upgrade paths, advice welcome, Win 7 user

[severus]

I currently have the following:

i7 2600k @ 4.5ghz
Biostar z68A+
16GB EVGA DDR3 1600
Sapphire r9 Fury Nitro

all in an
Antec 1100 that I modified to have a solid glass window instead of one with fans.

I think my case is plenty fine for air flow, as is my GPU for my BenQ 1080P 144hz freesync monitor. While I don't find my CPU sluggish, I have been using the same setup (less GPU) since 2011. This is the longest I've ever gone without upgrading main components.

The CPU's I've been looking at are the following: i7 4790k, i7 5820k, (I can reuse my ram with these) Ryzen 1700 (sell my current stuff for DDR4 ram). I like Biostar and EVGA motherboards so I'll probably stick with one of those. I will definitely be using Windows 7.

Did any of you take one of these upgrade paths? If so was the performance difference negligible or substantial?

 

[Ken g6]

I wouldn't upgrade without more cores these days. But that's not a solid endorsement to upgrade either. The 5820k also needs DDR4.

What do you want to do with the system?

 

[severus]

nothing wild actually. the only game I "play" regularly is CS:GO. I"m competitive at it and run it at 1400x1050 because I like having larger character models. I used to run it at 800x600. Performance is clearly no issue there. Other than that I play Metro one it comes out (just one playthrough of the entire story mode), the Battlefield franchise. and PUBG. I'm already getting well over 100fps in each of these games. I'm an avid photographer and do some photo editing, but again no issue with my current hardware.

In theory, I'd just like to get the longevity out of a mild upgrade that I've gotten from this system. 7 years without issue. I feel that with 6 cores 12 threads and an overclock to 4.5~, and the faster ram speeds, the 5820k will last me many years to come where my 2600k is finally beginning to take "slight" performance hits (though none I'm likely to notice.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I feel that with 6 cores 12 threads and an overclock to 4.5~

...thinking, "he's talking about a brand-new Ryzen 2600X CPU...

, and the faster ram speeds, the 5820k will

... and it's like... scratched record..

5820K? Are you serious?

My theory is, unless there's some sort of real solid business case to buy older equipment (compatibility with hardware and software used to run a production line, for example), then, my rule-of-thumb is, DON'T SPEND "NEW" money on "OLD" technology.

My personal preference, is if you're going to step up to a DDR4 platform, do it RIGHT.

And if longevity is what you're after, AM4 or sTR4 (TR), will have quite a long lifespan. (Something that Intel cannot claim, based on their platform-jumping history.)

But if you need top-tier single-threaded speeds (for competitive lower-res CS:GO gaming), then possibly Coffee Lake is for you, maybe an 8600K or something.

Honestly, though, unless you're trying to grab parts before some tariffs go in (yay, Trump), why upgrade now? Just to scratch an itch? Components getting old?

You do have a sweet, if older, rig.

I would probably personally suggest the Ryzen 2600X, on a Taichi mobo, with some TridentZ DDR4-3600, 3400, or 3200 CAS14.

 

[severus]

software is actually the reason I am favouring the 5820k over the Ryzen. The 5820k fully supports windows 7 while there are some things I'd have to work around on the Ryzen. I can get a 5820k with a motherboard for around 220$. A 4790k with motherboard will be about that price as well (z87 I don't need nvme, I'll never use it).

I am definitely eying the Biostar x370gt5-nf board for $65 on newegg and I can get an 1800x from microcenter for $199. I'm just uncertain of how installing 7 will go on this. I do have a dvd drive in this setup, so perhaps no issue?

I know that the setup I have is perfectly fine. I have 3 PC's. At my girlfriends apartment I have the second PC in my signature with the G3258 and gtx960 and it's perfectly fine for what I do. At a friends house I have an x3440 with a 7870 and it handles all our lan parties just fine as well. I've just never gone this long without upgrading. In my lifetime I've gone from:

386
Celeron 466mhz
Duron 1.1ghz
Athlon 1.8ghz
P4 2.6ghz
e6750
2600k