Build Advice Upgrade or just build a new system?

[danytancou]

Hello everyone,

I use my system for some gaming (Witcher 3, ESO, Gloomhaven, Assassins' Creed Valhalla for now, but planning to get AC Mirage, Baldur's Gate 3, and MAYBE Starfield) but I don't really care to run them with "max settings" -- I'm OK with something between medium and high. I also use it for Adobe apps (Lightroom, Photoshop & Premiere Elements) Blender, AutoCAD, 3DS Max, Maya, Solidworks, and some other 3D CAD/modelling apps -- Adobe stuff mostly for "personal projects", the others for "more professional work" (I get 3D CAD/modelling contracts from time to time).

I'm currently running a Ryzen 7 3700X CPU on an X570 m0b0 (ASUS ROG CROSSHAIR VIII HERO) with 16GB of RAM (dual-channel, 3600MHz); my GPU is a 1660Ti. I typically "alterntate" my upgrades, so the main system components (CPU+m0b0+RAM) all at once, followed by a new video card a year or two later, then the mains again, and so on. Obviously my video card is now the older bit, so the cheap bastard in me is thinking "just get a 3070 or a 4060 and be done with it..." OR (being a bit less cheap and getting into the Christmas spirit of giving -- to myself ) get a new video card AND a Ryzen 9 5900X or 5950X.

Cheapness jokes aside, I'm hesitant to only get a new video card because I'm sure my current CPU will become a bottleneck to it. (Atm, the system is balanced pretty well, no bottlenecks anywhere, really.) So, at last, my questions:

1. Does anyone know if the CPUs I mentioned would still be a bottleneck?

2. Any thoughts on which of the two video cards I mentioned would be better for my purposes? (Money is not really an object, but my principle certainly is, and I'm simply not willing to pay what they charge for a 3080 and above or a 4070 and above.)

3. ...Or should I just cut my losses and just build a new system altogether (and switch back to Intel in the process)? (My only real reason to stick with the current build is the relatively high quality m0b0 I have; I would keep this system as a backup/spare.)


Thanks in advance,

Dany

 

[Eximo]

5800X3D would be the better CPU choice and should last quite a long time before needing to be replaced, unless you need 12/16 cores for non-gaming.

RX 6700 XT / 6750 XT are good performance for value, but you can creep all the way to the RX6800 XT at $500 or take a look at the 7800XT at $520

Can't really recommend a 4060 for anything but a lower power system. RTX 4070 is about where Nvidia makes sense over any of the offerings from AMD. It is very powerful for a 200W GPU and is roughly equivalent to the 3080 you mentioned. Sitting at $540 dollars for Zotac dual fan, it really isn't as bad as it used to be at $600.

 

[Why_Me]

Hello everyone,

I use my system for some gaming (Witcher 3, ESO, Gloomhaven, Assassins' Creed Valhalla for now, but planning to get AC Mirage, Baldur's Gate 3, and MAYBE Starfield) but I don't really care to run them with "max settings" -- I'm OK with something between medium and high. I also use it for Adobe apps (Lightroom, Photoshop & Premiere Elements) Blender, AutoCAD, 3DS Max, Maya, Solidworks, and some other 3D CAD/modelling apps -- Adobe stuff mostly for "personal projects", the others for "more professional work" (I get 3D CAD/modelling contracts from time to time).

I'm currently running a Ryzen 7 3700X CPU on an X570 m0b0 (ASUS ROG CROSSHAIR VIII HERO) with 16GB of RAM (dual-channel, 3600MHz); my GPU is a 1660Ti. I typically "alterntate" my upgrades, so the main system components (CPU+m0b0+RAM) all at once, followed by a new video card a year or two later, then the mains again, and so on. Obviously my video card is now the older bit, so the cheap bastard in me is thinking "just get a 3070 or a 4060 and be done with it..." OR (being a bit less cheap and getting into the Christmas spirit of giving -- to myself ) get a new video card AND a Ryzen 9 5900X or 5950X.

Cheapness jokes aside, I'm hesitant to only get a new video card because I'm sure my current CPU will become a bottleneck to it. (Atm, the system is balanced pretty well, no bottlenecks anywhere, really.) So, at last, my questions:

1. Does anyone know if the CPUs I mentioned would still be a bottleneck?

2. Any thoughts on which of the two video cards I mentioned would be better for my purposes? (Money is not really an object, but my principle certainly is, and I'm simply not willing to pay what they charge for a 3080 and above or a 4070 and above.)

3. ...Or should I just cut my losses and just build a new system altogether (and switch back to Intel in the process)? (My only real reason to stick with the current build is the relatively high quality m0b0 I have; I would keep this system as a backup/spare.)


Thanks in advance,

Dany

Look at the Ryzen 7 5700X + RX 7800 XT 16GB.

 

[helper800]

Look at the Ryzen 7 5700X + RX 7800 XT 16GB.

I am in complete agreeance here.

Hello everyone,

1. Does anyone know if the CPUs I mentioned would still be a bottleneck?

2. Any thoughts on which of the two video cards I mentioned would be better for my purposes? (Money is not really an object, but my principle certainly is, and I'm simply not willing to pay what they charge for a 3080 and above or a 4070 and above.)

3. ...Or should I just cut my losses and just build a new system altogether (and switch back to Intel in the process)? (My only real reason to stick with the current build is the relatively high quality m0b0 I have; I would keep this system as a backup/spare.)

Thanks in advance,

Dany

If we want to maximize the value per dollar of the use case a 5700x, 5800x3d, 5900x, or 5950x are the obvious choices. The 7800xt and the rtx 4070 are the GPUs that make the most sense. I would choose the CPU that is best for what you focus on more, gaming or professional workloads. For those non-gaming workloads the 5900x or 5950x is your best option while giving you pretty good gaming performance. The 5700x and 5800x3d in particular are more budget / better for gaming while still getting the non-gaming stuff done in a reasonable amount of time with reasonable performance while in those applications.

 

[ohio_buckeye]

I agree to look at the 5700x. That would be a nice upgrade from your 3700x. The good news is that according to ebay completed listings you should be able to get 85-100 or a bit over for the 3700x. Which then means that your 5700x ends up costing you 80 bucks or so.

As far as the 7800xt, seems like a reasonable choice. If you've got a good PSU, keep an eye out for the older 6800xt. Their performance is pretty well in line with the 7800xt and sometimes you can catch a sale. Unfortunately they've gone up again, but I got one of these last week for $439.99 on sale. Though I did ponder the 7800xt and it would likely be a fine card. I just got the 6800xt due to pricing.

https://www.newegg.com/asrock-radeon-rx-6800-xt-rx6800xt-pgd-16go/p/N82E16814930049?Item=N82E16814930049&SoldByNewegg=1

 

[danytancou]

Thank you guys so, so much! I really appreciate it. All the CPUs you mentioned are on sale atm for very good discounts (I live in Canada) so I just have to pick one (after looking at specs and benchmarks a bit closer, and comparing them). I'm going to get it this weekend, so I don't miss out on the good price.

As for the video card, I've always used NVidia, so to switch to AMD I'd have to do a lot of research into what I'd be giving up and what I'd be gaining. Atm, the 7800XT is $100 cheaper than the 4070 (on average) so the difference is not huge, but I'll wait for Boxing Day when prices are hopefully going to drop a bit.

One last question: since none of these CPUs come with a cooler, is the Arctic Cooling Liquid Freezer II 280 still a good one to get? These were "all the rage" back in 2020 when I built my system, but couldn't afford one back then, so I stuck to the bundled air cooler (and never overclocked.) If not, what's a good air or liquid cooler, in your opinion? I don't care about lighting, btw, and even overclocking is not that big a deal.

Thank you once more!

 

[ohio_buckeye]

For air I like the Thermalright peerless assassin 120. It’s a dual tower air cooler, and it’s big but does a great job. And only runs about 35-40 bucks, then you don’t have to worry about an aio going out later.

 

[geofelt]

Is your current setup not doing the job now?
No such thing as a "bottleneck" think of it as a limiting factor .

Try this simple test:
Run YOUR games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
This makes the graphics card loaf a bit.
If your FPS increases, it indicates that your cpu is strong enough to drive a better graphics configuration.
If your FPS stays the same, you are likely more cpu limited.
If your fps improves, then a graphics update is reasonable.
What is the make/model of your psu?
Is it good enough to run a stronger graphics card.
On graphics cards, you mostly get what you pay for.
Avoid the strongest factory overclocked versions.
Tom's gpu hierarchy guide may help:

GPU Benchmarks and Hierarchy 2023: Graphics Cards Ranked

We've run hundreds of GPU benchmarks on Nvidia, AMD, and Intel graphics cards and ranked them in our comprehensive hierarchy.

www.tomshardware.com

You probably can't tell any difference from cards that are less than one tier apart.
If deciding between cheap and good, spend the money for good if you have the funds.
Buying cheaper makes you second guess for a long time.

If you need a stronger cpu, upgrading with amd is simplest.
Games depend on fast single thread performance of the master thread.
Run the cpu-Z bench on your 3700X and look at the single thread rating.
You should see a number like 528:

CPU-Z Benchmark for AMD Ryzen 7 3700X (1T) - CPU-Z VALIDATOR

Best CPU performance - 64-bit - April 2025

valid.x86.fr

The main difference between 5900X and 5950x is going from 24 to 32 threads. Good for batch apps, but not for gaming. The X3d versions are good for gaming, but not as good as their underlying models for anything else.

 

[danytancou]

Thanks again. I appreciate the testing advice, but I know my system and I know there are no bottlenecks anywhere.. I simply WANT (not NEED) to upgrade it -- but while money is not necessarily a concern, who in their right mind wouldn't be looking to spend less on anything, at any time, if they can?

Anyway, I ended up getting the 5900X so I don't miss out on the current price, and will put the the $100 or so that I "saved" towards a RTX 4070 or, MAYBE (I'm still not convinced) towards the 7800XT, whichever makes the most sense on Boxing Day. (I'm also keeping the CPU sealed until then, in case its price drops... then I can just buy it again and return this one. Thank you Amazon, and your excellent return policy! 😎)

I haven't decided on a cooler yet, but I won't be rebuilding until after Christmas anyway, so I have time.


Thank you all once again & all the best for the holidays!

Dany

 

[danytancou]

Got the Arctic Cooling Liquid Freezer II 280 cooler... found it for CAD$150 and just couldn't resist.