Upgrading PC, any opinions?

Wehst · Aug 12, 2018

Hey, I plan on upgrading my PC, with a new MOBO, CPU, RAM, SSD and case.

Any opinions, or possibly changes, would be greatly appreciated.

Keep in mind I'm reusing some parts, I will tag which ones I'm reusing, and this is all in USD.

CPU
Intel - Core i7-8700K 3.7GHz 6-Core Processor
$347.00 Free two-day shipping with Amazon Prime $347.00 Amazon Buy

CPU Cooler
Noctua - NH-L9x65 33.8 CFM CPU Cooler
$48.95 FREE $48.95 Newegg Buy

Motherboard
Asus - ROG STRIX Z370-E GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard
$196.00 $196.00 SuperBiiz Buy

Memory
Corsair - Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory
$159.99 $0.99 $160.98 Newegg Business Buy

Storage
Samsung - 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
$143.83 FREE $143.83 Newegg Marketplace Buy

Re-used
Video Card EVGA - GeForce GTX 970 4GB ACX 2.0+ Video Card

Case
NZXT - S340 (Black/Red) ATX Mid Tower Case
$65.99 $65.99 SuperBiiz Buy

Power Supply
Re-used
Corsair - CXM 650W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply
$69.89 FREE $69.89 OutletPC Buy

Base Total: $1031.65
Shipping: $0.99
Total: $1032.64

Current specs are as follows:

Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64-bit
CPU
Intel Core i5 3570K @ 3.40GHz
Ivy Bridge 22nm Technology

RAM
16.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 933MHz (10-11-10-30)

Motherboard
ASRock Z77 Pro3 (CPUSocket)

Graphics
GN246HL (1920x1080@144Hz)
ASUS VS247 (1920x1080@60Hz)
Intel HD Graphics 4000 (ASRock)
4095MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (EVGA)

Storage
931GB Seagate ST1000DM003-1CH162 (SATA ) 34 C
111GB KINGSTON SV300S37A120G (SATA-2 (SSD)) 29 C
931GB Western Digital WDC WD10EZEX-00WN4A0 (SATA )

Optical Drives
ASUS DRW-24B1ST c

Audio
VB-Audio VoiceMeeter VAIO

profoundnoah · Aug 12, 2018

What will you be doing with the PC? Often times enough, the 8700k is completely overkill for most users. It really depends on what you plan to do. One thing to immediately note is that the 850 series of SSD's are now outdated. The new 860 Evo series sells for less and delivers more performance. https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-MZ-76E500B-AM/dp/B0781Z7Y3S Also, that's a low profile Noctua cooler. It won't get much done. Look at some options from Scythe, Phanteks, or Cryorig.

Wehst · Aug 12, 2018

profoundnoah :

I'm going to be playing a wide variety of games, whilst using editing programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro CC, and Sony Vegas 12.

I want the ability to not feel capped, while multitasking, and to have a relatively future proof CPU for years to come.

If there's something I should possibly downgrade to, I might be willing to change it.

theyodaperson22 · Aug 12, 2018

I don’t think a GTX 970 will cut it if you want to do all that rendering and gaming. especially with that CPU that is way to powerful for your graphics card. I’d recommend downsizing the CPU to maybe 8600k or 8700 then using extra money for something like a 1070 ti. Btw good idea sticking with Intel

Karadjgne · Aug 12, 2018

Only thing wrong with the build is the cooler. That Noctua is totally inadequate for the heat a 8700k can put out, especially when taxed hard with rendering which can and will drive all twelve threads to close to 100% usage. Any OC will only exacerbate the problem. For that kind of torture usage you should be looking at the abilities of big air or a 240mm aio+.

A gtx970 is pretty much right at a 1060/3Gb level of ability. Good enough for most things 1080p/60Hz, even branching into 1440p/60Hz for some older or less demanding titles.

For what you plan on for usage, I believe something like a Ryzen 2600x would be a cheaper option overall, and still have the same threads as the i7, but greater ability than the 8600k.

tejayd · Aug 12, 2018

I agree with the others. And will add if it's in your budget I think 500gb SSD is the way to go. Especially with a decent build like yours.

nboraa22 · Aug 12, 2018

This ADATA SSD is much faster than the 850 Evo series, which is also much older.
http://ssd.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Adata-XPG-SX8200-NVMe-PCIe-M2-480GB-vs-Samsung-850-Evo-250GB/m482768vs2977

It is probably in your best interests to sell the 970 and get a 1080 ($429.99) or 1070 ($379.99).
http://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-GTX-1070-vs-Nvidia-GTX-970/3609vs2577
http://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Nvidia-GTX-1080-vs-Nvidia-GTX-970/3603vs2577

Upgrade the Power Supply to something 80+ gold.

Ryzen CPUs are also better for rendering.

Your RAM could definitely stand to be improved.

Overall here are my recommended upgrades, if they fit your budget (The SSD can definitely be downgraded to something like the Crucial MX500 or ADATA XPG SX6000 if it doesn't fit budget):
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Vr9C4q

profoundnoah · Aug 12, 2018

The 850 Series SSD will not feel any slower than that ADATA SSD. It is a HUGE misconception that overall higher R/W speeds will make a MAJOR difference in real-world performance issues. An 860 Evo 500GB is significantly cheaper than that ADATA SSD. Also, Efficiency means nothing in the face of component quality. I'd MUCH rather have an 80+ Bronze rated PSU from SeaSonic vs. an 80+ Gold one from some OEM. The PSU could definitely be improved, but the CXM series isn't that bad.

If you go AMD, go for the 2600X and a quality b450 board (from ASRock preferably), or you can even go for an X470 one. It's just that the B450 ones are of WAY higher value imo. If you do choose to go with intel, go for a cheaper board. The Gaming K6 from ASRock would be a good buy for your money. Use the savings from the SSD and board to get something like an NH-D15 for your cooler. Also, 16GB of that RAM is perfectly fine.

Wehst · Aug 12, 2018

profoundnoah :

My mistake, I mostly seen decent reviews about the 850 Evo, so I decided to throw in that, I will go with the 860. And thank you, I'll for sure look at different coolers, but I'm possibly debating to just switch to an AIO, but I've heard some possible horror stories when it comes to those, so I might stick with a standard air cooler, I"ll have to do more research on the matter. Thank you for the advice!

theyodaperson22 :

Damn, I was hoping it would be able to get the job done, I had a feeling I would have to upgrade my GPU during this, but I'm currently looking to go for the GTX 1070, I've seen benchmarks across a multitude of videos, and I'm not sure if I want to pay the 50-60 bucks more for the 1080 for 20-30% more frames, I'll be looking more up on it. Thank you for the advice!

tejayd :

I'm thinking about going up to 500GB, I bought this Kingston SSD around 2014 or so, back when SSDs were still very expensive back then, but it's a good thing they toned down the price for 500GB, or even 1TB drives, so 500GB is definitely reasonable. Thank you for the advice!

nboraa22 :

I appreciate the build, I've been reviewing some benchmarks, in regards to AMD Ryzen 2600x compared to the i7 8700k, I must say I'm impressed with the quality you get with AMD, especially with the price difference, so who knows, might be going AMD for a change. I've had this PSU for awhile now, and it still seems to hold up quite well, now that I'm incorporating bigger and better parts, maybe now is the time for an upgrade to that as well, thank you for the advice!

profoundnoah :

Still debating whether or not to switch to AMD, I've used Intel for the last 7 years, so it's all I really know, but AMD is really starting to step it up in regards to Price for performance, so maybe I'll try it out, see how I like it. Thank you for the advice!

profoundnoah · Aug 12, 2018

Glad to be of service. As someone who uses the 2700X, I must say it's a ridiculous processor for the price. Had AMD not released ryzen a year or so back, intel would be charging $1000+ for 2700X performance. Just hope that you don't get shipped a defective unit like I did

As for AIO's, I really don't get them from a performance standpoint. Sure, your temps might be better INITIALLY, but that is only due to the specific heat of water being higher than air. I don't think it's worth the added noise, risk of leaks etc. just for it to look nice. Look into something like the Dark Rock Pro/Regular 4 from Be Quiet. The stock fan that comes with the 2600X is also really impressive (as far as stock coolers are concerned). Your PSU will be fine for this next build.

You could use the savings vs. the 8700k for a more beefy GPU/whatever you want.

Karadjgne · Aug 12, 2018

Aios and air are the same ability, in their respective brackets. For instance a corsair h60 has almost identical performance to a CM hyper212 evo. Only differences being looks and airflow characteristics and fitment in some cases. The major difference comes at the extreme top end. Even the biggest air coolers such as the Noctua NH-D15/s are limited to @250w+, they simply do not have the fine surface area to dissipate more. The big aios like a kraken x61 or fractal design Celsius S36 can field 300w-350w+ ability. But this is offset by the fact that most consumer cpus even with OC aren't reaching those wattage limits, so you'll end up with a D15 performing similar to even the biggest aios, limited by cpu ability. If you are pushing a 200w OC output, top end ability is not used. And temps don't scale well linearly, it's not an even rise. It's a slow curve until reaching a certain level of efficiency then it shoots upwards quick. At 200w you'll still be in the slow curve, so temps are moderate for the usage and pretty equitable between the 2 styles.

Wehst · Aug 12, 2018

profoundnoah :

Hm... I'm very interested in going to the Ryzen 7 2700x, would you say this would be a good upgrade to the 2600x, otherwise I'll save money to possibly upgrade to a better GPU like a 1080, but if I go with the 2700x, I'll go with a GTX 1070, which pay off would you recommend?

How's your 2700x?

EDIT: Thoughts on changes?

profoundnoah · Aug 12, 2018

Had to RMA it, but when I finally got it back it works like a champ. You going for the 2700X really depends on your work case. It's up to you to determine whether the 2-cores/4-threads extra will be worth the price gap. Personally, I'd prefer a 2600X with a 1080 vs the 2700X with a 1070, if I had to choose. Both are still very powerful.

Wehst · Aug 12, 2018

profoundnoah :

I really appreciate all your help, gonna feel weird switching to AMD, but it comes down to performance, and I feel like this is the best way towards that.

Can you tell me if you would change anything here as a final thought?

profoundnoah · Aug 12, 2018

Overall a very nice looking build. Just make sure that your case will fit the cooler (it should). Also, this is just a preference, but you could save $30 by going with this ASRock board, you won't be missing out on anything: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Pq97YJ/asrock-fatal1ty-b450-gaming-k4-atx-am4-motherboard-b450-gaming-k4.

If Asus is your thing, that's alright. I found a better 1080 for the same price: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/fGDzK8/evga-geforce-gtx-1080-8gb-ftw2-gaming-icx-video-card-08g-p4-6686-kr

madmatt30 · Aug 12, 2018

Crazy overkill with that cooler.

Take the carbon pro , that strix board (while fancy looking) is mediocre.

https://m.newegg.com/products/N82E16813144188

Wehst · Aug 12, 2018

profoundnoah :

I'm not biased towards Motherboards, personally. I'll go with the ASRock board, I've had a few in the past, so I might as well go through them again. And thanks again, gonna go with that card instead.

madmatt30 :

Actually, oddly enough, I prefer the look of the motherboard you posted instead, thanks for the input.

And what cooler would you recommend if that one is overkill?

profoundnoah · Aug 12, 2018

The regular version (The Dark Rock 4) is a bit less expensive. You might even be able to get away with something less expensive as well. Personally, I'd much rather err on the side of caution and get more performance than I need. Another thing to note is that it will also be nice to have a capable cooler in case you want to upgrade to a stronger processor in the future (AMD's confirmed AM4 socket support until 2020, if you want to upgrade to their flagship then, the cooler might be nice to have).

Also, while it MAY be overkill, it's not like you won't be taking advantage of it. The larger surface area of the Pro4 means better heat dissipation, meaning that the fans can run at a lower RPM while still maintaining good temps (reducing overall noise) iirc. Just a thought. The MSI carbon is an excellent B450 board.

theyodaperson22 · Aug 12, 2018

I still recommend sticking with Intel, the 8th gen i7s are beasts. Would not recommend switching to AMD. Intel has far better overclocking and clock speeds in general. Good luck on your build man

Karadjgne · Aug 12, 2018

Neither is really true. Both amd and Intel are pretty equitable in their respective areas, and there's very few programs nowadays that really take advantage of higher clock speeds. Mostly anything above @3.2GHz will run just fine as is.

Real life performance is rarely equitable to benchmark performance and top end fps is rarely a real life point. Minimum fps is far more important. If minimum fps is close/above a monitors refresh, maximum fps is meaningless. At 1080p/60Hz if a mid grade Ryzen/1060-6 can get minimum fps over 60 at highest detail settings, you'll get the exact same result as a i7-8700k OC to 5.1GHz with a gtx1080ti, 60 fps shown on the monitor. The only difference being some software will report quite different maximum fps. But you won't see it at all. You get 60. That's it.

Wehst · Aug 13, 2018

Thanks for all your help, especially @profoundnoah, @Karadjgne and nboraa22, you guys are awesome.

Gonna be ordering the parts this Friday, hope for some amazing results. Thank you everyone for your time.

Upgrading PC, any opinions?

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