Debating an upgrade, is it worth it?

[LoopyOrc]

Hey all, thanks in advance for any input

I've been debating upgrading recently and would like your input on if it's really worth it. I've got a 3080ti so won't need to buy a GPU but if I jump to the most recent generation of CPU's then I'll need to get new everything pretty much.

I'm currently on:

Ryzen 3700X (stock cooler)
16GB DDR4
MSI B450 Tomahawk Max
Corsair RM750x (I think, it's an RM750 of some sort)

I'd like to get a new case as mine is ageing a bit now and it'd add to the aesthetics a bit, the Lian Li O11 Dynamic looks nice and is room-y, also hides away the PSU for a cleaner look.

I was thinking something including the 7700X and maybe a memory upgrade for future gaming but not sure the jump from 16GB to 32GB is worth the price tag these days given how much some components are. Budget-wise I have just over £1000 to play with and I'm very open to any suggestions you guys have!

Thank you for your time!

 

[LoopyOrc]

Honestly with the rumours of 7000x3d versions potentially being announced/released January time I'd maybe hold off a little.

You'd get a performance jump from your 3700x going with a 7000 series but you could also do that with a 5800x3d if your board supports it, it performs pretty close to the current 7000 series cpus in gaming.

So I'd maybe suggest (assuming bios support and ram slots are there) adding in another 16GB of ram (some games are now saying 32GB recommended), grab a 5800x3d and a decent cooler (for pbo/curve etc)....it would also be a little more balanced with the 3080ti imo (you don't say display res).

My mistake, currently 1440p gaming.

I thought that might be the case, I was likely to be doing this in January so waiting a bit longer to see if any of those rumours come to fruition is a good option.

 

[LoopyOrc]

Just had a thought about this bit after seeing a ping from Tetras...

I have the O11 evo and while it's an ok case (I've found some 'annoyances' with my build, partly my choices but some of it's the case - I've got 6x 2.5inch ssds in the rear which makes it a bit tight on the cables) but unless you've got a stockpile of fans you'll need up to 10 fans.... which if you go for 'better quality' fans such as Noctua or some sort of RGB fans you can easily hit £300 just on fans, throw in the £170 for the case and you're nearly at half your budget...

If you go 7000 series (or intel) you will realistically need an AIO... so £110 for an ek basic 360mm (I'm using this... it seems like a pretty solid cooler, albeit with noctua fans not ek ones) ...

Not sure of your full specs but you might also need to grab a nvme drive to 'maximise performance' if you don't have one so you can add another £100+ there too...

It might be worth doing the sums here because you might be a little stretched at £1000... yes the current prices for pc hardware annoys me too, it 'should' be cheaper but it's gradually turning into a rich persons hobby.

Thanks for the tip about the fans, you're right that'll be pushing the cost way higher than I thought so I might look at other options. Any other suggestions on what's good these days? I have an NZXT H510i at the moment but genuinely want something that looks different so I can gift the shell of the PC to my partner for her to fill out with what is missing.

I've never used an AIO cooler before, are they simple enough to maintain? Do you need to replace the liquids in them regularly?

I have one nvme drive and two ssd's which I can transfer so storage isn't a concern at the moment. If I want to get another one down the line I could get a board with two slots but that's not a dealbreaker for me personally.

 

[LoopyOrc]

You obviously don't need to go with higher end fans, arctic makes some highly regarded fans on a budget if you can live without rgb and tune out the 'noisy rpm' bit.... 5 pack for £25 is pretty common.
Alternative cases - fractal are usually pretty well regarded, they've got those nice wood accented cases too, bequiet is solid build quality if a little bland (tbf they are low noise orientated). Honestly when it comes to cases it's pretty much find one you like, check it does everything you want, has good air flow (important with new stuff) and then double check with some reviews.

Most AIO's are literally install and leave like normal air coolers, just blow out the dust from the rad a little more often. Apart from a couple of brands (bequiet for example) there is no way to refill an AIO.

Most modern boards will come with 2 slots for nvme, just check the speeds they can run at and maybe the manuals to see what they disable if anything if you use them both.

Those fractal cases are lovely, will keep an eye on those as they aren't out yet it seems.

Appreciate you letting me know about AIO's, always thought they were higher maintenance for some reason, will defo go with something like what you've suggested