I'm looking to upgrade my computer, which is over 10 years old but has surprisingly been running everything I need until recently. However, it's starting to feel slow, especially considering the upcoming end of Windows 10 support. I've made some upgrades over the years, including an i7-6700k processor and an RX 6750xt graphics card. Currently, I have a Z170a motherboard, and I'm wondering if it's practical or advisable to just replace that motherboard with another LGA1151 one. Do I also need to upgrade my CPU for it to really be considered an upgrade?
2 Answers
Upgrading just the motherboard probably won't give you the performance boost you're hoping for, especially since you're on an older Intel 6th generation chip. If you're planning to upgrade the motherboard, it's likely you'll need a new CPU too if you want to run Windows 11 smoothly. Just swapping the motherboard alone won't make your system significantly better.
It sounds like your motherboard is holding back any potential improvements. If you're committed to upgrading, you might find better compatibility with newer hardware if you swap both the motherboard and CPU. Plus, Windows 11 has stricter requirements, so a new CPU could help future-proof your build.
Good point. Getting a combo upgrade may cost more, but you'll notice the difference in performance.
Yeah, I get it now. I guess I should have looked into that more. If I'm upgrading, I might as well do the CPU too.