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Need some advice for PC Upgrades

The.Solitaire
By The.Solitaire
in New Builds and Planning
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Firstly, Hello.  This is my first post.

 

I'm looking to upgrade my machine, but haven't been "in the know" with new computer tech for the last couple of years. I've watched some videos, and done some research but advice (especially from people smarter than I) is always good.

 

Currently this is what I'm running:

 

Core =  Intel Extreme 990x  @3.47GHz   (overclocked by about 7%)
 
Motherboard = Asustek P6X58-E Pro   (X58 Chipset)
 
Ram = Kingston 1600  KHX1600C9D3/4GX   (24Gb on 4Gb Sticks)
 
Graphics = Nvidia GeForce GTX 590   (Manuf by ASUSTek)
 
Power Supply = Corsair 950 Watt
 
Case = Astec
 
Given that this is a gaming rig, I'm trying to figure out if, 1) Is this a good time to upgrade? 2) What's the smartest upgrades  in terms of dollars.
 
 
Some notes of my preferences:
 
I prefer Nvidia over Ati   (at least until they give each other a very special hug and make a video-card with it all)
 
I also tend to stick with Intel.
 
Not much into water-cooling
 
I will be grabbing a SSD for the O/S.
 
For the video card I was thinking  Titan Black,   but I keep seeing people recommend the 780 and the 780 ti. Are these the same thing?
 
I might consider Windows 8.1  (If I can find a way to bury that awful "Metro")
 
Thanks in advance for any advice, also I'm trying to keep any upgrading under $2000  Thanks!
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That is still a pretty strong pc. Unless you aren't satisfied with how it performs, I wouldn't bother upgrading. I would imagine that can still play pretty much everything at max settings. You should, however, get an SSD if you don't have one. That will be a really noticeable upgrade.

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Budget: $2000.

 

first of all, that PSU wants to be filled with power-hungry components. otherwise, downgrade it to a lower-power PSU.

Next, your SSD. I can wholly recommend Crucial's SSDs, but Samsung, Corsair and OCZ make really good ones as well. You'll probably want a 256GB rather than a 120 or a 512.

For the graphics cards, the Titan Black and 780Ti will set you back about $700-$1000. For that much you can get two AMD (AMD took over ATi) Radeon R9 290s and put them in crossfire. They'll outperform either NVidia comfortably in terms of raw power and especially gaming and your PSU will accommodate them nicely.

 

To reduce those bottlenecks, you'll want at least a high-end ivy bridge, I think... someone help me out here...

I would get an FX8350 and overclock it, but you don't like AMD that much, so...

This high-power gaming rig is getting hard...

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Less is always better :P

 

That being said, as long as I'm under $2000 It should be fine. ( I don't mind spending a bit more as it's been a few years)

 

As for the SSD   any recommendation on brand  and size/cost ratio?   I've been reading that 200-240gb is about the sweet spot.

 

Thanks again for the reply's

 

(Posted before Kemoka's) reply  

 

 

I had an Ati (Amd now Really? wow)   before I switched to Nvidia, around the time of Call of Duty 2 Modern Warfare (in fact the card came with it)    To be frank, that card was crap.. I had constant issues.  When Rage/Skyrim came around I switched to Nvidia, and everything (barring some Ubisoft titles)  has been gold.

 

If AMD has fixed some of the issues I might consider them.  Though I'd ask why the "R9 290" is so cheap in comparison. (not being sarcastic, I really don't know)

 

 

 The SSD = Crucial's SSD  MX100  (about $120 Yay Canada)  This a good one?

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You can tell that you haven't been in the know when you referred AMD GPUs as ATi :P

Our Grace. The Feathered One. He shows us the way. His bob is majestic and shows us the path. Follow unto his guidance and His example. He knows the one true path. Our Saviour. Our Grace. Our Father Birb has taught us with His humble heart and gentle wing the way of the bob. Let us show Him our reverence and follow in His example. The True Path of the Feathered One. ~ Dimboble-dubabob III

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Perhaps a new case to satisfy that build a PC itch?  SSD is a great upgrade to make, you'll never look back at HDD's again.

 

I happen to like ... am okay with... have managed to live with windows 8.1pro, but only because it "feels" leaner and snappier then my old OS.  Despite my dislike of the metro UI.  I tried to use it, I really did.  But it's just awful.  Almost as bad as finding tools and the control panel in general, and I don't even want to talk about hidden options on some tools tabs that will only appear after doing all sorts crazy unrelated things that make no sense whatsoever.  BUT!  once it's done, it's done...so..meh.

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The 990X won't bottleneck much nowadays, especially with a good little overclock. You could probably overclock that CPU more with a good cooler, such as the Noctua NH-D15.

 

The Antec case may be a bit dated at this point, in which something like the Corsair 450D, Phanteks Enthoo Pro or Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 could slot in as a worthy replacement.

 

Windows 8.1 is a really worthwhile OS. If you don't like Metro, you can get StartIsBack or something like it to get a Windows 7-esque Start Menu, though you could keep 7.

 

As for SSDs, Crucial recently released the MX 100, which is a very well priced, well performing drive.

 

And finally, the GPU. This is tough. The R9 290 and R9 290X are two very good solutions from AMD, but they are not the coolest running cards out there. There is also the GTX 780 Ti from Camp NVIDIA, providing identical, sometimes better performance to the 290X in a lower power envelope and lower heat output, but at an extra cost. The 590 is still a very good GPU, but is crippled by it's 2GB frame buffer.

Main Rig: CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D | RAM: 32GB (2x16GB) KLEVV CRAS XR RGB DDR4-3600 | Motherboard: Gigabyte B550I AORUS PRO AX | Storage: 500GB Crucial P3 Plus, 4TB Silicon Power UD90 | GPU: AsRock Radeon RX 9070 XT Steel Legend | Cooling: ThermalTake Floe 280mm w/ be quiet! Pure Wings 3 | Case: Sliger SM580 (Black) | PSU: Corsair SF850

Main Server: CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5950X | RAM: 64GB (2x32GB) Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200 | Motherboard: ASUS Crosshair VII Hero WiFi | Storage: 512GB SKHynix NVMe | GPUs: NVIDIA TITAN Xp 2-way SLI | Cooling: Thermalright Frozen Prism 360mm | Case: Corsair 5000D Airflow (White) | PSU: Seasonic Focus GM850

File and Media Server (AOOSTAR WTR Pro): CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | RAM: 32GB (2x16GB) Silicon Power DDR4-3200 SODIMMs | Storage: 1TB Samsung 970 EVO Plus, 2x14TB Western Digital Ultrastar DC HC530

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Less is always better :P

 

That being said, as long as I'm under $2000 It should be fine. ( I don't mind spending a bit more as it's been a few years)

 

As for the SSD   any recommendation on brand  and size/cost ratio?   I've been reading that 200-240gb is about the sweet spot.

 

Thanks again for the reply's

Like I said, Crucial's SSDs are really solid for the price. They tend to be at the cheaper end. Also, yes, 256GB is at the sweet spot. Price per GB continues to fall from there, but there's no sense in spending money on storage you won't use.

 

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@The.Solitaire Question: What games do you wish to be playing? And are you wanting to swap out the whole system or not? I think $2000 for tower internals can put you up with a great system, but if you're gonna stick with your 990X then a whole lot more can be used on getting you an amazing gaming experience, for example.

I have finally moved to a desktop. Also my guides are outdated as hell.

 

THE INFORMATION GUIDES: SLI INFORMATION || vRAM INFORMATION || MOBILE i7 CPU INFORMATION || Maybe more someday

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@The.Solitaire Question: What games do you wish to be playing? And are you wanting to swap out the whole system or not? I think $2000 for tower internals can put you up with a great system, but if you're gonna stick with your 990X then a whole lot more can be used on getting you an amazing gaming experience, for example.

 

In regards to games,  I play FPS/RTS/Space Sims and MMo's  Examples being Doom 3. Payday 2, Star Citizen, Star Wars TOR.

 

In regards to a complete swap out, I am either way.  That's was one of my questions "Is it worth a complete upgrade"  I'm getting the feeling that the 990X is still good. So I would say that I'm good with the chip and motherboard. (Given Intel's love of changing sockets, I doubt I could find a new one for my Chip anyway)

 

So far I'm thinking that I'll do the following

 

SSD:    the Crucial MX100 looks good.

 

Video Card:   I'm going to have to read up on the AMD r9 290. It sounds interesting, but the "Half price of Nvidia" thing sends up warning flags for me.

 

Case: The one I have is old, and I know it doesn't have jack related to SSD fixtures.

 

On another note:

In regards to overclocking the chip I have an after market heat-sink that looks exactly like the "Noctua NH-D15" someone mentioned (two fan's two blocks etc) Though I doubt it's the same thing given the age.  That being said under load my CPU temps are sitting between 21C (69f) Min and 38C (99F) Max.  Taking the highest and lowest values from CPUID HWMonitor.  I can overclock more you think?

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Personally I'd like the enthoo pro.  I got some decals for those brackets and internal covers that I'd like to try out.

 

However the fractal R4 is on sale(no window :( ) at the moment and is immensely popular for good reason.

 

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In regards to games,  I play FPS/RTS/Space Sims and MMo's  Examples being Doom 3. Payday 2, Star Citizen, Star Wars TOR.

 

In regards to a complete swap out, I am either way.  That's was one of my questions "Is it worth a complete upgrade"  I'm getting the feeling that the 990X is still good. So I would say that I'm good with the chip and motherboard. (Given Intel's love of changing sockets, I doubt I could find a new one for my Chip anyway)

 

So far I'm thinking that I'll do the following

 

SSD:    the Crucial MX100 looks good.

 

Video Card:   I'm going to have to read up on the AMD r9 290. It sounds interesting, but the "Half price of Nvidia" thing sends up warning flags for me.

 

Case: The one I have is old, and I know it doesn't have jack related to SSD fixtures.

 

On another note:

In regards to overclocking the chip I have an after market heat-sink that looks exactly like the "Noctua NH-D15" someone mentioned (two fan's two blocks etc) Though I doubt it's the same thing given the age.  That being said under load my CPU temps are sitting between 21C (69f) Min and 38C (99F) Max.  Taking the highest and lowest values from CPUID HWMonitor.  I can overclock more you think?

Okay! I say stick with the 990X as it's a hexacore even though the architecture is out of date, if I remember correctly. The RAM should be pretty okay too, unless you want to be doing a lot of streaming (not that you could really upgrade much there anyway). It won't be a bottleneck in any way.

 

This leaves you with money for GPUs and SSDs and a case. I suggest a 512GB Samsung 840 Pro for your games; you'll love it I think xD. You should be able to get that and two 780 6GB cards (or two R9 290X cards) + a good case without hitting the limit of your budget. Of course, this includes a smaller OS-drive SSD as well, that someone listed above. 

I have finally moved to a desktop. Also my guides are outdated as hell.

 

THE INFORMATION GUIDES: SLI INFORMATION || vRAM INFORMATION || MOBILE i7 CPU INFORMATION || Maybe more someday

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Video Card:   I'm going to have to read up on the AMD r9 290. It sounds interesting, but the "Half price of Nvidia" thing sends up warning flags for me.

 

The AMD gpu's are just priced more aggressively than Nvidia. They offer fantastic value for money. 

 

Have a look at the Sapphire R9 290 Vapor-X if you want the best 290 gpu.

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In regards to games,  I play FPS/RTS/Space Sims and MMo's  Examples being Doom 3. Payday 2, Star Citizen, Star Wars TOR.

 

In regards to a complete swap out, I am either way.  That's was one of my questions "Is it worth a complete upgrade"  I'm getting the feeling that the 990X is still good. So I would say that I'm good with the chip and motherboard. (Given Intel's love of changing sockets, I doubt I could find a new one for my Chip anyway)

 

So far I'm thinking that I'll do the following

 

SSD:    the Crucial MX100 looks good.

 

Video Card:   I'm going to have to read up on the AMD r9 290. It sounds interesting, but the "Half price of Nvidia" thing sends up warning flags for me.

 

Case: The one I have is old, and I know it doesn't have jack related to SSD fixtures.

 

On another note:

In regards to overclocking the chip I have an after market heat-sink that looks exactly like the "Noctua NH-D15" someone mentioned (two fan's two blocks etc) Though I doubt it's the same thing given the age.  That being said under load my CPU temps are sitting between 21C (69f) Min and 38C (99F) Max.  Taking the highest and lowest values from CPUID HWMonitor.  I can overclock more you think?

 

You may wish to wait a bit on the gpu. Nvidia is expected to release its GTX 8xx models in October.

 

R9 290 and R9 290X are very well priced right now due to the bit-mining crash. These gpu were extremely popular with miners. AMD is now madly trying to replace that revenue stream.

 

How does one get 24GB on 4 modules in triple channel?

 

MX100 is a decent ssd model. Although almost any ssd would do.

 

Inexpensive brackets are available for mounting 2.5" ssd in 3.5" hdd drive bays.

 

The i7-990FX has an upper temperature limit of 67C. You can safely push the chip to 60C under load. Get a good utility like Real Temp to monitor temps when overclocking.

 

The NH-D15 was preceded by the NH-D14. That may be the cooler you have.

80+ ratings certify electrical efficiency. Not quality.

 

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Firstly, Hello.  This is my first post.

 

I'm looking to upgrade my machine, but haven't been "in the know" with new computer tech for the last couple of years. I've watched some videos, and done some research but advice (especially from people smarter than I) is always good.

 

Currently this is what I'm running:

 

Core =  Intel Extreme 990x  @3.47GHz   (overclocked by about 7%)
 
Motherboard = Asustek P6X58-E Pro   (X58 Chipset)
 
Ram = Kingston 1600  KHX1600C9D3/4GX   (24Gb on 4Gb Sticks)
 
Graphics = Nvidia GeForce GTX 590   (Manuf by ASUSTek)
 
Power Supply = Corsair 950 Watt
 
Case = Astec
 
Given that this is a gaming rig, I'm trying to figure out if, 1) Is this a good time to upgrade? 2) What's the smartest upgrades  in terms of dollars.
 
 
Some notes of my preferences:
 
I prefer Nvidia over Ati   (at least until they give each other a very special hug and make a video-card with it all)
 
I also tend to stick with Intel.
 
Not much into water-cooling
 
I will be grabbing a SSD for the O/S.
 
For the video card I was thinking  Titan Black,   but I keep seeing people recommend the 780 and the 780 ti. Are these the same thing?
 
I might consider Windows 8.1  (If I can find a way to bury that awful "Metro")
 
Thanks in advance for any advice, also I'm trying to keep any upgrading under $2000  Thanks!

 

Don't buy anything until December, the 800 series should be out then.

A water-cooled mid-tier gaming PC.

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No, never got into the Pretty colors, glowing fluids etc. Don't get me wrong, they look awesome. I've just never focused on them.

Spend money on them dude if you ever get the chance. They make any rig look 10x better & matches power with style.

IdeaCentre K450 Review - My favorite (pre-built) gaming desktop under $1000.

Gaming PC Under $500 = Gaming on a budget.

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How does one get 24GB on 4 modules in triple channel?

 

 

 

I have 6 ram sticks, 4gb each, all the Kingston 1600.

 

If the 8XX series is out in a couple of months I may as well wait.

 

I think I shall proceed with the SSD  (Though I am tempted to get two now, O/S and a Game drive)

 

Thank you to everyone for all the input, It's really helped me confirms some things, and work my way through others.

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