Hi all,

I'm looking to upgrade my PC motherboard & CPU for gaming over the next month but am very new at dealing with this aspect of PCs as an amateur. I also do not know how to overclock if that means anything.

My current build is mostly from 2012 except for a new GPU, SSD & HDD.

I'm looking at a budget of about $500 in total max... I use my desktop strictly for gaming and looking to increase performance for games with high CPU demands (ie. WH total war 1-3 series).

Current hardware:

1) Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-z&& D3H Crossfire SATA
2) RAM: 8gb DDR3
3) CPU: Intel i5-3570 @ 3.4 ghz
4) Power supply: Corsair 600 V2
5) GPU: 4gb Rx-480
6) an SSD and 1tb HDD
5) 4 120 MM fans (keeps internal temps @ around 70-80 degrees during gaming)


I'm currently thinking about going for this upgrade, but am unsure if it's really in my best interest or realistic budget wise:

1) Motherboard: a Z370 series (which i think is a must for i7s?, don't need anything fancy like bluetooth integration.)

2) CPU: an i7 series (unsure which one is best for my price range, or if a i5-8600k would be just as fine for my needs?)


I also have questions regarding my budget:

1) What type of 16 MB RAM should I also purchase for the new hardware?

2) Should I upgrade my Power supply to a Corsair CX Series 650 Watt 80 Bronze Certified Non-Modular Power Supply? (or is there a better value for performance one out there I haven't found?)

3) Should I consider purchasing extra heat sinks or a liquid cooling kit would be best for the mobo/ CPU?

4) Is there anything else I missed in my research that needs to be added?

Thanks for your help. If you need more details please let me know and i'll try to add them asap!

 

[quilciri]

Hi Gamma,

1. You only need a Z-series motherboard for K series chips if you plan to overclock.
2. The 8600k is a good gaming chip. You might also look at the Ryzen 2600. The intel chip is slightly faster in most games, but will cost you.

on budget:

1. With Intel, you're good with most kits 2133mhz or better. (I recommend a kit with 15ns latecy). The Ryzen performance is more affected by memory speed, I suggest 3000mhz or better memory for that.
2. I'd suggest a Seasonic (or seasonic-built) PSU. The newer CX series is an improvement on the old one, however. The old one was mediocre at best.
3. If you're planning on ovecrlocking, you will want an aftermarket cooler.
4. Check whether the games you're playing and want to play perform better on the I5 or the Ryzen, and if the price difference between them is worth it to you.

Cheers!

 

[profoundnoah]

1. Obviously, you are going to need new DDR4 RAM. RAM Speed isn't felt as heavily on the blue side vs. Ryzen, although having faster RAM definitely helps. I'd recommend 2400Mhz as the bare minimum, although I'm sure you can find 3000Mhz+ kits for slightly more money.

2. Generally, a PSU upgrade is one of the least influential adjustments you can make to your PC, unless you're planning on doing some overclocking, or you have an absurdly bad unit. If you were to upgrade, I would look into something from SeaSonic, preferably something from their Focus Gold Series.

3. Depends on what you're cooling your current build with.

4. Look into just how much the i7 beats out the 8400 in Total War. It's up to you to determine whether the difference is worth the price or not.

The i7's can be used with H/B series boards perfectly fine. Just note that if you purchase the K version of a processor, you won't be able to overclock on an H/B series board, which kind of defeats the purpose of going for an unlocked processor in the first place.

 

[gammazeta430]

Thanks for your answers! I decided to go with the i7-8700k and a ASUS ROG STRIX Z370-E.

I have an ASETEK 510 LC 120mm watercooler. It's 6 years old and has seen heavy use with my old mobo/cpu i'll be replacing. Should I keep and use this aftermarket cooler for the i7 I purchased?

 

[mahanddeem]

I'm no expert in water cooling, but I know that these pumps and tubing collect residue and contaminants overtime. I don't know if I'll be efficient 6 years later.

 

[mdd1963]

I'm no expert in water cooling, but I know that these pumps and tubing collect residue and contaminants overtime. I don't know if I'll be efficient 6 years later.

Most AIOs give up the proverbial ghost at the 2 year point anyway...

Food for thought: if your case will fit a 168mm tall cooler, the Noctua NHD15 is generally less money than any AIO anyway...