PC Upgrade (CPU/RAM change)

Stephen McHugh · 3 Apr 2019 at 05:38

Hi Folks,

I'm looking to update my below system with an 8700k (likely get the delid version from OCUK for better temps, not sure if OCUK use liquid metal on that or what they do with the delid) and faster ram, likely around the 3600mhz region and was looking for opinions and possible views I can't think of on my own before i go ahead and buy the parts.
Originally I decided to go with the default DDR4 speed ram and i5 simply due to budget but i'm hoping to get some money together and was thinking of updating as above to remove any possible bottlenecks from the machine (best i can with budget in mind).
While in some games I've seen my CPU gets pegged right to 100% for the majority of the time such as PUBG being the main culprit and in a number of other games that I would play I've seen benchmarks indicating that faster ram does improve overall FPS (not always the case though)

CPU: i5 8600k - Clocked at 5.1ghz on all cores
CPU Cooler: 240mm AIO (not sure of make/model off hand)
RAM: Teamgroup Vulcan T-Force PC4-19200C14 2400MHz
Mobo: Asus Rog strix z370-f
OS Drive: Samsung EVO 960 250GB
Game Drive: Samsung EVO 850 512GB
GPU: ASUS Rog strix GTX 1080ti OC
Monitor: AOC AGON AG251FZ 25" 1920x1080 TN 1ms 240Hz

Machine was configured from below machine on OCUK, maybe someone in OCUK can confirm which was used in this as can't find the invoice i got for the rig sadly.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ocuk...-pc-intel-core-i5-8600k-4.8ghz-fs-1bv-og.html

Thanks in advance for any input that may be given

orbitalwalsh · 3 Apr 2019 at 06:57

Would just stick with it till end of year and see how 10 core rolls out .
If you were going g to upgrade then 9900k would make the only logical choice for increase in cores and 60% thread increase

Plec · 3 Apr 2019 at 08:19

As above - that's an expensive bump at the moment especially as logical jump 'now' would be to migrate to the 9900K as @orbitalwalsh mentioned.

There's lots of new releases coming out over the course of the year so this may well unsettle prices in your favour - even with INTELs sucky pricing structure.

Stephen McHugh · 3 Apr 2019 at 15:34

honestly didnt know the motherboard would take the 9900k if i was being honest, thought board only took the 8th gen. Feeling a wave of stupid running over me for not realising that to be frank.
I've got a 650w psu and to clock the 9900k (i like to clock all cores as high as possible) would either of you guys know if that'd be enough or if i should amp up the power delivery with that as only other things not mentioned above is the USBs powered from PC which i've got a USB going to monitor and use it a lot like a hub for mouse/keyboard/headset which shouldn't be an issue as monitor has its own power and then an external USB3.0 HDD for storage/backup of things

orbitalwalsh · 3 Apr 2019 at 15:40

Stephen McHugh said:
honestly didnt know the motherboard would take the 9900k if i was being honest, thought board only took the 8th gen. Feeling a wave of stupid running over me for not realising that to be frank.
I've got a 650w psu and to clock the 9900k (i like to clock all cores as high as possible) would either of you guys know if that'd be enough or if i should amp up the power delivery with that as only other things not mentioned above is the USBs powered from PC which i've got a USB going to monitor and use it a lot like a hub for mouse/keyboard/headset which shouldn't be an issue as monitor has its own power and then an external USB3.0 HDD for storage/backup of things

as yes, vrms would fry if you were pushing 9900k at 5ghz or if they released 10 cores in future.

most vendors had a good jump with z390 boards, asus didnt so much. Aorus best in line for z390 - far cry from 80% of their z370 line up

Stephen McHugh · 3 Apr 2019 at 15:50

When you say fry is it they'd get too hot and burn out as part of this little update is i'm getting some heavy duty noctua fans for air intake to get high air flow and positive or neutral pressure inside the case as mobo temps don't go over 30 degrees C even in the height of a heatwave. Hell if needed i'd create some form of dedicated cooling method to ensure they stay cool as loads of room to work with thanks to the AIO

Plec · 3 Apr 2019 at 15:52

orbitalwalsh said:
as yes, vrms would fry if you were pushing 9900k at 5ghz or if they released 10 cores in future.

most vendors had a good jump with z390 boards, asus didnt so much. Aorus best in line for z390 - far cry from 80% of their z370 line up

Yep, although a quick BIOS update (v1002) would see you able to play - things may get messy very quickly if you then attempt high clocks on a z370 (toasty enough on a z390). Same issues will arise with Ryzen b350 and some b450 boards too when Ryzen 2 is released.

If you can afford to wait - Ryzen 2 is only months away.

Plec · 3 Apr 2019 at 16:14

Stephen McHugh said:
When you say fry is it they'd get too hot and burn out as part of this little update is i'm getting some heavy duty noctua fans for air intake to get high air flow and positive or neutral pressure inside the case as mobo temps don't go over 30 degrees C even in the height of a heatwave. Hell if needed i'd create some form of dedicated cooling method to ensure they stay cool as loads of room to work with thanks to the AIO

Back in the day i had a 'make-shift' little fan over my northbridge to keep it cool - but it was tiny. The type of fan you would need keep your VRMs cool at 5GHz would have to generate a lot of more CFM and noise. It would probably interfere with the rest of your case's airflow but that could possibly be countered as you have an AIO rather than strapped on air. You could remove the IO shield which would help dissipate some of the air and perhaps some of the PCI slot brackets. You could position it so it blew across VRMs and out - but could require a 'Heath Robinson' approach.

*case?

There's other 370's hitting 5Ghz with 9900K - notably the Gigabyte Orbi mentioned - but i'm sure if you search someone's gone for it on the strix f and they may have example temps and cooling solutions. I would definitely be searching out VRM cooling and more importantly how effective it is.

Plec · 3 Apr 2019 at 16:30

A 2 second youtube google so probably not the best example:

Stephen McHugh · 3 Apr 2019 at 16:54

My case is the Phantex Entho Pro M (http://www.phanteks.com/Enthoo-Pro-M.html)
The case has a 140mm exhaust fan right above the io shield area and the aio rad pumps heat up out the top of the case. Plan is to put at least one NF-A14 INDUSTRIALPPC 2000RPM PWM 140MM on the front, maybe even two to let them spin at not stupid noise levels and pump insane levels of air through the case, if temps are a worry i was going to put in place a bit of plastic to guide the air so one fan pumps fresh at gpu while other keeps top of board cool. removed case the other day and its dusty as hell and thats likely because of not having enough air intake.

I've done some digging around and seen that video in my travels around the web and really seems like a new mobo like the z390-f maybe would be wise for going for the 9900k (no point getting that thing and not overclocking it). Even searching through the ASUS forum there was some saying while it would work, it would not likely last as VRMs would be over taxed and end up dying sooner rather than later :'(

Plec · 3 Apr 2019 at 17:04

Stephen McHugh said:
Even searching through the ASUS forum there was some saying while it would work, it would not likely last as VRMs would be over taxed and end up dying sooner rather than later :'(

Yep, @orbitalwalsh knows his motherboards.

Stephen McHugh said:
and really seems like a new mobo like the z390-f maybe would be wise for going for the 9900k (no point getting that thing and not overclocking it).

If you're set on getting new hardware i would try and hold on until July - unless it was really needed. If it transpires that Ryzen 2 doesn't fit your needs or you may be die hard INTEL - either way prices should be affected and finally (hoping) having parity and choice would be a novelty.

Stephen McHugh · 3 Apr 2019 at 17:14

Thankfully plec the decision is not an immediate one nor one of serious need, hoping to get a windfall of money and want to remove the bottlenecks from the pc that i settled with from the original budget for the build otherwise i'd have an 8700k already and 3600mhz ram and this wouldn't be a thing right now lol.

I've been closely following ryzens new chips and if they work as well as it is shaping up they could be the first AMD chip i've had since the athlon days, i loved my amd 64 4000+ as had raid 0 raptor 74gb drives and it was just insanely brilliant lol.

Main purpose is to get what is great for long term with this new money and if putting in a 9900k into the rig as is now would break it eventually then no thanks.
I am a bit of an ASUS fan boy as honestly was more than impressed with the z370-f and how well i was able to push this 8600k, hell i could load up and bench at 5.2ghz but would loose stability during games and would randomly lock up the rig, reckon its related to the ram and its timings as they are auto set and prob need to mess with that but really not that pushed over the extra 100mhz lol