What should I upgrade?

Nike is pretty shady, but honestly, their shoes are better—specifically the athletic ones, they don't just focus on looks.

On topic:

The i5 9600k isn't a bad price, and the 8600K is actually more expensive.

For gaming, especially if you overclock it, it’ll still be top-tier for a while.

But the upgrade path sucks. You'll be stuck looking at overpriced used i7s, assuming you don't fry your motherboard first—and good luck finding replacements for those in a year.
Personally, I’d rather jump to AM4 and just pick up a 7nm Ryzen in a year or two.

Look, it's not a bad chip by itself. The FPS is still better than almost any Ryzen out there (most of the time).

I’d only steer clear of the i5 if you’re planning on streaming or anything like that.

Linus Tech Tips spent some time putting that i5 9600k through its paces recently, and honestly, it looked pretty rough in certain spots—specifically when those minimum FPS numbers started tanking in a few titles. Obviously, nobody else is seeing those exact same results... but it’s becoming crystal clear that a pure six-core setup just isn't futureproof. The gaming industry is clearly pivoting toward 8c16t architectures, especially once the next generation of consoles hits the market. Look, if you're dead set on going the Intel route, you should probably shell out some extra cash for a high-end ASUS motherboard with beefy VRMs, just so you have the option to jump to an i9 9900K down the road. Then again, even that might end up looking outdated or just plain inefficient compared to whatever next-gen 7nm processors are coming our way.

I'll just jump into this existing thread instead of cluttering things up with a new one.

I’m looking to swap out a few parts—honestly, anything that makes sense right now and actually gives me some bang for my buck. Lately, I've been staring at my memory situation more than anything else.

Here’s what I’m currently running:
Motherboard: ASUS motherboard
CPU: AMD FX-8370E
GPU: Nvidia GTX 760
RAM: 2 x 4 GB DDR3 1600 MHz
Monitor: LG 27MP59G-P
128 GB SSD and some 1.5 TB HDDs

Surprisingly, my GPU is still holding its own—no real issues at 1080p—so I was leaning toward upgrading the RAM. But since this board doesn't support DDR4, does it even make sense to pick up another 2 x 4 GB sticks of DDR3? Or is it smarter to just look ahead, grab 16 GB of DDR4, and hunt for a new motherboard (any recommendations? 🤷)?

Grab a GPU and some used RAM (2x4GB for about $200-$83), plus maybe try overclocking the CPU if you've got an aftermarket cooler.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ram-memory-deal

This GPU definitely seems like a solid value:

https://www.newegg.com/p/gpu-deals

..though if you're looking for a massive jump after upgrading the processor, it might be worth just waiting for a new GTX 1660 Ti for around $767.

That CPU is probably one of the better ones from the FX 8 xxx series; I guess it could probably hit 4.5GHz without much trouble.

Yeah, that CPU should be able to hit at least 4.4 GHz, maybe even more, just like my old 8350... that's plenty for now. Just gotta grab some more RAM and depending on what I need, a new GPU or another SSD.

What exactly does more memory get you in this scenario?

Honestly, you're better off putting those extra couple hundred bucks toward a better GPU rather than dumping money into more DDR3.

Or grab an aftermarket cooler if there isn't one. Get something that supports AM4 so he can actually reuse it if he eventually jumps to an AM4 platform.

DDR3 holds its value pretty well; I guess you could probably flip it for $67 in a year or so. It’ll still come in handy for newer games.

The cooler is an obvious choice 😁

EDIT: Actually, scratch that. Turns out the Cooler Master won't fit on AM3/AM3+ 🤣

Maybe this one instead:

https://www.amazon.com/products/detail...m_medium=click

wiredotter14 said:What’s the actual payoff for more memory?

Better to put those extra bucks toward a better GPU instead of buying more DDR3...

Or grab an aftermarket cooler if they don't have one. Something AM4 compatible so they can swap it later when they finally upgrade to an AM4 platform.

Personally, I bumped mine from 8 to 12GB and the difference was massive, especially with all these modern open-world games eating RAM for breakfast.

And damn, Chrome alone can easily hog 3GB just while you're browsing... 🕺

Getting a 570 for $400 is definitely a steal. You can find used RAM for like 100-$50. They'll feel the difference.

EDIT: crimsonstag84.... 212 is always a solid choice 😬

I've got a Zalman cooler on the CPU, and the case is a Black Widow with three fans, so cooling should be fine—I can always overclock if I feel like pushing it.

I definitely need more memory; I'm constantly hitting a wall, not just while gaming, but even when running VMs or when my browser starts choking with 10-15 tabs open. 🙂 So, would some used DDR3 work? Is there really much of a difference compared to DDR4?

As for the GPU, I've been looking into the GTX 1660 Ti lately and I'm pretty interested—I'll just wait until it hits the shelves here in the States. 👍

To switch over to DDR4, you're looking at replacing the entire platform—CPU, motherboard, and the RAM itself. Budget roughly $1000 for that. Honestly, your gaming performance won't see much of a jump because the GPU is still your main bottleneck right now. However, making that move does open the door for a serious GPU upgrade down the road, which just isn't an option with that FX chip.

For a more moderate upgrade path, you could try what crimsonstag84 linked, maybe paired with some CPU overclocking.

I get that switching to DDR4 means I need a new motherboard, but why on earth would I have to swap out the processor too? 🤔

Well, you've got an AM3+ processor. That isn't going to fit in an AM4 motherboard, nor will it work with DDR4 😛 I'd suggest waiting until maybe August. RAM prices should be lower by then, plus those new 7nm AMD chips should be hitting the market too.

Exactly, we're looking at an outdated architecture here—the CPU is running a DDR3 memory controller, so it just won't work that way.

jadetrucker43, just leave it alone for another year... maybe start picking up parts one by one for a new rig around Black Friday if you really want to. That processor is still solid enough, and you can snag used DDR3 RAM for like 150-$67 easy. 4GB should be plenty for you.

If I were in your shoes, I’d just grab an SSD right now. Honestly, don't even bother trying to cram all your games onto that 120 GB drive—it's a headache waiting to happen. Personally, I found 120 GB way too small; some games won't even fit on there at all.

RAM prices should drop soon enough.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/dr...rch,38644.html

Though, I guess I'm not entirely sure how much that'll actually impact DDR3. So, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to just wait a month or two.

As for the GPU, just wait until AMD drops their mid-range card, probably sometime around summer. By then, Nvidia should probably react by adjusting their prices, and then you can actually see what makes the most sense for your wallet.

Thanks for all the advice and the extra info, everyone. 👍 My plan is to grab some more DDR3 memory once that sweet GTX 1660 Ti finally hits the shelves—and honestly, I don't see any reason to mess with my motherboard or CPU for at least another few years, especially since that 8370E still has decent overclocking headroom. I don't really need an extra SSD either; my current drive handles Windows just fine, plus whatever games actually need fast loading times.

Well, it officially dropped yesterday 😁

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=gtx+1660Ti

You could probably grab one this Monday. However, I’d suggest being smart and waiting a week or two for prices to level out and for stock to actually hit the shelves. Regarding the GTX 1660Ti (which performs roughly like a GTX 1070), your FX CPU is going to be a major bottleneck—it just won't be able to push that card to its full potential. That said, if you're planning to upgrade to a new platform soon (say, by this summer when Zen 2 arrives), then go for it

If you aren't planning on swapping out your motherboard and processor this year, you might want to hold out for a GTX 1660 or a GTX 1650 instead. Those would be a much more balanced pairing for an FX system (especially the latter, since the former will likely sit somewhere between a GTX 1060 6GB and a GTX 1070 in terms of raw power). If you're running a 1440p monitor, the FX wouldn't be such a massive bottleneck

Timothy Kim60 said:If you aren't planning on swapping out your whole rig this year, you might want to hold off for a GTX 1660 or a GTX 1650. They’d actually pair better with an FX processor—especially the second option, since the first one will likely land somewhere right between a GTX 1060 6GB and a GTX 1070 in terms of raw power. Honestly, the FX won't be such a massive bottleneck if you're running a 1440p monitor.

You really think the 1650 is going to be a better value than the RX 570 8GB for $417?

Just look at how much VRAM you get with that RX 570 for the price.

Fair point, it probably won't. But look, a GTX 1660 6GB might actually be a sweet spot since you can snag one for around $200, and the performance jump is massive. It really just comes down to his budget, though. Honestly, if he's planning on swapping out the whole platform anyway, he should just go big—modern games are getting absolutely brutal.

Yeah, look, the idea is to hit performance levels close to a GTX 1070 for about $200, and if you push just a bit higher, you're looking at a GTX 1080.

But in this specific bracket below $500, it really just comes down to the price tag compared to the Polaris cards, which are dirt cheap right now.

The GTX 1650 is stuck with 4GB of VRAM, so honestly, you're better off grabbing a Polaris with 8GB; at least that way you're somewhat future-proof.