Question System Upgrade

[NeyDras]

Upgrade question

Hi everyone, my current setup is this:
-I5 6600k cpu air cooled
-Gigabyte gtx 970 g1 gaming
-Asus 170 pro gaming motherboard
-Corsair 750w power supply
-2x8 Gb 3200 or 3600 mhz ram
-A random and old 250gb ssd
-Western Digital Green 2TB hard disk

I’ve built this pc in 2016-2017 and it still runs good in full hd (some games on ultra some one high, but I can feel it struggling) I was thinking to upgrade some parts because I would like to play full hd but all on ultra without problems.
I have a budget of 500-600 euros but if I can spend less I would love that.

I was thinking about:
-buying another ram module like the one I have so I would have 4x8 modules
-replacing the ssd with a Samsung 980 that I would use only for the os
-replacing the hard disk with a better one, maybe a WD black I don’t really know
-replacing the 970 with a 4060

My questions are:
-Is the 4060 a good card or I can get a better value
-Is the ram worth upgrading? (About 50€)
-I should keep using the ssd only for the os and the hard disk for games, or I could buy a 2TB ssd to use for everything?
-Is my cpu going to be a bottleneck? (It’s overclocked a little)
-This pc is worth upgrading or should I buy a new one?

Thank you very much for the responses and if you have some suggestions I’m very happy to listen

 

[PC Tailor]

-buying another ram module like the one I have so I would have 4x8 modules
-replacing the ssd with a Samsung 980 that I would use only for the os
-replacing the hard disk with a better one, maybe a WD black I don’t really know
-replacing the 970 with a 4060

1. If possible, buy a whole new pack of RAM if you are going to upgrade your RAM. And get 2 modules run in dual channel rather than 4. If you want 32GB, get a 2x16GB full kit.
2. Why replace the old one? Just use both?
3. Why replace the hard disk? Just use both?
4. Depending on price, the 4060 generally under delivers for the price point (upon release at least) many would consider ones like the RX7600 similar, the RX6600 better value for money, and perhaps even the XT for better value for money and more performance.

-Is the 4060 a good card or I can get a better value
-Is the ram worth upgrading? (About 50€)
-I should keep using the ssd only for the os and the hard disk for games, or I could buy a 2TB ssd to use for everything?
-Is my cpu going to be a bottleneck? (It’s overclocked a little)
-This pc is worth upgrading or should I buy a new one?

1. See 4 above.
2. See 1 above.
3. See 2/3 above.
4. Up to you really. Some enthusiasts will argue you should jump to new platform and I would tend to agree considering you're running a 6th gen intel platform. But ultimately if it is otherwise performing as you need but you know these upgrades will get you more what you want, then yes. But I will say you are probably at the point where it will be more effective/cost efficient to buy a new platform entirely.

Note: I am assuming you are using this for gaming?
Also what PSU model specifically is it? You may need to upgrade that too.

 

[Lafong]

Tough to recommend staying with your existing motherboard and CPU if you can spend 500 or 600 Euros. That's a 7 year old platform.

You can certainly continue to use existing SSD. Maybe case, maybe RAM. Probably HDD;

Don't know what prices are in your area or if that 500 or 600 Euros can become 700 or 800 within a few months.

 

[NeyDras]

1. If possible, buy a whole new pack of RAM if you are going to upgrade your RAM. And get 2 modules run in dual channel rather than 4. If you want 32GB, get a 2x16GB full kit.
2. Why replace the old one? Just use both?
3. Why replace the hard disk? Just use both?
4. Depending on price, the 4060 generally under delivers for the price point (upon release at least) many would consider ones like the RX7600 similar, the RX6600 better value for money, and perhaps even the XT for better value for money and more performance.

1. See 4 above.
2. See 1 above.
3. See 2/3 above.
4. Up to you really. Some enthusiasts will argue you should jump to new platform and I would tend to agree considering you're running a 6th gen intel platform. But ultimately if it is otherwise performing as you need but you know these upgrades will get you more what you want, then yes. But I will say you are probably at the point where it will be more effective/cost efficient to buy a new platform entirely.

Note: I am assuming you are using this for gaming?
Also what PSU model specifically is it? You may need to upgrade that too.

Thanks for the response, yes I use this for gaming.
My Psu is a Corsair CX750M 80 Plus Bronze.
I would buy the same ram modules that I have now, I just don't want to bin the ones that I already have, there is such a big difference between 2x16 and 4x8?(100 vs 50 euros)
The 4060 cost 350 euros, the 3060/ 3060 Ti it's the same and the 3070 is 460 euros (I live in Italy).
The thing is my pc runs just fine, I would say it's perfect but some game just don't run so good on ultra setting, so I don't feel like changing the hole thing, I just don't want to waste too much money.
I've never bought anything or used anything from AMD so I would prefer something from Nvidia (I mean I love the 970 from Gigabyte, It's 2023 and it's doing a good job even now)
The main thing is playing full hd in ultra settings, and when it will be time I will everything, I just don't want to waste too much money (maybe if I buy a good Gpu now i could still use it in my new system, but it's not a priority)

Thanks again.

 

[NeyDras]

Tough to recommend staying with your existing motherboard and CPU if you can spend 500 or 600 Euros. That's a 7 year old platform.

You can certainly continue to use existing SSD. Maybe case, maybe RAM. Probably HDD;

Don't know what prices are in your area or if that 500 or 600 Euros can become 700 or 800 within a few months.

Hi thanks for the response,

500-600 euros is a max max price, if I can still get what I want (full hd on ultra setting without issues in any game), for less money I would be super happy.

 

[Lafong]

I want (full hd on ultra setting without issues in any game), for less money I would be super happy.

I don't think you can do a major CPU upgrade on that motherboard. You might be able to find a used CPU that would be relatively cheap and be a minor upgrade. I haven't checked exactly what the top CPU would be.

6600K was a horse in its day; got one myself; still more than adequate for non-gaming.

So, I'd try to find out how much it would help if you spent most of that budget on a GPU alone. I have NO idea.

Up to you to decide how that money would best be split over those 2 pieces.

I wouldn't change the drives, given your requirements and your budget.

A RAM change probably wouldn't add much either, given the budget limits.

 

[Lucky_SLS]

Slightly out of budget:

reuse the rams. upgrade to 5800X3D later.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 4500 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor (€81.00 @ Amazon Italia)
Motherboard: ASRock B450 Steel Legend ATX AM4 Motherboard (€106.00 @ Amazon Italia)
Storage: Crucial P5 Plus 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive (€112.17 @ Amazon Italia)
Video Card: PowerColor Fighter Radeon RX 7600 8 GB Video Card (€290.00 @ Amazon Italia)
Power Supply: Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply (€109.99 @ Amazon Italia)
Total: €699.16
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-08-24 15:07 CEST+0200

 

[NeyDras]

I don't think you can do a major CPU upgrade on that motherboard. You might be able to find a used CPU that would be relatively cheap and be a minor upgrade. I haven't checked exactly what the top CPU would be.

6600K was a horse in its day; got one myself; still more than adequate for non-gaming.

So, I'd try to find out how much it would help if you spent most of that budget on a GPU alone. I have NO idea.

Up to you to decide how that money would best be split over those 2 pieces.

I wouldn't change the drives, given your requirements and your budget.

A RAM change probably wouldn't add much either, given the budget limits.

I think the best thing is to change only the gpu, and in the future change everything else.

 

[NeyDras]

Slightly out of budget:

reuse the rams. upgrade to 5800X3D later.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 4500 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor (€81.00 @ Amazon Italia)
Motherboard: ASRock B450 Steel Legend ATX AM4 Motherboard (€106.00 @ Amazon Italia)
Storage: Crucial P5 Plus 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive (€112.17 @ Amazon Italia)
Video Card: PowerColor Fighter Radeon RX 7600 8 GB Video Card (€290.00 @ Amazon Italia)
Power Supply: Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply (€109.99 @ Amazon Italia)
Total: €699.16
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-08-24 15:07 CEST+0200

Hi thank you so much for all the parts tht you suggested, but I think I will only change the GPU. I would buy the 7600 from Gigabyte at 320 euros, but my question is, it wouldn't be better to buy a 4060 for just 30 more euros? Or is the 7600 just a better GPU?

 

[PC Tailor]

Hi thank you so much for all the parts tht you suggested, but I think I will only change the GPU. I would buy the 7600 from Gigabyte at 320 euros, but my question is, it wouldn't be better to buy a 4060 for just 30 more euros? Or is the 7600 just a better GPU?

If you were going to buy a 4060 at 350 Euros, I'd probably sooner buy an RX 6700XT at 360 Euros. It provides faster performance and more memory but virtually the same price. Unless you specifically want the ray tracing or DLSS performance of NVIDIA.

https://imgur.com/a/UnVdm8t

View: https://imgur.com/a/UnVdm8t

 

[SorryBella]

I would like to play full hd but all on ultra without problems

Even in maxxed out scenario FHD is still pretty CPU bounded especially in relation to frametime consistency. You NEED a CPU (and thus whole platform) upgrade, not want.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 3.5 GHz 6-Core Processor (€139.19 @ Amazon Italia)
Motherboard: MSI B550-A PRO ATX AM4 Motherboard (€105.99 @ Amazon Italia)
Video Card: PowerColor Fighter Radeon RX 6700 XT 12 GB Video Card (€362.00 @ Amazon Italia)
Total: €607.18
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-08-24 17:44 CEST+0200

Sell the CPU and Motherboard as a combo in similar price to the Ryzen 5 3600 and B450 board combo, so around 120-150 euros. That should get us an actually solid 32GB RAM kit, and a 1TB NVME SSD for a late upgrade.

PCPartPicker Part List

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory (€69.89 @ Amazon Italia)
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive (€53.15 @ Amazon Italia)
Total: €123.04
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-08-24 17:46 CEST+0200

 

[Lucky_SLS]

I think the best thing is to change only the gpu, and in the future change everything else.

Like others have said, both your cpu and gpu are old and needs replacing. If you want to prioritize, get the SSD, PSU and the GPU. those should still be within 600 euros i believe.

 

[NeyDras]

Hi everyone, in the end I’ve bought the 4060 and 2x8gb of ram.
Everything is running fine and I’m playing everything on max settings at 60+ fps without any problems.
Il will upgrade the rest of the system in the future, maybe when I will jump to 1440p but now everything is perfect I couldn’t be happier.

Anyway thank you everyone for the suggestions.