Hey everyone! I'm looking to upgrade my aging PC setup. Right now, I have an Intel i5 8400, 32GB of RAM, a 2070 Super GPU, and a 500W PSU. Lately, it's been feeling pretty sluggish, especially when I'm gaming and streaming simultaneously on Twitch. My budget for this upgrade is around £400, and I'm considering focusing on a new CPU and motherboard. I'm open to upgrading the PSU if necessary as well. I want something that'll last a few years, as my current setup has really held up well over time. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
Have you thought about going with an i7 7700K? That could be a solid choice if you can find it on sale, and it might give you the power boost you need. However, what about using the newer Intel 14th generation? I’ve heard they perform pretty well too, just not sure if they’re still having issues.
If you're sticking with DDR4, I'd recommend looking into the AMD Ryzen 5 5600. It’s a great budget choice right now, coming in around £91 in the UK, and you can pair it with a solid B550 motherboard for less than £100. Here’s a combo I found:
- **CPU:** AMD Ryzen 5 5600 - £91.95
- **Motherboard:** Gigabyte B550M DS3H AC - £86.99
Total is under £200! If you're gaming and streaming, this should serve you well.
Also, if you can stretch your budget a bit, the Intel Core i5-14600K is an excellent option for around £218.99. It performs better in gaming and multitasking, but just make sure it's not on an older BIOS version if you decide to go that route!
Thanks for the suggestions! I just found the Ryzen 7 5700X for about £250 with a motherboard. Is that worth it, or should I stick with the 5600? I've heard mixed things about the Intel chips dying in the newer generation, which makes me a bit wary.
Why go for the 7th gen? The 9th gen (like the i9-9900K) uses the same socket, and you'd take advantage of more recent tech without backtracking.