Bottleneck - New CPU in Build?

[ArekFlave]

Hello there,

I'm considering upgrading my current system, as I noticed in No Man's Sky (on the NEXT update) that my CPU is seriously bottlenecking: while it was working at 100% almost constantly, my GPU operated at about 20%.

My build is:
Motherboard: MSI K9A2
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 945
RAM: 8GB Corsair DDR2
GPU: AMD HD7870XT OC @1050Mhz
Storage: 128GB SanDisk SSD; 2x 640GB HDD
PSU: 550W (I believe...)

My use case is rather casual gaming, though I'd like to have some graphical detail in the games. The other stuff I will use the PC for is work in the Adobe Suite, mostly work in Premiere, Lightroom, After Effects. I don't do extremely heavy work, and mostly edit 1080p.

I'm considering upgrading to an i7 8600K and 16GB DDR4. This also requires a new mobo of course (thinking the Gigabyte Z370 boards look good at about 140 bucks). All in all, I'm calculating that it would set me back about 550 in total.

Now I would like to keep the price as low as possible while getting good results in Adobe apps and keeping the door open to future upgrades (e.g. a 1070 etc).

Another option would be to just get an external GPU (e.g. gigabyte aorus 1070 eGPU for about 650 euros) and connect it to my HP spectre x360 13, which has a dual core i7 7200U and 16GB of RAM. I like portability and keeping it all on the same system, but... A beefier and stronger system for less money makes more sense to me.

Any thoughts on the bottleneck? Other ways to go about it? Maybe ways to keep it cheaper, or at least for now, that makes sense? Would love to hear your thoughts.

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[UsandThem]

To keep it cheaper, you could always by a Ryzen 2600, motherboard, and RAM.

Otherwise, if you wanted to stay with Intel, you could buy an i5-8400, 8500, or 8600 CPU and save a few bucks. Otherwise, if you wanted a CPU to overclock (8600k), you have to stay with the more expensive Z370 motherboards which adds to the cost (plus a CPU cooler since the 'K' versions don't come with one. .

 

[ArekFlave]

To keep it cheaper, you could always by a Ryzen 2600, motherboard, and RAM.

Otherwise, if you wanted to stay with Intel, you could buy an i5-8400, 8500, or 8600 CPU and save a few bucks. Otherwise, if you wanted a CPU to overclock (8600k), you have to stay with the more expensive Z370 motherboards which adds to the cost (plus a CPU cooler since the 'K' versions don't come with one. .

Yep, I do want to keep with Intel

Wait, they never come boxed? I saw the 8600K boxed at Amazon - does that no longer mean they come with a stock cooler?

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[UsandThem]

Yep, I do want to keep with Intel

Wait, they never come boxed? I saw the 8600K boxed at Amazon - does that no longer mean they come with a stock cooler?

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No, no Intel CPU that ends with a 'K' come with a heatsink. You'll have to buy one (not that the stock Intel coolers are worth anything though, IMHO).

Also, I sent you a private message before replying to your post, please read that.