Looking for a fresh CPU and motherboard? Let me assist you with the right options.
Looking for a fresh CPU and motherboard? Let me assist you with the right options.
Hello Canadians! In 2016 I started building my first PC. I adjusted the pins on my motherboard (Intel Skylake socket, i5 6400) and it wouldn’t recognize the RAM, so I fixed them back. Now everything runs smoothly. Still, I’m a bit worried about the motherboard since it’s the first component likely to fail. Recently I’ve been diving into software development and I’m anxious about losing all my work if the motherboard fails. I need a new one. My new GPU (RX 580 8GB) is limited by my i5 6400, so upgrading the CPU might be the best move. BUT... budget matters. In Canada, spending over 350$ CAD (around 250$ USD) isn’t ideal. At this price, is replacing the CPU really worthwhile? Thanks a bunch!
You can save a lot while still receiving a solid improvement. PCPartPicker offers a selection list with item costs and prices for various components. For example, the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 3.4 GHz processor is listed at $202.50, and the ASRock B450M Pro4-F motherboard is priced at $79.94. Prices cover shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts. Total before mail-in rebates comes to $307.44, with a $25 rebate reducing it to $282.44. This data was generated by PCPartPicker on April 16, 2020.
Sure, this seems to be priced in USD. This offers a significant improvement over the previous 4-core model with limited performance. The upgrade to a 6-core processor reaching 3.9 GHz will definitely make a big impact. I’ll remember this option.
I would second that recommendation. At that price point, don't think there is anything better. And Intel is pretty much out of the question.
It's amusing how AMD wasn't an option when I started building. Six cores around 4GHz plus a budget motherboard with USB-C for less than $300 CAD? Completely unbelievable just a few years back.
It's an unusual sensation. It reminds me of how things were when I started making them. Now I'm getting older...