Question Build help: I7-13700k vs Ryzen 7 - 7800X3D and mobo pairing

[Quietcoyote]

Hi Folks,

Looking to upgrade my motherboard, processor, and ram. Need some help with mobo and processor pairings.

Looking for best bang for the buck, OC if i need it (possibly), will be used for gaming and as my plex server (must have at least 6 sata ports). ATX mobo. Want it powerful enough to last a long time without upgrade.

Any advice is helpful.

Side question is open box worth the risk?

A few possible set ups

Intel

I7-13700K overclocked (ideal) $365
I5-13600K overclocked (budget) $286

with

Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Hero (ideal) $590 or $353 open box
Asus ROG Strix Z-690E (budget) $260 or $237 open box

OR

AMD

Ryzen 7 - 7800X3D (ideal) $385
Ryzen 7 - 5800X (budget) $215

with

Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Hero (Ideal) $639 or $394 open box

Currently running:

Mobo: Asus P8Z68-V Pro
CPU: i7-3770K ocd to 5.2 - aircooled
Ram: corsair dominator platinum 16GB DDR3 2133 MHZ
PS: 1000w EVGA 1000 P2 supernova
GC: AMD 5600XT
Main drive: crucial mx500 2TB SSD
Storage: 48TB assorted drives
Case: Antec DF-85 Black Steel ATX full tower. 3 x 120mm fans front, 1 x 120mm fan rear, 2 x 140mm fans top.

Current setup is from about 2011 and served me well but its time. Some things have been upgraded over time but mostly the same.

 

[Tech Junky]

plex server

That's how I use my setup but also as my router / AP / etc. in the same box.

For SATA ports ASRock seems to be the best bet w/o using an HBA which opens the door to any MOBO brand. HBAs are cheap @ ~$50 for 8 ports w/o raid.

I tend to stick with ASR though since changing to them a few years back on a rebuild. I've also done well with MSI other than a recent project. Tried a GB more recently and it was alright.

For AMD I'm just diving into them more recently since I'm storage centric and AMD does PCIE bifurcation cheaper than Intel ever will.

So, I spec'd out a 7900X/16GB Ram/X670E/Cooler and it comes out to ~$700 shipped w/ an open box MOBO. If you get away from Asus you'll see more options that are feasible for budget.

As for storage I just switched to a U.3 from Micron which is 16TB @ Gen4 NVME speeds for ~$1100 w/ PCIE adapter and currently moving data between drives @ 2.5GB/s from a WD SN850. It should be faster but, CP/MV add some overhead vs real world use. It's moving faster than the copy from the R0 from 2x1TB Gen3 drives which topped out around 1.5GB/s going to the SN850.

So, I use PCPartPicker.com for figuring out things and pricing parts and a general overview of a system build. The reviews posted there tend to be a bit more candid than the store sites.

As for cases w/ that many drives I would probably go with a Meshify 2 as it has an internal drive rack that holds up to 13 drives. If you could getaway with mATX then I would be using a Node 804 that holds 8 drives and compartmentalizes them from the MOBO.

Fans - I use Arctic P12/P14 PWM PST as they offer daisy chaining and are virtually silent even at higher speeds. 5-packs on Amazon usually run about $40

For the thermal between the CPU / Cooler though I switched to using graphite pads because it's easier to deal with when making frequent changes and they perform well

DDR 4 v 5.... prices have come down and you can get both for about the same price now vs when DDR5 launched and there was a lack of supply. I picked up 16GB for my rebuild recently and it was on par for DDR4 prices. However when you bump the speed up you'll see it costing a bit more.

 

[In2Photos]

Something to keep in mind if you go the AMD route is that the 7800X3D isn't really an OC friendly CPU. Spending $700 on the motherboard for it to get extra OC features is a waste IMO. Unless there is some specific feature that you need you can get a much cheaper option and/or possibly drop down to a B650 chipset. I have a B650 board with my 7700 and it does everything I need it to. I prefer MSI motherboards, ASUS has had some issues lately. This board for instance has 6 SATA ports, a B650 chipset, and is $220. https://www.newegg.com/msi-mag-b650...&ranSiteID=8BacdVP0GFs-DAVXBmz_jEF21b.kg_Algg

 

[Ken g6]

I don't think I've ever gotten an open-box item that didn't have some problem. It's usually something non-essential or even cosmetic, but there's almost always something. I can't think of anything non-essential that could go wrong with LGA CPUs, though. (That's Intel and Socket AM5 AMD.)

What's your overall budget?

 

[BoomerD]

1. Open box items are "Ya pays yer money and takes yer chances." Personally, I won't take the chance. Been burned once too many times.

2. I know zip, zilch, nada about plex servers, but either of those Intel processors would be great for gaming. They both are notorious for being somewhat hard to cool. I have the i5-13600K. It's hella good, but my Arctic Cooling Liquid Freezer II 280 struggles to keep it cool.

3. ASUS's Intel boards have been pretty hit-or-miss recently. LOTS of complaints. I went with a MSI Z690 Tomahawk DDR4 board for my recent build. It's not terrible...but has some glitches. (Intel i225 network adapter is a PITA)

4. As for the AMD offerings...no idea. Not my thing.