Rebuild/Renovate and Overclock i5 2500k system

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Chesschamp09

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Aug 7, 2017
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Purpose: make my system from 2011 run current and future games to the best degree possible with budget of <$500


Current Computer:
Case: APEX Vortex 3620 SGCC (1 front and 1 back 120mm fan); vents on side "support" 3x80mm or 2x120mm fans

CPU: i5 2500k

MB: Gigabyte P67A-D3-B3 (rev 1.0)
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-P67A-D3-B3-rev-10#sp

RAM: 2x4GB Corsair XMS3 DDR3 1600MHz 9-9-9-24 1.65V unbuffered; currently running at 1333 for some reason
Edit: running @1600Mhz now. Guess I forgot to enable XMP back in the day

UPDATE: Probably going to get an identical 2x4GB set unless I find sufficient evidence that a higher speed will be needed


Cooler: Stock Intel cooler; limited to <150mm fan height according to case manufacturer

Graphics Card: Zotac GTX 460 SE 1GB GDDR5

Video specs: 1920x1080 60hz (No interest in 4k)



Goals:
a. desired turbo-boost overclock of >= 4.5Ghz

b. 16GB of RAM, preferably fast so games that are CPU bound and that see improvements with memory performance work well in the future

c. get a better videocard



So the main decision points here to balance the monetary distribution around are (to my understanding):

1. What replacement (air) cooler to get that will fit (<150mm, can't be much longer in the direction of optimum airflow than the stock cooler ) and allow the desired level of overclocking? (recommended elsewhere on the forums Coolermaster 212, Noctua NH-U14S don't fit)

2a. How should I get to 16GB of ram (2x8GB or 4x4GB)

2b. If I go 4x4GB, should I keep the RAM I have and find some other 4GB sticks or do I need to get something like a 4x4GB 1866 Mhz package or better latency timings?

2c. If I keep the current RAM, will my 2nd set of dual channel RAM be limited in timings/latencies, clock speed, and voltages by the current set?

2d. If getting new RAM, is overclockability important (from what I understand my current RAM is not very overclockable since its already at 1.65V)?

3. When videocard prices go back down, which card would be the best to get so that it performs well now and hopefully as long as the rest of the components are useful?
(GTX 1060 6GB good enough?)



Other Considerations:
Are any supplementary fans for the case going to be needed? Update: No side fans for now unless cooling solution doesn't perform well enough

I'm also thinking about switching from my orion hp585D to a SuperNova G2 550W since it is vastly more efficient and the data from its THW review was good (and the Orion only has 1x6pin PCIe connector). This can wait until the videocard is bought/ a better sale comes up.

Update: Planning on trying out a Bitfenix Whisper 550W

Some sources I've used :
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2016-is-it-finally-time-to-upgrade-your-core-i5-2500k
http://www.pcgamer.com/the-best-graphics-cards/
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-gpus,4380.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gpu-hierarchy,4388.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-cpu-coolers,4181.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-ram,4057-2.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/276072-29-best-cooler-2500k-5ghz
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2272245/cooler-overclocking-2500k.html
http://hecgroupusa.com/products/switching-power-supply/atx-12v/hp585d/
 
Solution
clutchc
If you are happy gaming at 1080p/60hz, you really only need a decent gfx card. The i5-2500K is still viable up to and including the GTX 1060 6GB. OC'ing the CPU will help some, but the weak link in your system now is the gfx card. It is old and it is slow, and it lacks enough VRAM to play today's games at high settings.
GTX 460 SE vs GTX 1060 6GB
The GTX 1060 will max out settings on just about every game available today at 1080/60Hz.

8GB of RAM is sufficient unless you like to have a lot of crap running in the background while you game. In which case, adding another 8GB and updating the BIOS and finding a i7-377x somewhere used would help with that a bit. But since that generation is obsolete, you'll pay as much for...
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clutchc

clutchc

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Apr 22, 2009
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If you are happy gaming at 1080p/60hz, you really only need a decent gfx card. The i5-2500K is still viable up to and including the GTX 1060 6GB. OC'ing the CPU will help some, but the weak link in your system now is the gfx card. It is old and it is slow, and it lacks enough VRAM to play today's games at high settings.
GTX 460 SE vs GTX 1060 6GB
The GTX 1060 will max out settings on just about every game available today at 1080/60Hz.

8GB of RAM is sufficient unless you like to have a lot of crap running in the background while you game. In which case, adding another 8GB and updating the BIOS and finding a i7-377x somewhere used would help with that a bit. But since that generation is obsolete, you'll pay as much for the i7-377x as a new processor.

It doesn't matter if you go with 2x8GB or 4x4GB, whichever is more convenient for you. And you should try to buy a matched pair if sticks as close to the old ones as possible.
 
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Solution
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Chesschamp09

Honorable
Aug 7, 2017
38
0
10,540
I have enough things that I would like to have in the background that the extra memory is valuable. I've done some tests on a windows 10 machine I was helping someone with and some modern games will get you above 8GB usage with just them (including their DRM) and the OS running. Getting the i7-3770k (or any other processor) isnt something I'm going to pursue unless I happen to find a REALLY good deal on it.
 
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Chesschamp09

Honorable
Aug 7, 2017
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10,540
When the DRM requires a client in order to launch (and usually play) the game (Steam, origin, uplay, to an extent blizzard client) all take up ~100MB+ of RAM, which is why I only have 1 open at a time.
 
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C

Chesschamp09

Honorable
Aug 7, 2017
38
0
10,540
Seems like the GTX 1060 6GB is probably the best bet for purchases made in the near future unless the rx 480/570 come down in price. So I'm pretty confident I have a good idea of what to do on everything except the CPU cooler.

Most of the commonly lauded CPU coolers are excluded due to my 150mm height limit. Perhaps I should be looking at using a downdraft cooler like the Scythe SCBSK-2100 Big Shuriken or the noctual NH-L12? That would kind of work against the front to back airflow that my 2 casefans produce though.

Otherwise it seems like my option are (assuming these are good enough) the Scythe Fuma SCFM-1000 (assuming these can clear my ram in the front and the motherboard thing in the back), CRYORIG H7, and Arctic Freezer i32.
 
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