Upgrade Path help

[7mtyler]

hey all. 

 

I'm broke right now but I want to plan a future upgrade path for my pc. 

 

here's my current specs.

 

-Asrock B250M Pro4 -Intel Core i5-6600k -Gigabyte Windforce GTX 1060 3gb -Micron 8GB DIMM DDR4 Memory 2133 MHz -Crucial MX300 275GB SSD -WD Blue 1TB HDD -EVGA 450b psu   all of this in a tiny micro-atx case

 

I got this setup for a great price, but it definitely doesnt seem easily upgradable (mainly because of the case & mobo size)

 

Here's my first thought: I could buy a midtower case and a z170 board so i could overclock my 6600k. I have a hyper 212 evo i could use in a bigger case.

Then I'd eventually try to find GTX 1070 to pair with an overclocked 6600k. 

 

Does this seem like a good plan?

If not, do you have any suggestions? 

[Jurrunio]

whether this is a good idea depends on how many used Z170 boards you can get. Also, what games do you plan on running on it?

[7mtyler]

1 minute ago, Jurrunio said:

whether this is a good idea depends on how many used Z170 boards you can get. Also, what games do you plan on running on it?

ehhhhh.... I play Assassins creed Origins on my current pc, and it gets mid 50s fps in 1080 high settings (i notice frame drops sometimes). I feel like Odyssey will be even more demanding, and I'd like to be able to run that well. 

 

Other than that I just want to future-proof a little bit. I think my pc was perfect for 1080p 60fps in like 2017, but its just nearing the end of that being true. 

[Fasauceome]

Planning very far ahead doesn't mean much, because the market changes frequently. You're better off saving up then planning a week in advance.

[7mtyler]

1 minute ago, fasauceome said:

Planning very far ahead doesn't mean much, because the market changes frequently. You're better off saving up then planning a week in advance.

Right. I'm not really trying to plan exactly what items to buy. I'm more planning which things i should upgrade 

[Jurrunio]

2 hours ago, 7mtyler said:

ehhhhh.... I play Assassins creed Origins on my current pc, and it gets mid 50s fps in 1080 high settings (i notice frame drops sometimes). I feel like Odyssey will be even more demanding, and I'd like to be able to run that well. 

 

Other than that I just want to future-proof a little bit. I think my pc was perfect for 1080p 60fps in like 2017, but its just nearing the end of that being true. 

then my advice will be to upgrade the graphics card first. 1070ti or 1080 class, preferably. 20 series card will be expensive for a long while, better get one of those high end 10 series cards now when their stock lasts.

 

Meanwhile, this CPU platform isnt a place you should spend your time upgrading things, instead you should replace the CPU and motherboard altogether before its value drops too much (though it has lost a noticeable portion of its value already). Overclocked high (4.8GHz for example) the 6600k is fully capable of running AC:O well, but that definitely wont be possible with a Hyper 212 and you will need something $50+ to do so. In that case, you might as well spend $250 on a Ryzen 5 2600 and B450 motherboard instead. Having 6 cores means Ryzen 5 will run future games better than your 6600k ever will too.

 

The stutter you mentioned is caused by low memory performance. Is this a single stick of 8GB 2133MHz DDR4?

[7mtyler]

1 hour ago, Jurrunio said:

then my advice will be to upgrade the graphics card first. 1070ti or 1080 class, preferably. 20 series card will be expensive for a long while, better get one of those high end 10 series cards now when their stock lasts.

 

Meanwhile, this CPU platform isnt a place you should spend your time upgrading things, instead you should replace the CPU and motherboard altogether before its value drops too much (though it has lost a noticeable portion of its value already). Overclocked high (4.8GHz for example) the 6600k is fully capable of running AC:O well, but that definitely wont be possible with a Hyper 212 and you will need something $50+ to do so. In that case, you might as well spend $250 on a Ryzen 5 2600 and B450 motherboard instead. Having 6 cores means Ryzen 5 will run future games better than your 6600k ever will too.

 

The stutter you mentioned is caused by low memory performance. Is this a single stick of 8GB 2133MHz DDR4?

it's 2 sticks of 4gb

[7mtyler]

I'm just trying to find I way I can upgrade not everything at once. you don't think I'll be able to get a decent overclock on the 6600k with the Hyper 212? I've heard great things about it. I got it for free when I bought the i5. 

[Jurrunio]

7 minutes ago, 7mtyler said:

you don't think I'll be able to get a decent overclock on the 6600k with the Hyper 212? I've heard great things about it. I

Hyper 212 is great when compared to Intel's stock cooler and AMD's Wraith Sealth and Spire, but in terms of overclocking it's rubbish. Indeed you can go further than what the CPU will reach at stock, but nowhere near overclocks others run.

 

One of the cheapest cooler I'd recommend for 6600k overclocking is the Scythe Mugen 5 Rev B. Just look at its size compared to the Hyper 212. Also, the Hyper 212 is quite bad compared to coolers of its size like the Cryorig H7 or Arctic Freezer 33 esports one, or those of similar (if not lower) price like the Deepcool Gammaxx 400.

 

If people say great things about the Hyper 212, then they must have never used other stuff.

[7mtyler]

Good to know! do you think a ram upgrade should be in my near future as well?