What is a good CPU + Motherboard combo to go with the GTX 970?

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Pixelcubed

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Sep 9, 2016
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I currently have an AMD APU and a GTX 750 TI, and I am not happy with the performance using them. After asking around, I have come to the conclusion that to upgrade my graphics card to one that will have the performance I want, I will also have to upgrade my APU to a better CPU, and to do that I also need a new motherboard. So what CPU and Motherboard should I buy? Also are my other computer specs OK to use with these new components? Please also keep in mind I would like to only spend as much money as necessary.

My Specs:
APU: AMD A10-5800K with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics 4.30 GHz
Motherboard: Asus F2 A85-V Pro
Power Supply: Corsair CX500M
RAM: 8GB HyperX Fury
Case: Carbide Series 300R Windowed
Current GPU (to be replaced by 970): EVGA GTX 750 TI FTW Edition

Thanks in advance!
 
Solution
Barty1884
I'd suggest a GTX 1060 over a 970 (an 1070 if possible, but that's going to be over budget).

You could look at a Skylake i3, but you'll also need DDR4 there too.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H110M-A Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($46.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($35.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $193.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-22 11:25 EDT-0400

$200 for the combo (excluding the GPU) is a pretty good deal. You man need a new OS if you're...
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Barty1884

Barty1884

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Apr 16, 2015
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I'd suggest a GTX 1060 over a 970 (an 1070 if possible, but that's going to be over budget).

You could look at a Skylake i3, but you'll also need DDR4 there too.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($110.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H110M-A Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($46.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($35.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $193.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-22 11:25 EDT-0400

$200 for the combo (excluding the GPU) is a pretty good deal. You man need a new OS if you're not on Windows 10 and the latest build.

You could go with a Haswell i3 and reuse your existing RAM, but it's not saving you a whole bunch of money:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4160 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor ($113.88 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI H81M-P33 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($43.88 @ OutletPC)
Total: $157.76
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-22 11:26 EDT-0400
 
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Pixelcubed

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Sep 9, 2016
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I have looked at the price of the 1060 and it seems good. If that was the case would your answer change?
 
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Barty1884

Barty1884

Retired Moderator
Apr 16, 2015
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No, an i3-6100 would be a solid pairing, even with a 1060.

I would definitely recommend going with the Skylake i3 + DDR4 over the Haswell and reusing your DDR3.

If your budget can be stretched a little, and i5-6500 could replace the i3-6100 but if you're keeping it as low as possible, the i3 is a solid budget option.
 
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Pixelcubed

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Sep 9, 2016
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I'm pretty much a beginner when approaching building/upgrading a PC, so could you explain why you picked each individual part and why they are compatible (especially why DDR4 over DDR3, and why I can't use my current RAM again if I went with the Skylake). Thanks so much, you have been very helpful :)
 
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