Need assistance upgrading to MSI X58 platinum?
Need assistance upgrading to MSI X58 platinum?
I’m working on boosting your existing system to its peak performance. You’re looking for the most powerful CPU, RAM, and GPU options that fit your current setup. For the CPU, consider upgrading to an Intel i7-10700 or AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D if you have the budget. Pair it with a high-speed DDR4 or DDR5 RAM—at least 32GB for stability. If you want even more speed, look into a 16GB+ system with overclocking potential.
For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT or Intel Iris Xe 12th Gen are solid choices that can handle modern games and multitasking. If you’re aiming for top-tier performance, the RX 6700 XT offers better ray tracing and overall efficiency.
Regarding cooling, a high-end air cooler like the Noctua NH-D15 or Cooler Master HyperX Cloud II would be ideal to keep temperatures down during heavy loads.
Storage-wise, you mentioned upgrading from two SSDs to one larger capacity drive—consider a 2TB NVMe SSD for the C drive and a 1TB NVMe SSD for the main drive. This will give you faster boot times and smoother performance.
Overall, focus on pushing your CPU and GPU to their limits while ensuring adequate cooling and storage. If you need help picking exact models or configuring BIOS settings, just let me know!
Think about upgrading to higher-speed RAM, a solid cooler, and the most powerful GPU available with what remains of your budget. Avoid SLI or Crossfire unless you're sure all your components will work smoothly together.
Xeon or one of the six-core i7s can be customized depending on your needs. Some users have achieved smooth performance with an X58 at 1080p, though it feels less demanding than expected. I’m using an i7 920 with SLI 780s and intend to upgrade to an i7 950 or 6C Xeon for better card support.
I'm posting twice but it doesn't matter. Not an X56xx Xeon, just the W3690 or an i7. MSI boards usually clash with Westmere-EP, so to prevent issues you should use the W3690 (the only compatible Xeon) or one of the i7s.
It's mainly the MSI models that pose problems. A handful of others work fine, but boards like the EVGA ones often need hardware tweaks to run Westmere-EP. Most unusual CPU issues I've encountered stem from MSI gear, possibly because they don't support most Xeons well. The W3690 is the rare exception with genuine Gulftown support; other W series Xeons tend to stick with Westmere-EP and may behave oddly. It could be a microcode quirk. For the smoothest experience, i7s are best. They're pricier than they should be, but finding one under $60 is doable—similar to the X5690 lineup.
A few cable tweaks could really make a difference, especially for better airflow. Consider getting a new cooler before focusing on OC settings. Upgrading your GPU to something that matches your performance goals works well—if you're targeting 1080p at 60fps, an older RX 580 is great. Following @Zando Bob's advice, a W series Xeon like the W3690 (or even a cheaper W3670) would be smart. Faster RAM helps, but triple channel already gives you plenty of bandwidth.