Upgrade suggestions
Upgrade suggestions
Bottleneck calculators are viewed as unreliable research. It's best to note the details of each component. CPU-Z can recognize your motherboard and memory. What is the primary purpose of your computer? Do you have a budget available?
Sorry for the delayed response. I’m still trying to identify the specific models or brands, but I can list all the components I currently have in my build. I don’t have a precise budget right now, but I’m open to any suggestions. My main use is gaming on my PC, mainly playing GTA V and RDR 2.
Motherboard:
ASRock H370M-HDV LGA 1151
CPU:
Intel Core i5-8400
CPU Cooler:
Thermalright AXP90-X47 42.58 CFM
GPU:
PNY NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
RAM:
Two x2 Crucial 12 GB DDR4-2666 modules
Case Fans:
Three Noctua P12 redux-1700 PWM 70.75 CFM 120 mm fans
Hard Drives:
Seagate BarraCuda 1 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM internal drive
TEAMGROUP AX2 512GB 3D NAND TLC 2.5 Inch SATA III SSD
Power Supply:
Corsair CX650M (2021) 650 W, 80+ Bronze certified semi-modular ATX unit
Fan Controller:
Thermalright TL-FAN HUB X4 fan controller
Network Card:
TP-Link Archer TX55E, supporting 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax with PCIe x1 Wi-Fi adapter
Games can be affected by limitations from the CPU or GPU. To understand how your games perform, try this easy test: Execute your games while reducing their resolution and graphical effects. This will slightly strain the graphics card. An increase in FPS suggests your CPU is powerful enough to support better graphics settings. If your FPS remains unchanged, it likely means your CPU is the bottleneck. If you're CPU-limited, effective CPU upgrades are limited. Below is a guide for selecting a suitable motherboard: https://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/H370M-HDV/index.asp#CPU The I9-9900KF offers the strongest possible upgrade, though it comes at a high cost of around $200 on eBay. You might also need a more powerful cooling solution. Typically, you'll gain additional processing threads rather than significant performance gains. For gaming, prioritize single-thread performance. Try running the cpu-Z benchmark on your i5-8400; expect a single-thread score near 451. http://valid.x86.fr/bench/xyws8u/1 An i7-9700K could achieve around 548, priced at about $120 on eBay. Improving performance usually demands a new motherboard. Your 12GB RAM is unusual; I’m not aware of any 12GB DDR4 RAM sticks available. If you plan to upgrade your graphics, the 3050 series isn’t recommended. Here’s Tom’s GPU hierarchy chart: Seek a higher-tier option to avoid disappointment.
Sure to explain what "eye candy" means. Also, yes, I was thinking about replacing my CPU cooler because the previous one was terrible and I found an old one to use instead. I’m not sure if there are two 12 GB RAM modules available, but together they make up 24 GB. The labels on my RAM sticks are missing, so I can’t identify them, though I thought it might be a Crucial model. My CPU-Z benchmark score was 453.4, which matches your information. On the site you shared, my multi-thread score was 2521.9 instead of the 2674 you mentioned. I’m not looking for a major upgrade, just some components to help my PC last longer.
By "eye candy" refers to graphics quality and detail adjustments. Higher settings require more effort from the GPU. Your 24gb likely corresponds to a 16gb stick, and an 8gb stick. You can check this by checking the CPU-Z SPD tab. There you'll see the exact configuration in each slot. Since the capacity doesn't match, you're running in flex mode. The 16gb works with dual-channel mode, while the 8gb runs in single-channel mode, which isn't too significant.
Here is a place to start with a new build. Graphics cards are a bit tough right now because of no stock. In an ideal world a 9070 XT would be the card to get at 600 dollars.
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU:
Intel Core i5-14600K 3.5 GHz 14-Core Processor
($229.97 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler:
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler
($35.90 @ Amazon)
Motherboard:
NZXT N7 Z790 ATX LGA1700 Motherboard
($149.99 @ Amazon)
Memory:
Patriot Viper Venom 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-7000 CL32 Memory
($99.99 @ Amazon)
Storage:
Inland Performance Plus 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive
($134.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card:
XFX Speedster SWFT 210 Core 2 Radeon RX 7800 XT 16 GB Video Card
($529.99 @ Amazon)
Case:
Fractal Design Focus 2 ATX Mid Tower Case
($63.98 @ Amazon)
Power Supply:
Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 TT Premium 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
($116.84 @ Amazon)
Total:
$1361.65
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by
PCPartPicker
2025-03-06 12:50 EST-0500
I just saw this too, doesn't seem too bad actually. Thanks for all the assistance.
Also spotted it in CPU-Z—I should update it eventually since mismatched RAM can impact performance. Plus, I ran some tests and my FPS went up in the games I checked.
I hope it appears good, I've been working this for 15 years.