Question Upgrade i7-6700 to i7 12700k but keep old RAM and RTX 2060 Super?

[My PC Hates Me]

Looking to upgrade from i7-6700 to an i7 12700k but would like to keep some / most of my other components until prices come down (meaning, I would upgrade to DDR 5 and a new graphics card when prices have fallen)

Would it be a HUGE bottle neck if I upgrade CPU, air cooler, motherboard (ddr4 compatible), and case, but kept my current RAM, Power Supply, graphics card and SATA SSDs?

I want to upgrade to improve video editing performance (DaVinci Resolve), as well as photoshop and lightroom performance. I don't game at all. (Well... maybe some solitaire).

Current RAM: 24GB DDR4 2133
Current Graphics Card: Nvidia 2060 Super
Current Power Supply: EVGA 650 watt Gold (80 plus)
Some SATA SSD drives for OS and a couple of spinning SATA hard disks for storage.

The reason I am interested in i7 12th gen in particular (as opposed to AMD) is because the built in igpu which will decode and encode havc and hevc video codecs.

I don't know how much of a difference having an igpu makes in Photoshop or lightroom because they only use hardware acceleration for a limited amount of features and I think they are primarily single-thread applications, too.

Also note: I much PREFER to use Linux (Pop!_OS or Fedora) but I accept the fact that I will probably have to dual boot in to Windows 10 / 11 since adobe apps don't run on Linux.

Thanks in advance.

 

[punkncat]

With the 12th gen Intel motherboard you are going to have to pick either a DDR4 model OR a DDR5 model. It's not going to be compatible with both on the same board. IMO the 2133 speed DDR4 will work with the proper motherboard but you will be leaving performance on the table. IMO, if you are thinking about DDR5 as a possible upgrade just do it now along with the new mobo and CPU.

The 2060S will be fine with that configuration.

 

[My PC Hates Me]

With the 12th gen Intel motherboard you are going to have to pick either a DDR4 model OR a DDR5 model. It's not going to be compatible with both on the same board. IMO the 2133 speed DDR4 will work with the proper motherboard but you will be leaving performance on the table. IMO, if you are thinking about DDR5 as a possible upgrade just do it now along with the new mobo and CPU.

The 2060S will be fine with that configuration.

Thank you on your reply.

Any thoughts on air cooling the 17 12700K ? Will air cooling be good enough?

As for DDR5 vs DDR4, at what clock speed doe DDR5 perform better than DDR4? Meaning, say i were to upgrade my current DDR4 to DDR4 3600. What speed of DDR 5 would I have to get to really see a boost in performance.

Meaning, should I just go for a DDR4 system with 32GB of DDR4 3600 (on sale on Amazon for $100), or go for a DDR5 System with ??? memory?

Oh, any suggestions on cases?

Thanks again.

 

[punkncat]

To be fair, early on there was a lot of discussion about not jumping to DDR5 based on price to performance. I haven't really followed along to see if the landscape has changed significantly on that.

If you are going to air cool make sure to select a quality large tower cooler, etc. My go to suggestions would be Noctua, Be Quiet, or other well reviewed coolers of the like.

I find cases to be too dependent on your own style choice to make a specific suggestion. Do make sure you consider cases with good air flow and lots of room for optional fan placement or even AIO later down the road. Watch out for those glass front "fish tank" type cases that look neat for RGB but offer poor thermals.

 

[My PC Hates Me]

To be fair, early on there was a lot of discussion about not jumping to DDR5 based on price to performance. I haven't really followed along to see if the landscape has changed significantly on that.

If you are going to air cool make sure to select a quality large tower cooler, etc. My go to suggestions would be Noctua, Be Quiet, or other well reviewed coolers of the like.

I find cases to be too dependent on your own style choice to make a specific suggestion. Do make sure you consider cases with good air flow and lots of room for optional fan placement or even AIO later down the road. Watch out for those glass front "fish tank" type cases that look neat for RGB but offer poor thermals.

Thank you!!!

 

[Why_Me]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...71512700_core_i7_12700_desktop_processor.html
Intel Core i7-12700 $342.98 Free Shipping

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...12700-processor-25m-cache-up-to-4-90-ghz.html

Intel Core i7-12700 + Intel B660 Review

Today we have a combo review of all-new Intel hardware, our first look at the affordable Intel B660 platform, the non-K Core i7-12700 and Intel's latest box...

www.techspot.com

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813144522
MSI MAG B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR4 $159.99

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-B660M-MORTAR-WIFI-DDR4

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1687328-REG/msi_mag_b660m_mortar_wifi.html
MSI MAG B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR5 $179.99

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

https://www.amazon.com/Scythe-Cooler-LGA1700-LGA1151-Towers/dp/B09NZGH4RD
Scythe Fuma 2 Rev.B CPU Cooler $65.99

https://hardwarecanucks.com/forum/threads/scythe-fuma-2-rev-b-review-the-best-cpu-cooler-got-cooler.84709/

https://www.scytheus.com/fuma2-rev-b

 

[My PC Hates Me]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...71512700_core_i7_12700_desktop_processor.html
Intel Core i7-12700 $342.98 Free Shipping

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...12700-processor-25m-cache-up-to-4-90-ghz.html

Intel Core i7-12700 + Intel B660 Review

Today we have a combo review of all-new Intel hardware, our first look at the affordable Intel B660 platform, the non-K Core i7-12700 and Intel's latest box...

www.techspot.com

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813144522
MSI MAG B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR4 $159.99

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-B660M-MORTAR-WIFI-DDR4

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1687328-REG/msi_mag_b660m_mortar_wifi.html
MSI MAG B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR5 $179.99

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

https://www.amazon.com/Scythe-Cooler-LGA1700-LGA1151-Towers/dp/B09NZGH4RD
Scythe Fuma 2 Rev.B CPU Cooler $65.99

https://hardwarecanucks.com/forum/threads/scythe-fuma-2-rev-b-review-the-best-cpu-cooler-got-cooler.84709/

https://www.scytheus.com/fuma2-rev-b

Thanks for the links. it seems like getting a water cooler helps performance quite a bit.

Wondering if my 650 Watt Gold power supply will be enough to run the i7 12700 and RTX 2060 Super and whatever cooler I end up getting.

Also, my RTX 2060 is probably a slightly UNDERPOWERED card because it is a single fan and was pulled out of a prebuilt alienware computer. Tom's hardware review says the 2060 Super pulls close to 190 watts at peak power.

 

[Why_Me]

Thanks for the links. it seems like getting a water cooler helps performance quite a bit.

Wondering if my 650 Watt Gold power supply will be enough to run the i7 12700 and RTX 2060 Super and whatever cooler I end up getting.

Also, my RTX 2060 is probably a slightly UNDERPOWERED card because it is a single fan and was pulled out of a prebuilt alienware computer. Tom's hardware review says the 2060 Super pulls close to 190 watts at peak power.

650w psu is fine.

 

[mdd1963]

2133 MHz was a standard speed for DDR4...about 6 years back....(you could use it short term, but, I'd be looking for DDR4-3600)

Time to let it go, and, not be determined to retain/ utilize it.

A 12600K or 5800X would be a huge upgrade in minimum FPS, and a 2060 is still fine....

 

[My PC Hates Me]

2133 MHz was a standard speed for DDR4...about 6 years back....(you could use it short term, but, I'd be looking for DDR4-3600)

Time to let it go, and, not be determined to retain/ utilize it.

A 12600K or 5800X would be a huge upgrade in minimum FPS, and a 2060 is still fine....

Thanks for the reply.

Yeah, i figure that I will (almost certainly) either have to upgrade to DDR4-3600 or just go for a DDR5 board and memory.

I am guessing when you mention the increase in FPS, you are talking about gaming. But I am more interested in video editing, so maybe you were referring to rendering.

Thanks again.

 

[Bob.B]

Thanks for the reply.

Yeah, i figure that I will (almost certainly) either have to upgrade to DDR4-3600 or just go for a DDR5 board and memory.

I am guessing when you mention the increase in FPS, you are talking about gaming. But I am more interested in video editing, so maybe you were referring to rendering.

Thanks again.

Go with the 12700 and 3600 ram.
Test the stock cooler.

 

[Nighthawk117]

Looking to upgrade from i7-6700 to an i7 12000k but would like to keep some / most of my other components until prices come down (meaning, I would upgrade to DDR 5 and a new graphics card when prices have fallen)

Would it be a HUGE bottle neck if I upgrade CPU, air cooler, motherboard (ddr4 compatible), and case, but kept my current RAM, Power Supply, graphics card and SATA SSDs?

I want to upgrade to improve video editing performance (DaVinci Resolve), as well as photoshop and lightroom performance. I don't game at all. (Well... maybe some solitaire).

Current RAM: 24GB DDR4 2133
Current Graphics Card: Nvidia 2060 Super
Current Power Supply: EVGA 650 watt Gold (80 plus)
Some SATA SSD drives for OS and a couple of spinning SATA hard disks for storage.

The reason I am interested in i7 12th gen in particular (as opposed to AMD) is because the built in igpu which will decode and encode havc and hevc video codecs.

I don't know how much of a difference having an igpu makes in Photoshop or lightroom because they only use hardware acceleration for a limited amount of features and I think they are primarily single-thread applications, too.

Also note: I much PREFER to use Linux (Pop!_OS or Fedora) but I accept the fact that I will probably have to dual boot in to Windows 10 / 11 since adobe apps don't run on Linux.

Thanks in advance.

I wouldn't stick with the RAM personally, 2133 is not very fast and will hold back a 12700K. I wouldn't get less than DDR4 3600Mhz for that CPU, DDR5 is also worthy of consideration. DDR5 is one of those things, unless your doing some very specific workloads, it's probably not going to noticeably help you today. However it may be more beneficial at a later date, no one ever got hurt by having too much memory bandwidth.

Fine to use your 2060 and SATA SSD's though.

 

[Nighthawk117]

Any thoughts on air cooling the 17 12700K ? Will air cooling be good enough?

Yes air cooling is enough but this is a hot CPU, a big tower cooler like the Noctua D15 or BeQuiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 would be my recommendation. If you don't want something that takes up so much space on the motherboard then you will want water cooling, a 240mm AIO at a minimum but 280 or 360 is preferable.

 

[geofelt]

Your post and text refers to a I7-12000 which does not seem to exist.
You might edit if you can.
I think you mean 12700K which would be a very strong upgrade.
I like the K suffix integrated graphics.
It can be a good insurance in case of a graphics card issue.
12700K is easily air cooled.
If you can use a strong twin tower air cooler like the Noctua NH-D15, you will be as good as it gets.
Noctua maintains a list of suitable coolers for various processors.
Here is the list for the 12700K:
https://ncc.noctua.at/cpus/model/Intel-Core-i7-12700K-1579
Such a cooler will have two 135mm fans.
To feed those fans, look for a case with two 140mm front intakes and 165mm headroom for a cooler.
An example might be the Fractal define S:
https://www.newegg.com/black-fracta...g5-sparkx-pccase-_-discoveryzone-_-search_dsa

Today, there is no real difference in performance between DDR4 and DDR5.
The higher speeds of DDR5 are offset by the higher latencies.
DDR5 based will cost a bit more today.
You could go either way.
If budget is no issue, go with DDR5.
You could get more ram in a single kit.

Otherwise, sticking with DDR4 would let you try to reuse your current ram.
It may do well, or perhaps not.

The psu you need is mostly determined by your graphics card.
650w is sufficient for a 2080s:
http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm
That said, a 12700K can be overclocked, or the cpu can get a high turbo boost which would probably do better with a stronger psu.

If you upgrade the psu, look for something in 750/850w and a 7 to 10 year warranty.

 

[My PC Hates Me]

I wouldn't stick with the RAM personally, 2133 is not very fast and will hold back a 12700K. I wouldn't get less than DDR4 3600Mhz for that CPU, DDR5 is also worthy of consideration. DDR5 is one of those things, unless your doing some very specific workloads, it's probably not going to noticeably help you today. However it may be more beneficial at a later date, no one ever got hurt by having too much memory bandwidth.

Fine to use your 2060 and SATA SSD's though.

Thank you so much for the input.

I am just thinking about the "upgradeability" potential. In two years, will I regret staying with DDR4 / PICe 4 instead of "overpaying" for DDR 5 / PCIe 5 now?

I understand no one knows. Just kind of thinking out loud.

Yes air cooling is enough but this is a hot CPU, a big tower cooler like the Noctua D15 or BeQuiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 would be my recommendation. If you don't want something that takes up so much space on the motherboard then you will want water cooling, a 240mm AIO at a minimum but 280 or 360 is preferable.

Thank you for the recommendations on the coolers. I really appreciate that!!! The Noctua's seem to have a particularly good reputation among the youtubers. I guess that part of the reason is the bracket holding the cooler in place is supposed to be particularly sturdy.

I will look in to the AIO options as well. I tend to prefer "simple" whenever possible, though. (And cheap!!!)

Your post and text refers to a I7-12000 which does not seem to exist.
You might edit if you can.
I think you mean 12700K which would be a very strong upgrade.
I like the K suffix integrated graphics.
It can be a good insurance in case of a graphics card issue.
12700K is easily air cooled.
If you can use a strong twin tower air cooler like the Noctua NH-D15, you will be as good as it gets.
Noctua maintains a list of suitable coolers for various processors.
Here is the list for the 12700K:
https://ncc.noctua.at/cpus/model/Intel-Core-i7-12700K-1579
Such a cooler will have two 135mm fans.
To feed those fans, look for a case with two 140mm front intakes and 165mm headroom for a cooler.
An example might be the Fractal define S:
https://www.newegg.com/black-fracta...g5-sparkx-pccase-_-discoveryzone-_-search_dsa

Today, there is no real difference in performance between DDR4 and DDR5.
The higher speeds of DDR5 are offset by the higher latencies.
DDR5 based will cost a bit more today.
You could go either way.
If budget is no issue, go with DDR5.
You could get more ram in a single kit.

Otherwise, sticking with DDR4 would let you try to reuse your current ram.
It may do well, or perhaps not.

The psu you need is mostly determined by your graphics card.
650w is sufficient for a 2080s:
http://www.realhardtechx.com/index_archivos/Page362.htm
That said, a 12700K can be overclocked, or the cpu can get a high turbo boost which would probably do better with a stronger psu.

If you upgrade the psu, look for something in 8750/850w and a 7 to 10 year warranty.

Thank you very much for your detailed reply!!!

I have edited the title and references from 12000 to 12700K. Thanks for pointing that out.

Thank you for the link to the Noctua coolers. They do seem well regarded.

Also, thanks for the link to the fractal case, and for pointing out the amount of headroom needed to fit in the tower cooler. I had a vague idea that I needed to know about those things but wasn't really sure.

That Fractal case does seem to be either out of stock or discontinued. I am guessing that when it is available it is around $170 or so though, right?

Would a less expensive case be ok? Or are the intake / exhaust fans too small on this case? (It does seem to be highly recommended):

Corsair 275R Airflow Tempered Glass Mid-Tower Gaming Case — Black

https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categ...d-Glass-Mid-Tower-Gaming-Case/p/CC-9011181-WW


Regarding DDR4 vs DDR5, I guess my question would be, in two years will I regret going the DDR4 route? I know that no one can say.

I guess I am trying to be Penny-wise without being Pound-foolish.

I expect in a year or two (whenever prices are more reasonable), I will be upgrading my graphics card from RTX 2060 to something like an RTX 4060 or RTX 3070. DaVinci Resolve loves a good graphics card, despite the fact that I am getting a 12th Gen intel chip to leverage the IGPU performance for encoding and decoding video.

 

[My PC Hates Me]

Off Topic Rant:

I am sure everyone knows this already, but I guess I forgot how "limited" the information can be by binge-watching youtube reviews.

Namely, the main problem is the lack of long-term reviews. Or an analysis of how a product compares several months after the release of the product.

I understand that in the world of youtube, reviewers have to be the first (or among the first) to review a product to get views.

Of course, that is when all the issues appear. Taking the 12th Gen intel chips as an example, all the reviews were pumped out before there were fixes to the BIOS of various motherboards and while DDR5 was still mostly a Unicorn.

Anyway, I am just saying that I am thankful for forums like this where there is more long-term experience being shared.

 

[Nighthawk117]

Thank you so much for the input.

I am just thinking about the "upgradeability" potential. In two years, will I regret staying with DDR4 / PICe 4 instead of "overpaying" for DDR 5 / PCIe 5 now?

I understand no one knows. Just kind of thinking out loud.

It would depend on how price sensitive you are, when 12 gen launched I would have advised not to get DDR5, it was extremely expensive and it short supply with minimal benefit beyond some niche productivity workloads. While it still is quite a bit more expensive it's much more affordable now and readily available. If it were me I would probably opt for DDR5 as I don't upgrade very often. However if you have a constrained budget I wouldn't compromise on the quality of the motherboard for example in order to afford the additional cost of DDR5 as it's just not worth it. It's a nice to have for the future.

The DDR4 boards still support PCI-E 5 if you get a Z690 motherboard, it's of no benefit right now though.

Thank you for the recommendations on the coolers. I really appreciate that!!! The Noctua's seem to have a particularly good reputation among the youtubers. I guess that part of the reason is the bracket holding the cooler in place is supposed to be particularly sturdy.

Noctua make the best quality air coolers but they aren't the cheapest.

I will look in to the AIO options as well. I tend to prefer "simple" whenever possible, though. (And cheap!!!)

Astatically AIO's look a lot better in my opinion and you don't have something huge sitting on top of your motherboard that might get in the way if your trying to get to components. However I understand why some people prefer air coolers, they will never leak for one thing (not that I've ever had this issue). Unfortunately there's nothing cheap about a 12700K, it's a high end CPU so it will need a high end motherboard and cooler to go with it.

 

[My PC Hates Me]

It would depend on how price sensitive you are, when 12 gen launched I would have advised not to get DDR5, it was extremely expensive and it short supply with minimal benefit beyond some niche productivity workloads. While it still is quite a bit more expensive it's much more affordable now and readily available. If it were me I would probably opt for DDR5 as I don't upgrade very often. However if you have a constrained budget I wouldn't compromise on the quality of the motherboard for example in order to afford the additional cost of DDR5 as it's just not worth it. It's a nice to have for the future.

The DDR4 boards still support PCI-E 5 if you get a Z690 motherboard, it's of no benefit right now though.


Noctua make the best quality air coolers but they aren't the cheapest.


Astatically AIO's look a lot better in my opinion and you don't have something huge sitting on top of your motherboard that might get in the way if your trying to get to components. However I understand why some people prefer air coolers, they will never leak for one thing (not that I've ever had this issue). Unfortunately there's nothing cheap about a 12700K, it's a high end CPU so it will need a high end motherboard and cooler to go with it.

Thanks again for the reply. Much appreciated.

I guess the thought of getting a PCI-E 5 motherboard would be in case the new RTX 4XXX series cards are PCI-e 5 (I wouldn't get one until a year or two from now anyway).

Could you recommend a motherboard (assuming I will go DDR4 and PCI-e 4)?

Thanks in advance.

 

[geofelt]

There are a number of cases that would serve you well.
Lot of it is aesthetics and personal preference.
There should be plenty in the $100 price bracket.
A case is a long term investment, bust your budget if you see one you love.
The first criteria would be that it hold your parts.
For cooling, I want to see front intakes of 3 120mm or two 140 or a single 180mm fan. The rest matters little, all of the front intake cooling air will eventually exit somewhere, taking component heat with it.
If the only intake is filtered, your parts will stay cleaner.
160mm for a cooler is fine.
I do case research on newegg which usually has all of the relevant specs described.
If you see a case of interest, look for reviews.
For what it is worth, I use the CM HAF XB EVO, an oldie but goodie.
https://www.newegg.com/Black-COOLER-MASTER-HAF-series-ATX-Desktop/p/11-119-265
I put two 140mm fans in front and a single 120mm exhaust fan.
There are no dust filters, but dust does not seem to collect for whatever reason.
This has to be the easiest case ever to work with.
Read some reviews.
It has provision for two front hot swap devices.

Do not try to "future proof"
Do plan on being able to upgrade a graphics card by having a sufficiently strong psu. 850w is probably a good target.
A psu will only consume the power demanded of it, regardless of the max capability. The difference in cost between 750W and 850w is usually not much.
Do not chase gold/platinum ratings. The electricity differences over a year are a nit.
Full modular vs partial is not an issue.
You will be using all of the permanently connectors anyway.

On ram, when you buy ram, you should buy a single kit of the capacity you need up front.
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.
Do not plan on adding ram in the future. It could work, or it might not work properly.

In two years hence, there will be better/cheaper replacements for what we now have. As a practical matter, most cpu upgrades will also involve a new motherboard.

 

[Nighthawk117]

Thanks again for the reply. Much appreciated.

I guess the thought of getting a PCI-E 5 motherboard would be in case the new RTX 4XXX series cards are PCI-e 5 (I wouldn't get one until a year or two from now anyway).

Could you recommend a motherboard (assuming I will go DDR4 and PCI-e 4)?

Thanks in advance.

I don't think PCI-E 5 is going to make any difference even if the new GPU's do support it, the current GPU's are nowhere close to saturating PCI-E 4. However Z690 and B660 will have a PCI-E 5 x16 slot for your GPU anyway and it's not dependant on your choice of RAM:
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BhahTKt6nF5Kj3DnvvFCE8-970-80.jpg

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/central-libraries/us/en/images/hlg-intel-prodbrief-b660chipset-blockdiagram-1920x1080.jpg.rendition.intel.web.1920.1080.jpg

Some of the cheaper boards though drop support for PCI-E 5. If your getting a 12700K then I would normally recommend a Z690 board, you have the option of tuning your CPU if required and it has more expandability. For Z690 I would recommend something like:
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813144487?Description=Z690&cm_re=Z690-_-13-144-487-_-Product
or
https://www.newegg.com/asus-tuf-gam...uf z690-_-13-119-506-_-Product&quicklink=true

If you want something a bit cheaper then I would look at:
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E168131...me z690-_-13-119-511-_-Product&quicklink=true
or
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E168131...re=Z690-_-13-144-489-_-Product&quicklink=true

Some of those boards like the MSI PRO Z690-A have options with and without Wifi. If these are too expensive then there are high quality B660 options:
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E168131...660_Mag-_-13-144-520-_-Product&quicklink=true

Are you a human?

www.newegg.com

I would be reluctant to go too cheap with a high end CPU though.

 

[My PC Hates Me]

I don't think PCI-E 5 is going to make any difference even if the new GPU's do support it, the current GPU's are nowhere close to saturating PCI-E 4. However Z690 and B660 will have a PCI-E 5 x16 slot for your GPU anyway and it's not dependant on your choice of RAM:
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BhahTKt6nF5Kj3DnvvFCE8-970-80.jpg

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/central-libraries/us/en/images/hlg-intel-prodbrief-b660chipset-blockdiagram-1920x1080.jpg.rendition.intel.web.1920.1080.jpg

Some of the cheaper boards though drop support for PCI-E 5. If your getting a 12700K then I would normally recommend a Z690 board, you have the option of tuning your CPU if required and it has more expandability. For Z690 I would recommend something like:
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813144487?Description=Z690&cm_re=Z690-_-13-144-487-_-Product
or
https://www.newegg.com/asus-tuf-gaming-z690-plus-wifi-d4/p/N82E16813119506?Description=asus tuf z690&cm_re=asus_tuf z690--13-119-506--Product&quicklink=true

If you want something a bit cheaper then I would look at:
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813119511?Description=asus prime z690&cm_re=asus_prime z690--13-119-511--Product&quicklink=true
or
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E168131...re=Z690-_-13-144-489-_-Product&quicklink=true

Some of those boards like the MSI PRO Z690-A have options with and without Wifi. If these are too expensive then there are high quality B660 options:
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813144520?Description=B660 Mag&cm_re=B660_Mag--13-144-520--Product&quicklink=true

Are you a human?

www.newegg.com

I would be reluctant to go too cheap with a high end CPU though.

Thanks for the info and the links.

First thing I need to do is read up on the differences between Z690 and B660. I have been looking at so many different parts and pieces that I didn't realize there are two main "flavors" of motherboards. Will have to do some research on this.

Thanks again.

 

[My PC Hates Me]

There are a number of cases that would serve you well.
Lot of it is aesthetics and personal preference.
There should be plenty in the $100 price bracket.
A case is a long term investment, bust your budget if you see one you love.
The first criteria would be that it hold your parts.
For cooling, I want to see front intakes of 3 120mm or two 140 or a single 180mm fan. The rest matters little, all of the front intake cooling air will eventually exit somewhere, taking component heat with it.
If the only intake is filtered, your parts will stay cleaner.
160mm for a cooler is fine.
I do case research on newegg which usually has all of the relevant specs described.
If you see a case of interest, look for reviews.
For what it is worth, I use the CM HAF XB EVO, an oldie but goodie.
https://www.newegg.com/Black-COOLER-MASTER-HAF-series-ATX-Desktop/p/11-119-265
I put two 140mm fans in front and a single 120mm exhaust fan.
There are no dust filters, but dust does not seem to collect for whatever reason.
This has to be the easiest case ever to work with.
Read some reviews.
It has provision for two front hot swap devices.

Do not try to "future proof"
Do plan on being able to upgrade a graphics card by having a sufficiently strong psu. 850w is probably a good target.
A psu will only consume the power demanded of it, regardless of the max capability. The difference in cost between 750W and 850w is usually not much.
Do not chase gold/platinum ratings. The electricity differences over a year are a nit.
Full modular vs partial is not an issue.
You will be using all of the permanently connectors anyway.

On ram, when you buy ram, you should buy a single kit of the capacity you need up front.
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.
Do not plan on adding ram in the future. It could work, or it might not work properly.

In two years hence, there will be better/cheaper replacements for what we now have. As a practical matter, most cpu upgrades will also involve a new motherboard.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for sharing the link to the case.

It is kind of a strange looking case. But the airflow is good??? May I ask why you like that particular case?

I kind of like that it looks like it would be easy to reach in and plug / unplug connectors and such.

I have always bought prebuilt computers before - usually used ones off craigslist, and have had pretty good luck with them. Although they are a nightmare when it comes to updating the graphics card. The only reason I was able to upgrade the graphics card in my current daily driver (Lenovo Ideacenter) was because someone had pulted the original RTX 2060 super out of their alienware prebuilt. And it is a single fan and tiny, so it fits in my prebuilt lenovo case.

Anyway, this is just a long way of asking if I go for that Cooler Master case you linked to, it will be able to fit a full size graphics card for when I eventually get something like an RTX 3070 or ???, right?

 

[geofelt]

Here is a chart of the differences in LGA1700 chipsets:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGA_1700
The Z690 motherboards will allow overclocking and will tend to have
More advanced functions.

As to My choice of the HAF case:
Where I need to put my case has restricted depth. Namely about 16"
The HAF was one of the few that would fit.
I currently have an ASUS GTX3070 installed which has no problem fitting.
An eyeball looks like the case could fit a 12" long graphics card.
One nice feature is that the motherboard tray can be lifted out.
ALL of the panels, motherboard and psu connectors use the exact same knurled thumbscrew.
One can install a 180/200mm fan on top which I did not do.
No need.
And, such a fan would disturb my cat who likes to sleep on top.

 

[My PC Hates Me]

And, such a fan would disturb my cat who likes to sleep on top.

Ahhh... the old "Cat As A Heat Sink" mod. I like it!!!