PC Upgrade Ideas?

Alright, I’m looking for some expert guidance on a potential PC upgrade. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this specific build configuration:

Intel Core i5-4460 s1150
Gigabyte GA-Z270x-Gaming8 DDR4
Asus rog GeForce GTX 1080 ti Strix gaming
Trident Z series 16GB, DDR 4, 3000 Mhz PC-24000
Samsung SSD evo Basic 120
Samsung SSD evo Basic 250
Toshiba 3.5 2 TB Sata6GB 7200 Fortron Hyper 700 w 80 + kučište Phantom 820 NZXT
Fortron Hyper 700W 80+
Kučište Phantom 820 NZXT
LG BH16NS55
PCI-E Asus Xonar Essence STXII

To clarify, my storage drives, power supply, and processor are older components that I intend to keep; everything else listed here is what I am planning to purchase. I am primarily interested in your professional assessment—is there anything here that strikes you as redundant, overkill, overpriced, a poor value, or perhaps even incompatible?

I don't get it—is this an old build, a new one, or some weird hybrid setup?

That CPU won't fit that motherboard. What are you running right now?

And what's the end game here? Gaming? At what resolution? If you aren't playing in 4K, that processor is just going to bottleneck you.

I believe the situation is quite straightforward: the hard drives, the power supply, and the processor are being carried over from the legacy setup, while everything else consists of entirely new components. When you piece them together, they will function as one cohesive, singular configuration.

And, of course, the ultimate objective here is gaming—specifically fueled by that 1080 Titan card.

Indeed, we're looking at a 4K monitor paired with an Acer predator.

Why would you bother swapping out your motherboard and RAM if everything is working perfectly fine? An Intel Core i5-4460 s1150 Gigabyte GA-Z270x-Gaming8 DDR4 Asus rog GeForce GTX 1080 ti Strix gaming Trident Z won't fit an 1151 socket, nor will it work with DDR4 RAM.

What kind of power supply and case are you currently running? It would be best if you could list your entire current setup along with your total upgrade budget. Honestly, there's a good chance you might just need a new monitor and a fresh GPU.

What's gotten into everyone? 😬

He laid out his current specs pretty clearly, but if he were looking to upgrade, here's what I'd suggest:

velvetcrane57 said:Alright, I’m looking for some expert guidance on a potential PC upgrade. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this specific build configuration:

Intel Core i5-4460 s1150
Gigabyte GA-Z270x-Gaming8 DDR4
Asus rog GeForce GTX 1080 ti Strix gaming
Trident Z series 16GB, DDR 4, 3000 Mhz PC-24000
Samsung SSD evo Basic 120
Samsung SSD evo Basic 250
Toshiba 3.5 2 TB Sata6GB 7200 Fortron Hyper 700 w 80 + kučište Phantom 820 NZXT
Fortron Hyper 700W 80+
Kučište Phantom 820 NZXT
LG BH16NS55
PCI-E Asus Xonar Essence STXII

To clarify, my storage drives, power supply, and processor are older components that I intend to keep; everything else listed here is what I am planning to purchase. I am primarily interested in your professional assessment—is there anything here that strikes you as redundant, overkill, overpriced, a poor value, or perhaps even incompatible?

So, here's the breakdown:

Intel Core i5-4460 s1150
Gigabyte GA-Z270x-Gaming8 DDR4
The Asus rog GeForce GTX 1080 ti Strix gaming is basically the heavy hitter here. It’s like comparing a reliable Ford F-150 to a beat-up sedan; one just carries the weight much better than the other.
Trident Z series 16GB, DDR 4, 3000 Mhz PC-24000
Samsung SSD evo Basic 120
Samsung SSD evo Basic 250GB
Toshiba 3.5 2 TB Sata6GB 7200
Fortron Hyper 700 w 80 + kučište Phantom 820 NZXT
Toshiba 3.5 2 TB Sata6GB 7200 Fortron Hyper 700 w 80 + kučište Phantom 820 NZXT
LG BH16NS55 BD-RW.
PCI-E Asus Xonar Essence STXII

🍿

I'll admit I missed the mark on the power supply, but if we're talking upgrades, I’d focus on the motherboard, RAM, and the case (provided it's a solid one). The bottom line hasn't changed: let that 1080 Ti scream, maybe grab a 4K monitor, and potentially bump up to 16GB of RAM. Personally, though, I’d hold off for a bit to see if the Vega cards actually perform well. If they turn out to be decent, I’d go for a 1440p IPS FreeSync monitor, whether that's in 16:9 or 21:9 aspect ratio.

Price isn't really my primary concern here, so feel free to suggest high-end options—though please, let's not get carried away and start quoting prices for an i7 that costs as much as a used sedan. I already own a 4K monitor, specifically the one I mentioned earlier.

My main goal is upgrading the motherboard if it's necessary to accommodate a new graphics card. That’s actually why I decided to join this forum; I need to determine whether I'm looking at a full overhaul of the processor and motherboard, or if everything I've listed here is actually compatible. I've also heard rumors that the Atlas can be quite the power hog and runs notoriously hot; does that mean I'll need to invest in additional cooling beyond what the Corsair Obsidian currently provides?

Here is my current setup:

1 x Intel Core i5-4460 soc 1150
1 x Asrock H81M-HDS (S1150, USB3.0 Header) mATX
1 x XFX AMD Radeon R9 280 3GB DDR5
2 x Crucial 8GB DDR3 1600 Mhz (PC3-12800) CL11
1 x Samsung 120GB 850 EVO Basic
1 x Samsung 250GB 850 EVO Basic
1 x Western Digital 3.5" 2TB, SATA6Gb, 7200rpm, 64MB
1 x Fortron Hyper 700W, 80+
1 x Zalman Z3, USB3.0 black, 3x120mm
1 x LG GH24NSC0 sat Bulk Black 24 x

Just to prevent any confusion: I am planning to swap out the case because I have other uses for it, so you can completely disregard the Zalman I'm currently using.

Look, pairing a 1080Ti with an H81 motherboard might seem a bit eccentric, but from a purely technical standpoint, you aren't hitting any real roadblocks. The GPU won't mind the setup, and you've got enough RAM to handle things. If you're aiming for 4K gaming, though, you'll need something more substantial—maybe a 1080Ti at most; honestly, even an Atlas doesn't make much sense when compared to its performance.

Just grab that 1080 Ti and call it a day. I guess you'll be hitting a GPU bottleneck at 4K anyway, so a beefier processor probably won't even make much of a difference.

If you're hunting for the most budget-friendly 1080Ti featuring an aftermarket cooler, this one is your best bet. Just make sure your top priority is securing at least a 3-year warranty.

This CPU just doesn't make any sense paired with that GPU... plus, you won't be able to swap it over to a Z270 motherboard either.

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Megan Garcia7 said:This CPU just doesn't make any sense paired with that GPU... plus, you won't be able to swap it over to a Z270 motherboard either.

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Actually, I think it makes sense—since the guy is running a 4K Dell UltraSharp, the GPU is going to have plenty to chew on with all those pixels, which gives the processor some breathing room. It would be a totally different story if he were sticking to 1080p or 1440p; the GPU wouldn't even break a sweat because it isn't built for such low resolutions, while the CPU would struggle to keep up, creating a massive bottleneck.

I'm not quite following what you mean regarding the Z270 part? 😁

Megan Garcia7 said:This CPU just doesn't make any sense paired with that GPU... plus, you won't be able to swap it over to a Z270 motherboard either.

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Larry Ortiz5 said:Actually, I think it makes sense—since the guy is running a 4K Dell UltraSharp, the GPU is going to have plenty to chew on with all those pixels, which gives the processor some breathing room. It would be a totally different story if he were sticking to 1080p or 1440p; the GPU wouldn't even break a sweat because it isn't built for such low resolutions, while the CPU would struggle to keep up, creating a massive bottleneck.

I'm not quite following what you mean regarding the Z270 part? 😁

Originally, the OP was looking at mixing an Intel Core i5-4460 soc 1150 with a Z270 board, but people already pointed out the issue and suggested sticking to his current socket...

Fair enough 😁

For me, the i7 7700 is basically non-negotiable when paired with this GPU. You’ve listed nothing but top-tier components alongside an older processor—honestly, I don't see much else to look for here.
And you mentioned that budget isn't really a major concern...

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Even an Intel Sandy Bridge overclocked won't bottleneck a 1080 Ti at 4K... I guess there's really no point in dropping nearly $2000(!) just to squeeze out an extra 5 FPS.

crimsonstag84 said:Even an Intel Sandy Bridge overclocked won't bottleneck a 1080 Ti at 4K... I guess there's really no point in dropping nearly $2000(!) just to squeeze out an extra 5 FPS.

What kind of $2000?? Look, if we're talking about swapping the motherboard, then an i7-7700k becomes a total necessity.
Then again—it depends on whether they actually plan to ditch the mobo or not. I mean, they did mention changing the motherboard earlier.

It’s not that far off... an Intel Core i7-7700K paired with a Z270 board, DDR4 RAM, and an aftermarket cooler.

At the end of the day, an Intel Core i7-7700K isn't some absolute requirement for 4K gaming.