Sanity check for beefy HTPC upgrade

[Kalm_Traveler]

posted this on r/htpc but I want your guys input too if that's all right:

 

Hi folks - I currently have a decent HTPC hooked up but after upgrading to a 4k HDR tv I'm noticing that it is struggling to keep up with modern PC games and kind of want to pull the trigger on new guts for it.

I'd like to keep it in the existing Node 202 and retain the SFX 600w PSU if it's enough to power the new parts. Speaking of, current parts are as follows:

• Asus ROG Strix Z270i gaming mb

• Intel core i7 7700 (non-k, delidded + liquid metal)

• Scythe Big Shuriken 2 rev. B cpu cooler with Noctua thin 120mm fan

• 16gb (8gb x 2) 2666mhz CL15 Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4

• MSI Geforce GTX 1070 Gaming graphics card

• Samsung 850 Pro 512gb nvme ssd

Use is maybe 50/40/10 couch gaming / emulators / media watching so obviously a better graphics card will help with the 4k resolution. I figured these parts are all fairly old now though and would like to upgrade the full platform so it stays adequate for a good 4-5 years before I get the bug to upgrade it again.

Parts I'm thinking to plunk down for:

• Asus ROG Strix x570-i gaming mb

• AMD Ryzen 7 3700x cpu (because it is much beefier than the 7700 and still 65w tdp)

• 16gb (8gb x 2) 3600mhz CL16 DDR4

• best air-cooled 2080 Ti that will fit the Node 202

• decent 2TB nvme SSD - maybe Samsung 970 Evo Plus but maybe something PCI-E gen 4 because why not

So my questions for you guys:
Does this parts list seem like a good logical upgrade overall that should last me at least 4 years for 60+ fps gaming?
Any reason other than price to drop to a 2080 or 2080 Super instead of 2080 Ti?
Will the existing Corsair 600w SFX PSU be enough for the new parts?
Will the Scythe Big Shuriken 2 rev B. cooler still fit both on the AM4 mb (I am pretty sure it included AM4 brackets) and within the Node 202 case? I don't know if there's a mounting height difference but as is I had to remove the internal filter to fit it on top of the 7700.

 

Please let me know what you guys think and thanks in advance!

[Bombastinator]

44 minutes ago, Kalm_Traveler said:

posted this on r/htpc but I want your guys input too if that's all right:

 

Hi folks - I currently have a decent HTPC hooked up but after upgrading to a 4k HDR tv I'm noticing that it is struggling to keep up with modern PC games and kind of want to pull the trigger on new guts for it.

I'd like to keep it in the existing Node 202 and retain the SFX 600w PSU if it's enough to power the new parts. Speaking of, current parts are as follows:

• Asus ROG Strix Z270i gaming mb

• Intel core i7 7700 (non-k, delidded + liquid metal)

• Scythe Big Shuriken 2 rev. B cpu cooler with Noctua thin 120mm fan

• 16gb (8gb x 2) 2666mhz CL15 Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4

• MSI Geforce GTX 1070 Gaming graphics card

• Samsung 850 Pro 512gb nvme ssd

Use is maybe 50/40/10 couch gaming / emulators / media watching so obviously a better graphics card will help with the 4k resolution. I figured these parts are all fairly old now though and would like to upgrade the full platform so it stays adequate for a good 4-5 years before I get the bug to upgrade it again.

Parts I'm thinking to plunk down for:

• Asus ROG Strix x570-i gaming mb

• AMD Ryzen 7 3700x cpu (because it is much beefier than the 7700 and still 65w tdp)

• 16gb (8gb x 2) 3600mhz CL16 DDR4

• best air-cooled 2080 Ti that will fit the Node 202

• decent 2TB nvme SSD - maybe Samsung 970 Evo Plus but maybe something PCI-E gen 4 because why not

So my questions for you guys:
Does this parts list seem like a good logical upgrade overall that should last me at least 4 years for 60+ fps gaming?
Any reason other than price to drop to a 2080 or 2080 Super instead of 2080 Ti?
Will the existing Corsair 600w SFX PSU be enough for the new parts?
Will the Scythe Big Shuriken 2 rev B. cooler still fit both on the AM4 mb (I am pretty sure it included AM4 brackets) and within the Node 202 case? I don't know if there's a mounting height difference but as is I had to remove the internal filter to fit it on top of the 7700.

 

Please let me know what you guys think and thanks in advance!

Sanity check... hmm...  “answer hazy?”

 

the current system will still game.  Might need more video card.  Should function at least till the new consoles come out.

 

The system upgrade is a high level gaming PC. The only reason I can see to even go above a 2070 is the whole console thing, and the current projected highest possible spec for that is a 2070S.  A 2070S will push 4k like you want, and is projected to meet or beat the consoles that aren’t even out yet.  
 

My personal move in your position would probably be to maybe upgrade the video card, but not mess with the main box until the CPU actually needed to be upgraded.  It’s a plenty fast CPU until it runs out of threads.  I might even hold off on the video card upgrade until more is known about the upcoming consoles just to make sure the thing will game.

 

It would totally work though.  One thing that does occur to me is HTPCs like to be really really quiet.  If you to go for the 3700x a low/mid level air cooler might be worth it.  The wraith Max is not a loud cooler, but it’s single ball.   Maybe an Arctic 33 or something.  Or even wait and use up the stock fan first.  A quiet GPU may be worth it for this one.

[Kalm_Traveler]

53 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

Sanity check... hmm...  “answer hazy?”

 

the current system will still game.  Might need more video card.  Should function at least till the new consoles come out.

 

The system upgrade is a high level gaming PC. The only reason I can see to even go above a 2070 is the whole console thing, and the current projected highest possible spec for that is a 2070S.  A 2070S will push 4k like you want, and is projected to meet or beat the consoles that aren’t even out yet.  
 

My personal move in your position would probably be to maybe upgrade the video card, but not mess with the main box until the CPU actually needed to be upgraded.  It’s a plenty fast CPU until it runs out of threads.  I might even hold off on the video card upgrade until more is known about the upcoming consoles just to make sure the thing will game.

 

It would totally work though.  One thing that does occur to me is HTPCs like to be really really quiet.  If you to go for the 3700x a low/mid level air cooler might be worth it.  The wraith Max is not a loud cooler, but it’s single ball.   Maybe an Arctic 33 or something.  Or even wait and use up the stock fan first.  A quiet GPU may be worth it for this one.

thank you  

 

So a 2070s will be able to play current games at 4k resolution with max graphics settings and maintain 60+ fps? 

 

I don't think the 3700x stock cooler would fit in the Node 202 case, so I'll be keeping the Scythe Big Shuriken 2 unless it also is too tall on top of AM4.

 

You may be on to something about just upgrading the graphics card for now though. I know there are some games already that want 8 physical cores (RDR2) so that's why I was thinking the 3700x might be a good choice - double the cores and threads plus higher boost clocks and better IPC in general.

 

I don't have any consoles so that's not a worry, but I just want to make sure that the TV setup can game as well as everything else in the man cave for when I have a few friends over.