New build recommendations

[Max]

My current home built desktop dates back to 2014, with the following:
Intel Core i5 4690 Haswell 3.5 Ghz
Gigabyte GAZ97X-UD3HLGA1150 Intel Z97 Mobo
Corsair Vengence 2 x 4 GB SDRAM DDR3
ThermalTake Smart 700 watt PS *6 months old*
EVGA GTX1660Ti Dual fan 6GB
SSD is less thana year old...forget the specs
Antec 900 mid tower case
Windows 10 Home 64 bit

Current monitor is AOC 31.5" 2560x1440 @ 144Hz  - frame rates average 130's using Dx11

I have no real desire at this time for VR as I'm blind as a bat without glasses. The system delivers that which I need from it but it's getting on in years. I haven't really kept up to date on hardware specs so on to the questions:

CPU: Intel or AMD? Which one is suggested? Motherboard? Case fan coolers? Keep the GTX1660Ti or upgrade?

Though I've built 2 systems I wondering if going with Digitalstorm.com or Ibuypower.com isn't the way to go and skip the hassle of building one from the case up...thoughts?

I'm thinking of $1,500 USD as a budget +/-

Thanks for the feedback.

[Bizman]

In the 4 GHz range it doesn't really matter whether it's Intel or AMD other than that the latter is less expensive. If you're planning to use the new computer for as long as the current one thinking about support for future CPU's is also  meaningless. 16 gb (2x8) of RAM should suffice for a long time, getting a motherboard with empty slots for potential expanding is sound planning. Salvaging the "new" parts, i.e. the PSU, video card and SSD is what I'd recommend as well as the Windows license. If you have it on a sticker glued on the case, reusing the case would be the easiest way. If not, a new case would have tighter front panel connectors.

Noctua coolers seem to be among the best ones on the market, both for CPU and case fans. Silent, powerful and durable but not fancy looking.

Since performance is not an issue with your current rig I recommend using the current video card until you get the urge of jumping on the VR wagon. A more powerful card would raise your current FPS to a stable 144 but since VR is developing quite rapidly an expensive card can become underpowered when you get the goggles.

Also, since the system delivers what you need and you already have replaced some parts, why fix something that isn't broken? Actually, during the last half of a year I've bought second hand rigs for both myself and a buddy, both sporting the i5-4690 and 8 gb of RAM as upgrades to twice that old systems! With a GTX 970 they keep a solid 60 FPS on AH and the other games we play.

[Denniss]

Old system looks OK, just cries for a tad more RAM. Maybe a better/larger SSD.
In about 6 months AMD is expected to release Zen3-based CPU with a large performance bump over the older Zen2. It's said they will improve internal latencies in these processors and that will especially affect gaming (in a positive way)

[Max]

The SSD I have is San Disk Ultra 512 GB...seems to be just fine.

[SirNuke]

I don't think that computer is old enough to be replaced tbh, CPU's have not made strides since then. If you have cash to blow put a 2070 in there with 32Gb RAM and a big SSD

[SirNuke]

also you may want to consider a triple screens setup, when I had one for aces high it was pretty nice !

[Easyscor]

Say Bizman,

I'm in the market to replace my old Sandy Bridge, if a new CPU comes out that justifies it.

Have you heard any rumors on where Intel is with a new chip release in the fall?

Thanks

[Denniss]

Intel Comedy Lake is just out but more a mixed bag than real improvement. The next major CPU upgrade with a performance jump will be AMD's Zen 3

[save]

Max, I have the same CPU - you can run pretty much any sim with it with a 2k screen @ 100hz if you buy a good cooling fan for your CPU, and overclock it to 4.1 ghz.

The GPU might or might not have to be replaced if you go to 2k monitors, and some sims require more than 8GB memory to be fully utilized.


My setup :

Intel 4690 @4.1 ghz
Nvidia GTX 1080
16 gig memory
32" 2k MVA monitor @76hz.

[Bizman]

Say Bizman,

I'm in the market to replace my old Sandy Bridge, if a new CPU comes out that justifies it.

Have you heard any rumors on where Intel is with a new chip release in the fall?

Thanks

Sorry, I don't follow too much the future, I rather rely on proven performance.

[Vulcan]

If you plan to go VR, you can't go wrong with an Intel+Nvidia combo.

[Bizman]

If you plan to go VR, you can't go wrong with an Intel+Nvidia combo.

Glad to see I'm not the only one still stuck to that despite the good reviews from the latest AMD products!

[Easyscor]

Glad to see I'm not the only one still stuck to that despite the good reviews from the latest AMD products!

Once burned it's hard to forgive.

[Spikes]

Glad to see I'm not the only one still stuck to that despite the good reviews from the latest AMD products!

Definitely a better bang for buck than Intel. At the very least it kicked them in the bellybutton and actually made Intel start releasing better stuff than simply ride on the failures of AMD for years.

[TequilaChaser]

Once burned it's hard to forgive.

That boat floats both ways except from my experiences messing with both INTEL and AMD, I've been burned by INTEL 3 times and burned by AMD 0 times.....

And for every high end INTEL system I've built, I was able to build a comparable AMD system that most times ended up out performing the INTEL build every single time.....to date since I started building custom builds I'm over 140+ builds....

I like both INTEL and AMD, but back when I was working in my profession I had to use AutoCAD and some other high dollar load calculating programs and HVAC&R design software that I've never had an INTEL system keep up anywhere close with AMD systems in this particular atmosphere

Skuzzy even backed up my claims of what I just posted several times on these message boards regarding AMD's superior math co-processor over what INTEL brought to the table....

Video editing, INTEL has always held a slight edge over AMD

When it comes to AH over all these years I've never seen where it really mattered, even when INTEL was able to start using more than 1 core yet AMD was stuck using 1 core for awhile there, the AMD could still hold it's own as long as your processor was at least 3.2 GHz regardless if you were stuck using a single core of your dual or quad-core processor....

The above post has also been discussed on these boards, when I was finally able to show AMD was using more than 1 core over 9 years ago....and where /what AMD processors it started with....

I've built nearly 20 computers for different AH players and there has never been 1 negative post against any computer I've built for any of those players posted on these boards....unlike some others we all might know about...

Regarding parts (GPUs, system Ram, hotas setups etc) I've helped players by giving them stuff to keep playing the game and have paid multiple different players accounts to keep them flying when they have fallen on hard times....

All I ever asked was for them to keep it to themselves... I don't need no "at a boys" or what  not.... I simply have tried to pay it forward, remembering how my Damned brothers came to my aid back in 2003 when I was severely injured and knocked out of work for 22 months...

My apologies for getting rolling on a tangent there.....

Back to original topic:  I recommend if you are going to build a new system, Max, is to consider giving AMD a try and get with Drano, Pudgie and others who have built new AMD Ryzen systems

Hope this helps

TC