Help me finish upgrading my gaming PC. Can decide how to upgrade the CPU

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
VinnyVincent

VinnyVincent

Honorable
Aug 5, 2017
132
0
10,690
I got 300 dollars for Christmas to spend at micro center.


Current system:

ASRock B250 motherboard(not overclockable)
Pentium g4560 processor
GTX 1060 6gb GPU
8gb 2133mhz ram
240gb SSD
2TB HDD
550W seasonic focus gold PSU


Thoughts:
Seems like my CPU/motherboard are the weak points currently...But with all the fanboy's and such I'm having trouble figuring out what upgrade would be best.

Keeping in mind that I can't overclock with my current motherboard...Some options are:


    1) I5 7600K for $189 (still need a cooler)
    and keep the extra money to go toward future upgrades



    2) I7 7700K with a cooler would use up all of my $300 budget...possibly more than I need for gaming/multiple web tabs/steam in background.



    3) I7 7700 for $259 and spend the other <$40 on games


OR...



    4) Ryzen 7 1700X bundled with a B350 motherboard for $289 plus tax



    5) Ryzen 5 1600X bundled with an X370 motherboard for $309 plus tax(a little over budget, but I could swing it)


      6) Ryzen 5 1600X bundled with a B350 motherboard for $224, use the extra money for a new case and build a second computer with my old parts.




Thoughts?
 
Solution
DRagor


You know what is a difference between playing on 7600 and 7700? That you can have other programs opened without reducing performance in game. Those extra 4 threads can take care of all those steam tabs, temp monitoring software, myriad of opened browser tabs and whatnot you normally use, while you still 4 cores to put all their muscle to give you nice FPS in game.
Sort by date Sort by votes
ehmkec

ehmkec

Reputable
Aug 31, 2017
235
1
4,765
If you get a new MB you are going to have to get a new Windows version. The license is tied to the MB. So budget in another $60 to $100.

My real advice is 'save' until you get enough for what you really want. I know - nobody has patience anymore. Plus - there will be some killer sales in the next few weeks.

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
VinnyVincent

VinnyVincent

Honorable
Aug 5, 2017
132
0
10,690
Thanks guys, I am leaning toward option 3(slap in the 7700 and call it a day) but...

Wait just a moment! #1 with a Hyper 212EVO (which is a good cooler for like $35) and the rest for games. You'd have way more to spend on games! The i5 option is more than enough for most games, even if you can't overclock.

But, if that makes too much sense, then go with #3.
Click to expand...

LOL this is why I keep going back and forth on my decision. I know the stock 7600k is plenty to power my GTX 1060 @ 100%, but what about the future? I keep reading that games are starting to use more than 4 cores/threads. I plan on keeping this Motherboard/CPU combo for a good 4-5 years or so...
I'm wondering if this phenomena might be a little exaggerated? perhaps by the time the 7600K starts showing its age, it would be time for a new system anyways? In other words...maybe the two processors are so close in performance that by the time thread count becomes a real issue, both processors would be starting to show their age?


The 7600k with cooler is 214 while the 7700 is 259...so it's only a 45 dollar difference, which isn't too big when you're already spending 200+...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
justin.m.beauvais

justin.m.beauvais

Estimable
Dec 15, 2017
1,527
199
3,840
All I can tell you is that I have an i5 4590 and it is still plenty of CPU... but the times they are FINALLY a changing. It might be worth it in the future to have those hyperthreaded cores... but today it isn't. Heck, a year from now we could be in an all out core war and the 4 hyperthreaded cores won't even seem like enough.

It really is a hard choice. The way I look at it, unless there is something on the horizon that I know will need more power, I buy for what I know I have, more so than what I want. When I upgraded I knew Fallout 4 was coming out and that my 3 core Phenom II system might not handle it so well, so I got what I knew I'd be good with, the i5. Right now I don't see anything on the horizon that will need more than an i5. Heck for years the i3 has been a fine chip... and now they are going to 4 physical cores on them, so my guess is that 4 cores will continue to be just fine for a few more generations. I mean, the 8700K with its 6 cores didn't render the 7700K obsolete by any means.

It is a hard choice... honestly not one I'd like to have to make... both are great chips.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
DRagor

DRagor

Polypheme
Jan 23, 2017
9,028
745
65,440


You know what is a difference between playing on 7600 and 7700? That you can have other programs opened without reducing performance in game. Those extra 4 threads can take care of all those steam tabs, temp monitoring software, myriad of opened browser tabs and whatnot you normally use, while you still 4 cores to put all their muscle to give you nice FPS in game.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
ehmkec

ehmkec

Reputable
Aug 31, 2017
235
1
4,765


My bad - if RETAIL the license can be moved to another PC.

If OEM - (From Microsoft) Product keys are issued by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and are not-for-resale and may not be transferred to another computer. They may, however, be transferred with the computer if the computer is transferred to new ownership. If the OEM PC came preinstalled with Windows 8 or Windows 10, then the product key will be embedded in the UEFI firmware chip.

It has always been a sticky issue. Please search Tom's for a lot of responses on this.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
DRagor

DRagor

Polypheme
Jan 23, 2017
9,028
745
65,440


Yeah, well, I don't even know what language it was, but if I saw it right, he was using rx460 with it - so the FPS were limited by GPU, not the CPU in such case. Your 1060 has more power, so you would see much bigger difference between those CPUs.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom