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Upgrading my CPU and motherboard.

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How much better perfomance would a gtx 980 be over the 4790k in a cpu heavy game like skyrim?

 

also what do you think about getting the 4790k now and waiting for amd 3xx GPUs or a 980ti If one comes out?

Buy thew i7-4790k + Z97 motherboard of your choice.  I recommend the Asus Z97-AR.

 

Motherboard doesn't impact performance like it does with AMD.  The only things you need to be looking for when picking out an Intel motherboard is compatibility, features, and aesthetics.  As long as you get a Z97 Motherboard, it will be compatible with the i7-4790k.  You will also be able to overclock.  The quality of your overclock is dependent upon the chip you get.  Often referred to as the silicon lottery.  You will get the same overclock on a "low end" Z97 motherboard as a "high end" Z97 motherboard, it all comes down to luck of the chip.  The next thing you need to consider is aesthetics.  What color scheme do you want, and will it fit in with what you already have.  This is where I like the Z97-AR.  It is a beautiful look that will fit with any color scheme because of its black PCB and silver accents.  Very neutral, yet aesthetically pleasing.  Lastly, features.  The main feature you need to decide on is if you want SLI or not.  Also, beware of some motherboards that say Xfire capable.  While they technically are Xfire capable, they may be 8x by 4x Xfire capable which is not what you want.  You want 8x by 8x, which is basically SLI.  So as long as a motherboard is SLI capable, it will be Xfire capable.  If a board is Xfire capable, it doesn't mean that it will be SLI capable.  Other features to consider are fan control, included software, onboard audio, warranty, etc..  All Asus motherboards come with hands down the best fan control and included software.  It is head and shoulders above the competition.  Their build quality is also exceptional.  I will forever buy Asus motherboards because of the included software, fan control, and ease of use.

 

I think you are better off buying an i7 and waiting for new AMD GPUs to be released.  Your current GPU is plenty strong, and going with an i7 will give you much better rendering and editing video performance, as well as system longevity.  We don't know yet how good the AMD GPUs will be, and you aren't in any rush with already an excellent GPU.  Wait until something new is released, and if its good, go with it, if its not, then prices should drop on the 900 series, and you can go with a 970/980/980Ti?

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Hey guys, so I am planing on upgrading my computer's CPU and motherboard. 

Here is my current setup. (Wish I knew about LTT before I built it  :D)

  • CPU
    AMD FX-8350 (@ 4.3GHz)
  • Motherboard
    ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX/GEN3 R2
  • RAM
    G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series 16GB DDR3 1866
  • GPU
    GIGABYTE Radeon HD 7970 3GB
  • Case
    NZXT Phantom
  • Storage
    SAMSUNG 840 500gb SSD, WD 500gb 7200 RPM
  • PSU
    PC Power and Cooling Silencer Mk II 950W
  • Display(s)
    1080p @60fps
  • Cooling
    H100i
  • Keyboard
    Logitech G510
  • Mouse
    Razer Naga
  • Sound
    sound blaster Zx, Sennheiser Game Zero
  • Operating System
    Win 8.1

I will be playing games like Dragon Age Inquisition, The Witcher 3, modded Skyrim, WoW, and will also be editing videos. Right now I am thinking of getting a I7 4790k.

questions:

Is this the right CPU to get?

What motherboard should I get with it?

Will my RAM be compatible?

 

All advice and opinions are welcome.

Recent games -- LoL, FO4, TESV, XCOM 2, Life is Strange, Overwatch, Ark, Total War Attila, Hearthstone.  <(^^,)>

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A i7 4790K and a decent Z97 motherboard would be the only really logical upgrade from your current system and yes, your RAM will be compatible :)

 

This would be a good upgrade:

 

 
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-GAMING 7 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($169.99 @ Newegg) 
Total: $469.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-23 23:16 EST-0500

My Current Build: 

Intel i5 3570K @ 4.4GHz 1.11V, Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO, Asrock Z77 Extreme4, Corsair Vengeance 8GB 1600MHz, Samsung 840 EVO 250GB, Asus GTX 760 DCII Overclocked, Corsair CX600M

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Although I love my 8350, it would be better to get a i5-4690K. BUT, the performance increase would be minimal. I would just get a GTX 970

// irenebb-pc v5 // [ღ] Intel i5-9400F [ღ] Radeon VII Lisa Su Edition [ღ] 24GB Crucial Ballistix [ღ] Acer ED323QUR (1440p/144hz) [ღ]

 

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i5 4690k or i7 4790k with the Asus Z97-A or if you want a Sabertooth again, get the the Mark 1 (lower-end) or the (Higher-end) Mark 2, Or even the "Limited Edition" Mark S, Which is completely white including the PCB.

Also your RAM will work fine with the above configs ^^^^ :D
Or you could keep everything and just get a 970

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the 4790k will run circles around your amd chip, ram will more than likely work , but if it's not on the mobo's qualified vender list then it's not garanteed to work.

CPU: i7 4790k OC'd @ 4.6 ghz COOLER: Corsair H105 (SP 120mm Quiet Edition Fans) MOBO: ASRock Z97 Extreme 6 RAM: Kingston Hyper Fury 16GB (2x8) 1866mhz

SSD: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB HDD: WD Blue 1TB GPU: EVGA GTX 970 FTW 4GB PSU: EVGA Supernova G2 750w 80+ Gold Fully Modular CASE: Fractal Arc Midi R2

OPTICAL DRIVE: Samsung DVD Burner OS: Win 7 64bit   Please do some research of your own before asking questions. Google and Youtube are your friend.

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How much better perfomance would a gtx 980 be over the 4790k in a cpu heavy game like skyrim?

 

also what do you think about getting the 4790k now and waiting for amd 3xx GPUs or a 980ti If one comes out?

Recent games -- LoL, FO4, TESV, XCOM 2, Life is Strange, Overwatch, Ark, Total War Attila, Hearthstone.  <(^^,)>

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How much better perfomance would a gtx 980 be over the 4790k in a cpu heavy game like skyrim?

 

also what do you think about getting the 4790k now and waiting for amd 3xx GPUs or a 980ti If one comes out?

i dont have an opinion on gpu's but the i7 4790k is $300 right now and its usually $330, every dollar saved helps i guess.

CPU: i7 4790k OC'd @ 4.6 ghz COOLER: Corsair H105 (SP 120mm Quiet Edition Fans) MOBO: ASRock Z97 Extreme 6 RAM: Kingston Hyper Fury 16GB (2x8) 1866mhz

SSD: Samsung 840 EVO 250GB HDD: WD Blue 1TB GPU: EVGA GTX 970 FTW 4GB PSU: EVGA Supernova G2 750w 80+ Gold Fully Modular CASE: Fractal Arc Midi R2

OPTICAL DRIVE: Samsung DVD Burner OS: Win 7 64bit   Please do some research of your own before asking questions. Google and Youtube are your friend.

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<snip>

 

 

<snip>

 

 

<snip>

 

 

 

<snip>

Sorry forgot to quote

Recent games -- LoL, FO4, TESV, XCOM 2, Life is Strange, Overwatch, Ark, Total War Attila, Hearthstone.  <(^^,)>

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  • Solution

How much better perfomance would a gtx 980 be over the 4790k in a cpu heavy game like skyrim?

 

also what do you think about getting the 4790k now and waiting for amd 3xx GPUs or a 980ti If one comes out?

Buy thew i7-4790k + Z97 motherboard of your choice.  I recommend the Asus Z97-AR.

 

Motherboard doesn't impact performance like it does with AMD.  The only things you need to be looking for when picking out an Intel motherboard is compatibility, features, and aesthetics.  As long as you get a Z97 Motherboard, it will be compatible with the i7-4790k.  You will also be able to overclock.  The quality of your overclock is dependent upon the chip you get.  Often referred to as the silicon lottery.  You will get the same overclock on a "low end" Z97 motherboard as a "high end" Z97 motherboard, it all comes down to luck of the chip.  The next thing you need to consider is aesthetics.  What color scheme do you want, and will it fit in with what you already have.  This is where I like the Z97-AR.  It is a beautiful look that will fit with any color scheme because of its black PCB and silver accents.  Very neutral, yet aesthetically pleasing.  Lastly, features.  The main feature you need to decide on is if you want SLI or not.  Also, beware of some motherboards that say Xfire capable.  While they technically are Xfire capable, they may be 8x by 4x Xfire capable which is not what you want.  You want 8x by 8x, which is basically SLI.  So as long as a motherboard is SLI capable, it will be Xfire capable.  If a board is Xfire capable, it doesn't mean that it will be SLI capable.  Other features to consider are fan control, included software, onboard audio, warranty, etc..  All Asus motherboards come with hands down the best fan control and included software.  It is head and shoulders above the competition.  Their build quality is also exceptional.  I will forever buy Asus motherboards because of the included software, fan control, and ease of use.

 

I think you are better off buying an i7 and waiting for new AMD GPUs to be released.  Your current GPU is plenty strong, and going with an i7 will give you much better rendering and editing video performance, as well as system longevity.  We don't know yet how good the AMD GPUs will be, and you aren't in any rush with already an excellent GPU.  Wait until something new is released, and if its good, go with it, if its not, then prices should drop on the 900 series, and you can go with a 970/980/980Ti?

"I genuinely dislike the promulgation of false information, especially to people who are asking for help selecting new parts."

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<snip>

 

Damn that Z97-AR is sexy......

 

I'm pretty sold on going with the i7 now, along with that Motherboard. Thank you so much for all the advice and valuable info. I agree Asus makes excellent motherboards, I really like the Sabertooth I have right now.

Recent games -- LoL, FO4, TESV, XCOM 2, Life is Strange, Overwatch, Ark, Total War Attila, Hearthstone.  <(^^,)>

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