Build Advice Upgrading PC, would like input/advice ?

[TheNaturian]

WHAT MY CURRENT PC IS
Motherboard:
Gigabyte B75M-D3H (micro atx form factor)24.4cm x 22.0cm
CPU
Intel Core i7 3770K ,water cooled with a corsair H100i Platinum SE
Case Phantom 410 mid tower
https://www.newegg.com/white-nzxt-phantom-410-series-atx-mid-tower/p/N82E16811146087 (looks like this for reference)
Memory
DDR3 16 GBytes Channel Dual
Graphics Card
AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
PSU
Corsair RM 750
Western Digital Hard Drive


Hello experts or much better informed people than I.
I am looking to upgrade my pc, the goal is to future proof it for about 10 years as my current one is about 13 years old.
After playing Diablo 4 beta i was hopeing the stuttering i experienced was just servers problems, but alas the actual game does the same, i think its my hdd that is mostly holding
me back and to upgrade to a SSD i need to uprade my Motherboard, and if i do that well i should probably upgrade my RAM and CPU as well.
MY case ive decided to keep unless for some reason that i dont know of you guys would recommend i change, the only issue i have is the power button on top just
sits there as the spring popped out.
While i mostly use my pc for general use i do enjoy gaming on it (Civ and Diablo mostly)

Price is not an issue as im willing to spend a bit more for longevity and quality, but that does not mean i want to spend recklessly.Especially if the "quality"is
just 2% better for $400 dollars etc.

My starting selections are based on tomshardware recommendations but im not an expert which is why im here.

1:

Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Pro Review: Mid-Range, Full-Featured

Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Pro has a good mix of the right features and good performance for $329.99.

www.tomshardware.com

I have enough RGB so no more is necessary, and i dont really see the need for wifi on a MB but if someone has made this mistake and regretted it let me know.
Solid pick?

2.Im used to Intel chips so im leaning towards them so should i upgrade or is my current one actually still good if not which should i get?
Also i feel i should mention that before i got my current corsair cooler my old one died and started to cause my CPU to overheat and shut down
i dont know if it my have damaged it or not because even after i removed the dead cooler and started to air cool before i installed a new one it still overheated,
just from being on. I have heard certain chips will run hot which is why they need a dedicated cooler. No heat issues since.
If i do get a new CPU is there a certain brand of thermal paste i should use to apply my cooler?

3. Ram seems simple to me but everything ive read leads me to doubt myself as i always assumed you just grab a few sticks and stick them in.
So is DDR5 what i should get?

https://www.amazon.com/CORSAIR-VENGEANCE-5600MHz-Compatible-Computer/dp/B09NCNF2ZQ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3B4IH01GQXWVW&keywords=ram+ddr5&qid=1686623542&sprefix=ram%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-3

4x 16 ?

4. SSD i know next to nothing about these, they seem simple and looks like u just intall like a RAM stick but with pc's nothing is ever as simeple as it think it
will be.

Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive

6 And lastly i guess is the intall of a new windows, buy a box of windows eleven with a disc then use my current disc drive to intsall?
And is it done from bios or should the disc be in when i first turn on etc?

I tried putting all my stuff that i am keeping and the stuff im currently looking at on a compatability check page and got this.

⚠️ WARNING

HDD cage (or front radiator) must be removed from the NZXT Phantom 410 to fit the PowerColor Red Devil Radeon RX 5700 XT.
Gigabyte Z690 AORUS PRO M.2 restriction: (M2C_SB connector shares bandwidth with the SATA3 2, 3 connector.)

Hdd cage is already gone as im already using the gpu the second is what is confusing me, my intention is to Use an SSD but then
after PC is fully set up and then install my old HD and grab some files (music,games), is that not possible? OR am i looking to far into it
and thats just a way of saying they both cant be running at once so to speak.

Well thats basically it long post but i would greatly appreciate the help and assurance of more informed people than I.
Thanks to anyone for input.

Note: PC partspicker shows no compatibility issues, though it said maybe RAM dimensions, each time i try linking it, the page is blank.

 

[Lafong]

I'd probably use a Z790 board rather than Z690. There should be an AORUS equivalent. Micro ATX might work for you too to save a few bucks.

32 GB of DDR 5 RAM would be about right. Maybe only 16 if you need to save somewhere.

CPU; look at Intel 13000 series....13400 on up through 13700K, wherever budget allows.

How long have you been using that PSU; RM 750?

CPU cooler; unlikely you would need liquid. You can do a good job for 50 to 100; your case width may be a factor. Are you highly averse to fan noise?

Samsung 970 EVO Plus is a good choice. There are others equally suitable from WD. Your motherboard will likely support PCIe 4.0 drives, so you might look for that in SSDs, but there isn't much practical difference. Be sure you get enough capacity.

Fresh Windows installations are normally done with a USB flash drive of at least 8 gb capacity. DVD installation quite rare. Install with ONLY ONE drive connected. When finished, you can re-connect your old drive.

 

[Lucky_SLS]

Since you said you are looking to future proof the pc, i would suggest you to look at the AM5 platform. You will atleast get the option to upgrade the cpu in 2025 without having to change the mobo and rams.

32gb is fine for your use case. the thermal paste that comes with the cooler is enough as well.

I think you can reuse the PSU if its under warranty and the GPU:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor ($439.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Frost Commander 140 95.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($54.49 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI MAG B650 TOMAHAWK WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard ($219.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Black SN770 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($99.00 @ Newegg)
Total: $902.47
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-06-14 02:19 EDT-0400

 

[Why_Me]

@TheNaturian knowing the make and model of your monitor would help. Here's a build that might interest you. This case down below has much better airflow than your current case and it has two bays for your DVD writers, etc ...

This gpu is due for release in a few weeks from now.
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/graphics-cards/40-series/rtx-4060-4060ti/
GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB
Starting at $499.00
Coming July

Decent IPS gaming monitor to pair up with that card.
https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-G24-20-FreeSync-Certified-Adjustable/dp/B0B94RK4BK
Lenovo G24-20 $139.99

https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/p/accessories-and-software/monitors/gaming/66cfgcc1us

And the rest of the build including Windows 11. btw this case comes in various colors.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: *Intel Core i7-13700 2.1 GHz 16-Core Processor ($379.00 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: *Deepcool AG620 BK ARGB 67.88 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: *MSI B760 GAMING PLUS WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($164.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: *G.Skill Ripjaws S5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($104.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: *Western Digital Black SN770 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($99.00 @ Newegg)
Case: *Fractal Design Pop Air RGB ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ B&H)
Power Supply: *Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Best Buy)
Operating System: *Microsoft Windows 11 Home OEM - DVD 64-bit ($117.98 @ Other World Computing)
Total: $1105.93
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-06-14 03:14 EDT-0400

A better look at those components.

https://www.fractal-design.com/products/cases/pop/pop-air/rgb-black-tg-clear/

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B760-GAMING-PLUS-WIFI

https://www.intel.com/content/www/u...-30m-cache-up-to-5-20-ghz/specifications.html

AG620 BK ARGB - DeepCool

The DeepCool AG620 BK ARGB is a dual-tower 120mm CPU cooler that boasts impressive 260W cooling power performance that's been stripped down and optimized for terrific efficiency throughout. - DeepCool was founded with the mission of providing professional, innovative, high-performance PC...

www.deepcool.com

 

[Moonstick2]

You say your current PC is 13 years old, but that CPU was released 11 years ago, and that GPU 4 years ago?

My point being it's unclear what you mean by "future proofing". Do you mean a PC that you don't have to touch for ten years, or one that you don't have to upgrade the motherboard for ten years? But if the latter, how often are you talking about buying new CPUs/GPUs? Every three years? Four?

To be honest, "future proofing" never really works out for all the talk of it. The hardware and software move on too fast. I kept my previous PC going for 9 years on the same CPU/RAM/GPU and it was fine for usual work software but would need settings turned now on more recent games even at 1080p. Whether that meant it was future-proofed depends entirely on who you talk to. I once got an AGP/PCIe board with the intention of upgrading the GPU to PCIe in future and a couple of years later PCIe GPUs had moved on so much I was better off getting a new motherboard anyway. In the same way, at the moment it's all PCIe 4.0, and that was only released six years ago. Any pre-2017 built PC wouldn't be capable of running current GPUs at their best.

So my biggest bit of advice would be to start with your budget and work backwards from there. Because to maximise longevity the only answer is to buy the best you can afford and even then nobody can guarantee how long you'll be good for.

On other matters:

SSD is going to be a huge difference. You won't get over how fast stuff loads. What you've got there is an NMVe drive, but there are also SSD drives that have the same format as HDD drives. Such drives were first so they're normally called SSD and NMVe for the new one (and I'm simplifying further here.) SSD are a lot cheaper. They're slower than NMVe but they're not slow; the difference between SSD and HDD is still way way more than the difference between SSD and NMVe. NMVe is very much a nice to have but not quite a nowadays must like SSD vs HDD is. I started out SSD only and added NMVe when the prices became more affordable, so again it depends on your budget.

What size is your HDD? I don't even run one now, except when I connect an external for backups. You can connect multiple disks, SSD or HDD, for data transfer (but don't boot off the wrong one) but your data should be backed up to something else anyway...?

For Windows 11 you can download it and put it on a USB as installable media. If you've a valid retail licence key for your current Windows you should be able to use that (I'm still on my Windows 7 key). Or install your current Windows at then let it update if you want, although some would recommend you start with Windows 11 from the off.

WiFi on a motherboard is nice to have but not a must. You can always add a WiFi expansion card if you have to.

But honestly, start with your budget first.

 

[geofelt]

First of all, your motherboard supports normal sata ssd devices.
Replacing the C drive with even a sata ssd will be a HUGE difference.
Do not be much swayed by vendor synthetic SSD benchmarks.
They are done with apps that push the SSD to it's maximum using queue lengths of 30 or so.
Most desktop users will do one or two things at a time, so they will see queue lengths of one or two.
What really counts is the response times, particularly for small random I/O. That is what the os does mostly.
For that, the response times of current SSD's are remarkably similar. And quick. They will be 50X faster than a hard drive.
In sequential operations, they will be 2x faster than a hard drive, perhaps 3x if you have a sata3 interface.
These experts could not tell which pc was running on sata or pcie devices.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DKLA7w9eeA


"Future proofing" is an illusion.
In two years, whatever you buy today will be replaced by better and cheaper parts.
And your needs/wants are also likely to change.

Build today what you want today plus plan for perhaps some graphics expansion in a couple of years.

Any reasonable upgrade to a 3770K is going to involve a new cpu, motherboard and ram.

A $230 I5-13400 processor is about twice as strong as your 3770K.

https://www.newegg.com/intel-core-i5-13400-core-i5-13th-gen/p/N82E16819118430?Item=N82E16819118430

A B760 based motherboard might be $150:

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813145432?Item=N82E16813145432

A 2 x 16gb DDR5 ram kit might be $92:

https://www.newegg.com/g-skill-32gb/p/N82E16820374419?Item=N82E16820374419&quicklink=true

16gb is plenty for gaming, but if you will also multitask, then 32gb would be in order.
Ram is only dual channel so only buy a 2 stick kit.

FWIW: I3/I5/I7/I9 no longer mean what they used to, namely how many cores and the presence of hyperthreading.
It in now more of a capability designation.

13400 is not a particularly hot chip and does come with a useable air cooler that you could try.
For quality, look to Noctua. They maintain a list of suitable coolers for different processors.
Here is the list for the 13400:

INTEL Core i5-13400 | CPU Compatibility | Noctua Compatibility Centre

Series: Raptor Lake-S, Socket: LGA1700

ncc.noctua.at

The samsung evo plus m.2 pcie is a good device, but I would buy 2tb up front.

Nothing wrong with using a HDD for large sequential files such as music or videos.
You do need some sort of a way to mount one.

When it comes time to install windows, plan on only having the m.2 ssd present.
Later you can attach hard drives.
You can download the latest version of windows directly from Microsoft and put it on a usb stick for installation.
You can run fully supported for 30 days after which you would purchase the license.

 

[TheNaturian]

I'd probably use a Z790 board rather than Z690. There should be an AORUS equivalent. Micro ATX might work for you too to save a few bucks.

32 GB of DDR 5 RAM would be about right. Maybe only 16 if you need to save somewhere.

CPU; look at Intel 13000 series....13400 on up through 13700K, wherever budget allows.

How long have you been using that PSU; RM 750?

CPU cooler; unlikely you would need liquid. You can do a good job for 50 to 100; your case width may be a factor. Are you highly averse to fan noise?

Samsung 970 EVO Plus is a good choice. There are others equally suitable from WD. Your motherboard will likely support PCIe 4.0 drives, so you might look for that in SSDs, but there isn't much practical difference. Be sure you get enough capacity.

Fresh Windows installations are normally done with a USB flash drive of at least 8 gb capacity. DVD installation quite rare. Install

I'd probably use a Z790 board rather than Z690. There should be an AORUS equivalent. Micro ATX might work for you too to save a few bucks.

32 GB of DDR 5 RAM would be about right. Maybe only 16 if you need to save somewhere.

CPU; look at Intel 13000 series....13400 on up through 13700K, wherever budget allows.

How long have you been using that PSU; RM 750?

CPU cooler; unlikely you would need liquid. You can do a good job for 50 to 100; your case width may be a factor. Are you highly averse to fan noise?

Samsung 970 EVO Plus is a good choice. There are others equally suitable from WD. Your motherboard will likely support PCIe 4.0 drives, so you might look for that in SSDs, but there isn't much practical difference. Be sure you get enough capacity.

Fresh Windows installations are normally done with a USB flash drive of at least 8 gb capacity. DVD installation quite rare. Install with ONLY ONE drive connected. When finished, you can re-connect your old drive.

ith ONLY ONE drive connected. When finished, you can re-connect your old dr

I'd probably use a Z790 board rather than Z690. There should be an AORUS equivalent. Micro ATX might work for you too to save a few bucks.

32 GB of DDR 5 RAM would be about right. Maybe only 16 if you need to save somewhere.

CPU; look at Intel 13000 series....13400 on up through 13700K, wherever budget allows.

How long have you been using that PSU; RM 750?

CPU cooler; unlikely you would need liquid. You can do a good job for 50 to 100; your case width may be a factor. Are you highly averse to fan noise?

Samsung 970 EVO Plus is a good choice. There are others equally suitable from WD. Your motherboard will likely support PCIe 4.0 drives, so you might look for that in SSDs, but there isn't much practical difference. Be sure you get enough capacity.

Fresh Windows installations are normally done with a USB flash drive of at least 8 gb capacity. DVD installation quite rare. Install with ONLY ONE drive connected. When finished, you can re-connect your old drive.

I ordered my psu from amazon Jan 11 2015, so like 5 days after that. MY CPU cooler is still good no need to replace.

 

[TheNaturian]

@TheNaturian knowing the make and model of your monitor would help. Here's a build that might interest you. This case down below has much better airflow than your current case and it has two bays for your DVD writers, etc ...

This gpu is due for release in a few weeks from now.
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/graphics-cards/40-series/rtx-4060-4060ti/
GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB
Starting at $499.00
Coming July

Decent IPS gaming monitor to pair up with that card.
https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-G24-20-FreeSync-Certified-Adjustable/dp/B0B94RK4BK
Lenovo G24-20 $139.99

https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/p/accessories-and-software/monitors/gaming/66cfgcc1us

And the rest of the build including Windows 11. btw this case comes in various colors.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: *Intel Core i7-13700 2.1 GHz 16-Core Processor ($379.00 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: *Deepcool AG620 BK ARGB 67.88 CFM CPU Cooler ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: *MSI B760 GAMING PLUS WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard ($164.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: *G.Skill Ripjaws S5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory ($104.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: *Western Digital Black SN770 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive ($99.00 @ Newegg)
Case: *Fractal Design Pop Air RGB ATX Mid Tower Case ($89.99 @ B&H)
Power Supply: *Corsair RM750e (2023) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($99.99 @ Best Buy)
Operating System: *Microsoft Windows 11 Home OEM - DVD 64-bit ($117.98 @ Other World Computing)
Total: $1105.93
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-06-14 03:14 EDT-0400

A better look at those components.

https://www.fractal-design.com/products/cases/pop/pop-air/rgb-black-tg-clear/

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B760-GAMING-PLUS-WIFI

https://www.intel.com/content/www/u...-30m-cache-up-to-5-20-ghz/specifications.html

AG620 BK ARGB - DeepCool

The DeepCool AG620 BK ARGB is a dual-tower 120mm CPU cooler that boasts impressive 260W cooling power performance that's been stripped down and optimized for terrific efficiency throughout. - DeepCool was founded with the mission of providing professional, innovative, high-performance PC...

www.deepcool.com

I didnt think my monitor was relevant to the issue which is why did not include it. but for the record its A

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B096YPN52D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I just recently got this cuz i was tired of my tv screen flickering in the winter.
The GPU in case wondering was bought way before my monitor because my last one was crap and not running Civ 6 smoothly. at the time i was not trying to push things like 4k etc, i just needed something better then whatever it was.

 

[Lafong]

I'd certainly consider replacing an 8 year old PSU.

How old is your current liquid cooler?

 

[TheNaturian]

You say your current PC is 13 years old, but that CPU was released 11 years ago, and that GPU 4 years ago?

My point being it's unclear what you mean by "future proofing". Do you mean a PC that you don't have to touch for ten years, or one that you don't have to upgrade the motherboard for ten years? But if the latter, how often are you talking about buying new CPUs/GPUs? Every three years? Four?

To be honest, "future proofing" never really works out for all the talk of it. The hardware and software move on too fast. I kept my previous PC going for 9 years on the same CPU/RAM/GPU and it was fine for usual work software but would need settings turned now on more recent games even at 1080p. Whether that meant it was future-proofed depends entirely on who you talk to. I once got an AGP/PCIe board with the intention of upgrading the GPU to PCIe in future and a couple of years later PCIe GPUs had moved on so much I was better off getting a new motherboard anyway. In the same way, at the moment it's all PCIe 4.0, and that was only released six years ago. Any pre-2017 built PC wouldn't be capable of running current GPUs at their best.

So my biggest bit of advice would be to start with your budget and work backwards from there. Because to maximise longevity the only answer is to buy the best you can afford and even then nobody can guarantee how long you'll be good for.

On other matters:

SSD is going to be a huge difference. You won't get over how fast stuff loads. What you've got there is an NMVe drive, but there are also SSD drives that have the same format as HDD drives. Such drives were first so they're normally called SSD and NMVe for the new one (and I'm simplifying further here.) SSD are a lot cheaper. They're slower than NMVe but they're not slow; the difference between SSD and HDD is still way way more than the difference between SSD and NMVe. NMVe is very much a nice to have but not quite a nowadays must like SSD vs HDD is. I started out SSD only and added NMVe when the prices became more affordable, so again it depends on your budget.

What size is your HDD? I don't even run one now, except when I connect an external for backups. You can connect multiple disks, SSD or HDD, for data transfer (but don't boot off the wrong one) but your data should be backed up to something else anyway...?

For Windows 11 you can download it and put it on a USB as installable media. If you've a valid retail licence key for your current Windows you should be able to use that (I'm still on my Windows 7 key). Or install your current Windows at then let it update if you want, although some would recommend you start with Windows 11 from the off.

WiFi on a motherboard is nice to have but not a must. You can always add a WiFi expansion card if you have to.

But honestly, start with your budget first

Got my PC in 2012 about a week before D3 came out, didn't care enough to do the exact math at the time which is why i said "about".
Ya sorry i suppose future proofing to me was i would not have to change my Board and Hardrive as to me that "IS" the pc. Things like PSU and GPU i can swap out no problem but to change a board is concerning to me cuz i dont wanna screw up. And the Hard Dive is kinda the soul of the pc has its basically all my stuff.
I am not concerned about getting all the best stuff as it comes out, basically if i really dont need to upgrade then to me its "Future Proof" Case in point im fine with my GPU i don;t "need" to upgrade but if i decide to i can.
CPU i think might be too old and if i am changing a board i should change that was well, which is why i asked in the OP, besides since its so old an upgrade could be a huge improvement.
MY hard drive is slow and loud which is why i want to upgrade, i was under the assumption SSD were the next big thing. I think my current HDis 1T

 

[TheNaturian]

I'd certainly consider replacing an 8 year old PSU.

How old is your current liquid cooler?

Ordered April 5 2020

 

[Lafong]

MY hard drive is slow and loud which is why i want to upgrade, i was under the assumption SSD were the next big thing. I think my current HDis 1T

You are correct. They've been the next big thing for 10 years.

Any will be a huge improvement from your hard drive, but there isn't a lot of difference between one SSD and another SSD....other than possibly capacity....which you need to get a grip on before you decide.

 

[TheNaturian]

First of all, your motherboard supports normal sata ssd devices.
Replacing the C drive with even a sata ssd will be a HUGE difference.
Do not be much swayed by vendor synthetic SSD benchmarks.
They are done with apps that push the SSD to it's maximum using queue lengths of 30 or so.
Most desktop users will do one or two things at a time, so they will see queue lengths of one or two.
What really counts is the response times, particularly for small random I/O. That is what the os does mostly.
For that, the response times of current SSD's are remarkably similar. And quick. They will be 50X faster than a hard drive.
In sequential operations, they will be 2x faster than a hard drive, perhaps 3x if you have a sata3 interface.
These experts could not tell which pc was running on sata or pcie devices.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DKLA7w9eeA


"Future proofing" is an illusion.
In two years, whatever you buy today will be replaced by better and cheaper parts.
And your needs/wants are also likely to change.

Build today what you want today plus plan for perhaps some graphics expansion in a couple of years.

Any reasonable upgrade to a 3770K is going to involve a new cpu, motherboard and ram.

A $230 I5-13400 processor is about twice as strong as your 3770K.

https://www.newegg.com/intel-core-i5-13400-core-i5-13th-gen/p/N82E16819118430?Item=N82E16819118430

A B760 based motherboard might be $150:

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813145432?Item=N82E16813145432

A 2 x 16gb DDR5 ram kit might be $92:

https://www.newegg.com/g-skill-32gb/p/N82E16820374419?Item=N82E16820374419&quicklink=true

16gb is plenty for gaming, but if you will also multitask, then 32gb would be in order.
Ram is only dual channel so only buy a 2 stick kit.

FWIW: I3/I5/I7/I9 no longer mean what they used to, namely how many cores and the presence of hyperthreading.
It in now more of a capability designation.

13400 is not a particularly hot chip and does come with a useable air cooler that you could try.
For quality, look to Noctua. They maintain a list of suitable coolers for different processors.
Here is the list for the 13400:

INTEL Core i5-13400 | CPU Compatibility | Noctua Compatibility Centre

Series: Raptor Lake-S, Socket: LGA1700

ncc.noctua.at

The samsung evo plus m.2 pcie is a good device, but I would buy 2tb up front.

Nothing wrong with using a HDD for large sequential files such as music or videos.
You do need some sort of a way to mount one.

When it comes time to install windows, plan on only having the m.2 ssd present.
Later you can attach hard drives.
You can download the latest version of windows directly from Microsoft and put it on a usb stick for installation.
You can run fully supported for 30 days after which you would purchase the license.

i was under the assumption that my current MB could not support the speeds a SSD was capable of.
"Future Proofing " to me was basically making it last so that i would not be required to make significant changes to it, as i am now. So to me my current one kinda lasted 11 years. But your correct about the CPU< MB, and Ram which is why i decided to come to the experts, figured id do it all at once.

 

[Lafong]

i was under the assumption that my current MB could not support the speeds a SSD was capable of.

You have a GA-B75M-D3H?

If so, I think you were misinformed.

That board does not have an M.2 port, but I'd think any standard 2.5 inch SATA SSD would work.

GA-B75M-D3H (rev. 1.0) Specification | Motherboard - GIGABYTE Global

Lasting Quality from GIGABYTE.GIGABYTE Ultra Durable™ motherboards bring together a unique blend of features and technologies that offer users the absolute ...

www.gigabyte.com

 

[TheNaturian]

You have a GA-B75M-D3H?

If so, I think you were misinformed.

That board does not have an M.2 port, but I'd think any standard 2.5 inch SATA SSD would work.

GA-B75M-D3H (rev. 1.0) Specification | Motherboard - GIGABYTE Global

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Ya i think the port is the issue, ive seen the 2.5 in Sata SSD but i was looking at the other one that looks like a ram stick.

Amazon.com

 

[Lafong]

Ya i think the port is the issue, ive seen the 2.5 in Sata SSD but i was looking at the other one that looks like a ram stick.

Amazon.com

Yeah....the RAM stick types are called "M.2". That's to distinguish them from 2.5 inch.

Some M.2 are SATA. Some are NVMe.

You can't use either directly because you don't have an M.2 port. The performance difference between them is relatively small......but the difference between a hard drive and ANY SSD is large.

 

[TheNaturian]

Yeah....the RAM stick types are called "M.2". That's to distinguish them from 2.5 inch.

Some M.2 are SATA. Some are NVMe.

You can't use either directly because you don't have an M.2 port. The performance difference between them is relatively small......but the difference between a hard drive and ANY SSD is large.

But the MB i was looking to upgrade to does( to my understanding) or at least was my first pick unless enough people give me other recommendations.

 

[Lafong]

But the MB i was looking to upgrade to does( to my understanding) or at least was my first pick unless enough people give me other recommendations.

Yes. Most any current model motherboard will have at least 2 M.2 ports, in addition to 4 or more ordinary traditional SATA ports.

You'd have to read the specification sheets to determine which of those M.2 ports supported SATA, which supported NMVe, or both.

Some upper-end boards have 4 or 5 M.2 ports.

 

[Moonstick2]

i suppose future proofing to me was i would not have to change my Board and Hardrive as to me that "IS" the pc. Things like PSU and GPU i can swap out no problem but to change a board is concerning to me cuz i dont wanna screw up. And the Hard Dive is kinda the soul of the pc has its basically all my stuff.
I am not concerned about getting all the best stuff as it comes out, basically if i really dont need to upgrade then to me its "Future Proof"

All you need to do then is buy something current. As with the example of PCIe 4.0, there are very likely to be motherboard features in ten years that simply don't exist now, but that doesn't mean they'll be necessary at that point so you needn't worry.

I would say that the one recent development which isn't on everything now but that you'll probably miss not having over the next ten years is USB-C, so you should prioritise getting a case with at least one front USB-C port and a motherboard that has a USB-C header out for it.

As said, it's best you provide a budget that you feel comfortable spending and see what people can suggest for it.

 

[Moonstick2]

(Posting this separately.) On the "not wanting to change the hard drive", this shouldn't be considered in the same upgrade ballpark as the motherboard because you should have backups of your data (the ideal is three copies minimum - your original plus two backups, including one off-site). Basically you want to be in a situation where if your drive dies without warning, it's not the most hassle in the world to get it back up and running.

I've had multiple drives over the years, and I've had only one failure. But it was a total failure (SSD, no way to get anything from it), there was zero warning and it was the C: drive. It was a reputable brand too. It was easy enough for me to get things back and running, but that's why when it comes to upgrading a drive my only consideration is money.

From things you've said (never wanting to update the HDD, installing the old HDD in the new PC so you can move your stuff from it etc) it sounds like you don't have backups. If that's the situation please do them as soon as possible, even if it's just copying the important stuff onto a USB thumb drive for now (not recommended for long term!) It really is one of those things that it's best not to learn the hard way.