Question Upgrading my PC, but am I wasting my money on parts I dont need ?

[jakedutton24]

Specs:
RAM: 16.0GB Corsair Vengeance 3200MHz
CPU: Intel Core i7 9700K 3.60GHz(4.60GHz OC)
Motherboard: ASUS ROG STRIX Z390-F GAMING (LGA1151)
GPU: ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Had for 3 years)
Storage: 1tb HDD, 2tb HDD, 500Gb SSD m.2
CPU Cooler: Corsair CX550M Bronze (Had for 4 years)
Case: NZXT Source 340 Mid Tower Case (Had for 4 years)
Fans: 3x Corsair HD120

Hi Guys, I am planning on Upgrading my PC as I have needed an upgrade for some time as the new games that release have started to drop in performance as games evolve, the type of games i play are mainly RPG's games or similar, just games that require a beefy PC and my goal is 144FPS on high/med settings. Games like red dead 2 Ac Valhalla, i average 60-80 Fps so i would need a 60-80 fps increase, i also use my pc very often so i would like my pc to run smoothly which it does now for the most part but more so.

I would just like some advice on the parts i have picked whether they are:

• good options to go for?
• If i can get a better price on a different part for similar performance?
• if there are better options on parts i picked
• If this is all compatible (im sure it is but to double check)
• and just general advice on this, i appreciate it.

Upgrades:
Fans: Corsair LL120 x3
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B075VGN4M1/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

Case: Corsair 4000x RGB Mid-Tower Case
https://www.scan.co.uk/products/cor...ed-glass-window-3x-argb-fans-usb-31-c-mitx-ma

CPU Cooler: Corsair Master MasterLiquid ML240
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08G8VN6NV/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

SSD: Samsung 980 PRO Heatsink M.2
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09J14CJ89/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1WJ8A34FR803X&psc=1

PSU: Corsair RM750 Gold
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B097DZFDRF/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

GPU: GeForce RTX 3070Ti 8GB AORUS MASTER
https://www.ebuyer.com/1262415-giga...ster-ampere-graphics-card-gv-n307taorus-m-8gd

My Questions for each part is:

1. I am a suck up for big named brands and these fans seem good price with good quality but are there good options for lower price?
2. White or black? (Don't need to answer)
3. Very Cheap but does the quality back it up? i couldn't find much reviews on this, i have found other ones, the Kraken Z53 (both normal and LCD Screen), ASUS LC 240, What is the best option for CPU Coolers? Do i even need a CPU Cooler if my CPU Temps are just about average now?
4. Another Generic pick but is there any better options?
5. 1. Is platinum necessary? they go for a couple 10 pounds more expensive? 2. My Wattage calculated comes to 514W, Is 750 the sweet spot or should i go higher for the future?
6. Are there any more cost effective picks? I was going to get the Gigabyte 3070ti Gaming OC but it went out of Stock Any others?
7. EXTRA, Do i need more RAM? I've had conflicting answers, im saying no but im not the professional here, you lot are.

PS. I'm very attached to RGB and aesthetics so parts will preferably need to look good too.
And my Budget it down to £1000 (if im going overkill as it is now) up to £1500 at a push, My upgrade cost as it stands with me now is around £1330 depending on the sites of course

Thanks A LOT guys.

 

[Deleted member 362816]

I would advise to go with the RM850X over the 750 just for some headroom, and it shouldn't cost a ton more.
Those LL corsair fans are a complete and total rip off IMO, Thermaltake rings are cheaper and RGB is decent. Lian Li has some decent fans also not sure on price though.
I get a bad feeling that the 9700k that you have may bottleneck your 3070TI choice though.
Case you selected as long as it is the Airflow version is great. I don't think you selected the airflow version though. Case also can be tricky with top mounted AIO's
980 "Pro" is a waste of money speed is negligible over the 970 evo or 980 in gaming.
Cpu cooler is decent but for the price many air coolers on the market are cheaper and will outperform it.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Why_Me]

I see a lot of money sunk into the case fans, cpu cooler and overpriced SSD. It's as if you're more into building a christmas tree than a gaming PC.

 

[jakedutton24]

Thanks my guy, I've looked and I don't think the cpu should bottleneck however I will double check thanks.

As for the fans, yeah just my annoying big brand appeal bias, I again will have another look, this time broadern my view

The case, my pc, having a decently small case, only 3 working fans, only a 120m radiator and 4 year old fans still surprisingly get average temps so I don't think the 4000x should be a problem, a few degrees won't make a difference unless it's high to begin with which it shouldn't be.

Thanks for the input

 

[jakedutton24]

I see a lot of money suck into the case fans, cpu cooler and overpriced SSD. It as if you're more into building a christmas tree than a gaming PC.

It lives on my desk so it gotta look good but yeah maybe a lil over priced either way,

 

[Deleted member 362816]

Thanks my guy, I've looked and I don't think the cpu should bottleneck however I will double check thanks. What Res if 1080P yes if 1440P no.

As for the fans, yeah just my annoying big brand appeal bias, I again will have another look, this time broadern my view

The case, my pc, having a decently small case, only 3 working fans, only a 120m radiator and 4 year old fans still surprisingly get average temps so I don't think the 4000x should be a problem, a few degrees won't make a difference unless it's high to begin with which it shouldn't be.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTmp2cEkEpg&ab_channel=OC3DTV


Thanks for the input

Best of luck.

 

[ohio_buckeye]

Honestly, I think I’d keep the case you have, swap fans if you want. Keep current 500gb ssd, sell the 1080, as well as the 9700 and board, upgrade your cpu and motherboard. Even an amd ryzen 5 5600 or Intel i5 12400 is going to be better than your current setup in my opinion. So if you can sell the current gpu, cpu and board, that should free up more budget.

 

[Why_Me]

https://www.box.co.uk/PH-EC360ATG_DMW02-Phanteks-Eclipse-G360A-DRGB-Tempered-Gla_4176626.html
Phanteks Eclipse G360A DRGB Tempered Glass Mid Tower Airflow Case - White £82.99

Rear exhaust fan for that case.

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/120...00rpm-563cfm-fluid-dynamic-bearing-white-whit
ARCTIC P12 PWM PST 120mm 4-Pin Case Fan (White) £4.99

https://www.box.co.uk/CP-9020235-UK-Corsair-RM-Series-RM850-850W-Fully-Modul_3823022.html
Corsair RM850 (2021) 850W 80+ Gold Modular Power Supply £92.53

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09NTPHRG7
MSI MAG B660M MORTAR DDR4 £144.98

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08TX4MCKC
Intel Core i5-12400F £129.00

https://www.awd-it.co.uk/components...te-v2-white-led-intel-amd-cpu-air-cooler.html
DeepCool GAMMAXX GTE V2 WHITE LED CPU Cooler £27.99

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07MLJD32L
Samsung 970 EVO Plus 2TB PCIe NVMe M.2 Internal SSD £187.90

https://www.technextday.co.uk/produ...tx-3070-ti-rog-strix-8gb-oc-lhr-graphics-card
ASUS Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti ROG Strix 8GB OC LHR Graphics Card £716.58

Total: £1386.96 inc VAT

A better look at those components.

https://www.phanteks.com/Eclipse-G360A.html

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

https://www.deepcool.com/products/Cooling/cpuaircoolers/2021/11878.shtml

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...2400f-processor-18m-cache-up-to-4-40-ghz.html

i5 12400 / 12400F gaming benchmarks.

 

[Cyberat_88]

Better PSU for a new built, especially if you're not going to shrink to 1x 4TB SSD. 850W Min., you should be at 3x the consumption, for a smooth running, high performance system.
Your worst bottlenecks now are the HDDs.
I'm not a fan of newer intel CPUs because the 8+4 core is awful design (Gen 9-12), jump up from 2.5ghz stock speed ? No Thanks.
Also, nVidia hardware is underperforming vs AMD.

 

[cryoburner]

Hi Guys, I am planning on Upgrading my PC as I have needed an upgrade for some time as the new games that release have started to drop in performance as games evolve, the type of games i play are mainly RPG's games or similar, just games that require a beefy PC and my goal is 144FPS on high/med settings. Games like red dead 2 Ac Valhalla, i average 60-80 Fps so i would need a 60-80 fps increase, i also use my pc very often so i would like my pc to run smoothly which it does now for the most part but more so.

This goal is probably unrealistic. RDR2 and AC:Valhalla are really demanding games, and from the benchmarks I've seen, you're not going to run them at 144fps. Even with something like an RTX 3090 and a 12900K, some of the fastest hardware on the market today, performance at 1080p is not likely to average all that much over 100fps. Those games seem to be CPU-limited more than anything (at least when paired with a high-end graphics card at lower resolutions), but today's CPUs just aren't fast enough to run them at 144fps.

Games are also likely to become more demanding on the CPU as developers focus more on modern hardware and shift away from developing for last-gen consoles (with CPUs that could be considered lower-end even 8 years ago), so getting 144fps in games on today's hardware is only likely to become less attainable over time. A CPU upgrade wouldn't hurt, and could improve performance, but don't expect it to get you another "60-80fps" in those games.

As for something like the i5-12400 suggested in the previous post, while it might manage to be a little faster than an i7-9700K, it's arguably not enough of an improvement to make for a worthwhile upgrade. Something like a 12600K or 12700K might provide a bit more of an improvement, but a 9700K could still be considered reasonably capable today.

And what resolution are you targeting? Is this for a 1080p 144Hz screen? At higher resolutions like 1440p and 4K, graphics card performance will tend to matter a lot more than CPU performance.

 

[jakedutton24]

This goal is probably unrealistic. RDR2 and AC:Valhalla are really demanding games, and from the benchmarks I've seen, you're not going to run them at 144fps. Even with something like an RTX 3090 and a 12900K, some of the fastest hardware on the market today, performance at 1080p is not likely to average all that much over 100fps. Those games seem to be CPU-limited more than anything (at least when paired with a high-end graphics card at lower resolutions), but today's CPUs just aren't fast enough to run them at 144fps.

Games are also likely to become more demanding on the CPU as developers focus more on modern hardware and shift away from developing for last-gen consoles (with CPUs that could be considered lower-end even 8 years ago), so getting 144fps in games on today's hardware is only likely to become less attainable over time. A CPU upgrade wouldn't hurt, and could improve performance, but don't expect it to get you another "60-80fps" in those games.

As for something like the i5-12400 suggested in the previous post, while it might manage to be a little faster than an i7-9700K, it's arguably not enough of an improvement to make for a worthwhile upgrade. Something like a 12600K or 12700K might provide a bit more of an improvement, but a 9700K could still be considered reasonably capable today.

And what resolution are you targeting? Is this for a 1080p 144Hz screen? At higher resolutions like 1440p and 4K, graphics card performance will tend to matter a lot more than CPU performance.

I can run red dead 2 at 60 fps on max settings with my current setup? I'm only gaming at 1080p also.
So instead of buying a 3070ti is should go for a top tier CPU instead? What ones do you recommend? or should i get 2 and meet in the middle?

 

[Phaaze88]

"The gpu is #1", soothsayers constantly preach that the 'gpu is more important than the cpu', but there's a catch 22.
The simplest way to put it, is the cpu+ram = the fps. The gpu's fps is equal to, or less than that with all the eye candy. It can't go faster than the cpu+ram.
Games are bound by a single core that handles all the commands/code run from the game engine - even commands to other cores!

Then there's the frequent cpu and gpu launches every year or two; there's no way to stay ahead when there's always something new and usually better around the corner.


At 1080p, you won't need TOO much gpu horsepower, but like cryoburner says, none of the cpus currently available can probably hit the target you're aiming for in titles like those.

Spoiler

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBDFCoGhZ4g

(see the 8:42 mark)
Even the 12900K can't sustain 144fps at the settings chosen. Plus, if I remember correctly, Rockstar's RAGE engine starts to stutter around a certain range - 180fps, I think?

 

[jakedutton24]

Current Build:

Specs:
RAM: 16.0GB Corsair Vengeance 3200MHz
CPU: Intel Core i7 9700K 3.60GHz(4.60GHz OC)
Motherboard: ASUS ROG STRIX Z390-F GAMING (LGA1151)
GPU: ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Had for 3 years)
Storage: 1tb HDD, 2tb HDD, 500Gb SSD m.2
CPU Cooler: Corsair CX550M Bronze (Had for 4 years)
Case: NZXT Source 340 Mid Tower Case (Had for 4 years)
Fans: 3x Corsair HD120

Hi Guys, Originally i was planning on doing a half upgrade to my pc however i have just decided to cash out and get a whole new system, It wasn't necessarily running slow however it just cant keep up with 2022 standards as well as i would like. I play mainly story games so high graphics and high FPS is a priority and i think i have build a good system for this but i just want to ask for your advice to cut costs and Optimise the build and max value for money so i would appreciate any advice you professionals have😀

Upgrade list
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/4NH2bK - Black
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/KgKXY9 - White

I Have one in White and Black version but This build could be considered overkill for some however i would like to not need to do any major upgrades for 2-3 years

My Questions are:

1. are there any changes i can make to cut cost and make it more balanced?
2. Is 32GB Ram necessary?
3. Is the Corsair 4000x really a problem?
4. In general are there any problems in the build?

 

[cryoburner]

So instead of buying a 3070ti is should go for a top tier CPU instead?

I would think the graphics card upgrade would make more of a difference in most graphically demanding titles, even at 1080p. Though while adding more graphics performance will improve frame rates, at some point you are going to run into the limitations of your CPU, and frame rates won't improve much further past that point, leaving the card not fully utilized. And that will vary from one game to the next, as some games require the CPU to process more data each frame than others.

So a CPU upgrade could potentially help as well once you reach that point, but probably wouldn't be worth considering on its own. However, my point was more that even the fastest CPUs on the market today won't be able to push 144fps in certain titles, so don't expect any amount of upgrading to get you to that level of performance in a game like RDR2 or AC:Valhalla, at least not with today's hardware. In any case, I doubt the difference between 144fps and something closer to 100fps would be all that noticeable in those games anyway, since they are cinematic third-person titles, without the kinds of fast camera movements that can make frame rate differences more perceptible in something like an FPS.

One thing you can do to see what kind of frame rates your current CPU can potentially handle when paired with a faster GPU in those games, would be to test them at a lower resolution on your existing hardware. Lowering resolution will reduce the demand on your graphics card to render each frame, so you can roughly simulate what kinds of frame rates your CPU is capable of when paired with a fast enough graphics card and pushed to its limits. Drop it down to something like 1280x720, and it should allow your 9700K to reach the maximum frame rates it's capable of pushing on your GTX 1080. Keep other graphics settings the same though, as some might potentially affect CPU demand. And this might not necessarily match the level of performance you would get with a 3070 Ti at 1080p in those games, but it might be roughly in the vicinity, assuming the CPU is limiting frame rates in both cases.

 

[cryoburner]

As for this proposed new build, if you do decide to go with a new system, it might be worth considering using a DDR4 motherboard instead. DDR5 still carries a rather large price premium, and the performance difference generally isn't there to justify it, especially in games, which often tend to benefit more from the lower latency of DDR4. A kit of DDR5-5600 CAS 36 and a less expensive kit of DDR4-3600 CAS 16 tend to perform rather similar in games. And DDR5-5200 CAS 40 will tend to be a bit slower in games more often than not, due to its relatively high latency. Rather than spending extra on DDR5, it would likely be more beneficial in most cases to put the money toward other components like a better graphics card or processor.

I think 32GB is a decent amount to go with for a new system today, even if current games don't tend to benefit from more than 16GB (outside of potentially multitasking). If you plan to keep the system around for a while, you may eventually encounter games that demand more for optimal performance. Some 32GB kits of DDR4 will perform slightly better as well, due them utilizing dual-rank modules, though I think single-rank modules have become common now in 32GB DDR4 kits as well, and are the norm for DDR5.

I would also probably go with a less high-end motherboard than that Strix model in the one build, as that will generally have little bearing on performance. I don't know if you actually have any need for Wifi, seeing as your existing board doesn't seem to support it, but there's not much point in paying extra for features you might not even utilize.

Again though, it might be worth testing what sort of frame rates your 9700K is capable of at lower resolutions first though, as it should still be a capable processor. Perhaps in some games that are especially demanding on the CPU, a system upgrade could get more out of a faster graphics card, but I suspect for the most part, the difference wouldn't be all that noticeable, especially once you get into frame rates in the 100+FPS range for third-person cinematic titles.

 

[jakedutton24]

Hi, Thanks for the advice. I've had a look and found this motherboard:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09JM88DHR/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

The ASUS Prime Z690-P Wi-Fi, It Fits all the specifications fit my requirements however i was just wondering if their would be a major difference between P and A motherboards, there's a 10A change between the 2 and im just wondering if you think that could be a problem? About the board having WiFi its just a nice to have, i have a USB Wi-Fi adapter at the moment and it takes up USB space and would just be easier to have it built in.

Secondly, would you not think its better if i get a DDR5 board now for the future? Because otherwise when i next upgrade my pc i would have to buy a new motherboard? And since this whole build is for the future so i am probably upgrading my CPU to 12th gen Regardless so i have more up to date hardware and im only gaming mostly so an i5-12600k is perfect i reckon.

And Finally, I already have Corsair Vengeance 2 x8GB 3200MHz Ram sticks, would you recommend buying a new 32 GB Kit for higher speed or just get another of the same 2 x8 Vengeance kit? or can i mix?

This is my updated DDR4 Build:
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/j7WrY9

Thanks.

 

[cryoburner]

The ASUS Prime Z690-P Wi-Fi, It Fits all the specifications fit my requirements however i was just wondering if their would be a major difference between P and A motherboards, there's a 10A change between the 2 and im just wondering if you think that could be a problem?

I haven't looked at any reviews comparing those two boards, so it's hard to say how things like the power delivery system compares, though I wouldn't expect it to be much of a concern unless one were overclocking the highest-power processors in Intel's lineup. I'm also not too familiar with what the best Alder Lake motherboards are at the moment, so I couldn't say whether there are better options for the money.

A lot of the other differences come down to things like connectivity. The A appears to support up to 4 M.2 drives and 6 SATA drives for storage, while the P supports up to 3 M.2 drives and 4 SATA drives. The A also has 10 USB ports of various types on the back panel, while the P offers 6 ports in back. The P does offer more PCIe slots for potential add-in cards though. The A only has one 5.0x16, one 3.0x16, and one 3.0x1 slot, whereas the P adds an additional 4.0x16 and another 3.0x16 slot to that assortment (though the one will be blocked by the graphics card's cooler). The audio hardware appears to be different on the A too. These things may or may not be relevant to your needs though.

As for getting a DDR5 board for "future-proofing", keep in mind that Intel typically switches to new, incompatible boards every-other generation. Their "13th-gen" models are expected to support current motherboards when they come out later this year, and those will likely continue to support DDR4 as well. The "14th-gen" models that will likely come out in the latter part of next year will likely require new motherboards though.

Now you could theoretically move the DDR5 RAM to a new motherboard if you were to build a new system a few years down the line. However, the question is whether you would even want to. A few years from now, something like DDR5-5200 to 5600 speed memory might be perceived a lot like how we view DDR4-2400 to 2666 memory today. It will work, but the CPU might be leaving a little performance on the table when paired with such memory compared to faster kits. And those faster kits might have come down to less than what these kits cost today.

Likewise, you could always even use your existing DDR4-3200 memory in the new system if you wanted, unless you plan to keep or sell the system intact. Or again, maybe just replace the graphics card for now to see how it performs in your existing system, and if it proves sufficient, hold off on the system upgrade until a later time.