I'm running a compact Mini-ITX system with an ASUS Z270i motherboard, Core i7-8700K, EVGA RTX 2070, and 16GB of DDR4 memory. The Coffee Lake platform is getting old, but the motherboard and small case have served me well. Is there a worthwhile upgrade I can make without replacing the entire system? I'm mainly considering a newer graphics card or more RAM. The case appears to be limited to a two-slot GPU, and I'm using a 450W SilverStone power supply, so compatibility and power consumption are important.
4 Answers
A newer GPU plus a 2x16GB DDR4 kit would be a sensible upgrade path. The 8700K can still perform well if you run all cores around 4.7GHz and tune the memory. In a small case, though, cooling and power limits matter, so I wouldn’t choose an especially power-hungry card unless you also replace the PSU.
The 8700K is still reasonably capable—roughly in the range of a modern entry-level Ryzen 5 for many workloads—so a graphics card upgrade would probably make the biggest difference. Consider adding RAM only if your games or applications regularly exceed 16GB. Check the case’s exact GPU length and thickness, then choose the fastest efficient two-slot card your 450W PSU can safely handle.
That makes sense. I’m mostly wondering how far I can go with the GPU while staying within the two-slot and 450W limitations.
With an aggressive overclock, the 8700K can keep up with a card around RTX 3080 performance in many GPU-limited games, especially at 1440p. Beyond that, the CPU becomes a more noticeable restriction, and a Mini-ITX system may not have enough cooling for a sustained 5GHz all-core overclock. If you eventually need a larger platform upgrade, an AM4 board with a Ryzen 7 5700X would be a relatively cool and cost-effective replacement.
If you can find one that physically fits, a compact two-fan RTX 2080 Ti would be a substantial upgrade from the RTX 2070. Pairing it with a 1440p, high-refresh-rate monitor would also make the improvement easier to appreciate, although you should verify the PSU’s connectors and total power requirements first.
I’ve already delidded the processor and used liquid metal, so I can get a lot out of the current CPU. It’s encouraging that a newer GPU could still be a major step up from the RTX 2070.