I'm looking to upgrade my gaming rig because my current setup with an i9-7900x and a Gen 3 motherboard is holding back my 3080 Ti. I want to move everything from my existing rig to new parts, specifically an AMD Ryzen 9 9700x and a compatible motherboard. I currently have a Noctua NH-U12A cooler and I'm wondering if I can just switch the mounting hardware to match the new AMD socket or if I need to get a whole new cooler. Also, since I have my OS and drivers on the drives, will everything work if I just plug in the new parts? What steps should I take? Thanks!
3 Answers
There's no need to buy a new cooler if you ask Noctua for an AM5 bracket - they can send it for free! If you haven’t already bought the Ryzen 9700X (you might've meant the 7700X), keep in mind it doesn't always outperform the cheaper models for gaming. You will also need to upgrade your RAM since the Ryzen uses DDR5, with 6000 MHz at CL30 being the sweet spot. It's possible to transfer your OS drive directly, but a clean install is usually recommended for a better experience.
You’ll definitely need a new cooler. It's generally better to buy a complete cooling solution rather than just the mounting hardware. When switching platforms, I highly recommend doing a clean Windows installation as it'll help avoid issues later. You can technically plug and play, but you must uninstall old drivers and install new ones. Plus, if your Windows key is OEM, you might need a new one too.
You'll need an AM4 or AM5 mounting kit for your cooler. Noctua has great customer service and will send you one for free if you provide them with the receipts for your cooler and motherboard. Also, make sure your cooler is still effective with the new CPU and don’t forget to reapply thermal paste. As for the OS, while a clean install is safer, you can sometimes get away with just uninstalling the old motherboard drivers.
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