Looking for suggestions to buff up my current computer setup!

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
T

Theodor_K

Commendable
Oct 23, 2016
5
0
1,510
My current setup is:
CPU: AMD A10-5800K APU with Radeon™ HD Graphics
GPU: GeForce GTX 970
Motherboard: MSI FM2-A55M-E33
8 GB RAM
500GB storage

As I've come to understand, my current CPU seriously bottlenecks my GPU.
I'm looking at replacing the motherboard and CPU with a Z97-A or P, and an i5 4690K.
I'm kind of on a budget, so I'm not going for the super high tier stuff, but what are your thoughts on those replacements?
 
Solution
geofelt
Nothing wrong with a 4790K and a motherboard that permits overclocking like the Z97 based motherboard.
In actuality, there is very little difference in real app performance or fps between ddr3 and ddr4.
I might presume you are looking at used parts.
That is ok.
For new parts, latest gen is better.
Yes, i5-4690K with or without an overclock will be a very good cpu upgrade.

Long term, it is the upcoming 200 series motherboard chipsets that is likely to impact upgrades to faster Xpoint optane devices.

And... One of the most satisfying pc upgrades you can make will be to a ssd.
Everything goes quicker.
Samsung has a nice ssd migration utility to copy your c drive to one of their ssd's.
If the new ssd can hold the used contents of your...
Sort by date Sort by votes
Ecky

Ecky

Illustrious
Feb 3, 2013
7,592
2
38,960
It really depends on what you can find for what price. I generally don't recommend people buy older socket 1150 stuff when 1151 is around the same price, uses less power, and is fast. You would need to sell and replace your RAM too though, but if you're selling your motherboard and CPU it shouldn't be too hard to bundle the RAM with it.

Cheap: i5 6500 (~$200), B150 board (~$60), 8GB DDR4 (~$35)
Expensive: i5 6600K (~$220), aftermarket cooler (~$35), Z170 board (~$90), 8GB DDR4 (~$35)
OR i7 6700 ($300), B150 board (~$60), 8GB DDR4 ($35)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
T

Theodor_K

Commendable
Oct 23, 2016
5
0
1,510


I don't know a lot about computers, but why would the RAM need to be replaced as well?

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
T

Theodor_K

Commendable
Oct 23, 2016
5
0
1,510


Sorry for being so oblivious, but how did you gather I'm currently using DDR3? Is it the type of RAM used for my current generation of motherboard? Also, is there a big benefit with going with the more expensive alternatives you listed?

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Ecky

Ecky

Illustrious
Feb 3, 2013
7,592
2
38,960
DDR3 was used until Intel's 5th generation CPUs and until AMD's new AM4 platform. DDR4 is standard now.

The i5 6500 is enough for ~60fps in most games, but it might dip a bit in brand new AAA games, and it's enough if you're looking for 120/144hz. The 6600K and 6700 are both better choices if you're bothered by framerates not staying perfectly at 60, or if you might want to do streaming while gaming. The 6500 ends up being about $100 cheaper than either though.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
T

Theodor_K

Commendable
Oct 23, 2016
5
0
1,510


Yeah, okay. Either way, from what I can gather, the 4690K still performs better than the 6500, at the cost of only slightly lower energy efficiency. Wouldn't simply pairing it with a cheaper mobo end up as the cheapest/fastest alternative?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Ecky

Ecky

Illustrious
Feb 3, 2013
7,592
2
38,960
Performance difference between the two of them is negligible. The 4690K's issue is not performance, but that it's on socket 1150, which is basically a dead socket. 1151 will receive at least 2 more generations of new CPUs. DDR4 is already cheaper than DDR3 and the price gap will grow as DDR3 gets phased out. The 4690K looks like a decent way to save a few dollars now but it'll bite you down the road when you want an upgrade.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
T

Theodor_K

Commendable
Oct 23, 2016
5
0
1,510


I'm very thankful for all the answers! Is the performance difference really that negligible though? The performance is the main reason for my upgrade, so it's to me the most important part.

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Ecky

Ecky

Illustrious
Feb 3, 2013
7,592
2
38,960
Skylake is about 10% faster per clock and the 4690K is clocked about 10% higher. The newer i5 is locked and can't be overclocked, so an OC'd 4690K would be a bit faster, but a Z97 board + aftermarket cooler will drive the price higher, probably closer to what you'd pay for a 6600K + Z170 board.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
geofelt

geofelt

Titan
Oct 9, 2006
54,298
4,146
174,240
Nothing wrong with a 4790K and a motherboard that permits overclocking like the Z97 based motherboard.
In actuality, there is very little difference in real app performance or fps between ddr3 and ddr4.
I might presume you are looking at used parts.
That is ok.
For new parts, latest gen is better.
Yes, i5-4690K with or without an overclock will be a very good cpu upgrade.

Long term, it is the upcoming 200 series motherboard chipsets that is likely to impact upgrades to faster Xpoint optane devices.

And... One of the most satisfying pc upgrades you can make will be to a ssd.
Everything goes quicker.
Samsung has a nice ssd migration utility to copy your c drive to one of their ssd's.
If the new ssd can hold the used contents of your hard drive the process is easy.
If not all will fit, you can exclude data folders and still read them from the hard drive.
Look for Samsung evo for reliability and performance.
You will not regret such a change.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom