Upgrading my gaming pc. Taking suggestions for parts

[Mortem420]

Im looking to upgrade my gaming pc because when i first built it, it was a budget build made out of mostly older parts. Now that its been almost a year since i built it and I've had the time, money and internet to get some new games, I'm in need of an upgrade. Im mostly looking to upgrade just the RAM, CPU and motherboard. The reason for that being that majority of my gaming problems lay in CPU bottlenecking and ill need to get a different MoBo and RAM just to upgrade my CPU.

I currently have an ASUS P5Q-VM MoBo, Intel C2D E8600 and 8GB 800MHz DDR2 G.Skill RAM. I'm not just looking simply for an upgrade thats better then the parts i have, I'm looking to upgrade to better more recent parts i possibly can within my budget. I have a budget of about $600 as id like to keep it to spending around $200 on each of the new parts if possible.

I'd like to get an i5, preferably one thats good for overclocking, and 8-16GB of RAM should be good enough (also needs to be good for overclocking). I have no preference for MoBo company, I'd just like a MoBo thats good for gaming. MicroATX MoBo would be preferred for size but ill buy a gaming midtower if needed if the only MoBo options i have are for standard ATX

 

[jaslion]

Im looking to upgrade my gaming pc because when i first built it, it was a budget build made out of mostly older parts. Now that its been almost a year since i built it and I've had the time, money and internet to get some new games, I'm in need of an upgrade. Im mostly looking to upgrade just the RAM, CPU and motherboard. The reason for that being that majority of my gaming problems lay in CPU bottlenecking and ill need to get a different MoBo and RAM just to upgrade my CPU. I currently have an ASUS P5Q-VM MoBo, Intel C2D E8600 and 8GB 800MHz DDR2 G.Skill RAM. I'm not just looking simply for an upgrade thats better then the parts i have, I'm looking to upgrade to better more recent parts i possibly can within my budget. I have a budget of about $600 as id like to keep it to spending around $200 on each of the new parts if possible. I'd like to get an i5, preferably one thats good for overclocking, and 8-16GB of RAM should be good enough (also needs to be good for overclocking). I have no preference for MoBo company, I'd just like a MoBo thats good for gaming. MicroATX MoBo would be preferred for size but ill buy a gaming midtower if needed if the only MoBo options i have are for standard ATX

What are the other parts of your pc?
Also give your text some space such a wall is hard to read.

 

[Mortem420]

Im looking to upgrade my gaming pc because when i first built it, it was a budget build made out of mostly older parts. Now that its been almost a year since i built it and I've had the time, money and internet to get some new games, I'm in need of an upgrade. Im mostly looking to upgrade just the RAM, CPU and motherboard. The reason for that being that majority of my gaming problems lay in CPU bottlenecking and ill need to get a different MoBo and RAM just to upgrade my CPU. I currently have an ASUS P5Q-VM MoBo, Intel C2D E8600 and 8GB 800MHz DDR2 G.Skill RAM. I'm not just looking simply for an upgrade thats better then the parts i have, I'm looking to upgrade to better more recent parts i possibly can within my budget. I have a budget of about $600 as id like to keep it to spending around $200 on each of the new parts if possible. I'd like to get an i5, preferably one thats good for overclocking, and 8-16GB of RAM should be good enough (also needs to be good for overclocking). I have no preference for MoBo company, I'd just like a MoBo thats good for gaming. MicroATX MoBo would be preferred for size but ill buy a gaming midtower if needed if the only MoBo options i have are for standard ATX

What are the other parts of your pc?
Also give your text some space such a wall is hard to read.

Other parts include a DVD-RW (probably not important to know which CD drive but whatever), GTX 750 Ti, 750GB 7200RPM HDD, Arctic cooler Alpine (ill probably get new cpu cooler aswell), EVGA 500W PSU and im currently using a MicroATX case.

Are there any other parts i forgot that youd like to know about??

 

[jaslion]

Im looking to upgrade my gaming pc because when i first built it, it was a budget build made out of mostly older parts. Now that its been almost a year since i built it and I've had the time, money and internet to get some new games, I'm in need of an upgrade. Im mostly looking to upgrade just the RAM, CPU and motherboard. The reason for that being that majority of my gaming problems lay in CPU bottlenecking and ill need to get a different MoBo and RAM just to upgrade my CPU. I currently have an ASUS P5Q-VM MoBo, Intel C2D E8600 and 8GB 800MHz DDR2 G.Skill RAM. I'm not just looking simply for an upgrade thats better then the parts i have, I'm looking to upgrade to better more recent parts i possibly can within my budget. I have a budget of about $600 as id like to keep it to spending around $200 on each of the new parts if possible. I'd like to get an i5, preferably one thats good for overclocking, and 8-16GB of RAM should be good enough (also needs to be good for overclocking). I have no preference for MoBo company, I'd just like a MoBo thats good for gaming. MicroATX MoBo would be preferred for size but ill buy a gaming midtower if needed if the only MoBo options i have are for standard ATX

What are the other parts of your pc?
Also give your text some space such a wall is hard to read.

Other parts include a DVD-RW (probably not important to know which CD drive but whatever), GTX 750 Ti, 750GB 7200RPM HDD, Arctic cooler Alpine (ill probably get new cpu cooler aswell), EVGA 500W PSU and im currently using a MicroATX case.

Are there any other parts i forgot that youd like to know about??

What exact 500w evga psu?

I would recommend you a ryzen 3 or 5 cpu + b350 board + whatever amount of ram you want (get the fastest speed you can afford for ryzen).

 

[velocityg4]

Each build is MicroATX as you prefer. Although choices are limited with mATX. By the way whatever you choose. I would get that Scythe Mugen Max right away. They usually cost more than that. It is one of the heavier duty air coolers. Way more powerful than others in that price range.

Here is a good Core i5 build. The motherboard is fairly high end and good for overclocking. It also features USB 3.1 Gen 2. Most cheaper boards with USB 3.1 are Gen 1. It can also be upgraded with Thunderbolt as it supports a Thunderbolt add-in card.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-7600K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($221.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($156.39 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $545.26
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:03 EDT-0400

You do have enough money to go i7 and maximize your gaming potential. You'll have to cheap out some on the other parts. Overall you'll have better performance. It is only USB 3.1 Gen 1, lower quality audio and fewer fan headers.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($322.88 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($117.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($121.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $599.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:05 EDT-0400

Ryzen offers the best price to performance for your budget. Unfortunately there are no good mATX options. This build would require a new case.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 1600 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($197.28 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus - STRIX X370-F GAMING ATX AM4 Motherboard ($172.99 @ B&H)
Memory: Team - Vulcan 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $542.25
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:02 EDT-0400

 

[jaslion]

Each build is MicroATX as you prefer. Although choices are limited with mATX. By the way whatever you choose. I would get that Scythe Mugen Max right away. They usually cost more than that. It is one of the heavier duty air coolers. Way more powerful than others in that price range.

Here is a good Core i5 build. The motherboard is fairly high end and good for overclocking. It also features USB 3.1 Gen 2. Most cheaper boards with USB 3.1 are Gen 1. It can also be upgraded with Thunderbolt as it supports a Thunderbolt add-in card.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-7600K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($221.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($156.39 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $545.26
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:03 EDT-0400

You do have enough money to go i7 and maximize your gaming potential. You'll have to cheap out some on the other parts. Overall you'll have better performance. It is only USB 3.1 Gen 1, lower quality audio and fewer fan headers.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($322.88 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($117.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($121.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $599.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:05 EDT-0400

Ryzen offers the best price to performance for your budget. Unfortunately there are no good mATX options. This build would require a new case.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 1600 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($197.28 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus - STRIX X370-F GAMING ATX AM4 Motherboard ($172.99 @ B&H)
Memory: Team - Vulcan 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $542.25
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:02 EDT-0400

An Asrock AB350M Pro4 matx board is more than enough for that ryzen 1600 and a solid board. Why spend almost as much money on a motherboard as the cpu. The x370 chipset has almost no real extra offers compared to the b350 chipset.

 

[Mortem420]

Each build is MicroATX as you prefer. Although choices are limited with mATX. By the way whatever you choose. I would get that Scythe Mugen Max right away. They usually cost more than that. It is one of the heavier duty air coolers. Way more powerful than others in that price range.

Here is a good Core i5 build. The motherboard is fairly high end and good for overclocking. It also features USB 3.1 Gen 2. Most cheaper boards with USB 3.1 are Gen 1. It can also be upgraded with Thunderbolt as it supports a Thunderbolt add-in card.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-7600K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($221.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($156.39 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $545.26
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:03 EDT-0400

You do have enough money to go i7 and maximize your gaming potential. You'll have to cheap out some on the other parts. Overall you'll have better performance. It is only USB 3.1 Gen 1, lower quality audio and fewer fan headers.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($322.88 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($117.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($121.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $599.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:05 EDT-0400

Ryzen offers the best price to performance for your budget. Unfortunately there are no good mATX options. This build would require a new case.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 1600 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($197.28 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus - STRIX X370-F GAMING ATX AM4 Motherboard ($172.99 @ B&H)
Memory: Team - Vulcan 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $542.25
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:02 EDT-0400

The intel core builds youve listed are actually right around what im looking for. Perfectly within my budget and should definitely give me the performance increase im looking for. I may even be able to do the first build you listed but with with the Core i7 if i can save up a bit more money or if my parents would be willing to get me a part or 2 as birthday/christmas presents seeing as the i7 is only about $100 more than the i5. As long as i dont have to buy 3-4 new parts again just to upgrade my CPU or something ill be happy. Like if i decide i wanna end up getting like a core i9 (just an example, probably wont get one) or something later on that costs $1000+ i dont want to have to spend more money with it

Idk why but i just prefer Intel CPUs and ive only ever used Intel CPUs. Are there any benefits to getting an AMD over an Intel CPU other than AMD tend to be better for budget builds??

 

[velocityg4]

The intel core builds youve listed are actually right around what im looking for. Perfectly within my budget and should definitely give me the performance increase im looking for. I may even be able to do the first build you listed but with with the Core i7 if i can save up a bit more money or if my parents would be willing to get me a part or 2 as birthday/christmas presents seeing as the i7 is only about $100 more than the i5. As long as i dont have to buy 3-4 new parts again just to upgrade my CPU or something ill be happy. Like if i decide i wanna end up getting like a core i9 (just an example, probably wont get one) or something later on that costs $1000+ i dont want to have to spend more money with it

Idk why but i just prefer Intel CPUs and ive only ever used Intel CPUs. Are there any benefits to getting an AMD over an Intel CPU other than AMD tend to be better for budget builds??

I’d definitely go with the parts of the i5 build and pair it with the i7 instead. A lot of people cheap out on the motherboard. I did a long time too. Until I got my current Z77 board. There is a difference. More advanced interfaces, higher quality power handing (more reliable overclocking), reinforced mounts, more BIOS options and higher quality audio. As for the audio, it’s not just a better audio chip, but better caps, isolated circuits, &c.

As for AMD vs Intel. I don’t have a strong preference for recommendations. For my main desktop, it must be Intel as I want my options open for OSx86 support (hackintosh). I don’t use it regularly but it is fun to toy with for a bit before I realize I prefer Windows for gaming and delete the partition. Leaving OS X on my Macbook. For my server or office computer it doesn’t matter. If I was building one now it would be a Ryzen 1600 for the best bang for the buck.

Based on the capabilities of the CPU and trend in games towards more threads. I think AMD Ryzen (6 core models) are a better buy than an i5. In those games well optimized for multiple threads or trends like twitch streaming plus gaming. The Ryzen is more capable and will have a longer useful life. In tasks or games that are only one or two threads. The i5 is faster in those instances. Those tasks are generally not CPU intensive. It becomes a matter of so what. The Ryzen will do very well in those tasks regardless.

As for the i7-7700K. In most scenarios, it is well in the lead of Ryzen. Especially if you crank it up to 4.9/5 Ghz. There are some instances of very heavy multi-threading where the Ryzen wins. Unless you are doing a lot of video editing or other heavy workstation tasks. The i7 is a better buy.

When looking at CPUs I ignore in between models as they usually have a poor value. From low to high I’d look at the following.
- Pentium G4560 (office, casual gaming)
- Ryzen 3 1200 (office, low end gaming, light video editing)
- Ryzen 5 1400 (office, mid range gaming, moderate video editing)
- Ryzen 5 1600 (high end gaming, streaming, long use life)
- Intel Core i7 7700K/Ryzen 7 1700 (ultra gaming, budget workstation, very long use life)
- Threadripper 1950x (Budget workstation with multiple GPU, heavy expandability or heavy CPU needs, remote desktop server/VDI/Terminal Server, ultra gaming but a lot wasted resources)
- Intel Xeon (very high end workstations/servers, you can use it for games but it won’t be great)

I9 has a similar use case to the Threadripper but is overpriced and has less expandability. The i5 is good for now but gaming is moving beyond 4 threads. While the i5 will still work. I fear that a new build with an i5 won't have the same life they once had. I can't see an i5-7600K lasting appreciably longer than my 5 year old i5-3570K.

 

[jaslion]

Each build is MicroATX as you prefer. Although choices are limited with mATX. By the way whatever you choose. I would get that Scythe Mugen Max right away. They usually cost more than that. It is one of the heavier duty air coolers. Way more powerful than others in that price range.

Here is a good Core i5 build. The motherboard is fairly high end and good for overclocking. It also features USB 3.1 Gen 2. Most cheaper boards with USB 3.1 are Gen 1. It can also be upgraded with Thunderbolt as it supports a Thunderbolt add-in card.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-7600K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($221.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($156.39 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $545.26
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:03 EDT-0400

You do have enough money to go i7 and maximize your gaming potential. You'll have to cheap out some on the other parts. Overall you'll have better performance. It is only USB 3.1 Gen 1, lower quality audio and fewer fan headers.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($322.88 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($117.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($121.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $599.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:05 EDT-0400

Ryzen offers the best price to performance for your budget. Unfortunately there are no good mATX options. This build would require a new case.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 1600 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($197.28 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus - STRIX X370-F GAMING ATX AM4 Motherboard ($172.99 @ B&H)
Memory: Team - Vulcan 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $542.25
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:02 EDT-0400

The intel core builds youve listed are actually right around what im looking for. Perfectly within my budget and should definitely give me the performance increase im looking for. I may even be able to do the first build you listed but with with the Core i7 if i can save up a bit more money or if my parents would be willing to get me a part or 2 as birthday/christmas presents seeing as the i7 is only about $100 more than the i5. As long as i dont have to buy 3-4 new parts again just to upgrade my CPU or something ill be happy. Like if i decide i wanna end up getting like a core i9 (just an example, probably wont get one) or something later on that costs $1000+ i dont want to have to spend more money with it

Idk why but i just prefer Intel CPUs and ive only ever used Intel CPUs. Are there any benefits to getting an AMD over an Intel CPU other than AMD tend to be better for budget builds??

Well amd's ryzen has launched recently and is extremely competitive with intel atm. For budget builds amd is the better choice. Also for builds that do anything else than gaming (a bit of video editing, photo editing,...) amd is the better choice.

 

[Mortem420]

well god damn.. i just checked some of the prices of stuff online and some of that stuff costs like almost twice as much. I live in Canada so the prices are all different here. I hate currency exchange rates. Why cant a dollar just be worth a dollar like shit.. that may complicate things a bit

 

[velocityg4]

well god damn.. i just checked some of the prices of stuff online and some of that stuff costs like almost twice as much. I live in Canada so the prices are all different here. I hate currency exchange rates. Why cant a dollar just be worth a dollar like shit.. that may complicate things a bit

This is similar. It does go a bit above $600. Cooling is still quite good. Although not quite as good. The memory speed reduction won't make much of a difference. I didn't want to reduce motherboard quality.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-7600K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($293.50 @ shopRBC)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG - H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($46.75 @ Amazon Canada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($209.99 @ NCIX)
Memory: Patriot - Viper Elite 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($140.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Total: $691.23
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-03 12:58 EDT-0400

 

[Mortem420]

well god damn.. i just checked some of the prices of stuff online and some of that stuff costs like almost twice as much. I live in Canada so the prices are all different here. I hate currency exchange rates. Why cant a dollar just be worth a dollar like shit.. that may complicate things a bit

This is similar. It does go a bit above $600. Cooling is still quite good. Although not quite as good. The memory speed reduction won't make much of a difference. I didn't want to reduce motherboard quality.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-7600K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($293.50 @ shopRBC)
CPU Cooler: CRYORIG - H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler ($46.75 @ Amazon Canada)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($209.99 @ NCIX)
Memory: Patriot - Viper Elite 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($140.99 @ Amazon Canada)
Total: $691.23
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-03 12:58 EDT-0400

Yeah thats looking a bit better then the price i was looking at. I had like $1100 in total when I looked up the other parts
on Canadian sites. And lowered RAM speed shouldnt be too much of a big deal. I'm using DDR2 right now anyways so even DDR4 running at the same base clock would be faster wouldnt it?? I can also always upgrade later.

I just find it so hard to actually find the motivation to buy any new parts cause everything new can be so expensive. I know itll be worth it in the end but its still expensive. We live in an age where you can build a console killer for around or slightly more than a console or you can spend like $20000 on a gaming pc that just burns frames on every game (like 120-240+ FPS) id just like to find a nice happy place before the inbetween where i spend some money on my pc now and then wont have to for like 5 years.

I've thought of maybe just buying a pre-built gaming system cause sometimes they come at a half decent price and the system is generally prebuilt for a specific level of gaming and nothing more. But then when i really think about it, I'm like "no, i dont want a pre-built pc cause actually builiding the pc is like half of the fun"

 

[Mortem420]

Each build is MicroATX as you prefer. Although choices are limited with mATX. By the way whatever you choose. I would get that Scythe Mugen Max right away. They usually cost more than that. It is one of the heavier duty air coolers. Way more powerful than others in that price range.

Here is a good Core i5 build. The motherboard is fairly high end and good for overclocking. It also features USB 3.1 Gen 2. Most cheaper boards with USB 3.1 are Gen 1. It can also be upgraded with Thunderbolt as it supports a Thunderbolt add-in card.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-7600K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($221.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($156.39 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $545.26
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:03 EDT-0400

You do have enough money to go i7 and maximize your gaming potential. You'll have to cheap out some on the other parts. Overall you'll have better performance. It is only USB 3.1 Gen 1, lower quality audio and fewer fan headers.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($322.88 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270M-D3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($117.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($121.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $599.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:05 EDT-0400

Ryzen offers the best price to performance for your budget. Unfortunately there are no good mATX options. This build would require a new case.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 1600 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor ($197.28 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus - STRIX X370-F GAMING ATX AM4 Motherboard ($172.99 @ B&H)
Memory: Team - Vulcan 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($134.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $542.25
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:02 EDT-0400

The intel core builds youve listed are actually right around what im looking for. Perfectly within my budget and should definitely give me the performance increase im looking for. I may even be able to do the first build you listed but with with the Core i7 if i can save up a bit more money or if my parents would be willing to get me a part or 2 as birthday/christmas presents seeing as the i7 is only about $100 more than the i5. As long as i dont have to buy 3-4 new parts again just to upgrade my CPU or something ill be happy. Like if i decide i wanna end up getting like a core i9 (just an example, probably wont get one) or something later on that costs $1000+ i dont want to have to spend more money with it

Idk why but i just prefer Intel CPUs and ive only ever used Intel CPUs. Are there any benefits to getting an AMD over an Intel CPU other than AMD tend to be better for budget builds??

Well amd's ryzen has launched recently and is extremely competitive with intel atm. For budget builds amd is the better choice. Also for builds that do anything else than gaming (a bit of video editing, photo editing,...) amd is the better choice.

Ok so the New AMD Ryzen is comparable to some Intel CPUs, but is it comparable to the newer Intel CPUs?? I understand that as far as price point is concerned that AMD can be a good choice for getting more power per dollar i guess but there are reasons other than competitive pricing as to why its less expensive. An Intel quad core with higher speeds can outperform a 6 core AMD CPU in certain aspects would it not?? Also this is a gaming PC, so at most right now ill only need a CPU with 4 cores. No game has been optimized to use more than 4 cause its not necessary right now

 

[velocityg4]

Yeah thats looking a bit better then the price i was looking at. I had like $1100 in total when I looked up the other parts
on Canadian sites. And lowered RAM speed shouldnt be too much of a big deal. I'm using DDR2 right now anyways so even DDR4 running at the same base clock would be faster wouldnt it?? I can also always upgrade later.

I just find it so hard to actually find the motivation to buy any new parts cause everything new can be so expensive. I know itll be worth it in the end but its still expensive. We live in an age where you can build a console killer for around or slightly more than a console or you can spend like $20000 on a gaming pc that just burns frames on every game (like 120-240+ FPS) id just like to find a nice happy place before the inbetween where i spend some money on my pc now and then wont have to for like 5 years.

I've thought of maybe just buying a pre-built gaming system cause sometimes they come at a half decent price and the system is generally prebuilt for a specific level of gaming and nothing more. But then when i really think about it, I'm like "no, i dont want a pre-built pc cause actually builiding the pc is like half of the fun"

It is fun but you also have control over the quality of the parts. That prebuilt gaming PC will have a POS case, PSU, motherboard, RAM, SSD, GPU &c. The only part you know is the CPU and the series of GPU (not specific model). Everything else will be the cheapest part they can find to get it working. Unless you get a custom built where you have control over every component but those cost more.

 

[Mortem420]

Yeah thats looking a bit better then the price i was looking at. I had like $1100 in total when I looked up the other parts
on Canadian sites. And lowered RAM speed shouldnt be too much of a big deal. I'm using DDR2 right now anyways so even DDR4 running at the same base clock would be faster wouldnt it?? I can also always upgrade later.

I just find it so hard to actually find the motivation to buy any new parts cause everything new can be so expensive. I know itll be worth it in the end but its still expensive. We live in an age where you can build a console killer for around or slightly more than a console or you can spend like $20000 on a gaming pc that just burns frames on every game (like 120-240+ FPS) id just like to find a nice happy place before the inbetween where i spend some money on my pc now and then wont have to for like 5 years.

I've thought of maybe just buying a pre-built gaming system cause sometimes they come at a half decent price and the system is generally prebuilt for a specific level of gaming and nothing more. But then when i really think about it, I'm like "no, i dont want a pre-built pc cause actually builiding the pc is like half of the fun"

It is fun but you also have control over the quality of the parts. That prebuilt gaming PC will have a POS case, PSU, motherboard, RAM, SSD, GPU &c. The only part you know is the CPU and the series of GPU (not specific model). Everything else will be the cheapest part they can find to get it working. Unless you get a custom built where you have control over every component but those cost more.

Yeah i get what you mean there. A few months ago i helped my parents pick out a new business desktop. The damn thing cost like $800 and half that price tag was paying for the CPU and not a single one of the other parts cost more than $100. Its a pretty damn good CPU but the rest of the pc is just crap. The PSU had just enough extra power for me to add a low profile Zone Edition GT 730. Anything more and the PC just wouldnt turn on due to too much power draw

 

[Mortem420]

Each build is MicroATX as you prefer. Although choices are limited with mATX. By the way whatever you choose. I would get that Scythe Mugen Max right away. They usually cost more than that. It is one of the heavier duty air coolers. Way more powerful than others in that price range.

Here is a good Core i5 build. The motherboard is fairly high end and good for overclocking. It also features USB 3.1 Gen 2. Most cheaper boards with USB 3.1 are Gen 1. It can also be upgraded with Thunderbolt as it supports a Thunderbolt add-in card.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-7600K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($221.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($156.39 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $545.26
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:03 EDT-0400

I did a bit more research on this part selection you did for me and I noticed that in regards to OS compatibility the Gigabyte motherboard specs say:

"Windows® 10 64-bit (for 7th Generation Intel® Processors)
Windows® 10 64-bit / Windows® 8.1 64-bit / Windows® 7 32-bit / 64-bits (for 6th Generation Intel® Processors)
* Please download the "Windows USB Installation Tool" from GIGABYTE's website and install it before installing Windows 7."

So does this mean I'd have to use a 6th generation processor to use windows 7? I'm only wandering because I absolutely refuse to use Windows 10 in one of my personal PCs. I'm not too much of a fan of it and prefer to stay on windows 7

 

[jaslion]

Each build is MicroATX as you prefer. Although choices are limited with mATX. By the way whatever you choose. I would get that Scythe Mugen Max right away. They usually cost more than that. It is one of the heavier duty air coolers. Way more powerful than others in that price range.

Here is a good Core i5 build. The motherboard is fairly high end and good for overclocking. It also features USB 3.1 Gen 2. Most cheaper boards with USB 3.1 are Gen 1. It can also be upgraded with Thunderbolt as it supports a Thunderbolt add-in card.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-7600K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($221.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($156.39 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $545.26
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:03 EDT-0400

I did a bit more research on this part selection you did for me and I noticed that in regards to OS compatibility the Gigabyte motherboard specs say:

"Windows® 10 64-bit (for 7th Generation Intel® Processors)
Windows® 10 64-bit / Windows® 8.1 64-bit / Windows® 7 32-bit / 64-bits (for 6th Generation Intel® Processors)
* Please download the "Windows USB Installation Tool" from GIGABYTE's website and install it before installing Windows 7."

So does this mean I'd have to use a 6th generation processor to use windows 7? I'm only wandering because I absolutely refuse to use Windows 10 in one of my personal PCs. I'm not too much of a fan of it and prefer to stay on windows 7

Win 7 gets it's support taken down in 2 years anyways so you either move now and get a way better system for your money or you pay for a lesser system for the same money and stick with win 7 for 2 years and then go to 10 so that you aren't having major security issues.

I don't really like win 10 either but after nuking all of it's "observing" features it's actually really good.

 

[Mortem420]

Each build is MicroATX as you prefer. Although choices are limited with mATX. By the way whatever you choose. I would get that Scythe Mugen Max right away. They usually cost more than that. It is one of the heavier duty air coolers. Way more powerful than others in that price range.

Here is a good Core i5 build. The motherboard is fairly high end and good for overclocking. It also features USB 3.1 Gen 2. Most cheaper boards with USB 3.1 are Gen 1. It can also be upgraded with Thunderbolt as it supports a Thunderbolt add-in card.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-7600K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($221.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($156.39 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $545.26
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:03 EDT-0400

I did a bit more research on this part selection you did for me and I noticed that in regards to OS compatibility the Gigabyte motherboard specs say:

"Windows® 10 64-bit (for 7th Generation Intel® Processors)
Windows® 10 64-bit / Windows® 8.1 64-bit / Windows® 7 32-bit / 64-bits (for 6th Generation Intel® Processors)
* Please download the "Windows USB Installation Tool" from GIGABYTE's website and install it before installing Windows 7."

So does this mean I'd have to use a 6th generation processor to use windows 7? I'm only wandering because I absolutely refuse to use Windows 10 in one of my personal PCs. I'm not too much of a fan of it and prefer to stay on windows 7

Win 7 gets it's support taken down in 2 years anyways so you either move now and get a way better system for your money or you pay for a lesser system for the same money and stick with win 7 for 2 years and then go to 10 so that you aren't having major security issues.

I don't really like win 10 either but after nuking all of it's "observing" features it's actually really good.

By getting its support taken down do you mean like no more updates or they'll just stop making parts compatible with Windows 7?? And I guess i its a matter of paying around the same price to get a better system with Windows 10 then i guess its worth a shot. I just don't know much about the features other the what I've been able to figure out when I'm on my parents business desktop

But alot of the info available for windows 10 can basically be summed up into "Windows 10 can be qiute a pain in the ass". And part of the reason why I'm not too fond of it is because, like windows 8/8.1, the OS seems more or less better optimized for a touchscreen. It doesnt feel like the traditional desktop OS style you see in Windows 7 an XP. Also apparently some Windows 10 security features (although more security is nice) make game modding and whatnot more difficult.

But looking at it that way i guess I have 2 or 3 options. Either stay windows 7 and get a sightly slower PC (which would still be better than i currently have), pay about the same for parts and then get windows 10 (which i would have to buy an install CD or flashdrive for which would cost me more in the long run), or wait and hope that Mircosofts next OS goes back to a Windows 7 type style (which i doubt)

 

[jaslion]

Each build is MicroATX as you prefer. Although choices are limited with mATX. By the way whatever you choose. I would get that Scythe Mugen Max right away. They usually cost more than that. It is one of the heavier duty air coolers. Way more powerful than others in that price range.

Here is a good Core i5 build. The motherboard is fairly high end and good for overclocking. It also features USB 3.1 Gen 2. Most cheaper boards with USB 3.1 are Gen 1. It can also be upgraded with Thunderbolt as it supports a Thunderbolt add-in card.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-7600K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($221.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($156.39 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $545.26
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:03 EDT-0400

I did a bit more research on this part selection you did for me and I noticed that in regards to OS compatibility the Gigabyte motherboard specs say:

"Windows® 10 64-bit (for 7th Generation Intel® Processors)
Windows® 10 64-bit / Windows® 8.1 64-bit / Windows® 7 32-bit / 64-bits (for 6th Generation Intel® Processors)
* Please download the "Windows USB Installation Tool" from GIGABYTE's website and install it before installing Windows 7."

So does this mean I'd have to use a 6th generation processor to use windows 7? I'm only wandering because I absolutely refuse to use Windows 10 in one of my personal PCs. I'm not too much of a fan of it and prefer to stay on windows 7

Win 7 gets it's support taken down in 2 years anyways so you either move now and get a way better system for your money or you pay for a lesser system for the same money and stick with win 7 for 2 years and then go to 10 so that you aren't having major security issues.

I don't really like win 10 either but after nuking all of it's "observing" features it's actually really good.

By getting its support taken down do you mean like no more updates or they'll just stop making parts compatible with Windows 7?? And I guess i its a matter of paying around the same price to get a better system with Windows 10 then i guess its worth a shot. I just don't know much about the features other the what I've been able to figure out when I'm on my parents business desktop

But alot of the info available for windows 10 can basically be summed up into "Windows 10 can be qiute a pain in the ass". And part of the reason why I'm not too fond of it is because, like windows 8/8.1, the OS seems more or less better optimized for a touchscreen. It doesnt feel like the traditional desktop OS style you see in Windows 7 an XP. Also apparently some Windows 10 security features (although more security is nice) make game modding and whatnot more difficult.

But looking at it that way i guess I have 2 or 3 options. Either stay windows 7 and get a sightly slower PC (which would still be better than i currently have), pay about the same for parts and then get windows 10 (which i would have to buy an install CD or flashdrive for which would cost me more in the long run), or wait and hope that Mircosofts next OS goes back to a Windows 7 type style (which i doubt)

Windows 7 support for new hardware has stopped already. The new gpu's still support it but no current cpu is officially supported in windows 7 (no security updates and bugfixes for you when you run windows 7 also now drivers for your motherboard). Windows 7 support ends in early 2020 then it will no longer recieve updates and all security holes will stay open.

Win 10 is like windows 7 but modernized. It has a standard start menu (you click and just type in it not even needing to click in a search bar). The new settings center and such is more touch screen optimized but doesn't compromize for the desktop user. You can also just get all of your old programs back like windows photo viewer with an easy registery edit.

You can run win 10 unactivated forever and you'll just have a small watermark in the corner.

Since your question for the upgrade has been asked a while ago the current recommended parts are no longer recommended.

A ryzen 1600 or i5 8400 is now a way better choice for you.

 

[Mortem420]

Each build is MicroATX as you prefer. Although choices are limited with mATX. By the way whatever you choose. I would get that Scythe Mugen Max right away. They usually cost more than that. It is one of the heavier duty air coolers. Way more powerful than others in that price range.

Here is a good Core i5 build. The motherboard is fairly high end and good for overclocking. It also features USB 3.1 Gen 2. Most cheaper boards with USB 3.1 are Gen 1. It can also be upgraded with Thunderbolt as it supports a Thunderbolt add-in card.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-7600K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor ($221.89 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Scythe - Mugen MAX 97.2 CFM CPU Cooler ($36.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-Z270MX-Gaming 5 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($156.39 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($129.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $545.26
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-02 15:03 EDT-0400

I did a bit more research on this part selection you did for me and I noticed that in regards to OS compatibility the Gigabyte motherboard specs say:

"Windows® 10 64-bit (for 7th Generation Intel® Processors)
Windows® 10 64-bit / Windows® 8.1 64-bit / Windows® 7 32-bit / 64-bits (for 6th Generation Intel® Processors)
* Please download the "Windows USB Installation Tool" from GIGABYTE's website and install it before installing Windows 7."

So does this mean I'd have to use a 6th generation processor to use windows 7? I'm only wandering because I absolutely refuse to use Windows 10 in one of my personal PCs. I'm not too much of a fan of it and prefer to stay on windows 7

Win 7 gets it's support taken down in 2 years anyways so you either move now and get a way better system for your money or you pay for a lesser system for the same money and stick with win 7 for 2 years and then go to 10 so that you aren't having major security issues.

I don't really like win 10 either but after nuking all of it's "observing" features it's actually really good.

By getting its support taken down do you mean like no more updates or they'll just stop making parts compatible with Windows 7?? And I guess i its a matter of paying around the same price to get a better system with Windows 10 then i guess its worth a shot. I just don't know much about the features other the what I've been able to figure out when I'm on my parents business desktop

But alot of the info available for windows 10 can basically be summed up into "Windows 10 can be qiute a pain in the ass". And part of the reason why I'm not too fond of it is because, like windows 8/8.1, the OS seems more or less better optimized for a touchscreen. It doesnt feel like the traditional desktop OS style you see in Windows 7 an XP. Also apparently some Windows 10 security features (although more security is nice) make game modding and whatnot more difficult.

But looking at it that way i guess I have 2 or 3 options. Either stay windows 7 and get a sightly slower PC (which would still be better than i currently have), pay about the same for parts and then get windows 10 (which i would have to buy an install CD or flashdrive for which would cost me more in the long run), or wait and hope that Mircosofts next OS goes back to a Windows 7 type style (which i doubt)

Windows 7 support for new hardware has stopped already. The new gpu's still support it but no current cpu is officially supported in windows 7 (no security updates and bugfixes for you when you run windows 7 also now drivers for your motherboard). Windows 7 support ends in early 2020 then it will no longer recieve updates and all security holes will stay open.

Win 10 is like windows 7 but modernized. It has a standard start menu (you click and just type in it not even needing to click in a search bar). The new settings center and such is more touch screen optimized but doesn't compromize for the desktop user. You can also just get all of your old programs back like windows photo viewer with an easy registery edit.

You can run win 10 unactivated forever and you'll just have a small watermark in the corner.

Since your question for the upgrade has been asked a while ago the current recommended parts are no longer recommended.

A ryzen 1600 or i5 8400 is now a way better choice for you.

Oh jesus, the Intel Core series is on its 8th generation now?? Stuff gets outdated so fast now it sees like by the time i decide what parts I want, better versions have been released. I guess part of it is that this whole "New PC Build" im doing is pretty much kinda theoretical seeing as my goal was to have set parts and prices to save up and buy all the parts i wanted for a new PC

I suppose it would be a bit better to have the money already before asking these questions just because of the most recent part releases. But this also kinda helps me to keep up with newer parts and stuff. Most of my computer knowledge is based off of LGA775 so I'm kind of a bit behind on info about anything past that

 

[velocityg4]

Oh jesus, the Intel Core series is on its 8th generation now?? Stuff gets outdated so fast now it sees like by the time i decide what parts I want, better versions have been released. I guess part of it is that this whole "New PC Build" im doing is pretty much kinda theoretical seeing as my goal was to have set parts and prices to save up and buy all the parts i wanted for a new PC

I suppose it would be a bit better to have the money already before asking these questions just because of the most recent part releases. But this also kinda helps me to keep up with newer parts and stuff. Most of my computer knowledge is based off of LGA775 so I'm kind of a bit behind on info about anything past that

Yes, it's best to set a target price. The parts which will fit in that target will change over time. Just know that at $600 you'll get a low-mid range gaming computer.

You best get used to Windows 10. That is the future of MS. As I understand it. There will be no Windows 11. MS is taking an Apple like approach now. Where they will be releasing frequent major and minor updates at no cost. Except they will be pushing them automatically.

This way changes in the GUI and new features occur gradually. Rather than the upheaval of a major update every few years.

I didn't care much for Windows 10 when I first used it. It has gotten much better. Now Windows 7 just feels antiquated. I just wish they'd make up their mind about Control Panel or Settings.