General / Off-Topic Suggestions for upgrade of computer

[Agony_Aunt]

Looking to upgrade my computer shortly.

Mainly interested in knowing what sort of CPU to get but motherboard suggestions are welcome. Any particuar to avoid? I've usually had good luck with AMD processors combined with either Gigabyte or Asus motherboards.

Processor should be relatively modern, decent performance for gaming, but doesn't need to be top end. Budget is a consideration. Somewhere about 10,000 roubles (135 dollars, 100 pounds). I'd rather not go much higher, 15,000 roubles max (150 quid).

This is the price list from one of the local vendors:

Купить Процессоры - низкие цены, кредит в магазине и интернет магазине РЕТ Воронеж

Огромный Ассортимент И Гарантия Лучших Цен!

voronezh.ret.ru

 

[Morbad]

Budget mostly limits you to 4c/8t parts unless you are looking at last gen stuff. From the site you've linked, in order of ascending price, the Core i3-10100F, Ryzen 3 3300X, Ryzen 5 2600, or Ryzen 7 2700 are the most compelling choices. The Zen+ parts (2000 series) are two generations old at this point, but are still AM4 and still perform well...given the other options in the price range, it's hard to discount that 2700 which is 8c/16t and still has acceptable lightly threaded performance.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

Budget mostly limits you to 4c/8t parts unless you are looking at last gen stuff. From the site you've linked, in order of ascending price, the Core i3-10100F, Ryzen 3 3300X, Ryzen 5 2600, or Ryzen 7 2700 are the most compelling choices. The Zen+ parts (2000 series) are two generations old at this point, but are still AM4 and still perform well...given the other options in the price range, it's hard to discount that 2700 which is 8c/16t and still has acceptable lightly threaded performance.

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, budget is limited, but keep in mind, i'm upgrading from an 8 year old Phenom 2 X4.

 

[EUS]

If it's for gaming, I'd suggest saving until you can up your budget, to build something that you'll be happy with for another few years.
Until last year I was running 1st gen i7 that I built in 2008.
I upgraded RAM and the GPU a couple times over the years.
The only reason I rebuilt from scratch was the mobo started crapping out. First to go was one or two sata connections. That was an Asus board that lasted a long time.
If I remember correctly, my new mobo cost more than my CPU. Currently with Asus board, and AMD 3700x, still haven't upgraded the GPU from GTX 1060 6Gb.
Just my 0.02

 

[Agony_Aunt]

If it's for gaming, I'd suggest saving until you can up your budget, to build something that you'll be happy with for another few years.
Until last year I was running 1st gen i7 that I built in 2008.
I upgraded RAM and the GPU a couple times over the years.
The only reason I rebuilt from scratch was the mobo started crapping out. First to go was one or two sata connections. That was an Asus board that lasted a long time.
If I remember correctly, my new mobo cost more than my CPU. Currently with Asus board, and AMD 3700x, still haven't upgraded the GPU from GTX 1060 6Gb.
Just my 0.02

I'm sure i'll be happy enough, i've lived with this processor for 8 years. Saving is a tricky proposition, if i don't spend the money soon, i'm sure something will crop up which will require me to spend the money on something else.

 

[EUS]

I'm sure i'll be happy enough, i've lived with this processor for 8 years. Saving is a tricky proposition, if i don't spend the money soon, i'm sure something will crop up which will require me to spend the money on something else.

I hear ya.
Dec 17; replaced washer/dryer from '97
Today; $1000 roof repair.
I "need" a new GPU so I can have the excuse to get a 4K monitor, (or maybe vice-versa).
No one making actual new GPUs... but I have to get it done before money's all gone (nervously eyeing the water heater).

 

[Agony_Aunt]

I hear ya.
Dec 17; replaced washer/dryer from '97
Today; $1000 roof repair.
I "need" a new GPU so I can have the excuse to get a 4K monitor, (or maybe vice-versa).
No one making actual new GPUs... but I have to get it done before money's all gone (nervously eyeing the water heater).

Exactly, house and family issues crop up regularly and then it becomes "Oh, don't you have a bit of money saved up? We can use that!" and then its back to another year without upgrades.

 

[starman]

I bought a laptop it came with a intel integrated graphics card . Even though it has 8gb and a i3 that is the limiting factor since not all games support it although its supposed to run dx12.
I wonder if more could be done to make it compatible. Elite dangerous runs on it. The laptops with nvidia are over double the price.

 

[Morbad]

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, budget is limited, but keep in mind, i'm upgrading from an 8 year old Phenom 2 X4.

Any of the parts I listed will be a significant upgrade, but quad core parts are rapidly falling behind, even for gaming.

For lightly or moderately threaded loads the Ryzen 3 3300X will be the fastest, followed closely by the i3, but for anything that can make good use of more than four cores, the older Ryzen 5 or 7 will be appreciably better and despite being older, they will almost certainly hold up better for longer.

The Intel option probably allows for a slightly more affordable motherboard and memory, but a budget B450 board for the AM4 socket should not be very expensive.

I bought a laptop it came with a intel integrated graphics card . Even though it has 8gb and a i3 that is the limiting factor since not all games support it although its supposed to run dx12.
I wonder if more could be done to make it compatible. Elite dangerous runs on it. The laptops with nvidia are over double the price.

API support doesn't imply much of about actual performance and even the fastest integrated graphics is only the equivalent of a low-end dedicated GPU. About the only think you can do is make sure both memory channels are populated (IGPs are very sensitive to memory performance and many budget laptops only come with a single channel filled) and that you have the newest drivers. It's still going to fall below the minimum spec of many titles.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

Exactly, house and family issues crop up regularly and then it becomes "Oh, don't you have a bit of money saved up? We can use that!" and then its back to another year without upgrades.

Hah, cursed it. Kettle has just gone!

Fortunately not a major expense, will pick up a cheap one tomorrow.

 

[starman]

API support doesn't imply much of about actual performance and even the fastest integrated graphics is only the equivalent of a low-end dedicated GPU. About the only think you can do is make sure both memory channels are populated (IGPs are very sensitive to memory performance and many budget laptops only come with a single channel filled) and that you have the newest drivers. It's still going to fall below the minimum spec of many titles.

On laptops in particular most come with integrated cards. More should be done both on hardware and software to ensure all games run as a bare minimum. Elite Dangerous runs ok with lower setting also doom and crisis. Devs are lazy know requiring higher and higher specs. Cyberpunk 2077 has proved it doesnt guarantee a good game.

 

[lysan]

If it's for gaming, I'd suggest saving until you can up your budget, to build something that you'll be happy with for another few years.
Until last year I was running 1st gen i7 that I built in 2008.
I upgraded RAM and the GPU a couple times over the years.
The only reason I rebuilt from scratch was the mobo started crapping out. First to go was one or two sata connections. That was an Asus board that lasted a long time.
If I remember correctly, my new mobo cost more than my CPU. Currently with Asus board, and AMD 3700x, still haven't upgraded the GPU from GTX 1060 6Gb.
Just my 0.02

Yeah, my old 2012 build is still going strong, was going to build a new PC but gave up as the one I got is still fine, ASUS Rage MOBO i7 CPU and a GTX 1080 GPU, maybe I'd upgrade with a new GPU but that's it.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, especially @Morbad who took into consideration my limited budget. I found a supplier who was a bit cheaper than the place i listed so stretched to the R7 2700. Spent a lot of time comparing the options and pros and cons. Some of the others seem to get a bit better gaming performance but i was sold on the 8 cores 16 threads.

I'll be getting the parts tomorrow.

 

[Morbad]

R7 2700 is essentially tied with the newer 3600 and has more consistent frame times than the 8700k or 9700k in well-threaded, CPU limited, titles.

Cyberpunk is a good example of this:

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pRI7vXh0JU&t=355s


It can fall quite a ways below some of the newer and/or higher clocked parts in lightly threaded games, but isn't likely to ever be problematic unless you are targeting very high frame rates in scenarios that aren't at all GPU limited.

And, despite being a generation older (Zen+ rather than Zen 2), it's still roughly equivalent (due to higher clocks) to the CPU in the XBox Series X (the fastest current gen console CPU), so nothing is likely to target performance it doesn't have for quite some time.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

R7 2700 is essentially tied with the newer 3600 and has more consistent frame times than the 8700k or 9700k in well-threaded, CPU limited, titles.

Cyberpunk is a good example of this:

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pRI7vXh0JU&t=355s


It can fall quite a ways below some of the newer and/or higher clocked parts in lightly threaded games, but isn't likely to ever be problematic unless you are targeting very high frame rates in scenarios that aren't at all GPU limited.

And, despite being a generation older (Zen+ rather than Zen 2), it's still roughly equivalent (due to higher clocks) to the CPU in the XBox Series X (the fastest current gen console CPU), so nothing is likely to target performance it doesn't have for quite some time.

The good thing as well is there are lot more powerful processors above that one that are AM4, so in future, if i'm needing more juice, i can just swap out the processor without having to change the motherboard as well.