Question [System Upgrade] Suggestions

Hnoor

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Nov 21, 2014
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--------------------------
Hello,
I am thinking of upgrading my PC. I would have done it sooner but the GPU shortage made it difficult (and expensive) for me.

Budget : 1,500$
Components I won't upgrade
  1. Hard drive (Samsung 256 GB SSD and 4 TB WD HD)
  2. Monitor : Asus MG278Q
  3. PSU : Corsair RM1000x (already purchased)
  4. Casing Cooler Master Scout 2
Rest of the components I would like to upgrade.

Existing CPU : Intel I5 7600K
Existing Mobo: Gigabyte Z270X
Existing RAM: Corsair Vengence 16GB
Existing Graphics Card : GTX Asus 1080Ti
 
Last edited:

Aeacus

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Here is something to think about, if you want latest with DDR5 RAM:
(also added your other components in)

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-12600K 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor ($264.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: ARCTIC Freezer 50 (w/Controller) CPU Cooler ($74.64 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus PRIME Z690-P WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($209.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5600 CL36 Memory ($196.99 @ Corsair)
Storage: Samsung 950 PRO 256 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Storage: Western Digital Black 4 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Video Card: MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8 GB GAMING X TRIO Video Card ($649.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 4000D Airflow ATX Mid Tower Case ($97.49 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair RM750x (2018) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply (Purchased For $0.00)
Total: $1494.09

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-08-28 15:46 EDT-0400


Few words:

Build theme is white with some touches of black. Oh a bit of RGB too.

Now, if you don't like white, feel free to switch out all white components (PC case, RAM, MoBo).

Put in solid Core i5, that you can OC. CPU cooler is one of the best air cooler, equal to Noctua NH-D15 (king of air coolers). Also added 32 GB of RAM and RTX 3070 Ti. Now, you could get RTX 3080 (Ti) as well, but for that, you also need to upgrade your PSU. 750W is too less for RTX 3080 series, since they have transient power spikes, where GPU can consume 2-3 times what it is rated for. Whereby 350W GPU can spike to 700-900W. Oh, also added good build quality and airflow PC case as well. If you don't need new PC case, take it out and save 100 bucks. Or pick a different PC case (since choosing a PC case is personal choice and i don't know your taste).

Build above is more of a guideline, rather than exact components what to get.
 
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https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813145374
GIGABYTE B660M AORUS PRO AX DDR4 $169.99 + $20 off w/ promo code GGAUG95, limited offer

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B660M-AORUS-PRO-AX-DDR4-rev-1x#kf

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NPJRDGD
Intel Core i5-12400F $177.99

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...2400f-processor-18m-cache-up-to-4-40-ghz.html

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PCWK7SP
DeepCool AK400 CPU Cooler $34.99

https://global.deepcool.com/product...AK400-Performance-CPU-Cooler/2021/15222.shtml

https://www.newegg.com/corsair-32gb-288-pin-ddr4-sdram/p/N82E16820236596
CORSAIR Vengeance LPX DDR4 3600 32GB (2x16GB) CL16 $102.99

or ...

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813144521
MSI MAG B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR5 $187.99

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-B660M-MORTAR-WIFI

https://www.newegg.com/corsair-32gb-288-pin-ddr5-sdram/p/N82E16820236826
CORSAIR Vengeance DDR5 4800 32GB (2x16GB) CL40 $149.99

i5 12400 / 12400F gaming benchmarks.

i512400.jpg
 

larsv8

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-So you have a 1440p 140hz monitor, so I would shoot to be able to max out games at that refresh rate / resolution.
-You don't want to change your PSU, so that limits your CPU / GPU ceiling.
-I personally don't think DDR5 makes sense, its a price premium right now, while DDR4 is very cheap and still very good for 1440p. Not sure if the trend will continue, but seems to me, RAM speed increases, really only make a difference at 1080p, but once you go to higher resolutions, the GPU is always the bottleneck.

Based on that, I think you should target a 3080, which lands right about 140hz on average on 1440p, and fits your price range / goals. This maxes out your monitors capabilities, and you aren't buying performance you can't use.

UPDATE: 3080s are actually more expensive than 3080tis right now, but your PSU is questionable for 3080ti. Swapping the GPU and taking the savings to buy a new PSU.

jUqDd3Q.png



PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor ($198.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK ATX AM4 Motherboard ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 Memory ($102.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12 GB GAMING X TRIO Video Card ($849.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx (2021) 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($134.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1456.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-08-28 18:33 EDT-0400
 
Last edited:

Hnoor

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Thank you for your response.

I forgot to mention, I already own a CoolerMaster Scout 2 casing, so unless the cards wont fit into the casing i have no urgent need to change this either.

Some of you have mentioned an AMD processor , others Intel. Is there any major difference in performance ? My Main concern right now is power consumption since almost all of you agree that RMX750 isn't good enough for 3080.

I can get a Corsair RMX 850 but then my monitor is 2K and i dont know it the card will fit into the Casing.
--------------
Updated I have purchased a Corsair RM1000x PSU.
 
Last edited:

Aeacus

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I forgot to mention, I already own a CoolerMaster Scout 2 casing, so unless the cards wont fit into the casing i have no urgent need to change this either.

From case specs; https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/legacy-products/cases/scout-2/#specifications

Max GPU/PCI Card Length: 287mm / 11.3" (w/ HDD cage), 399mm / 15.7" (w/o HDD cage)

However, what the case specs doesn't say, is the max CPU cooler height. For that, i had to dig into PC case review,
link: https://www.techspot.com/review/620-cooler-master-storm-scout-2/page2.html

To learn that your PC case supports up to 162mm tall CPU coolers, making the Arctic Freezer 50, too big, at 166mm height.

--

With new info, i refined my earlier suggestion, to take account of the PC case you already have:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-12600K 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor ($264.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15S chromax.black 82.51 CFM CPU Cooler ($99.95 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus PRIME Z690-P WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($209.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5600 CL36 Memory ($194.99 @ Corsair)
Storage: Samsung 950 PRO 256 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Storage: Western Digital Black 4 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Video Card: MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8 GB GAMING X TRIO Video Card ($649.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Scout 2 ATX Mid Tower Case (Purchased For $0.00)
Power Supply: Corsair RM750x (2018) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply (Purchased For $0.00)
Total: $1419.91

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-08-30 12:25 EDT-0400


Few words:

Had to change out 166mm CPU cooler to 160mm CPU cooler to fit your current case. NH-D15S is still a solid cooler and can be expanded with two additional fans, into triple fan setup on the twin-tower CPU cooler, if need be.
And MSI Gaming X Trio is 323mm long, so, if you want to have this specific GPU, you need to take out the HDD cage.

If you don't want to take out HDD cage, you can go for EVGA version of RTX 3070 Ti, at 285mm long,
pcpp: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Gt...gb-xc3-ultra-gaming-video-card-08g-p5-3785-kl

--

Some of you have mentioned an AMD processor , others Intel. Is there any major difference in performance ?

Yes, there is. R5 5600X vs i5-12600K,
comparison: https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AMD-Ryzen-5-5600X-vs-Intel-Core-i5-12600K/4084vs4120

I can get a Corsair RMX 850

For RTX 3080, i'd go with 1000W PSU instead. Better safe than sorry.

E.g in this topic, OP has 750W PSU and RTX 3080 as well, where all of us are suggesting to go with 1000W PSU instead,
topic: https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...-during-games-and-fans-go-full-blast.3775618/

So, if you want to get RTX 3080 (Ti), look towards 1000W PSU (several of those are also listed in that topic). But if you don't have money for 1kW PSU and RTX 3080 (Ti), then keep your RMx750 and go with RTX 3070 Ti.

--

You could get 1kW PSU and RTX 3080 Ti, IF:
  1. You take out HDD cage to fit the long GPU.
  2. You reuse your DDR4 RAM.
  3. You pay ~75 more than your budget is.

Like so:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-12600K 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor ($264.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15S chromax.black 82.51 CFM CPU Cooler ($99.95 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock Z690 PG Riptide ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory (Purchased For $0.00)
Storage: Samsung 950 PRO 256 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Storage: Western Digital Black 4 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (Purchased For $0.00)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12 GB GAMING OC Video Card ($859.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Cooler Master Storm Scout 2 ATX Mid Tower Case (Purchased For $0.00)
Power Supply: Corsair HX1000i (2022) 1000 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($219.99 @ Corsair)
Total: $1574.91

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-08-30 12:44 EDT-0400


Few words:

Switched out DDR5 MoBo to DDR4 MoBo, so you can reuse your RAM. Also had to put in one of the cheapest Z690 chipset MoBos (due to budget). Same goes for RTX 3080 Ti, which is cheapest i could find. 1000W PSU is currently on sale, making it a good purchase.
 
Last edited:
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logainofhades

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Hello,
I am thinking of upgrading my PC. I would have done it sooner but the GPU shortage made it difficult (and expensive) for me.

Budget : 1,500$
Components I won't upgrade
  1. PSU (Corsair RMX 750)
  2. Hard drive (Samsung 256 GB SSD and 4 TB WD HD)
  3. Monitor : Asus MG278Q
Rest of the components I would like to upgrade.

Existing CPU : Intel I5 7600K
Existing Mobo: Gigabyte Z270X
Existing RAM: Corsair Vengence 16GB
Existing Graphics Card : GTX Asus 1080Ti

As AM5 has been announced, and 13th gen not too far behind, you might want to sit tight, for a bit.
 
I think now is a good time to replace your 256GB SSD with a 1-2TB one. Many games these days are >100GB. So by keeping your current storage, you're going to have to keep your (installed) games library on your HDD. A 1+TB SSD would allow the space to keep all your games on the SSD.
 

Hnoor

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I think now is a good time to replace your 256GB SSD with a 1-2TB one. Many games these days are >100GB. So by keeping your current storage, you're going to have to keep your (installed) games library on your HDD. A 1+TB SSD would allow the space to keep all your games on the SSD.
Thank you. I only use SSD for windows everything else is installed on the 4TB WD HD
 

Hnoor

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From case specs; https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/legacy-products/cases/scout-2/#specifications

Max GPU/PCI Card Length: 287mm / 11.3" (w/ HDD cage), 399mm / 15.7" (w/o HDD cage)

However, what the case specs doesn't say, is the max CPU cooler height. For that, i had to dig into PC case review,
link: https://www.techspot.com/review/620-cooler-master-storm-scout-2/page2.html

To learn that your PC case supports up to 162mm tall CPU coolers, making the Arctic Freezer 50, too big, at 166mm height.

--

With new info, i refined my earlier suggestion, to take account of the PC case you already have:

PCPartPicker Part List



Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-08-30 12:25 EDT-0400


Few words:

Had to change out 166mm CPU cooler to 160mm CPU cooler to fit your current case. NH-D15S is still a solid cooler and can be expanded with two additional fans, into triple fan setup on the twin-tower CPU cooler, if need be.
And MSI Gaming X Trio is 323mm long, so, if you want to have this specific GPU, you need to take out the HDD cage.

If you don't want to take out HDD cage, you can go for EVGA version of RTX 3070 Ti, at 285mm long,
pcpp: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Gt...gb-xc3-ultra-gaming-video-card-08g-p5-3785-kl

--



Yes, there is. R5 5600X vs i5-12600K,
comparison: https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/AMD-Ryzen-5-5600X-vs-Intel-Core-i5-12600K/4084vs4120



For RTX 3080, i'd go with 1000W PSU instead. Better safe than sorry.

E.g in this topic, OP has 750W PSU and RTX 3080 as well, where all of us are suggesting to go with 1000W PSU instead,
topic: https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...-during-games-and-fans-go-full-blast.3775618/

So, if you want to get RTX 3080 (Ti), look towards 1000W PSU (several of those are also listed in that topic). But if you don't have money for 1kW PSU and RTX 3080 (Ti), then keep your RMx750 and go with RTX 3070 Ti.

--

You could get 1kW PSU and RTX 3080 Ti, IF:
  1. You take out HDD cage to fit the long GPU.
  2. You reuse your DDR4 RAM.
  3. You pay ~75 more than your budget is.
Few words:

Switched out DDR5 MoBo to DDR4 MoBo, so you can reuse your RAM. Also had to put in one of the cheapest Z690 chipset MoBos (due to budget). Same goes for RTX 3080 Ti, which is cheapest i could find. 1000W PSU is currently on sale, making it a good purchase.

I want to save some money and but a 4k Monitor later on. I don't expect much , around stable 70 to 80 FPS is good enough for me . So keeping that in mind should i get a 3080ti with 1000Watt PSU ( the following are available
1)RMx Corsair 1000Watt or
  1. Gigabyte UD1000GM
  2. Asus ROG 1000 watt 80+ Gold)
or is a 3070ti good enough ?
 

Aeacus

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( the following are available
  1. RMx Corsair 1000Watt or
  2. Gigabyte UD1000GM
  3. Asus ROG 1000 watt 80+ Gold)

Out of the three, i'd get RMx 1000W.

or is a 3070ti good enough ?

Comparison between the two: https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-RTX-3070-Ti-vs-Nvidia-RTX-3080-Ti/4116vs4115

RTX 3080 Ti would be a nice upgrade if you'd have RTX 3070 Ti. But for 4K ~70 FPS, RTX 3070 Ti would be enough. Then again, that depends on a game (if it's CPU bound or GPU bound).

It all comes down to your budget and if you're willing to make some sacrifices (which i pointed out above), if to go with RTX 3070 Ti or RTX 3080 Ti.
RTX 3080 Ti would last longer before any GPU upgrade is needed. But if you're willing to sacrifice in-game quality (by lowering it, to meet your FPS target), then RTX 3070 Ti will do. Now, you may not need to reduce in-game quality at all, but this could be a possibility, since none of us know, how performance hungry upcoming games are going to be.
 

logainofhades

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Userbenchmark is a trash site and should not be recommended to compare hardware. Read actual real reviews. Do not buy a 3080ti. The 3080 12gb is within 3-5 average FPS, and typically much cheaper.

4K.png
 

Aeacus

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According to pcpp, RTX 3080 (the original one released in 2020), is more expensive than RTX 3080 Ti,
pcpp: https://pcpartpicker.com/products/video-card/#c=492,505&sort=price&page=1

RTX 3080 Ti, for 850 bucks at egg: https://www.newegg.com/gigabyte-geforce-rtx-3080-ti-gv-n308teagle-oc-12gd/p/N82E16814932438
RTX 3080 Ti, for 850 bucks at B&H: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...ies_vcg3080t12tfxppb_geforce_rtx_3080_ti.html
RTX 3080, for 1000 bucks at amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/GIGABYTE-Graphics-WINDFORCE-GV-N3080VISION-OC-10GD/dp/B098TZX3NT

No point on paying more on a worse GPU.

However, the RTX 3080 12GB version (released 2022), is cheaper than RTX 3080 Ti (released in 2021).

Edit: Fixes to correct my reply. Thanks for pointing it out @logainofhades .
 
Last edited:

logainofhades

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Moderator
That is a 3080 10gb, not the 12gb 🤦‍♂️

PCPartPicker Part List

Video Card: EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12 GB XC3 ULTRA GAMING iCX3 Video Card ($899.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12 GB TUF GAMING OC Video Card ($974.16 @ Newegg)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 12GB LHR 12 GB XC3 ULTRA GAMING Video Card ($799.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Asus GeForce RTX 3080 12GB LHR 12 GB TUF GAMING OC Video Card ($759.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $3434.13
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2022-09-01 15:06 EDT-0400
 

bignastyid

Titan
Moderator
Cheaper? Not according to pcpp it isn't,
pcpp: https://pcpartpicker.com/products/video-card/#c=492,505&sort=price&page=1

RTX 3080 Ti, for 850 bucks at egg: https://www.newegg.com/gigabyte-geforce-rtx-3080-ti-gv-n308teagle-oc-12gd/p/N82E16814932438
RTX 3080 Ti, for 850 bucks at B&H: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...ies_vcg3080t12tfxppb_geforce_rtx_3080_ti.html
RTX 3080, for 1000 bucks at amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/GIGABYTE-Graphics-WINDFORCE-GV-N3080VISION-OC-10GD/dp/B098TZX3NT

No point on paying more on a worse GPU. Unless you cover the diff with your wallet.
Your filter was setup incorrectly. You were comparing the 3080 ti with the 10Gb non LHR 3080(discontinued awhile ago) gpus.
https://pcpartpicker.com/products/video-card/#c=516,505&sort=price&xcx=0&page=1
On average the 12Gb 3080 is ~$100 cheaper than the 3080 Ti.
 

Hnoor

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Ok, so here is what I have decided so far.

Processor : Intel i5 - 12600K
GPU : Nvidia RTX 3080
Motherboard: Not decided
RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance DDR5 4800 32GB (2x16GB) CL40

The only thing I am uncertain about is whether the GPU will fit my case. (CM Scout 2)

As someone mentioned i will need to remove the HDD cage. (Which i had already removed) and the max length of the card can be 15 inches.

Other than that initially i am going to use a stock cooler (I don't overclock) and later on get a better cooler (or is that a big NO) ?

Lastly, Mobo. What is it that I am looking for other than the fact that I can use DDR 5 RAM with it ? Anything specific ?
 

Aeacus

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The only thing I am uncertain about is whether the GPU will fit my case. (CM Scout 2)

As someone mentioned i will need to remove the HDD cage. (Which i had already removed) and the max length of the card can be 15 inches.

From my above reply:

From case specs; https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/legacy-products/cases/scout-2/#specifications

Max GPU/PCI Card Length: 287mm / 11.3" (w/ HDD cage), 399mm / 15.7" (w/o HDD cage)

--

Other than that initially i am going to use a stock cooler (I don't overclock) and later on get a better cooler (or is that a big NO) ?

No CPU cooler is included with i5-12600K, so you have to buy aftermarket CPU cooler.

Regarding CPU cooler clearance, again from my above reply:

However, what the case specs doesn't say, is the max CPU cooler height. For that, i had to dig into PC case review,
link: https://www.techspot.com/review/620-cooler-master-storm-scout-2/page2.html

To learn that your PC case supports up to 162mm tall CPU coolers

--

Lastly, Mobo. What is it that I am looking for other than the fact that I can use DDR 5 RAM with it ? Anything specific ?

You need 600-series MoBo for your 12th gen CPU. Meaning H610, B660, H670 or Z690 chipset.
Here is chipset comparison: https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/compare.html?productIds=218829,218831,218832,218833

Meaning that, if you want to OC your CPU, H610 chipset is out of the question (since it doesn't offer CPU OC). Overall, Z-series is most feature rich and is considered as high-end. B-series is geared more towards business use, H-series is more towards home use and H610 is barebones.

And to know which 600-series MoBos are good, here's further reading,
link: https://www.tomshardware.com/best-picks/best-motherboards

Overall, pick the MoBo by the features it has. E.g built-in wi-fi, bluetooth, size (ATX, micro-ATX), PCI-E slots (if you use more add-on cards besides GPU). Or if you don't know which one to pick, features wise, pick by eyecandy. :LOL: Or read the linked guide and pick the one which is overall best.
 
Last edited:

Hnoor

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From my above reply:



--



No CPU cooler is included with i5-12600K, so you have to buy aftermarket CPU cooler.

Regarding CPU cooler clearance, again from my above reply:



--



You need 600-series MoBo for your 12th gen CPU. Meaning H610, B660, H670 or Z690 chipset.
Here is chipset comparison: https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/compare.html?productIds=218829,218831,218832,218833

Meaning that, if you want to OC your CPU, H610 chipset is out of the question (since it doesn't offer CPU OC). Overall, Z-series is most feature rich and is considered as high-end. B-series is geared more towards business use, H-series is more towards home use and H610 is barebones.

And to know which 600-series MoBos are good, here's further reading,
link: https://www.tomshardware.com/best-picks/best-motherboards

Overall, pick the MoBo by the features it has. E.g built-in wi-fi, bluetooth, size (ATX, micro-ATX), PCI-E slots (if you use more add-on cards besides GPU). Or if you don't know which one to pick, features wise, pick by eyecandy. :LOL: Or read the linked guide and pick the one which is overall best.

Thank you, Sir.
 
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