Check if the i7-4790 (non K) remains functional. Consider upgrade options if needed.
Check if the i7-4790 (non K) remains functional. Consider upgrade options if needed.
I recommend beginning fresh. A completely new setup would be ideal. Upgrading to a brand-new board, CPU, graphics card, and RAM would be best. I’m almost in a similar setup except with a Haswell Xeon that matches your 4790, 32 GB DDR3 and GTX 980. You’re considering a 9900k and a 2080TI, plus a Ryzen 3900x or comparable. Setting a budget first and then planning the build within it would be wise.
It varies with the games you play. My 4460 is essentially a downclocked 4790 without hardware acceleration, and I find it struggles in some high-frame-rate titles like Odyssey (around 40 to 60 FPS), while others run smoothly. The CPU works fine in some games, but overall it seems better to invest in a completely new system if you need it.
Start by exploring the possibilities of moving to a 4790k with an overclock. The process could be demanding, possibly requiring a die removal due to poor thermal materials. Upgrading the graphics card is essential. The 970 series offered good value but had performance hiccups; new cards are coming soon, so consider their impact on pricing. The 970 will likely become even outdated, though it was affordable at the time for reasons like memory problems and stuttering. If budget isn’t tight, overclocking a 4790k might extend your system’s lifespan, but verify its suitability for your requirements before proceeding.
I really like my 980, maybe I just won the silicon lottery with it—though it hits power limits and never goes above 75c. Usually I bring it back down to 70c to avoid overloading. But it’s not strong enough for today’s games. You could use a 970 as a temporary card, but it might slow things down. At least keep it as a backup in case.
gaming performance on quad-core processors is declining significantly, with most titles now optimized for 8-core Zen 2 CPUs running at around 3.8GHz. Consider replacing the graphics card first, then upgrade to a new CPU (Zen 2 or Zen 3), a suitable motherboard, and ensure at least two times 8GB of RAM.