Upgrade Path

[redspart]

Dear Linus community!,

 

 

So being in a small dorm my computer produces lots of heat and not having the ability to change the temperature is a problem. I am looking for an upgrade path to manage with heat. It is not going to happen right away, just planning right now. Is it the case? Fans? CPU? Cooler? In your personal opinion what could I change? I am not looking for a war, ie: Intel vs. AMD or Nvidia vs AMD. If one would produce less heat and (+/-) performance tell me about it.

 

Note: It would not bother me to have to change to a different CPU, like an Intel. For reference I mostly play CS, MMOS ( ESO/TERA ), MOBAs, Movies, and program.

 

Current specs:

·         CPU: FX-8320 @ 4.0Ghz

·         CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo

·         Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5

·         Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3

·         Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB @ 1333

·         HD ( 2 ): Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 7200 RPM

·         GPU: Sapphire R9 280 3GB

·         Case: Rosewill CHALLENGER ATX Mid Tower

·         Corsair Builder 600W 80+ Bronze

 

Note: I didn't know where to put this post. If a mod deems it to go elsewhere that would be helpful! 

[79wjd]

Well, a new cooler/more fans won't make the room cooler, it will just dissipate heat away from the computer better. So the only way to make it run cooler would be to replace the cpu, gpu, or technically the psu. With that said, an Intel CPU/better psu would only produce a marginal difference in heat output. A GPU on the other hand COULD be the only thing that would make any real difference, but you'd have to go with something low power/very efficient like a 960..... (underclocking is also your best bet) 

 

/TL;DR if anything, just underclock your cpu/gpu, or put a fan blowing on you. 

[Nena Trinity]

Get a FX-8370 and OC it unless your current OC is very good?

 

And well I would say get a 290, 390 or even a Fury?

[007agentHP]

for less heat, AVOID AMD. amd might be good with video cards in the lower tier budgets, but they still eat up a lot of power.

go intel on the cpu, even go for a t or s edition because they consume less power and produce less heat. any maxwell gpu from nvidia wont heat up so much under the 980 ti.

[xjohnny3589]

SSD. Everything else would be fine for what you do.

[redspart]

Well, a new cooler/more fans won't make the room cooler, it will just dissipate heat away from the computer better. So the only way to make it run cooler would be to replace the cpu, gpu, or technically the psu. With that said, an Intel CPU/better psu would only produce a marginal difference in heat output. A GPU on the other hand COULD be the only thing that would make any real difference, but you'd have to go with something low power/very efficient like a 960..... (underclocking is also your best bet) 

 

/TL;DR if anything, just underclock your cpu/gpu, or put a fan blowing on you. 

Underclocking eh? Ugh, I was hoping for an answer like; this case blah blah blah. We can only dream! Haha, do you think switching my CPU to an Intel would help? Something like a i5-4690k? 

 

Get a FX-8370 and OC it unless your current OC is very good?

 

And well I would say get a 290, 390 or even a Fury?

A FX-8370 is the same chip as the FX-8320/8350...etc. They are just binned differently.

 

for less heat, AVOID AMD. amd might be good with video cards in the lower tier budgets, but they still eat up a lot of power.

go intel on the cpu, even go for a t or s edition because they consume less power and produce less heat. any maxwell gpu from nvidia wont heat up so much under the 980 ti.

 

Do you think with an I5 I would see a difference in heat? If so, would a new case help as-well? My current case isn't the cream of the crop. 

[007agentHP]

Underclocking eh? Ugh, I was hoping for an answer like; this case blah blah blah. We can only dream! Haha, do you think switching my CPU to an Intel would help? Something like a i5-4690k? 

 

A FX-8370 is the same chip as the FX-8320/8350...etc. They are just binned differently.

 

 

Do you think with an I5 I would see a difference in heat? If so, would a new case help as-well? My current case isn't the cream of the crop. 

the i5 drains about /13 less power and has alot less heat ouput, great choice. and a new case might help, something like a corsair 300r, or fractal design r5 are great choices.

[Nena Trinity]

Underclocking eh? Ugh, I was hoping for an answer like; this case blah blah blah. We can only dream! Haha, do you think switching my CPU to an Intel would help? Something like a i5-4690k? 

 

A FX-8370 is the same chip as the FX-8320/8350...etc. They are just binned differently.

 

 

Do you think with an I5 I would see a difference in heat? If so, would a new case help as-well? My current case isn't the cream of the crop. 

Same? Well yes but the FX-8370 has better chance of winning silicon lottery!

[79wjd]

Underclocking eh? Ugh, I was hoping for an answer like; this case blah blah blah. We can only dream! Haha, do you think switching my CPU to an Intel would help? Something like a i5-4690k? 

It would help....but not really. While a 4690k would run cooler (especially at stock speeds) it probably wouldn't be all that noticeable. Your best option would be get a fan to blow on you followed by underclocking. (going with a more efficient/cooler gpu would be far more beneficial than an i5 -- in terms of heat output)

[redspart]

the i5 drains about /13 less power and has alot less heat ouput, great choice. and a new case might help, something like a corsair 300r, or fractal design r5 are great choices.

Interesting, also how does water-cooling fair to the ambient room temperature? ( Never water-cooled before, might just pick up an H100i or something )

 

Same? Well yes but the FX-8370 has better chance of winning silicon lottery!

Yeah but it is the same thing. I mean I can OC mine to about 4.6, no reason for me to upgrade to the same chip. 

[79wjd]

Interesting, also how does water-cooling fair to the ambient room temperature? ( Never water-cooled before, might just pick up an H100i or something )

A water cooler still has to dissipate the same amount of heat into the room. It just does a better job at doing so -- i.e. it pulls the heat away from the computer and into the room faster (well, potentially faster depending on what it's being compared with). There's no magic way to make heat disappear. 

[Nena Trinity]

Interesting, also how does water-cooling fair to the ambient room temperature? ( Never water-cooled before, might just pick up an H100i or something )

 

Yeah but it is the same thing. I mean I can OC mine to about 4.6, no reason for me to upgrade to the same chip. 

Yep but if his OC sucked at the 8320 then he can!

[redspart]

 

Yep but if his OC sucked at the 8320 then he can! 

Yeah but it doesn't, also I am talking about heat. AMD produces lots of heat.

 

A water cooler still has to dissipate the same amount of heat into the room. It just does a better job at doing so -- i.e. it pulls the heat away from the computer and into the room faster (well, potentially faster depending on what it's being compared with). There's no magic way to make heat disappear. 

 

 

It would help....but not really. While a 4690k would run cooler (especially at stock speeds) it probably wouldn't be all that noticeable. Your best option would be get a fan to blow on you followed by underclocking. (going with a more efficient/cooler gpu would be far more beneficial than an i5 -- in terms of heat output)

 

Eh, I see I see. Looking at your profile you attend a university as-well. How do you deal with heat in the dorm? ( out of curiosity ). So fan would be the cheapest route I could go! Haha, I was just thinking about an Intel I5 due to MMOs, and it has a lower power consumption and the TDP is around 88 or so while the FX-8320 has a TDP of 125ish or so.

[007agentHP]

Interesting, also how does water-cooling fair to the ambient room temperature? ( Never water-cooled before, might just pick up an H100i or something )

 

 

all water cooling does is dump out heat better, it does not make the heat any less. it might be good if you want to keep your cpu cool, but it will only make your room hotter.

[79wjd]

Eh, I see I see. Looking at your profile you attend a university as-well. How do you deal with heat in the dorm? ( out of curiosity ). So fan would be the cheapest route I could go! Haha, I was just thinking about an Intel I5 due to MMOs, and it has a lower power consumption and the TDP is around 88 or so while the FX-8320 has a TDP of 125ish or so.

 

I have AC in my room with a thermostat that I can control -- so it's not really an issue for me (plus, being in Illinois, I can just open up the window -- in the winter anyway -- and the room will cool down pretty quickly).

 

Well, in terms of performance an i5 would definitely be better than an FX8, however in terms of just heat output, it would certainly be less than an overclocked FX8, but it's still not really worth the upgrade (so, if your FX8 performs good enough for your needs, then I wouldn't bother upgrading). I'd just pick up a fan or lower the overclock on your cpu/gpu to the minimum of what you need to get the performance you want. It's not a great solution....but there's only so much you can do. 

[Nena Trinity]

 

 

Yeah but it doesn't, also I am talking about heat. AMD produces lots of heat.

 

 

 

 

Eh, I see I see. Looking at your profile you attend a university as-well. How do you deal with heat in the dorm? ( out of curiosity ). So fan would be the cheapest route I could go! Haha, I was just thinking about an Intel I5 due to MMOs, and it has a lower power consumption and the TDP is around 88 or so while the FX-8320 has a TDP of 125ish or so.

 

He has the right mobo he only needs the water coolies!  

 

Not to mention the silicon is better so he may need less power for the OC with 8370.