Consider upgrading the CPU or switching to a new platform.
Consider upgrading the CPU or switching to a new platform.
Hi everyone,
MH Wilds is coming up soon, and after struggling with the benchmark and seeing low framerates, I’ve thought about putting together some components for my 6-year-old rig. It was mid-range back then and worked fine, but it’s not keeping up with newer games.
I’m currently playing at 1080p with a G-SYNC monitor and am satisfied with the visuals as long as they’re around 80 FPS or higher. However, MH Wilds runs below 50 frames per second because it’s heavily CPU-intensive. That makes me realize it’s time to upgrade. For my setup (GTX 1080, 8600k, DDR4 3200, m.2 SSD, z370 board, 550W power supply, 1080p 240Hz G-SYNC monitor), I’m considering either a 9900k upgrade or switching to a different platform with a CPU and MOBO.
If a new platform can offer 20–50% better performance without affecting my GPU and only costs a bit more than the 9900 upgrade (around £180 or less), I’d definitely look into it. It would be great to enjoy a game that runs smoothly at 60+ FPS on medium settings, without spending too much extra.
550w power supply details
Identification of the PSU model and its age
The optimal chip for my setup seems to be the 9900k, which I can locate used online for costs ranging from £180 to £230.
What cooling solution are you employing? Because the processor generates significant heat, you’ll likely need a more robust motherboard for durability. Given the power demands of this chip, it’s not enough to focus solely on the VRM; a 360mm AIO is advisable to maintain efficiency. If your case doesn’t provide sufficient airflow, all the cooling efforts may be wasted.
I’d consider an AM5 platform, though you should be cautious about replacing the PSU if it’s of poor quality. Intel has largely focused on voltage management rather than improving performance, and moving to a new platform would require a new RAM upgrade—preferably DDR5-6000MHz.
I purchased either a Bequiet or Deepcool heatsink with dual fans and an ejection fan on the back and two on the top (two front of tower) because I thought AIOs were a bit of a gimmick at the time and didn’t offer enough improvement over regular heatsink fan combos to justify the price.
The 550w supply wouldn’t be immediately clear in my mind, but I expect it to be a decent brand like Corsair or EVGA, possibly 80+ gold or platinum, since I planned to use it for more than five years.
It seems like essentially a new build without the graphics card if I upgrade to AM5, which I think is the best part at around £500. I’m not ruling it out but trying to keep expectations realistic—will I be able to get a good Ryzen chip and RAM with that and still be limited by the GPU?
What is your CPU cooler?
A 8600K can often be overclocked to gain about a 30% performance increase.
A solid case will provide better than 5.0 threads.
It requires a decent cooler.
Testing it is a straightforward way to check if it suits your requirements.
The 9900K offers more threads, but most games perform well with the 6 threads you have.