Upgrading from 5-year-old components to ultrawide 1440p 144Hz

[DarkosCY]

Budget (including currency): 1500GBP at the absolute max, though less is of course better; ideally around 1200.

Country: UK

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: Mostly gaming (think games along the lines of Metro Exodus, Cyberpunk, RDR2, Anthem), but some software development too (nothing crazy though)

Other details (existing parts lists, whether any peripherals are needed, what you're upgrading from, when you're going to buy, what resolution and refresh rate you want to play at, etc): 

 

Hello folks! Just another i5-6600K/GTX970 build that's due for a nice upgrade. Missing my second screen while WFH I have decided to take the plunge and get a nice ultrawide for the home office, and of course that requires a hardware upgrade too  

 

This is what I'm currently working with:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor 
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212X 82.9 CFM CPU Cooler 
Motherboard: Asus Z170 PRO GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard 
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-2400 CL15 Memory
Storage: Crucial MX200 500 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive 
Storage: Crucial MX200 1 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive 
Storage: Crucial MX500 2 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive 
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive 
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4 GB GAMING Video Card 
Case: Cooler Master Silencio 652S ATX Mid Tower Case 
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply 
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224FB/RSMS DVD/CD Writer 
Monitor: AOC i2369V 23.0" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor 
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-11-23 18:20 GMT+0000

 

So four major components to upgrade would be:

GPU: I'm leaning towards the RTX3080 as the more value/futureproof of the new lineup. Granted, I know I'll probably have to wait a few weeks before I can get my hands on one. From the looks of it, the current Radeons just don't stack up, especially once NVIDIA gets the software update for SAM compatibility. Am I wrong in my thinking? Also, there are way too many variants, but since I don't mind waiting to avoid the "getting the first one that's available" situation, are there any standouts among them?

CPU: Since I'm upgrading to a nice powerful GPU, it'd be a shame to bottleneck it with an old CPU. Not to mention my poor old i5-6600k might jump out of the case screaming if I ask it to drive 3440:1440 at 144Hz  It looks like this round has once again gone definitively to AMD, but I'm unsure what to pick between 5(6/8/9)00. Yes, considering this is mostly for gaming the 5600 would be just fine, but that's the thinking that led me to get the i5 (since multiple threads weren't game optimal at the time), so I'm trying to do better about futureproofing this time.

Mobo: Going Zen of course means my old mobo is useless. I am completely clueless about the different AMD-compatible models though. I would ideally like it to have 5 SATA connectors (4 hard drives and 1 DVD drive), but can probably get a PCIe  extension module. I'm not at all fussed about RGB (as my case would probably tell you).

RAM: As with mobos, I haven't followed the latest RAM developments over the last 5 years. Thinking of going for the full 32GB this time round though. I would consider keeping my current sticks, but something tells me the Zen 3 would appreciate faster memory.

 

Secondary concerns:

Cooler: The Hyper has actually been quite good for me, can't complain about its performance. Was thinking of maybe upgrading to a Noctua though?

PSU: Is my 650W Nova still ok for the above? The 3080 has been shown to be quite power hungry.

Storage: NVMe SSDs seem really cheap right now. Should I consider getting one? I mean, I already have 3.5TB in SSD space, but I seem to recall reading somewhere that Ryzens will eventually be able to use NVMes for a speed boost?

 

Lastly, the monitor. This is where I'm really lost; there are waaaaay too many options. My separate budget for this is ~1000GBP, preferably under.

Definite wants:

Ultrawide - At least 34in, though I'm quite tempted by the 49in behemoths. I'm quite aware of the fact that there aren't any 1440p 144Hz super-ultrawides for under 1000 pounds though

1440p - It's a big screen, and 1080 ain't gonna cut it

High refresh rate - 144Hz seems to be the most popular milestone, but I'm not sure that I'd see a lot of difference between 120 and 144? Am I mistaken?

 

Nice to haves:

Built-in KVM - I would connect my work laptop to the screen as well, and I'd like to be able to use my keyboard and mouse to control both the laptop and my desktop. I currently have a USB switch selector, but it doesn't always work great, so a proper KVM would be nice.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read all this, you rock  If I've forgotten to add something or something is unclear, please let me know and I'll fix it!

[Quickstrike]

2 hours ago, DarkosCY said:

Budget (including currency): 1500GBP at the absolute max, though less is of course better

Country: UK

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: Mostly gaming (think games along the lines of Metro Exodus, Cyberpunk, RDR2, Anthem), but some software development too (nothing crazy though)

Other details (existing parts lists, whether any peripherals are needed, what you're upgrading from, when you're going to buy, what resolution and refresh rate you want to play at, etc): 

 

Hello folks! Just another i5-6600K/GTX970 build that's due for a nice upgrade. Missing my second screen while WFH I have decided to take the plunge and get a nice ultrawide for the home office, and of course that requires a hardware upgrade too  

 

This is what I'm currently working with:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor 
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212X 82.9 CFM CPU Cooler 
Motherboard: Asus Z170 PRO GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard 
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-2400 CL15 Memory
Storage: Crucial MX200 500 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive 
Storage: Crucial MX200 1 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive 
Storage: Crucial MX500 2 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive 
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive 
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4 GB GAMING Video Card 
Case: Cooler Master Silencio 652S ATX Mid Tower Case 
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply 
Optical Drive: Samsung SH-224FB/RSMS DVD/CD Writer 
Monitor: AOC i2369V 23.0" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor 
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-11-23 18:20 GMT+0000

 

So four major components to upgrade would be:

GPU: I'm leaning towards the RTX3080 as the more value/futureproof of the new lineup. Granted, I know I'll probably have to wait a few weeks before I can get my hands on one. From the looks of it, the current Radeons just don't stack up, especially once NVIDIA gets the software update for SAM compatibility. Am I wrong in my thinking? Also, there are way too many variants, but since I don't mind waiting to avoid the "getting the first one that's available" situation, are there any standouts among them?

CPU: Since I'm upgrading to a nice powerful GPU, it'd be a shame to bottleneck it with an old CPU. Not to mention my poor old i5-6600k might jump out of the case screaming if I ask it to drive 3440:1440 at 144Hz  It looks like this round has once again gone definitively to AMD, but I'm unsure what to pick between 5(6/8/9)00. Yes, considering this is mostly for gaming the 5600 would be just fine, but that's the thinking that led me to get the i5 (since multiple threads weren't game optimal at the time), so I'm trying to do better about futureproofing this time.

Mobo: Going Zen of course means my old mobo is useless. I am completely clueless about the different AMD-compatible models though. I would ideally like it to have 5 SATA connectors (4 hard drives and 1 DVD drive), but can probably get a PCIe  extension module. I'm not at all fussed about RGB (as my case would probably tell you).

RAM: As with mobos, I haven't followed the latest RAM developments over the last 5 years. Thinking of going for the full 32GB this time round though. I would consider keeping my current sticks, but something tells me the Zen 3 would appreciate faster memory.

 

Secondary concerns:

Cooler: The Hyper has actually been quite good for me, can't complain about its performance. Was thinking of maybe upgrading to a Noctua though?

PSU: Is my 650W Nova still ok for the above? The 3080 has been shown to be quite power hungry.

Storage: NVMe SSDs seem really cheap right now. Should I consider getting one? I mean, I already have 3.5TB in SSD space, but I seem to recall reading somewhere that Ryzens will eventually be able to use NVMes for a speed boost?

 

Lastly, the monitor. This is where I'm really lost; there are waaaaay too many options. My separate budget for this is ~1000GBP, preferably under.

Definite wants:

Ultrawide - At least 34in, though I'm quite tempted by the 49in behemoths. I'm quite aware of the fact that there aren't any 1440p 144Hz super-ultrawides for under 1000 pounds though

1440p - It's a big screen, and 1080 ain't gonna cut it

High refresh rate - 144Hz seems to be the most popular milestone, but I'm not sure that I'd see a lot of difference between 120 and 144? Am I mistaken?

 

Nice to haves:

Built-in KVM - I would connect my work laptop to the screen as well, and I'd like to be able to use my keyboard and mouse to control both the laptop and my desktop. I currently have a USB switch selector, but it doesn't always work great, so a proper KVM would be nice.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read all this, you rock  If I've forgotten to add something or something is unclear, please let me know and I'll fix it!

Hey welcome to the forum
I was where you were two years ago and I had to catch up from a 5 years old rig (a Haswell I7-4770K with twins GTX 960) I know where you come from.

A note, my priorities are a nice performance/noise/value balance, so That's how my comments are built.

IMHO, You're gonna have to replace pretty much everything in your setup except the drives and maybe the cooler. 
The good news is you will be able to flip the old rig because it's still a decent machine. 
And judging from your tastes, you seem able to afford it.

 

CPU and MOBO:
Go for an X-570 or a B-550. You get to use PCI-e 4.0 with recent GPUs. DOn't cehap out on the board but don't go overboard either. ASUS TUF is a pretty good middle of the road MOBO.
The CPU, it really depends. If you are pure gamer, the Ryzen 5 5600X is the best value still crushes an I9-10900-K. for Gaming and productivity Ryzen 9 5900X or 5950X.

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212X 82.9 CFM CPU Cooler 
Do you still have the AMD brackets? if so you might still be able to use this cooler. But I wouldn't. I would re-paste it keep it on your old rig. I would also go with a Noctua, an NH-12, maybe a black one if you want a vanity build. I like 360mm AIOs myself.

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-2400 CL15 Memory 

You are right to think about switching. it makes a big difference in performance. 3200 with CL 15 or 16 and Only two sticks. 16 gigs is still ok for most tasks except rendering but I can't stress this enough, stay at 2 sticks, otherwise you loose the memory boost. 

Storage: because you are moving to Ryzen, absolutely consider getting an NVME pci 4.0 drive like the MP-600 or Samsung 980. New tech is indeed coming to Windows that will unleash the full potential of those drives, especially for game load times.

Video Card: The RTX 3080 is perfect for you use case but It took me literally two months to get mine and I put my name in EVGA web site on day one. So good luck getting one. You could also try for a RX 6800xt, they are pretty much neck and neck and with a Ryzen 5000 and a B550 or x-570 board you will have a nice direct memory perk. Try not to buy from a scalper. In a pinch, the 3070 is powerful enough to drive your screen and might be easier to get.

Case: Cooler Master Silencio 652S ATX Mid Tower Case 
Your rig is going to choke with that old case, even with the side cutout (something that's completely outmoded BTW). A 120 mm fan shooting air on your mobo and GPU wont be quite enough. It also might interfere with the GPU. Maybe move to something with full front mesh like the Phanteks P400s or the MasterCase 500P mesh or the Lian Li lancool II. Lots of new case also available recently. Airflow is good, it will reduce noise.

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply 
That's not strong enough. You will barely get by and you PSU will be near it's limit. 850 watts gold will buy you some safety margins.  I like Seasonic personally but the superNova is a pretty good unit. 

For the screen, I can't really help you because I have a flat 16x9 4k panel myself (nice in sim games, not too nice in shooters) High refresh rate will def. help you in competitive shooters, consider an A-sync panel or a g-sync or free synch depending n your choice of GPU.

Built-in KVM: how about remote desktop instead? Much easier to manage. 

Those are my thoughts. Enjoy the build, I hope you get your part in 2020.

 

[DarkosCY]

Hi Quickstrike,

 

Thanks for taking the time to respond! Your input is really helpful.

 

My thinking has shifed along similar lines; remove my hard drives from my current rig and flip it and replace pretty much everything else. So now I'm in a mad dash to research new AM4 mobos, RAM, and cases 

 

CPU: As much as I want to deny the collective wisdom on the 5800X being weirdly priced, I really can't do so. The 150 pound price bump really isn't justified, especially with how much better the 250 pound bump to the 5900X is. The reason I'm slightly hesitant is that if I had gone against the collective wisdom 5 years ago, I would have bought the i7 whose hyperthreading would have been quite useful now. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20. And who knows, by the time these are widely available, AMD might have given the 5800X a price reduction when they introduce the lowest cost Zen 3 option!

 

Cooler: I thought the prevailing wisdom was that a good Noctua/be quiet air cooler would outperform an AIO? I do still have the brackets somewhere, but I think it's time I got a better cooler too.

 

RAM: Half the sources I read say 2 sticks, the other say 4. So confusing. In my mind, 2 would make it easier on access timings, no? Are there any other features I should look out for?

 

Storage: PCI 4 still seems quite pricey, but I'll keep a lookout for Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals on decent NVMe. It's insane to me that we can buy 2TB of it for less than 200 quid.

 

GPU: I've settled on the 3080 since it's much better for RT compared to Radeons, and NVIDIA seems to have cracked their own version of SAM. Last time I bought a GPU, different manufacturers' variants had significant differences in performance, though my research so far has not shown the same thing for the RTX30x series? Or am I wrong and there are some that have been shown to be better and therefore worth specifically hunting for?

 

Case: I'm having a look at the new state of the art now. Need to resist my lizard brain yelling "go for the biggest one!!". I see that mesh fronts have become all the rage lately?

 

PSU: Yeah, I didn't expect 650W to take me very far  Glad to hear that 850 gold should be enough.

 

I went ahead and pulled the trigger on a G9 today when I found it 200+ pounds off! Now let's see when I'll be able to actually drive it.

 

Once again, thanks for taking the time. I haven't been following this space over the last 5 years beyond general interest, so this is all really helpful!