Seeking recommendations for improvement
Seeking recommendations for improvement
Here's a link to my current build (originally built in late 2017) (updated to show hard drives)
https://pcpartpicker.com/user/evanater91...iew=FRFG3C
Here are the upgrades I'm considering but I'm open to suggestions. I added an extra ram card and swapped the GPU for a pricier one with double the memory.
https://pcpartpicker.com/user/evanater91...iew=Rrcqqs
This upgrade runs ~$450 but I'd rather keep it under $300.
Most demanding stuff I play right now: kingdom come: deliverance, mount and blade 2: bannerlord, witcher 3, skyrim heavily modded, and I plan to get cyberpunk when it comes out
I'm not opposed to waiting for cyber Monday.
The storage situation seems acceptable at the moment. Loading games from a mechanical drive usually takes longer, though it shouldn't noticeably impact performance while playing. Upgrading the game library to an SSD could be beneficial, but it isn't essential for today's titles. For the best gaming performance within a $300 to $450 budget, prioritizing the graphics card and RAM would be most effective.
You really dont want to just buy another stick of RAM and add it, theres no guarentee it will work, or it will work at slower speeds, or be unstable or it might work perfect. Buy a set of matching RAM such as these
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Vt...b-...19d-16gvrb
You also might want to look for a used Ryzen 2600 or 2700 (be sure to update your BIOS with your current 1600 installed). Or wait for the Ryzen 3600s to go one sale when the 4000 series get released.
Hi,
We can boost your system speed.
Upgraded memory will make your Ryzen appreciate it.
I noticed your motherboard supports RAID, so why not utilize that? The WD RE4 500GB (2x) with RAID 0 (Stripe) is available, and it provides additional storage capacity as well.
PCPartPicker Part List
Memory:
Crucial Ballistix Elite 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-4000 CL18 Memory
($99.99 @ Amazon)
Storage:
Western Digital RE4 500 GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
($37.99 @ Amazon)
Storage:
Western Digital RE4 500 GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
($37.99 @ Amazon)
Total:
$175.97
Shipping, taxes, and available discounts are included.
Generated by
PCPartPicker
2020-08-16 05:38 EDT-0400
I suggest keeping an eye on the upcoming RTX 3000 series release, expected next month. Watch the market trends, evaluate GPU performance versus cost, and invest wisely. Besides these upgrades, I’ll refrain from making any purchases right now.
The quantity of video memory alone doesn't necessarily reflect the performance of a graphics card. In games that require less than 4GB of VRAM, additional memory won't significantly improve performance, although it might assist in more demanding titles when settings are increased. The key factor is the overall efficiency of the GPU and other components on the card. For example, a 2060 SUPER compared to a 1050 Ti can be up to three times faster, offering a substantial performance boost. Even a 2060 model priced around $320 typically delivers about 85-90% of the SUPER version's capabilities. This could be a practical approach to reduce upgrade costs. Similarly, a 1660 SUPER (around $230) should provide roughly double the graphics performance of a 1050 Ti. The 20-series cards introduce some unique features absent in the 16-series, yet a 1660 SUPER remains a sensible choice if minimizing overall expense is a priority.
As mentioned earlier, a new generation of graphics cards is anticipated next month, though only the top-tier models are likely to be released first. Some speculations suggest a successor to the 2060 SUPER with markedly improved performance might appear in November for around $400, but it's probable that models in the 1660 SUPER to 2060 price bracket won't be available until later, possibly not until early next year. The precise launch timeline remains undisclosed.
A matching pair of faster memory modules could be beneficial, but spending excessively on DDR4-4000 is unnecessary. Most Ryzen processors from earlier generations cap at DDR4-3200, and even third-gen models usually handle up to DDR4-3600 to 3733. It makes little sense to pay a premium for higher RAM speeds when they won't be fully utilized, and manual adjustments might be necessary to optimize performance at those lower rates.
Regarding a pair of 500GB hard drives in RAID0 configuration, it appears redundant given that modern SSDs now provide superior performance and reliability within a comparable price range. Hard drives are primarily suited for bulk storage, and a single 2TB model can be acquired more affordably. For performance needs, a 1TB SSD under $100 can outperform any traditional RAID0 hard drive setup.
Yes, you're correct. A frequency of 3600Mhz works well. Choosing a solid-state drive is clearly a better choice compared to RAID 0, which would cost an extra $20-$30 for two HDDs if available. However, if you prefer a traditional HDD setup, RAID 0 (stripe) might be preferable to a single 2TB drive. A single 2TB is more affordable but could slow down your system. I'm aiming for a balance between performance and cost, and I'm keeping an eye on the upcoming RTX release.
Apologies, I didn't include my extra hard drives and ssd in the list—they were from an earlier build. I updated the first link to reflect my current setup. Thank you all for your feedback; I'm gaining a lot of knowledge. If the storage is secure, should I focus on GPU, CPU, or RAM, or a combination of them?
Hi,
My thoughts are that a quicker 16GB memory would be beneficial (matched pair), and choosing the newer GPU would be wise. Looking at your current setup, you have two extra HDDs along with an SSD. I’d consider selling the mechanical drives and purchasing a NVMe PCI M.2 1TB SSD instead, which would significantly improve performance.
I might also try overclocking your Ryzen processor using an affordable aftermarket air cooler once I have the latest GPU. However, your motherboard doesn’t seem optimized for it, but it should still work. You can adjust settings via your BIOS or AMD’s software tool. This option would require more power and increase costs, but it’s optional.
The storage situation seems acceptable at the moment. Games loaded from a mechanical drive usually take longer, though this shouldn’t noticeably impact performance while playing. Upgrading the game library to an SSD could be beneficial, but it’s not essential for today’s titles. For the best gaming performance within a $300 to $450 budget, prioritize the graphics card and RAM. As mentioned before, Ryzen benefits from faster RAM. DDR4-2400 is relatively slow by today’s standards, and using only one stick limits performance to single-channel operation. Using mismatched RAM modules might not work properly, and varying speeds could cause the system to default to the slowest component. Ideally, consider a new matched 2x8GB RAM package and consider selling the existing stick to recover some cost.