Build Advice Upgrading my PC for music production ?

[amitToms]

Hey,
I have an old computer that I bought a few years ago. Recently, I started creating music and it's been causing issues with big projects. I looked at the software requirements and they suggest buying the fastest CPU available for a single core (which has over 8 cores) that my budget allows. Sometimes I also play games on this computer, but the current hardware is sufficient for me.

My specs are:
CPU:Intel Core i5-6500
CPU cooler:Bloody Tiger A40
Motherboard:Gigabyte GA-B150M-HD3
RAM:16GB DDR4 RAM1 stick
Power Supply:Antec VP-500
Graphics Card:Nvidia GeForce GTX 10606GB

My budget for upgrading is between $430 to $680 (top-end, only if it's really worth it)I'm guessing I'll need to upgrade also the motherboard (maybe also the CPU coller) and not just the CPU

 

[Lucky_SLS]

AMD 9000 series launch in July: https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-com...-7-and-5-processors-with-a-16-ipc-improvement

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700X 4.5 GHz 8-Core Processor ($280.69 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($37.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B650M AORUS ELITE AX Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard ($179.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: TEAMGROUP T-Create Expert 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6400 CL32 Memory ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS GX-750 ATX 3.0 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $683.56
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-06-04 09:08 EDT-0400


budget option:
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-13400F 2.5 GHz 10-Core Processor ($176.14 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($37.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B760M PG Riptide Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: KingBank SharpBlade 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory ($86.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS GX-750 ATX 3.0 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $521.01
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-06-04 09:14 EDT-0400

 

[35below0]

Hey,
I have an old computer that I bought a few years ago. Recently, I started creating music and it's been causing issues with big projects. I looked at the software requirements and they suggest buying the fastest CPU available for a single core (which has over 8 cores) that my budget allows. Sometimes I also play games on this computer, but the current hardware is sufficient for me.
My specs are:
CPU:Intel Core i5-6500
CPU coller:Bloody Tiger A40
Motherboard:Gigabyte GA-B150M-HD3
RAM:16GB DDR4 RAM1 stick
Power Supply:Antec VP-500
Graphics Card:Nvidia GeForce GTX 10606GB

My budget for upgrading is between $430 to $680 (top-end, only if it's really worth it)I'm guessing I'll need to upgrade also the motherboard (maybe also the CPU coller) and not just the CPU

Having only a single stick of RAM means no dual channel.
Having only 16 Gb is starting to become too little RAM these days.

How old is your power supply? Because if it's out of warranty, it's something you should replace either now or in the near future.

How much room in the case have you got for a tower cooler? What is the case?

Here's one upgrade path ~$450:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-12600K 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor ($169.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard: ASRock Z690 Extreme ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 4 Blackout 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 Memory ($118.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $418.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-06-04 09:51 EDT-0400

Gets you 64 Gb RAM, a new 10 core CPU, and a motherboard that allows even faster 12/13/14th gen CPUs in the future.
Sell your single stick of RAM. Don't try to mix it with the new 64Gb kit.

If you need a PSU in the near future, i recommend something of this caliber: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/xV...-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-vertex-px-750
It's costly but also efficient, quiet and reliable for many years. Saving $50 or $100 is not much use if you need to replace PSUs too often. My opinion.

 

[amitToms]

AMD 9000 series launch in July: https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-com...-7-and-5-processors-with-a-16-ipc-improvement

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700X 4.5 GHz 8-Core Processor ($280.69 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($37.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B650M AORUS ELITE AX Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard ($179.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: TEAMGROUP T-Create Expert 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6400 CL32 Memory ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS GX-750 ATX 3.0 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $683.56
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-06-04 09:08 EDT-0400


budget option:
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-13400F 2.5 GHz 10-Core Processor ($176.14 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler ($37.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B760M PG Riptide Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: KingBank SharpBlade 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory ($86.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS GX-750 ATX 3.0 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $521.01
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-06-04 09:14 EDT-0400

Thanks,

Having only a single stick of RAM means no dual channel.
Having only 16 Gb is starting to become too little RAM these days.

How old is your power supply? Because if it's out of warranty, it's something you should replace either now or in the near future.

How much room in the case have you got for a tower cooler? What is the case?

Here's one upgrade path ~$450:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-12600K 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor ($169.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard: ASRock Z690 Extreme ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 4 Blackout 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 Memory ($118.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $418.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-06-04 09:51 EDT-0400

Gets you 64 Gb RAM, a new 10 core CPU, and a motherboard that allows even faster 12/13/14th gen CPUs in the future.
Sell your single stick of RAM. Don't try to mix it with the new 64Gb kit.

If you need a PSU in the near future, i recommend something of this caliber: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/xV...-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-vertex-px-750
It's costly but also efficient, quiet and reliable for many years. Saving $50 or $100 is not much use if you need to replace PSUs too often. My opinion.

Thanks you both,
Why do I need to replace the PSU? I calculated the power requirement of my computer and the current PSU is enough even if I upgrade the processor to the higher one.
About the memory, currently 16 GB is enough for me as fl studio doesn't use too much memory.
You don't think that my CPU cooler will be suffix? I know that it is very close to the limit, but it will not handle the upgrade?
Unfortunately the prices in my country are higher, and also the shipping prices, so the more expensive is something like 10% higher price.
My case is Antec GX 500

Thank you for the helping

 

[Lucky_SLS]

the Anrec VP-500 is not a great power supply. How old is it? if its out of warranty, i would suggest a new quality PSU.

You cooler is a basic 4 heatpipe model. it will be loud. the thermalright models are not expensive. Either peerless assassin/phantom spirit or Deepcool AK620.

 

[amitToms]

the Anrec VP-500 is not a great power supply. How old is it? if its out of warranty, i would suggest a new quality PSU.

You cooler is a basic 4 heatpipe model. it will be loud. the thermalright models are not expensive. Either peerless assassin/phantom spirit or Deepcool AK620.

The PSU is slightly out of warranty but it enough for all my needs. Is there a real reason to replace it? I prefer to save the budget instead of buying a new PSU, unless there is real reason.
Also why not using the intel 14600 cpu?

Again, thank you for your help

 

[35below0]

The PSU is slightly out of warranty but it enough for all my needs. Is there a real reason to replace it? I prefer to save the budget instead of buying a new PSU, unless there is real reason.
Also why not using the intel 14600 cpu?

Again, thank you for your help

You're playing with fire with an old, unreliable PSU that's out of warranty.

Think of it this way, would you put a low end $50 motherboard in your PC? Or a no name 4Gb stick of RAM? Or a used graphics card with dirt on it that sells for a $100? Or an old, used processor? A HDD or SSD from a vendor you've never heard of?
You wouldn't. You're using only quality components that come from good brands and are reliable.
Your PSU is bad. And bad PSUs may die and damage other components.

If you put all your money into a PC upgrade that doesn't include a new PSU, and a reliable one then you put everything in the PC case at risk of failure.
Browse the forum and see what kind of problems people have with bad PSUs.


You didn't mention your country. Prices are completely different across countries. Link to an online store you're going to buy from if you want more accurate suggestions.

The i5 14600 is very expensive. I think that's the reason it wasn't suggested.

As for 16Gb of RAM, it is barely enough and doesn't benefit from dual channel operation. Fruity may not benefit too much but in general it's a better idea to have 2x16Gb minimum today.

Here's one new PC that costs less money, but again until i know where you will be buying i don't know the prices and i don't know what's available.
Maybe you won't be able to buy this motherboard

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-12400 2.5 GHz 6-Core Processor ($145.85 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z690 Pro RS ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($120.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 Memory ($67.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS Gold 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $414.81
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-06-08 13:36 EDT-0400

This flies in Win 11, has plenty of RAM for Fruity or other software, has a reliable power supply, and it's within budget. Maybe. Prices vary.

 

[Lucky_SLS]

Ryzen 7700X has better single and multi threaded performance and the B650 supports CPUs upto 2027.

the B760 or LGA 1700 platform is EoL and will not support upcoming Intel CPUs.

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compar...-14400-vs-AMD-Ryzen-7-7700X-vs-Intel-i5-14600

 

[35below0]

the B760 or LGA 1700 platform is EoL and will not support upcoming Intel CPUs.

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compar...-14400-vs-AMD-Ryzen-7-7700X-vs-Intel-i5-14600

Yes but so what? It's not like all the LGA1700 CPUs and components are going to vanish into thin air. A PC build on this platform can last a decade even without any upgrade. Though i have tried to keep the possibility of a CPU upgrade open because the OP has a limited budget today + no real need of a 14th gen CPU.

It's not dead, it's just not going to get new CPUs. RAM, GPU, PSU, NVMe and SSD drives, etc. etc. are all still going to roll out and be compatible with 12/13/14th gen Intel builds.

 

[Lucky_SLS]

Yes but so what? It's not like all the LGA1700 CPUs and components are going to vanish into thin air. A PC build on this platform can last a decade even without any upgrade. Though i have tried to keep the possibility of a CPU upgrade open because the OP has a limited budget today + no real need of a 14th gen CPU.

It's not dead, it's just not going to get new CPUs. RAM, GPU, PSU, NVMe and SSD drives, etc. etc. are all still going to roll out and be compatible with 12/13/14th gen Intel builds.

Its EoL, cant refute that. And the platform is dead, no other way of saying it.

The question of if it can last a decade depends on the OP's needs and how he uses it. I am not going to comment on that. He might use it for 5 years or even 10 like you are suggesting.

Would AM5 be a better choice for long term support? 100% yes.
Will the 7700X perform similar to the 14600k? Yes again.

So I leave the choice to the OP.

 

[35below0]

Its EoL, cant refute that. And the platform is dead, no other way of saying it.

You're joking.

The i5 3570K launched more than a decade ago as a 3rd gen intel, and servicing ended in 2019.
The i5 13600K EoL hasn't even been announced yet.

You're misusing the term, very badly. The B760 and z790 motherboards are as current as it gets if you're buying intel. They're so current then next gen hasn't even come to market yet.

In what universe is a product dead the second a successor is announced? Should people throw their 2022 E class Mercs in a ditch somewhere just because Mercedes has a new 2024 E class coming soon?

Yes i can refute that. The LGA1700 is current gen consumer CPU generation from Intel. There won't be any new CPUs for the socket, but everything else from memory to SSDs, GPU, etc, etc, etc, will keep coming and be compatible and usable.
The latest z790 motherboards came out as recently as last month or a couple months ago.
Dead?

It is only dead if it's off the shelves and productioon and sales have ended & there's a new generation on the market to replace it.
Call it dead in Q4 this year if you must, but please.
Even 12th gen + z690 builds are perfectly reasonable. Even better in some cases because the z690 motherboards have dropped in price but lost none of their quality. DDR4 is aslo a cheaper way to get large kits, plus it's got lower latency.
DDR4 isn't even dead yet and it's actually replaced. So no, i cannot agree to the way you're presenting this.

AM4, AM5 and LGA1700 are all currently viable choices. AM5 is the only one that will see CPUs and motherboards coming out in the future. If that's an advantage, fine but most people aren't going to swap motherboards because that's practically a core upgrade.
And CPUs are still a possible upgrade for anyone who buys less than an i9 13900K/14900K.


Unless someone is building a PC to last 2-3 years, they can comfortably choose something other than AM5.
Try to refute that.

 

[Lucky_SLS]

I did not say that people have to swap to current gen parts cuz a product is EoL. But you have to understand that what EoL means - no future product updates.

You are trying to side track the point by saying that SSDs and other pc parts are compatible with 14th gen. You and i both know thats not what i meant.

There is a difference between EoL and discontinued. Win 7 is discontinued, no more product support. Security updates.

similar to this: Intel 11th gen is discontinued. and LGA 1700 is EoL.

You can see the marketing status here: https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...11700-processor-16m-cache-up-to-4-90-ghz.html

I am not back tracking on what i said, OP can use the 14600 for 10 years if it suits him. I am just pointing out the facts.

 

[35below0]

I did not say that people have to swap to current gen parts cuz a product is EoL. But you have to understand that what EoL means - no future product updates.

You are trying to side track the point by saying that SSDs and other pc parts are compatible with 14th gen. You and i both know thats not what i meant.

There is a difference between EoL and discontinued. Win 7 is discontinued, no more product support. Security updates.

similar to this: Intel 11th gen is discontinued. and LGA 1700 is EoL.

You can see the marketing status here: https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...11700-processor-16m-cache-up-to-4-90-ghz.html

I am not back tracking on what i said, OP can use the 14600 for 10 years if it suits him. I am just pointing out the facts.

I've never had a cross word with you before and i hope never to have one. I respect you and your opinions and advice and suggestions.

What really irked me was you declaring the current Intel lineup, which is as modern as it gets, as dead. Dead means useless, buried, do not buy. That's dead.
You used the word"dead" in a different way.
9/10/11 gen intels are not advisable except for upgrades and if parts are cheap. But parts are usually not cheap, and it's usually better to switch to 12/13/14 gen. (or Ryzen)
8th gen and older is basically still up to the task but buying an 8th gen CPU or PC is almost certainly a mistake.

But the same cannot be said of the 12/13/14th gens. It's current. It will be outgoing soon and soon it will be better to wait and see what the next gen has to offer. But there may be early wrinkles to iron out etc etc.

I think you know and understand this. Because the argument isn't about this.
It's about what you mean by dead or EoL. It's not officially EoL. Some Alder motherbaord may be, but the whole of LGA1700 is neither EoL and certainly is not dead.

And product updates depend on what you mean. BIOSes will be updated. Motherboard revisions may come out. New CPUs will certainly not appear. Is that enough for you to declare "no future product updates"?

Please be clear when you say these things and when you use definitive language to advise others. Being up to date with computer hardware is a priviledge and it's great to be able to share it and help steer people away from garbage and suspicious vendors.
I felt you've been misleading with the way you've used EoL and "dead" product/socket, unintentionally.

The Intel sheet you linked says discontinued. That means production ended and it's no longer sold new except for old stock.
Look at this one: https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...-3570k-processor-6m-cache-up-to-3-80-ghz.html
That's the 3570K, 12 years old. Discontinued AND End of servicing lifetime. That is dead.

Of course i don't expect you to pretend the 9600K is alive and a viable product. It isn't and i would not advise anyone to build a PC using it.

Here is the current 13600K: https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...3600k-processor-24m-cache-up-to-5-10-ghz.html

"Launched" is all it says. But you declared EoL and no preoduct updates. Untrue, and you must be more clear with your language.

This is my gripe with what you said. Nothing else.

 

[Lucky_SLS]

Again, I think we are stressing on different points here.

And ok, I won't use the term EoL here, but the fact still remains that it will not support the next gen intel CPUs, unlike AM5. To me, as a PC enthusiast, I would consider it to be in it's final stage/EoL. As a general consumer standpoint, Yes you will receive bios updates and security updates for a few more years. But for the next hardware update, you would have to swap both the mobo and the CPU. The B650 AM5 boards will support CPUs that would launch till 2027. That's atleast 2 more generations of ryzen chips.

Would this affect me? 100% Yes. That's why I went with 7800X3D and B650. Would that affect you or the OP? I cannot comment.

If the OP already has DDR4 rams, it would have been worthwhile to explore ddr4 based 13th gen. When you have to get a new mobo, ram amd cpu - AM5 is the better long term option.

 

[amitToms]

You're playing with fire with an old, unreliable PSU that's out of warranty.

Think of it this way, would you put a low end $50 motherboard in your PC? Or a no name 4Gb stick of RAM? Or a used graphics card with dirt on it that sells for a $100? Or an old, used processor? A HDD or SSD from a vendor you've never heard of?
You wouldn't. You're using only quality components that come from good brands and are reliable.
Your PSU is bad. And bad PSUs may die and damage other components.

If you put all your money into a PC upgrade that doesn't include a new PSU, and a reliable one then you put everything in the PC case at risk of failure.
Browse the forum and see what kind of problems people have with bad PSUs.


You didn't mention your country. Prices are completely different across countries. Link to an online store you're going to buy from if you want more accurate suggestions.

The i5 14600 is very expensive. I think that's the reason it wasn't suggested.

As for 16Gb of RAM, it is barely enough and doesn't benefit from dual channel operation. Fruity may not benefit too much but in general it's a better idea to have 2x16Gb minimum today.

Here's one new PC that costs less money, but again until i know where you will be buying i don't know the prices and i don't know what's available.
Maybe you won't be able to buy this motherboard

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-12400 2.5 GHz 6-Core Processor ($145.85 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z690 Pro RS ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($120.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 Memory ($67.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS Gold 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $414.81
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-06-08 13:36 EDT-0400

This flies in Win 11, has plenty of RAM for Fruity or other software, has a reliable power supply, and it's within budget. Maybe. Prices vary.

I just thought that the PSU is OK, since it is not from no name company, but from antec. I understand that is the entry level but I couldn't find sources that say this PSU is bad. If I will buy a more power consuming PSU I will also upgrade the PSU.
Actually for the 14600 I can get a new one with the same price as the amd
Nevertheless I think I will to the new AMD launch to make a better decision

 

[35below0]

I just thought that the PSU is OK, since it is not from no name company, but from antec. I understand that is the entry level but I couldn't find sources that say this PSU is bad. If I will buy a more power consuming PSU I will also upgrade the PSU.
Actually for the 14600 I can get a new one with the same price as the amd
Nevertheless I think I will to the new AMD launch to make a better decision

PSUs don't degrade mechanically (well the moving parts do) but they degrade chemically over time. Most don't have warranty longer than 5 years. High quality power supplies have 10 or 12 year warranty. They cost more but they're safe for longer and they can realiably deliver their stated watts over a longer period.

We're not just urging you to spend for no reason. The concern over that PSU is genuine.

I had a SeaSonic M12II that lasted 12 years, and would probably last another 5. Or maybe it would suffer a catastrophic failure and take the rest of my machine with it.
It was a good PSU in it's day, and it held up well but without replacement, the risk of failure only gets higher and higher.

 

[DSzymborski]

Yup, I wouldn't make any upgrade without also swapping out the PSU. It's a cheaply made group-regulated unit costed down for the entry-level market. I would not use it for any PC that has a GPU that requires supplementary power.