Upgrades?

Snookums · 4 Apr 2015 at 12:32

After wanting to do it for the good part of a year now I'm finally forcing myself to upgrade. Got a rough idea of what to go for and the path to take just want assuring im doing the right thing from the guys that know all (you).
Here's my current set up:

Motherboard: MSI FM2-A55M-E33
CPU: AMD Athlon X4 750k @ 4GHz
Cooler: Rajintek Themis Direct Contact CPU Cooler
Ram: 1 x 8Gb unbranded DDR3 ram @1330MHz
GPU: MSI Twin Frozr III 7950
Case: Antec Twelve Hundred (Courtesy of a very nice man on the forums donation)
PSU: Antec 850W (Not sure the rest, came with the case)
Storage: 1tb HDD

For the mb I've already picked up a gigabyte Z87-D3HP to kick my ass in to gear and start buying. looking at buying an i5-4690k? Trying to keep the budget as low as possible but as high as the student finance allows.
Also looking at at getting a SSD but I'm clueless when it comes down to them.

This will be dragged out over a few months as I'll be back to work at summer (hopefully) so can afford to spend more. Thanks for the help guys its appreciated.

sweols · 4 Apr 2015 at 13:01

Price range?

Snookums · 4 Apr 2015 at 13:05

As I said as little as possible really but over the course till the end of summer ideally up to £600?

stulid · 4 Apr 2015 at 13:11

YOUR BASKET
1 x Intel Core i5-4690K 3.50GHz (Devil's Canyon) Socket LGA1150 Processor - Retail £194.99
1 x Crucial BX100 250GB SSD SATA 6Gbps 7mm Solid State Drive (CT250BX100SSD1) £72.98
Total : £267.97 (includes shipping : ).

Hopefully the BIOS on your Z87 is new enough to recognise this CPU.

It needs F6 or newer which is like January last year.

Snookums · 4 Apr 2015 at 13:19

Yeah I know the bios had me slightly worried too. Going home this weekend so I'll be able to pick the board up and give it a test. If its not on f6 can I just flash it up? Also I really like the look of the rajintek triton AIO cooler. Have no idea if I'd be able to get it to work in my twelve hundred. Anyone know if it would work or what mods I'd have to make for it too work? or should i just hop on over to the watercooing forum?

stulid · 4 Apr 2015 at 13:20

You would need a compatible CPU to do the flash.

Or the safe bet is a 4670K.

Snookums · 4 Apr 2015 at 13:27

Anyway to check the bios?

stulid · 4 Apr 2015 at 13:28

No.

Nothing on the board or box will tell you.

Snookums · 4 Apr 2015 at 13:29

Hhmmm, probably not worth the risk then I'll just buy a 4670k instead. Don't suppose OC update the bios on B-grade boards before shipping them do they?

stulid · 4 Apr 2015 at 13:30

Not that im aware of, take too much effort to do.

Snookums · 4 Apr 2015 at 13:33

Cheers anyway. I'll grab a 4670k then and the SSD when budget allows. Thanks Stulid

stulid · 4 Apr 2015 at 14:29

The triton cooler im not so sure about, they seem to have had to make a number of revisions due to leaks/cracks etc.

You have a decent air cooler so I think you should keep that.

If you google Antec 1200 and AIO you will see images of people how mount these things on the rear two fan spaces.

Then all thats left is the RAM, you have 8Gb which is great, but a second stick for proper dual channel operation will give you maximum potential.

Snookums · 4 Apr 2015 at 14:37

Can you use two different brands of ram in dual channel? or would i need a whole new set of 16gb?

stulid · 4 Apr 2015 at 14:38

You can do that, set the timings etc to the worst stick.