Question Upgrading CPU, mobo, and RAM

[Kevin9809]

It's about that time to upgrade my CPU, mobo, and RAM. I'm assuming I will also need to buy a new CPU cooler and thermal paste. I primarily use my PC for gaming and some streaming. Please let me know if you think I should also make any other upgrades. For reference, my current build is listed below. You can assume everything was purchased and built in July 2012 unless otherwise stated. I have included the upgrade questionnaire following my current build information.

CURRENT BUILD:

CPU:
Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor

Cooler:
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler - replaced CPU fan in late 2018 due to failure

Motherboard:
ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard

Memory:
G.SKILL TridentX Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory - purchased in October 2016

Hard Drive:
Samsung 860 EVO 1TB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD - purchased in February 2019
Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive - no longer used; kept in PC as a backup only

Video Card:
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 2070 WINDFORCE 8GB GDDR6 Video Card - purchased Jan 2019 (orig Nov 2018 - first 2070 card failed)

Case:
Cooler Master HAF 922 ATX Mid Tower Case - replaced the front and top 200mm fans due to rattling

Power Supply:
PC Power & Cooling 750W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply

Optical Drive:
Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer

Monitor:
Acer Predator XB271HU bmiprz 27" WQHD (2560x1440) NVIDIA G-SYNC IPS Monitor - purchased in summer 2018

Operating System:
Microsoft Windows 10 - purchased Windows 7 in 2012 and upgraded to Windows 10 so I'm assuming I will not need to re-purchase Windows for this build


UPGRADE QUESTIONNAIRE:

Approximate Purchase Date: Soon

Budget Range: I don't have a limit per se, but I am assuming the CPU will be in the $300 range, the motherboard will be in the $150-$250 range, and the ram will be less than $100. I am willing to spend more, if necessary, but I'm guesstimating the current prices to give you an idea.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, Streaming, General Web Browsing

Are you buying a monitor: NO

Parts to Upgrade: CPU, mobo, RAM, CPU cooler?, thermal paste?, other, if necessary?

Do you need to buy OS: NO - I purchased Windows 7 (upgraded to Windows 10) with my original build. I am assuming I will not need to repurchase Windows.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Amazon.com, Newegg.com

Location: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Parts Preferences: Intel preferred, but I will go with what everyone thinks is best

Overclocking: No / Maybe

SLI or Crossfire: No

Your Monitor Resolution: 2560x1440

Additional Comments: I currently play games such as Apex Legends and BF5.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: My CPU is almost certainly a bottleneck at this point due to its age and the upgrades I've made since then. It's about that time to upgrade!

 

[WildCard999]

This would be a good upgrade.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($199.00 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - X570 GAMING X ATX AM4 Motherboard ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($77.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $446.98
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-07-12 09:39 EDT-0400

 

[Kevin9809]

This would be a good upgrade.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($199.00 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - X570 GAMING X ATX AM4 Motherboard ($169.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($77.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $446.98
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-07-12 09:39 EDT-0400

Thanks for the quick reply! Is AMD the better option currently, or is it just a good way to save some $$$ while still getting solid performance?

Also, Newegg has this special for the Ryzen 5: https://www.newegg.com/Motherboard-Combos/Store/ID-1418 Would you recommend any of those motherboards or deals?

 

[WildCard999]

Thanks for the quick reply! Is AMD the better option currently, or is it just a good way to save some $$$ while still getting solid performance?

Also, Newegg has this special for the Ryzen 5: https://www.newegg.com/Motherboard-Combos/Store/ID-1418 Would you recommend any of those motherboards or deals?

The Ryzen 3600 is equivalent to the i7-8700 so it's definitely a solid choice for significantly cheaper.
https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Core-i7-8700-vs-AMD-Ryzen-5-3600/3940vs4040

As for the bundle it could save you some money but I'm not really a fan of MSI boards so nothing I'd really recommend. If your near a Microcenter they do bundles as well which you could get memory with it and save more money.

 

[Kevin9809]

The Ryzen 3600 is equivalent to the i7-8700 so it's definitely a solid choice for significantly cheaper.
https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Core-i7-8700-vs-AMD-Ryzen-5-3600/3940vs4040

As for the bundle it could save you some money but I'm not really a fan of MSI boards so nothing I'd really recommend. If your near a Microcenter they do bundles as well which you could get memory with it and save more money.

Unfortunately, I do not have a Microcenter near me. A few final questions regarding the CPU cooler as all of my other components should be plug and play with the setup you proposed.

CPU Cooler:

1. Would you recommend an aftermarket CPU cooler for the Ryzen 3600?
2. Should I buy thermal paste (any specific brand) instead of using the one that comes with the Ryzen?
3. Alternatively, should I attempt to remove my current aftermarket CPU cooler and reseat it on the new CPU? If so, what's the best way to go about doing so as I have never attempted that before?

 

[WildCard999]

1. Not initially, the stock Wraith coolers are quite good however it can get a little bit audible. Try it first and if it's too loud then replace it with a decent $30ish aftermarket cooler such as the CM EVO 212 Black.

2. Stock paste works fine but a good aftermarket one for the CPU & GPU is MX4.

3. You'll need to contact Cooler Master to get a AM4 bracket for it, the Intel or AM3+ bracket it came with won't work on the Ryzen CPU.

 

[Kevin9809]

1. Not initially, the stock Wraith coolers are quite good however it can get a little bit audible. Try it first and if it's too loud then replace it with a decent $30ish aftermarket cooler such as the CM EVO 212 Black.

2. Stock paste works fine but a good aftermarket one for the CPU & GPU is MX4.

3. You'll need to contact Cooler Master to get a AM4 bracket for it, the Intel or AM3+ bracket it came with won't work on the Ryzen CPU.

Thanks for the input. It looks like I have a decision to make! I wish the motherboard was available now on Amazon as they ship more quickly than Newegg (even with Shoprunner). Returns are also quicker since I'm on the opposite coast from Newegg's returns warehouse.