Upgrading CPU, MB, RAM, GPU - expert opinions would help
Discussion
I'm about to upgrade my PC, I use it for work but also fairly heavy gaming. I game and work in 1400p (2k), dual screen.
Current spec is
i7-3770k (so 2nd or 3rd gen!)
24Gb DDR3
RTX 2060
I always go for what's at the current "best price point" - so best value without being a tight wad - but not being wasteful. not paying x2 for a processor for 25% more performance.
A quick bit of research tells me:
i5-12400 is by far the best value at present and will be a significant jump from my Gen 2 i7
Nocturna fan as they are wonderfully quiet. Shame my current one won't fit! :-(
DDR4 3200 32Gb - as that's what I need and 3200 is the fastest DDR4?
Asus Prime B660-Plus D4LGA 1700 Pcie4 - seems to be a good enough Mobo without splurging in Pcie5 as no cards seem to exist yet! - I just picked that from a list that looked not too expensive and gets recommended. I could be wrong.
RTX 3070 - seems the best bang for buck at present and I think represents a 75% increase in performance. Looks like I'll get around £200 back for my 2060 in ebay and I can get a 3070 for around £400 or less used. Or £500 new.
All my discs are SSD, with one being 6Gb/s. I'm not sure M.2 offers any significan speed increase?
Anything I'm wildly off on? I'm ex IT so no dullard but these things move so fast I don't try and keep up any more.
Current spec is
i7-3770k (so 2nd or 3rd gen!)
24Gb DDR3
RTX 2060
I always go for what's at the current "best price point" - so best value without being a tight wad - but not being wasteful. not paying x2 for a processor for 25% more performance.
A quick bit of research tells me:
i5-12400 is by far the best value at present and will be a significant jump from my Gen 2 i7
Nocturna fan as they are wonderfully quiet. Shame my current one won't fit! :-(
DDR4 3200 32Gb - as that's what I need and 3200 is the fastest DDR4?
Asus Prime B660-Plus D4LGA 1700 Pcie4 - seems to be a good enough Mobo without splurging in Pcie5 as no cards seem to exist yet! - I just picked that from a list that looked not too expensive and gets recommended. I could be wrong.
RTX 3070 - seems the best bang for buck at present and I think represents a 75% increase in performance. Looks like I'll get around £200 back for my 2060 in ebay and I can get a 3070 for around £400 or less used. Or £500 new.
All my discs are SSD, with one being 6Gb/s. I'm not sure M.2 offers any significan speed increase?
Anything I'm wildly off on? I'm ex IT so no dullard but these things move so fast I don't try and keep up any more.
New GPU’s *probably* out in September so perhaps hold off another month or two if you can.
Nothing worse than spending out a wedge for a GPU only for it to be superseded a few weeks later. And yes, I know you can always wait for the next big thing but they are due pretty damned soon, albeit there is vague speculation that they might be delayed. IMO, they won’t be, they’re just trying to clear the massive stock they now have due to crypto crashing.
NVMe drives are considerably faster and both Nvidia and AMD have some tech that will tie in with Win 11 it just hasn’t debuted yet. Can’t remember what it’s called off the top of my head though, Direct Storage or something. Similar to the tech used in the PS5 though, which will be very good once widely used.
Nothing worse than spending out a wedge for a GPU only for it to be superseded a few weeks later. And yes, I know you can always wait for the next big thing but they are due pretty damned soon, albeit there is vague speculation that they might be delayed. IMO, they won’t be, they’re just trying to clear the massive stock they now have due to crypto crashing.
NVMe drives are considerably faster and both Nvidia and AMD have some tech that will tie in with Win 11 it just hasn’t debuted yet. Can’t remember what it’s called off the top of my head though, Direct Storage or something. Similar to the tech used in the PS5 though, which will be very good once widely used.
Edited by HRL on Monday 1st August 16:48
I've started you -
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/H8xFtn
CPU is available with or without onboard graphics. I prefer with so you can build and test then slap in the RTX.
You can get DDR4-3600. Looks like the mobo will support it.
M2 NVME is faster than SSD
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/H8xFtn
CPU is available with or without onboard graphics. I prefer with so you can build and test then slap in the RTX.
You can get DDR4-3600. Looks like the mobo will support it.
M2 NVME is faster than SSD
grumbledoak said:
I've started you -
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/H8xFtn
CPU is available with or without onboard graphics. I prefer with so you can build and test then slap in the RTX.
You can get DDR4-3600. Looks like the mobo will support it.
M2 NVME is faster than SSD
Thank you ;-)https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/H8xFtn
CPU is available with or without onboard graphics. I prefer with so you can build and test then slap in the RTX.
You can get DDR4-3600. Looks like the mobo will support it.
M2 NVME is faster than SSD
HRL said:
New GPU’s *probably* out in September so perhaps hold off another month or two if you can.
Yeah - I've been reading about this. There is talk about next year with the 4000 series. Who knows?Edited by HRL on Monday 1st August 16:48
I'm defo seeing lots of miners unloading on Ebay.
grumbledoak said:
Welcome. That site will try to keep you on the straight and narrow as you chop and change.
Make sure you get a 8,500W PSU made from solid Gold Pressed Latinum. It's a tradition, or an old charter, or something.
Jesting aside, I wouldn’t buy anything less than a 1KW PSU at present. The next gen GPU’s may be thirsty ones. Make sure you get a 8,500W PSU made from solid Gold Pressed Latinum. It's a tradition, or an old charter, or something.
That's part of the reason I like the processor I listed - low power use, much like the RTX 3070 at 220w - very similar to my 2060.
I really don't want to be drawing 1000w gaming with the way electricity prices are going! and my PC is on all day, and used often for non gaming.
p.s. just researched M.2 and NVME / PCIE 4, and that 2280 is the width and length. Learnt about the faster sequential performance. All very useful stuff.
I'll be whacking in my existing 3 SSDs, upsetting Win 10 with the new Mobo, then once updated and settled, install the 1Tb NVME and migrate Win over to it. My current boot SSD is 128Gb and always full :-)
I really don't want to be drawing 1000w gaming with the way electricity prices are going! and my PC is on all day, and used often for non gaming.
p.s. just researched M.2 and NVME / PCIE 4, and that 2280 is the width and length. Learnt about the faster sequential performance. All very useful stuff.
I'll be whacking in my existing 3 SSDs, upsetting Win 10 with the new Mobo, then once updated and settled, install the 1Tb NVME and migrate Win over to it. My current boot SSD is 128Gb and always full :-)
Edited by Griffith4ever on Monday 1st August 17:14
Non-gaming the current gen, my 3090FE, sips power at about 30W, but gaming anything between 350-400W. I suspect the next gen cards will be 400-500W when gaming, but we shall see.
https://www.nvidia.com/en-gb/geforce/news/rtx-io-g...
Worth a read if you are set on an Nvidia card. Apologies if there are typos but I’m in Greece and have been drinking Ouzo for the past 4 hours!
https://www.nvidia.com/en-gb/geforce/news/rtx-io-g...
Worth a read if you are set on an Nvidia card. Apologies if there are typos but I’m in Greece and have been drinking Ouzo for the past 4 hours!
Getting there!
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/DvbLd9
I've change dthe ram to non RGB as I am 52 (and it saves £25)
Changed the fan to a SE-214-XT as it turns out the Noctura was a massive overkill
Think I'll pull the trigger today, get the mobo and disc upgrades done, use my existing 2060, then buy the 3070 when the price is right/an opportunity arises. It's on the cusp of being ok but need to find them for £500 new and I'm VAT reg so that would cost me the same as an ebay used one.
Edit - something is happening..... Both Scan and Ebuyer are selling a 3070 for the same discounted amount all of a sudden , £529.98
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/DvbLd9
I've change dthe ram to non RGB as I am 52 (and it saves £25)
Changed the fan to a SE-214-XT as it turns out the Noctura was a massive overkill
Think I'll pull the trigger today, get the mobo and disc upgrades done, use my existing 2060, then buy the 3070 when the price is right/an opportunity arises. It's on the cusp of being ok but need to find them for £500 new and I'm VAT reg so that would cost me the same as an ebay used one.
Edit - something is happening..... Both Scan and Ebuyer are selling a 3070 for the same discounted amount all of a sudden , £529.98
Edited by Griffith4ever on Tuesday 2nd August 15:12
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