Upgrade from i7 10700k

[CJski]

Purchase Timeframe:
Probably in the next few weeks. I want to order parts soon and build everything before the end of the month.

Budget:
Not really limited, but I don’t want to waste money if something more expensive gives zero benefit. Around £1.5–2k for now (without GPU). I will upgrade GPU later when 50 series TI / SUPER models come out.

Usage:
Mainly gaming (Battlefield 6, Dota 2, Apex Legends and other FPS games).
Also programming / development — I use dual boot (Windows + Ubuntu).
Sometimes I run multiple Docker containers, VMs, IDE etc.
My goal is stable 240+ FPS in 1440p on low/medium settings. More = better.


Preferences:

• Quiet and fast machine that will last minimum 5 years.
• Good cooling and airflow. PC is in 2m x 2m room office. Less heat = better, as I am already boiling here
• Easy to upgrade later (especially GPU, maybe storage).
• ATX board preferred, I already have a big case.
• Future-proof platform (PCIe 5.0, DDR5, Wi-Fi 7, etc).

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Current Hardware:

• CPU: i7-10700K
• GPU: RTX 3080 FE
• RAM: 64 GB DDR4
• Mobo: Gigabyte Z490 Vision G
• PSU: Corsair RM650x (650W, Gold)
• Cooling: NZXT Kraken X62 280mm
• Case: Cooler Master MasterCase H500P Mesh White
• Storage: NVMe + SATA SSD + 1TB HDD (might replace HDD)
• Monitor: LG 27” 240Hz QHD

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Special Needs / Requirements (inc Wi-Fi):

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built in on motherboard (Wi-Fi 7 would be great).
• At least 2x M.2 slots if possible (I use multiple drives, but will also consider 4x M.2).
• Must work well with Linux (Ubuntu).
• Good compatibility with my NZXT AIO cooler (AM5 bracket support).

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Planned Upgrade / Build Idea​

• CPU: Ryzen 9 9950X3D
• Motherboard: MSI MPG X870E EDGE TI WiFi (or maybe ASUS ROG STRIX X870-F / B850-A?)
• RAM: Corsair Vengeance DDR5 64GB (2x32) 6000 MHz CL30 AMD EXPO
• PSU: maybe replace later when I upgrade GPU
• Cooler: NZXT Kraken X62 280mm

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Questions​

1. Which motherboard makes the most sense — MSI X870E EDGE TI WiFi or ASUS ROG STRIX X870-F / B850-A? I want something future-proof but not overkill. Maybe something different? I can't decide.
2. Is DDR5-6000 CL30 good enough or should I go for higher clocks?
3. Can I safely keep my RM650x PSU for now, or better replace it already?
4. Is my case still good enough or it's better to get something more recent?
5. Any other tips or suggestions to make this setup more balanced?

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Thanks a lot for any advice! I want this PC to be fast, quiet, and stable — good for both gaming and work for next few years.

 

[hornetstinger]

Bad time to buy RAM (expensive) You don't need 64GB, unless you're doing things like DCS Black Shark or other very memory intensive games.
Your case will be fine
C30 is fine no point spending more for faster RAM/lower CAS

 

[Gray2233]

There's nothing wrong with your case, given it's white I assume you'd like a white theme or do you not care?

You have a pretty healthy budget for the parts you're looking for, so I'd definitely switch out the PSU to something higher wattage to ensure your future GPU is an easy install, replacing a PSU is a faff in a fully built system.

 

[Tetras]

Which motherboard makes the most sense — MSI X870E EDGE TI WiFi or ASUS ROG STRIX X870-F / B850-A? I want something future-proof but not overkill. Maybe something different? I can't decide.

Strix B850-A is fine. Does the B850 Edge not have what you want?

Main difference between B850 and X870 is USB4.

Is DDR5-6000 CL30 good enough or should I go for higher clocks?

I'd just buy whatever is a good deal, e.g. don't be wedded to CL30 if there's a much cheaper CL36 kit.

Can I safely keep my RM650x PSU for now, or better replace it already?

If it can handle what you have now, it should be alright, but I'd have thought easier to replace (when you're doing an overhaul anyway).

Is my case still good enough or it's better to get something more recent?

Not a problem.

Any other tips or suggestions to make this setup more balanced?

Have you heard of the 9950X3D2?

Do you really need 16 cores though, your usage doesn't sound that heavy?

Must work well with Linux (Ubuntu).

I don't use Ubuntu, does that mean you need to check all of the chips on the board for suitable drivers? (e.g. sound, LAN, WIFI)

 

[CJski]

Bad time to buy RAM (expensive) You don't need 64GB, unless you're doing things like DCS Black Shark or other very memory intensive games.
Your case will be fine
C30 is fine no point spending more for faster RAM/lower CAS

Yeah, I am aware RAM prices went up recently - not ideal, but it is what it is.
Still, I don't really want to downgrade, and I understand that likely I will not hit 64gb limit with what I am doing. But if I am already spending, I would probably stick with 64 GB, as I've heard running 4 sticks can cause stability issues sometimes. I just don't see any other arguments than price not to go for 64GB.

There's nothing wrong with your case, given it's white I assume you'd like a white theme or do you not care?

You have a pretty healthy budget for the parts you're looking for, so I'd definitely switch out the PSU to something higher wattage to ensure your future GPU is an easy install, replacing a PSU is a faff in a fully built system.

Yes, I would prefer white motherboard to match the case, however this is not necessity and I am open to suggestions if something stands out performance-wise or has better features for similar price.

The motherboard is honestly the part I'm struggling with most right now, so any tips or recommendations would be really appreciated.

 

[hornetstinger]

There's 48GB option as well.

I haven't seen system RAM going over 20GB memory usage in gaming (with all background applications closed)

 

[CJski]

Have you heard of the 9950X3D2?

Do you really need 16 cores though, your usage doesn't sound that heavy?

I have not heard of it, but few gaming folks recommended to go with 9950X3D - it will be better for development + gaming because it has more cores.

I don't use Ubuntu, does that mean you need to check all of the chips on the board for suitable drivers? (e.g. sound, LAN, WIFI)

I just need to make sure things like Wi-Fi, LAN and audio work out of the box - at least on Ubuntu. I prefer not to mess around with the drivers manually.

There's 48GB option as well.

I didn't consider this, but it is a valid suggestion. Thanks

 

[Gray2233]

Something like this should fit the bill:

My basket at OcUK:

• 1 x Gigabyte B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 ICE (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard (SKU: MOT-GIG-03857) = £189.95
• 1 x Phanteks AMP GH 1000W 80PLUS Platinum ATX Power Supply Modular - White (SKU: POW-PHK-02522) = £138.95
• 1 x Corsair Vengeance RGB 64GB (2X32GB) DDR5 PC5-48000C30 6000MHz Dual Channel Kit - White (SKU: MEM-CRS-05817) = £269.98
• 1 x WD Black SN850X 4TB SSD M.2 2280 NVME PCI-E Gen4 Solid State Drive (WDS400T2X0E) (SKU: HD-592-WD) = £290.00
• 1 x AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Eight Core 5.20GHz (Socket AM5) Processor - Retail (SKU: PRO-AMD-03517) = £399.94

Total: £1,296.82 (includes delivery: £7.99)​

RAM prices are atrocious right now, especially for higher capacity/white sets.

A few of these bits are on pre-order, motherboards seem to be like hens teeth at the moment too.

With your budget you might as well slap in a nice high capacity Gen4 tbh, there were deals on the t500 until recently but that's shot up in price too.

Edit: It looks like your case supports 140mm fans, if you're currently on 120's it might be worth switching those out while you're at it. Larger fans should be able to shift as much or more air at slower speeds, so it could help with your noise/cooling issues.

 

[Tetras]

I have not heard of it, but few gaming folks recommended to go with 9950X3D - it will be better for development + gaming because it has more cores.

Have you monitored your usage to check that? Programming is normally short bursts where compiling (multithreading depends on the compiler), but otherwise idle. Development it depends what you're doing, a modern engine like UE5, sure I'd get more cores. Gaming: not many games meaningfully use more than 8 cores and since the 3D cache is only on one CCD there's core parking with this CPU. The 9950X3D2 is believed to have the 3D cache across both CCDs.

 

[Gray2233]

Could be worth slapping in a stop gap cheapo import like a 7500F/7600/7700 and then switching to a 9950X3D2 once it launches, you've more than enough budget for it and should still see substantial uplift in the meantime.

Hold in mind the 10700K is essentially just a rebranded 9900K from 2018.

 

[CJski]

1 x Gigabyte B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 ICE (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard (SKU: MOT-GIG-03857) = £189.95

Any alternatives to this that are available right now? It actually seems like it hits all the boxes for me.

RAM prices are atrocious right now, especially for higher capacity/white sets.

Thank you for suggestions. The RAM prices are absolutely brutal right now - but I don't think they will get any better before end of 2025, so I might as well buy it now. I am not fixed on white RAM if I can get my hands on white mobo.
In March / April I saw sets of 64GB DDR5 for around 180£.

With your budget you might as well slap in a nice high capacity Gen4 tbh, there were deals on the t500 until recently but that's shot up in price too.

This is definitely on the table, but I need to decide on other key components before looking at this. I am currently running 2TB Nvme as my main drive, Linux on smaller 256GB SSD and HDD just for storing things that I don't use very often. They're all 5+ years old.

Edit: It looks like your case supports 140mm fans, if you're currently on 120's it might be worth switching those out while you're at it. Larger fans should be able to shift as much or more air at slower speeds, so it could help with your noise/cooling issues.

I am running 140mm fan at the back, 280mm AIO mounted at the top and 2x200mm fans at the front.

Have you monitored your usage to check that?

I have not, but I never really felt any bottle necks when programming. I have mini PC acting as server where I host all my containers, media and automations(Ryzen 9 8945HS - overkill I know), PC is mainly for writing code. My main reason for upgrade is because the CPU is bottlenecking whenever I play games (it's old build lol)

Could be worth slapping in a stop gap cheapo import like a 7500F/7600/7700 and then switching to a 9950X3D2 once it launches

I will have look into this, but I don't think I want to wait for too long or mess around with parts again once I build it. What I have in mind is to build it now and just swap GPU later on. I will probably get the PSU now for peace of mind.




I saw that my AIO should support AM5 socket with different bracket, but I don't remember if I got it. I need to find box in the loft and check, if not I will try to get bracket only. I am not sure if there's a point of upgrading this AIO to 360mm.

 

[Tetras]

I have not, but I never really felt any bottle necks when programming. I have mini PC acting as server where I host all my containers, media and automations(Ryzen 9 8945HS - overkill I know), PC is mainly for writing code. My main reason for upgrade is because the CPU is bottlenecking whenever I play games (it's old build lol)

Ah, it definitely doesn't sound like you need 16 cores! The upcoming 10800X3D (or whatever it is called) is believed to have 12 cores in one CCD and that would be perfect, but unfortunately that's a long ways out.

I know it might seem weird to go from 8 to 8, but the cores in the 9800X3D are individually and collectively much faster than what you have now.

If you make do with a lesser CPU, there's less worries about the motherboard, but I'd want to stick with a board that has a higher-end VRM and 8-layer PCB if you get 16.

 

[Gray2233]

Any alternatives to this that are available right now? It actually seems like it hits all the boxes for me.


I saw that my AIO should support AM5 socket with different bracket, but I don't remember if I got it. I need to find box in the loft and check, if not I will try to get bracket only. I am not sure if there's a point of upgrading this AIO to 360mm.

AM4 = AM5 so if you've the AM4 bracket it should be fine, that said if your case supports a 360mm AiO there's some pretty affordable ones out there if you can't:

My basket at OcUK:

• 1 x Thermalright Aqua Elite 360 White ARGB V3 All In One CPU Cooler (SKU: COO-TLR-03257) = £40.99
• 1 x Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite WIFI7 Ice (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard (SKU: MOT-GIG-03320) = £250.00

Total: £298.98 (includes delivery: £7.99)​

That's the only white motherboard that seems to fit the bill for you that's currently in stock right now, at least while discounting Asrock options, unfortunately they appear to have been having issues with X3D CPU's so I'm a bit wary about recommending them.

Review for you: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/gigabyte-x870-aorus-elite-wifi-7/

 

[CJski]

I know it might seem weird to go from 8 to 8, but the cores in the 9800X3D are individually and collectively much faster than what you have now.

My only worry is the future-proof side of things. Wouldn’t going with the 9950X3D make more sense long-term? Outside of gaming and normal dev work I like to mess around with new tech as a hobby, and if my use case changes in a few years (e.g. some AI/ML stuff that I would like to explore) I’m a bit afraid I will regret not having the extra cores.

I don’t upgrade platform very often, so I’m trying to get this right for the next 5+ years. In that context, do you still think the 9800X3D is the smarter choice and I should just put the extra money into GPU later, or is the 9950X3D actually worth it?

AM4 = AM5 so if you've the AM4 bracket it should be fine

That's cool - my first AMD build so, appreciate this information.

1 x Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite WIFI7 Ice (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard (SKU: MOT-GIG-03320) = £250.00

Also noticed the mobos you recommended are on different chipsets. Comparing between those that were mentioned in the thread. Is there any real-world difference between X870, X870E, and B850, or is it mainly USB4 and lane count stuff? Just wondering if paying extra for X870 / X870E boards actually makes sense for a single GPU setup.

 

[Gray2233]

Also noticed the mobos you recommended are on different chipsets. Comparing between those that were mentioned in the thread. Is there any real-world difference between X870, X870E, and B850, or is it mainly USB4 and lane count stuff? Just wondering if paying extra for X870 / X870E boards actually makes sense for a single GPU setup.

Mainly USB4, I rarely bother to recommend X870's tbh due to the inflated cost but there's barely anything in stock right now. Some X870's might have a more robust build and feature set, but it's not necessarily going to be the case over a similarly priced B850.

The X870 Aorus Elite does seem to be a very solid board for the money however, at least judging from a quick scan over the linked review.

 

[Tetras]

My only worry is the future-proof side of things. Wouldn’t going with the 9950X3D make more sense long-term? Outside of gaming and normal dev work I like to mess around with new tech as a hobby, and if my use case changes in a few years (e.g. some AI/ML stuff that I would like to explore) I’m a bit afraid I will regret not having the extra cores.

I don’t upgrade platform very often, so I’m trying to get this right for the next 5+ years. In that context, do you still think the 9800X3D is the smarter choice and I should just put the extra money into GPU later, or is the 9950X3D actually worth it?

It is hard to say. One of the big advantages of AM5 is the longer platform support, so you can always upgrade later if the CPU isn't enough. We should get at least one more generation, with recent rumours suggesting two (I'd be surprised at that).

 

[Gray2233]

It is hard to say. One of the big advantages of AM5 is the longer platform support, so you can always upgrade later if the CPU isn't enough. We should get at least one more generation, with recent rumours suggesting two (I'd be surprised at that).

This.

It's why I suggested maybe getting an entry level AM5 CPU for now and then switching once the next gen chips arrive. It's a little bit of a faff but might offer a better long term experience for you, even a 7600 for £150 would offer healthy uplift over your 10700 in most respects. You used to be able to import a 7500F for around £80-100 and it's basically just a 7600 without the iGPU.

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Review - The Best Gaming Processor

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D establishes AMD as the leader in gaming performance. This Zen 5-based X3D chip is not only fast, it also comes with full support for overclocking. Besides gaming, application performance is considerably improved over the 7800X3D, but that comes at a price.

www.techpowerup.com

The 10700K isn't listed on these charts, but I'd guesstimate it at around the i5 12400F in games and apps, probably a touch slower.

Obviously you can see the 9800X3D etc on the charts there too, so hopefully it'll help estimate how happy you'll be with whichever current CPU option is available.

 

[JollyJamma]

My only worry is the future-proof side of things. Wouldn’t going with the 9950X3D make more sense long-term? Outside of gaming and normal dev work I like to mess around with new tech as a hobby, and if my use case changes in a few years (e.g. some AI/ML stuff that I would like to explore) I’m a bit afraid I will regret not having the extra cores.

I don’t upgrade platform very often, so I’m trying to get this right for the next 5+ years. In that context, do you still think the 9800X3D is the smarter choice and I should just put the extra money into GPU later, or is the 9950X3D actually worth it?


That's cool - my first AMD build so, appreciate this information.


Also noticed the mobos you recommended are on different chipsets. Comparing between those that were mentioned in the thread. Is there any real-world difference between X870, X870E, and B850, or is it mainly USB4 and lane count stuff? Just wondering if paying extra for X870 / X870E boards actually makes sense for a single GPU setup.

I could see why the 9950X3D might work for you me use case but if you’re absolutely dead set on going big into AI, you may need to consider a dedicated AI unit that has a ton of RAM.

Something like a fully specced out Mac Studio with 256gigs* of RAM is better for AI stuff than a consumer desktop with 48 or 64gigs or even 128gigs of RAM as it can handle larger AI models.

For the chipset point, you’ll need to see which motherboard works for you. Most work fine with 2 M.2 slots filled but a lot will downgrade the a PCI-e lane to 8X to run 3 or more.

IMO, B650 works fine for most people and is better because X870 uses an extra chipset controller to the layout which does add more functionality but makes things more complicated.

Why don’t you get a cheap ATX chassis and move your current Intel build to it and use that as a dedicated Linux/LLM/AI machine instead of dual booting? You’ll need a GPU for it that can do ok for AI but that’s not a huge issue.

Edit: also, on the future proof concept, as soon as you buy anything current, there is always a replacement on the way. Just buy something that works for you now and don’t worry about it.

 

[jigger]

I could see why the 9950X3D might work for you me use case but if you’re absolutely dead set on going big into AI, you may need to consider a dedicated AI unit that has a ton of RAM.

Something like a fully specced out Mac Studio with 256gigs* of RAM is better for AI stuff than a consumer desktop with 48 or 64gigs or even 128gigs of RAM as it can handle larger AI models.

For the chipset point, you’ll need to see which motherboard works for you. Most work fine with 2 M.2 slots filled but a lot will downgrade the a PCI-e lane to 8X to run 3 or more.

IMO, B650 works fine for most people and is better because X870 uses an extra chipset controller to the layout which does add more functionality but makes things more complicated.

Why don’t you get a cheap ATX chassis and move your current Intel build to it and use that as a dedicated Linux/LLM/AI machine instead of dual booting? You’ll need a GPU for it that can do ok for AI but that’s not a huge issue.

Edit: also, on the future proof concept, as soon as you buy anything current, there is always a replacement on the way. Just buy something that works for you now and don’t worry about it.

This is pretty outdated advice. The correct answer is AM5. AM5 has got two more CPU upgrades, offers support for 256gb of RAM and will pan the Mac into next week for significantly less money.

I jumped on AM4 with the highest end chip on day one. Over the lifespan of that system I’ve more than quadrupled its performance with drop in upgrades on the same board. To have done the same on Intel would meant building three new systems, abandoning DDR4 and waiting 18 months.

 

[turbot1984]

There's 48GB option as well.

I haven't seen system RAM going over 20GB memory usage in gaming (with all background applications closed)

I got 23 GB up yesterday ... BF6 max 4K?