• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

Have GTX 460 1GB, need CPU to match

SkyrimLEPlayer

New Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2021
Messages
5 (0.00/day)
Hi Forums,
I figured this site was a good place to ask; after reading a few posts related to this GPU and seeing how many helpful people there are here.
I was gifted a GTX 460 1GB and installed it in my (very) old computer so I could play Skyrim with some mods (LE version, not SSE). I currently have an Athlon 64 X2 on an ASUS M2N-SLI motherboard with 4GB Ram. (Yes, very old, insert jokes here). The game actually runs smoothly most of the time, even with a bunch of mods. I don't have any graphics-heavy mods (that would require a better GPU and CPU), but started using some that are relatively script-heavy (and I read that upgrading CPU helps with scripts more than upgrading GPU). I'm starting to reach the Athlon's performance limit, getting FPS drops and crashes when there's a lot of action. So, time to upgrade. I don't really want/need a high performance gaming system, just something that can better handle this 10 year old game.

So, here's the question: What CPU would be a good match for this GPU? I figured: I have a 10 yr old GPU running a 10 yr old game, but with a 15 yr old CPU. Maybe something 5-6 yrs old, so that there's potential for a future upgraded GPU (maybe after this crypto mining insanity passes). I was thinking i3 or i5, or ryzen3 or 5. (intel or amd? is there a thread for that? :p) I understand that I would need a new motherboard and probably new ram too. My budget is preferably under $400, but flexible. Thanks!!!
 

freeagent

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 16, 2018
Messages
7,420 (3.67/day)
Location
Winnipeg, Canada
System Name Altered Beast
Processor AMD R9 5900X/5800X3D
Motherboard Asus Crosshair VIII Dark Hero
Cooling Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVO, 1x T30
Memory 2x8 G.Skill Trident Z Royal 3200C14, 2x8GB G.Skill Trident Z Black and White 3200 C14
Video Card(s) Zotac 4070 Ti Trinity OC
Storage WD SN850X 2TB, SN850 1TB, SN770 1TB - Asus Hyper M.2, 2x SN770 1TB
Display(s) LG 50UP7100
Case Fractal Torrent Compact RGB
Audio Device(s) JBL 2.1 Deep Bass
Power Supply EVGA SuperNova 750w G+, Monster HDP1800
Mouse Logitech G502 Hero
Keyboard Logitech G213
VR HMD Oculus 3
Software Yes
Benchmark Scores Yes
You can find first gen p55 i7 for cheap. I think I saw 15 buck CPU's and 50 buck motherboards.
 
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
92 (0.08/day)
Location
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
System Name Black Box II
Processor Ryzen 7 5800X
Motherboard ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wifi
Cooling Chromax Noctua NH-D15
Memory 32GB (4 x 8GB) TeamGroup 3200MHz
Video Card(s) AMD Reference RX 6800
Storage WD Black SN770 (1TB), Crucial P1 (1TB)
Display(s) LG 34UC79G-B, BenQ GL2760-B
Case CoolerMaster CM 690 III
Audio Device(s) Speakers: Altec Lansing 251 | Microphone: Tonor Q9
Power Supply Corsair RM1000x
Mouse Logitech G502 Hero
Keyboard Corsair K70 Core

i5-10400

B460 motherboard

16GB ram 3000mHz

and a 550W PSU for $410 Canadian


I am including the PSU because I am guessing that the PSU in your computer currently is very old and you should probably replace it if you dont want you brand new electronics to be fried

Also look around on kijiji and stuff, you might be able to find some good deals on 16GB RAM kits, I managed to get a kit for $50 a while back

Also, do you have a picture or model# of your old computer?
 
Last edited:

SkyrimLEPlayer

New Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2021
Messages
5 (0.00/day)
Wow, fast response!!! Thanks! I actually upgraded to 430W PSU a couple years ago when the old one died. Sorry forgot to mention that.
 
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
92 (0.08/day)
Location
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
System Name Black Box II
Processor Ryzen 7 5800X
Motherboard ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wifi
Cooling Chromax Noctua NH-D15
Memory 32GB (4 x 8GB) TeamGroup 3200MHz
Video Card(s) AMD Reference RX 6800
Storage WD Black SN770 (1TB), Crucial P1 (1TB)
Display(s) LG 34UC79G-B, BenQ GL2760-B
Case CoolerMaster CM 690 III
Audio Device(s) Speakers: Altec Lansing 251 | Microphone: Tonor Q9
Power Supply Corsair RM1000x
Mouse Logitech G502 Hero
Keyboard Corsair K70 Core
Joined
Apr 8, 2020
Messages
92 (0.06/day)
Hi Forums,
I figured this site was a good place to ask; after reading a few posts related to this GPU and seeing how many helpful people there are here.
I was gifted a GTX 460 1GB and installed it in my (very) old computer so I could play Skyrim with some mods (LE version, not SSE). I currently have an Athlon 64 X2 on an ASUS M2N-SLI motherboard with 4GB Ram. (Yes, very old, insert jokes here). The game actually runs smoothly most of the time, even with a bunch of mods. I don't have any graphics-heavy mods (that would require a better GPU and CPU), but started using some that are relatively script-heavy (and I read that upgrading CPU helps with scripts more than upgrading GPU). I'm starting to reach the Athlon's performance limit, getting FPS drops and crashes when there's a lot of action. So, time to upgrade. I don't really want/need a high performance gaming system, just something that can better handle this 10 year old game.

So, here's the question: What CPU would be a good match for this GPU? I figured: I have a 10 yr old GPU running a 10 yr old game, but with a 15 yr old CPU. Maybe something 5-6 yrs old, so that there's potential for a future upgraded GPU (maybe after this crypto mining insanity passes). I was thinking i3 or i5, or ryzen3 or 5. (intel or amd? is there a thread for that? :p) I understand that I would need a new motherboard and probably new ram too. My budget is preferably under $400, but flexible. Thanks!!!
i would buy a console if u have 400 you can on the 400 ps5 have a gpu about 11x more powerful and a system with 16 gbs of ram then just play the remaseterd Skyrim(also like 8 seoond load times vs 50ish). or if you do it safely craigslist or something you can get a used ps4 or xboxone for 120-200 used with games that can run the remastered version really well.. and its completely in your budget

i recommend this x100,000 because your gpu is almost 2x weaker then a again 120-250 ps4 from 2013.. its a better investment for the future... consoles in fact take a loss on the systems (other then nintendo) by a decent margin to make money off the online and games
 
Joined
Sep 2, 2020
Messages
1,478 (1.13/day)
System Name Chip
Processor Amd 5600X
Motherboard MSI B450M Mortar Max
Cooling Hyper 212
Memory 2x 16g ddr4 3200mz
Video Card(s) RX 6700
Storage 5.5 tb hd 220 g ssd
Display(s) Normal moniter
Case something cheap
VR HMD Vive
s
recommend this x100,000 because your gpu is almost 2x weaker then a again 120-250 ps4 from 2013.. its a better investment for the future... consoles in fact take a loss on the systems (other then nintendo) by a decent margin to make money off the online and games
you do know the ps4 has a apu right?
the power the ps4 has is basically no power behind its all optimization
However games loading times dont really care about the hardware and purley about the disk speed skyrim loads in 10 seconds on my Hard drive
also ps5 is not worth 400 dollars and specs really dont matter for a console
Also games are more expensive on console
But i agree with this as well

if you wanna stick with a pc maybe look at core 2 quad q6700 or somthing like that
try and aim at 4c maybe with hyperthreading
 
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Messages
866 (0.25/day)
Processor ryzen 5 5600x
Motherboard AB350m Pro4
Cooling custom loop
Memory TEAMGROUP T-Force TXKD416G3600HC18ADC01 16gbs XMP
Video Card(s) HP GTX1650 super 4gb
Storage MZVLB256HBHQ-000H1 PM981a (256GB)/3TB HDD
Display(s) Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx
Case Rosewill CULLINAN
Audio Device(s) onboard
Power Supply Corsair 750w
Mouse Best Buy Insignia
Keyboard Best Buy Insignia
Software Win 10 pro
are you in the united states?
 
Joined
Apr 8, 2020
Messages
92 (0.06/day)
s

you do know the ps4 has a apu right?
the power the ps4 has is basically no power behind its all optimization
However games loading times dont really care about the hardware and purley about the disk speed skyrim loads in 10 seconds on my Hard drive
also ps5 is not worth 400 dollars and specs really dont matter for a console
Also games are more expensive on console
But i agree with this as well

if you wanna stick with a pc maybe look at core 2 quad q6700 or somthing like that
try and aim at 4c maybe with hyperthreading
its actually not possible to build a computer more powerful then then ps5 per cost......at all.... gpus even at mrsp to the ps5 power is about 350.... so before the system ssd cpu powersuppliy controller ect.. are you new to tech? a guy who i kinda like with 11million subs on u tube with a backround in tech before u tube couldn't come close building it himself with buying sale items..

like the ps5 are in the market being scalped for hundreds above mrsp like by a huge margin with owning os already... and guess what skyrim is aold game ... and guesss what game pass and guess what pc games have sales just like console ones....games on pc and console can be the same price at times
 
Last edited:
Joined
Sep 2, 2020
Messages
1,478 (1.13/day)
System Name Chip
Processor Amd 5600X
Motherboard MSI B450M Mortar Max
Cooling Hyper 212
Memory 2x 16g ddr4 3200mz
Video Card(s) RX 6700
Storage 5.5 tb hd 220 g ssd
Display(s) Normal moniter
Case something cheap
VR HMD Vive
its actually not possible to build a computer more powerful then then ps5 per cost......at al.... gpus like the ps5 are in the market being scalped for hundreds above mrsp like by a huge margin with owning os already... and guess what skyrim is aold game ... and guesss what game pass and guess what pc games have sales just like console ones....
I mean raw power means nothing when the ps5 has not games
but anyway i dont understand the point of this post
Console sales are never as good as steam sales thats the main reason i jumped to a pc
and game pass is on xbox and you suggested pc
 

SkyrimLEPlayer

New Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2021
Messages
5 (0.00/day)
I like how a PC vs console debate started. I was a PC gamer for years, then got an xbox 360 and discovered Skyrim. Recently got an Xbox One (S? X? Don't even know. My wife wanted witcher 3, so her brother gave her his older Xbox when the most recent one came out). I don't really care if I have the best and newest games, I've loved skyrim for years, and recently started modding it on PC (can't mod as much on console). Depending on your mods, it's a whole new game anyway. So, I'll continue being a PC gamer and will likely never touch a console again.

Thank you, HQi88, for the parts list. I'm gonna pick around on that site a little more and see what I come up with. At first looks, I might be able to build a whole new system if I push the budget up a little.
 
Joined
Mar 2, 2011
Messages
1,226 (0.26/day)
Location
Omaha, NE
System Name Graphics Card Free...
Processor Ryzen 5 5600G
Motherboard MSI B450 Gaming Plus MAX Wifi
Cooling Cryorig M9a w/ BeQuiet! PureWings 2 ~ 92mm
Memory Corsair Dominator Platinum DDR4 3200 ~ 16GB(2x8GB)
Storage Samsung EVO 870 SSD - 1TB
Display(s) AOC 24G2
Case Cardboard...
Power Supply eVGA SuperNova 550w G3
Mouse Logitech t400 Zone Touch Mouse
Keyboard IBM Model "M" Keyboard
Software Manjaro ~ KDE Plasma
Benchmark Scores She's a Runner!
At first looks, I might be able to build a whole new system if I push the budget up a little.

SkyrimLEPlayer...

If you've talked yourself into purchasing a new system, I'm sure some of the guys here can put together something very reasonable. Also...if you do go new...you don't have to buy it all at once.

I'm a fan of Skyrim as well...I recently picked up Skyrim SE and I'm currently making my first pass at it. Although I have 875 hours on the original.

If you were looking for cheap or used, I was going to suggest an HP Z230 Workstation with a xeon processor(and a little patience). Just toss in the GTX 460 to tide you over for a month or three while you're researching the best "balanced" card for whatever xeon you end up with. The workstation you purchase...well, I usually look for units that come with a graphics card that way I can offset the cost or add the profit from selling the card to purchasing something better. I see plenty of these go for $150-$175....I wouldn't pay over $200.

Whatever you do...best of luck,

Liquid Cool
 
Last edited:
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
92 (0.08/day)
Location
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
System Name Black Box II
Processor Ryzen 7 5800X
Motherboard ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wifi
Cooling Chromax Noctua NH-D15
Memory 32GB (4 x 8GB) TeamGroup 3200MHz
Video Card(s) AMD Reference RX 6800
Storage WD Black SN770 (1TB), Crucial P1 (1TB)
Display(s) LG 34UC79G-B, BenQ GL2760-B
Case CoolerMaster CM 690 III
Audio Device(s) Speakers: Altec Lansing 251 | Microphone: Tonor Q9
Power Supply Corsair RM1000x
Mouse Logitech G502 Hero
Keyboard Corsair K70 Core
I like how a PC vs console debate started. I was a PC gamer for years, then got an xbox 360 and discovered Skyrim. Recently got an Xbox One (S? X? Don't even know. My wife wanted witcher 3, so her brother gave her his older Xbox when the most recent one came out). I don't really care if I have the best and newest games, I've loved skyrim for years, and recently started modding it on PC (can't mod as much on console). Depending on your mods, it's a whole new game anyway. So, I'll continue being a PC gamer and will likely never touch a console again.

Thank you, HQi88, for the parts list. I'm gonna pick around on that site a little more and see what I come up with. At first looks, I might be able to build a whole new system if I push the budget up a little.

No problem!

If you are going for a new system, your 430W PSU wont hold up for future upgrades. try to get a PSU that at least 550W.

Of course, GPUs are in short supply but because Mining GPUs generally need at least 4GB of VRAM, you can find older cards like GTX 500 and 600 series or AMD's old Radeon HD 6000 and 7000 series that offer a good boost in performance compared to the GTX 460. The used marked is a mysterious place ;)

Or you could just wait for the GPU shortage to end... maybe next year?
 

Frick

Fishfaced Nincompoop
Joined
Feb 27, 2006
Messages
18,914 (2.86/day)
Location
PiteĂĄ
System Name Black MC in Tokyo
Processor Ryzen 5 5600
Motherboard Asrock B450M-HDV
Cooling Be Quiet! Pure Rock 2
Memory 2 x 16GB Kingston Fury 3400mhz
Video Card(s) XFX 6950XT Speedster MERC 319
Storage Kingston A400 240GB | WD Black SN750 2TB |WD Blue 1TB x 2 | Toshiba P300 2TB | Seagate Expansion 8TB
Display(s) Samsung U32J590U 4K + BenQ GL2450HT 1080p
Case Fractal Design Define R4
Audio Device(s) Line6 UX1 + some headphones, Nektar SE61 keyboard
Power Supply Corsair RM850x v3
Mouse Logitech G602
Keyboard Cherry MX Board 1.0 TKL Brown
VR HMD Acer Mixed Reality Headset
Software Windows 10 Pro
Benchmark Scores Rimworld 4K ready!
Wow, fast response!!! Thanks! I actually upgraded to 430W PSU a couple years ago when the old one died. Sorry forgot to mention that.

What brand and model?
 
Joined
Sep 10, 2016
Messages
805 (0.29/day)
Location
Riverwood, Skyrim
System Name Storm Wrought | Blackwood (HTPC)
Processor AMD Ryzen 9 5900x @stock | i7 2600k
Motherboard Gigabyte X570 Aorus Pro WIFI m-ITX | Some POS gigabyte board
Cooling Deepcool AK620, BQ shadow wings 3 High Spd, stock 180mm |BQ Shadow rock LP + 4x120mm Noctua redux
Memory G.Skill Ripjaws V 2x32GB 4000MHz | 2x4GB 2000MHz @1866
Video Card(s) Powercolor RX 6800XT Red Dragon | PNY a2000 6GB
Storage SX8200 Pro 1TB, 1TB KC3000, 850EVO 500GB, 2+8TB Seagate, LG Blu-ray | 120GB Sandisk SSD, 4TB WD red
Display(s) Samsung UJ590UDE 32" UHD monitor | LG CS 55" OLED
Case Silverstone TJ08B-E | Custom built wooden case (Aus native timbers)
Audio Device(s) Onboard, Sennheiser HD 599 cans / Logitech z163's | Edifier S2000 MKIII via toslink
Power Supply Corsair HX 750 | Corsair SF 450
Mouse Microsoft Pro Intellimouse| Some logitech one
Keyboard GMMK w/ Zelio V2 62g (78g for spacebar) tactile switches & Glorious black keycaps| Some logitech one
VR HMD HTC Vive
Software Win 10 Edu | Ubuntu 22.04
Benchmark Scores Look in the various benchmark threads
Joined
Aug 21, 2015
Messages
1,661 (0.53/day)
Location
North Dakota
System Name Office
Processor Ryzen 5600G
Motherboard ASUS B450M-A II
Cooling be quiet! Shadow Rock LP
Memory 16GB Patriot Viper Steel DDR4-3200
Video Card(s) Gigabyte RX 5600 XT
Storage PNY CS1030 250GB, Crucial MX500 2TB
Display(s) Dell S2719DGF
Case Fractal Define 7 Compact
Power Supply EVGA 550 G3
Mouse Logitech M705 Marthon
Keyboard Logitech G410
Software Windows 10 Pro 22H2
To go with a GTX 460, Sandy Bridge (Intel Core 2000-series) or later should do nicely. If you eBay at all, search i5 motherboard/CPU combos and see if something strikes your fancy. You should find something suitable for well under $150US.
 

SkyrimLEPlayer

New Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2021
Messages
5 (0.00/day)
What brand and model?
ThermalTake Smart 430W

One question related to the PSU: if I put together a system on pcpartpicker and it reports an "Estimated Wattage" of 289W, is that idle, peak, average...? Should I look for a PSU with a multiple of that number?

Here's what I've started with: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/q3GYK3 (also added my PSU and GPU for reference and power requirements)
I figured I could go with this for now, then upgrade down the road. Comments and suggestions welcome.
 
Joined
Oct 15, 2011
Messages
1,920 (0.42/day)
Location
Springfield, Vermont
System Name KHR-1
Processor Ryzen 9 5900X
Motherboard ASRock B550 PG Velocita (UEFI-BIOS P3.40)
Memory 32 GB G.Skill RipJawsV F4-3200C16D-32GVR
Video Card(s) Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6750 XT
Storage Western Digital Black SN850 1 TB NVMe SSD
Display(s) Alienware AW3423DWF OLED-ASRock PG27Q15R2A (backup)
Case Corsair 275R
Audio Device(s) Technics SA-EX140 receiver with Polk VT60 speakers
Power Supply eVGA Supernova G3 750W
Mouse Logitech G Pro (Hero)
Software Windows 11 Pro x64 23H2
Crashes are likely bad caps on the motherboard. Also, I would upgrade the PSU down the road. The Smarts were never really good.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Cai
Joined
Apr 11, 2021
Messages
214 (0.20/day)
Here's what I've started with: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/q3GYK3 (also added my PSU and GPU for reference and power requirements)
I figured I could go with this for now, then upgrade down the road. Comments and suggestions welcome.
Personally I would go with the AMD route only if you plan to upgrade the CPU (5600x? The non x version if AMD will ever release it to the DIY plebs?) as well at some point, the build that HQi88 suggested (minus the PSU) is a better option at the moment. AMD's lower end CPUs are pretty much overpriced right now.
 

freeagent

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 16, 2018
Messages
7,420 (3.67/day)
Location
Winnipeg, Canada
System Name Altered Beast
Processor AMD R9 5900X/5800X3D
Motherboard Asus Crosshair VIII Dark Hero
Cooling Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVO, 1x T30
Memory 2x8 G.Skill Trident Z Royal 3200C14, 2x8GB G.Skill Trident Z Black and White 3200 C14
Video Card(s) Zotac 4070 Ti Trinity OC
Storage WD SN850X 2TB, SN850 1TB, SN770 1TB - Asus Hyper M.2, 2x SN770 1TB
Display(s) LG 50UP7100
Case Fractal Torrent Compact RGB
Audio Device(s) JBL 2.1 Deep Bass
Power Supply EVGA SuperNova 750w G+, Monster HDP1800
Mouse Logitech G502 Hero
Keyboard Logitech G213
VR HMD Oculus 3
Software Yes
Benchmark Scores Yes
Lol I thought he was trying to build a period correct machine :laugh:
 
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
92 (0.08/day)
Location
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
System Name Black Box II
Processor Ryzen 7 5800X
Motherboard ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wifi
Cooling Chromax Noctua NH-D15
Memory 32GB (4 x 8GB) TeamGroup 3200MHz
Video Card(s) AMD Reference RX 6800
Storage WD Black SN770 (1TB), Crucial P1 (1TB)
Display(s) LG 34UC79G-B, BenQ GL2760-B
Case CoolerMaster CM 690 III
Audio Device(s) Speakers: Altec Lansing 251 | Microphone: Tonor Q9
Power Supply Corsair RM1000x
Mouse Logitech G502 Hero
Keyboard Corsair K70 Core
One question related to the PSU: if I put together a system on pcpartpicker and it reports an "Estimated Wattage" of 289W, is that idle, peak, average...? Should I look for a PSU with a multiple of that number?

The estimated wattage is based on the listed TDP of the GPU (160W), CPU (65W), and its best guess for RAM, hard drives, CPU coolers, and case fans.

You should always get a PSU above the listed number. However, TDP is generally not a particularly accurate way of measuring the max power draw of a system. For example, the i5-11400 has a listed TDP of 65W but TechPowerUp showed that under the right circumstances an settings, it could draw over 200W of power. But when you are gaming, it is unlikely to hit that power draw as those tests were conducted under worst case scenarios.

Here's what I've started with: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/q3GYK3 (also added my PSU and GPU for reference and power requirements)
I figured I could go with this for now, then upgrade down the road. Comments and suggestions welcome.

I am going to repost my suggestion for the i5-11400 build but with 3200MHz RAM and a better motherboard (total $408):
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/ccy2wz

Honestly if you are looking to maximize your ~$400 and don't need a new case and PSU (your PSU can handle the 10400) it is still the better option:
  1. The 10400 noticeably faster than the 1600 in many benchmarks
  2. The 10400 has an integrated GPU (you can get video output without a graphics card) which is helpful for troubleshooting
  3. Better motherboard with better VRMs, CPU and RAM overclocking support, more fan headers, and more RGB headers
What is your PC case like? Honestly I would just reuse the case and spend the extra $50 on a significantly better CPU and Mobo setup so that you wont have to worry about running out of fan/rgb headers and if you will overload the VRMs if you decide to upgrade to i7 or i9 in the future.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Oct 24, 2020
Messages
435 (0.35/day)
Location
Belgium
System Name MSi Coffee Lake
Processor i7-8700k
Motherboard MSI Z370 GAMING PRO CARBON AC
Cooling NZXT something AIO loop
Memory 16GB Kingston HyperX 2133 C14 Fury Black
Video Card(s) TITAN Xp Jedi Order Edition
Storage Samsung 960 Evo NVMe
Display(s) Medion 23'
Case Cooler Master Stryker
Audio Device(s) onboard
Power Supply BeQuiet 600W
Mouse Logitech Trackman T-BB18
Keyboard Generic hp
Software Windows 10
On the Asus M2N-SLI you can have a 4-core 3GHz Athlon 640 or Phenom 945 running if you update the BIOS to 5001.
Then you have a 10 year old processor matching the other hardware.

Or get a recent prebuilt PC with enough room for a GPU, transplant PSU and GPU and your good to go.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Sep 21, 2020
Messages
1,465 (1.14/day)
Processor 5800X3D -30 CO
Motherboard MSI B550 Tomahawk
Cooling DeepCool Assassin III
Memory 32GB G.SKILL Ripjaws V @ 3800 CL14
Video Card(s) ASRock MBA 7900XTX
Storage 1TB WD SN850X + 1TB ADATA SX8200 Pro
Display(s) Dell S2721QS 4K60
Case Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced USB 3.0
Audio Device(s) Audiotrak Prodigy Cube Black (JRC MUSES 8820D) + CAL (recabled)
Power Supply Seasonic Prime TX-750
Mouse Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave
Keyboard Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave
Software Windows 10 Pro
As @Jacky_BEL suggested, the cheapest option would be to upgrade your current rig to a Phenom II X4 and 8 GB of RAM. But your experience playing heavily modded Skyrim wouldn't necessarily be much better. This game runs on Creation engine, which is all about single threaded performance. Going from an Athlon 64 X2 to a quad-core Phenom II you won't see big improvement in this respect.

Given the current pricing of Zen 2 and 3 CPUs, I would strongly recommend going with a Core i5-10400F, or even an i3-10100F. Due to their higher IPC, they should perform much better in Skyrim than any Zen 1 CPU.
 

SkyrimLEPlayer

New Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2021
Messages
5 (0.00/day)
The estimated wattage is based on the listed TDP of the GPU (160W), CPU (65W), and its best guess for RAM, hard drives, CPU coolers, and case fans.

You should always get a PSU above the listed number. However, TDP is generally not a particularly accurate way of measuring the max power draw of a system. For example, the i5-11400 has a listed TDP of 65W but TechPowerUp showed that under the right circumstances an settings, it could draw over 200W of power. But when you are gaming, it is unlikely to hit that power draw as those tests were conducted under worst case scenarios.



I am going to repost my suggestion for the i5-11400 build but with 3200MHz RAM and a better motherboard (total $408):
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/ccy2wz

Honestly if you are looking to maximize your ~$400 and don't need a new case and PSU (your PSU can handle the 10400) it is still the better option:
  1. The 10400 noticeably faster than the 1600 in many benchmarks
  2. The 10400 has an integrated GPU (you can get video output without a graphics card) which is helpful for troubleshooting
  3. Better motherboard with better VRMs, CPU and RAM overclocking support, more fan headers, and more RGB headers
What is your PC case like? Honestly I would just reuse the case and spend the extra $50 on a significantly better CPU and Mobo setup so that you wont have to worry about running out of fan/rgb headers and if you will overload the VRMs if you decide to upgrade to i7 or i9 in the future.
Thanks for the info and recommendation, I agree this build seems to have more value. But, another question comes up: the build list shows this:

Compatibility Notes​

  • Note:The Asus PRIME Z590M-PLUS Micro ATX LGA1200 Motherboard has an additional 4-pin ATX power connector but the Thermaltake Smart Series 430 W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply does not. This connector is used to supply additional 12V current to the motherboard. While the system will likely still run without it, higher current demands such as extreme overclocking or large video card current draws may require it.
  • Note:The motherboard M.2 slot #1 requires an Intel Rocket Lake-based CPU. When an Intel Rocket Lake-based CPU is not used, the M.2 slot is disabled.
On the first note: what kind of problems will not having the extra 4-pin cause? Would I need the new PSU for this board anyway?
One the second note: just making sure I understand the M.2 slot, it is for new SSDs correct? I currently have a 250GB SSD SATA running my OS and most programs and a 2TB HDD for storage. So, technically I wouldn't need a new SSD (for a while, anyway) so this wouldn't be an issue.

Yes, I would prefer a new case. current case is working, but has problems. power button is glitchy sometimes, lacks usb ports on front/top, poor airflow.


As @Jacky_BEL suggested, the cheapest option would be to upgrade your current rig to a Phenom II X4 and 8 GB of RAM. But your experience playing heavily modded Skyrim wouldn't necessarily be much better. This game runs on Creation engine, which is all about single threaded performance. Going from an Athlon 64 X2 to a quad-core Phenom II you won't see big improvement in this respect.

Given the current pricing of Zen 2 and 3 CPUs, I would strongly recommend going with a Core i5-10400F, or even an i3-10100F. Due to their higher IPC, they should perform much better in Skyrim than any Zen 1 CPU.
Yes, I have also heard about the single thread engine and that having more cores/threads doesn't boost Skyrim's performance.

You guys are awesome, thanks for the help.
 
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
92 (0.08/day)
Location
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
System Name Black Box II
Processor Ryzen 7 5800X
Motherboard ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wifi
Cooling Chromax Noctua NH-D15
Memory 32GB (4 x 8GB) TeamGroup 3200MHz
Video Card(s) AMD Reference RX 6800
Storage WD Black SN770 (1TB), Crucial P1 (1TB)
Display(s) LG 34UC79G-B, BenQ GL2760-B
Case CoolerMaster CM 690 III
Audio Device(s) Speakers: Altec Lansing 251 | Microphone: Tonor Q9
Power Supply Corsair RM1000x
Mouse Logitech G502 Hero
Keyboard Corsair K70 Core
  • The Asus PRIME Z590M-PLUS Micro ATX LGA1200 Motherboard has an additional 4-pin ATX power connector but the Thermaltake Smart Series 430 W 80+ Certified ATX Power Supply does not. This connector is used to supply additional 12V current to the motherboard. While the system will likely still run without it, higher current demands such as extreme overclocking or large video card current draws may require it.

The extra 4 pins are pretty much only for when you are overclocking with an i9 processor, as that will draw enormous amounts of power. You can plug in your 4+4pin CPU power cables on your 430W PSU and power your i5 without any issues.

  • The motherboard M.2 slot #1 requires an Intel Rocket Lake-based CPU. When an Intel Rocket Lake-based CPU is not used, the M.2 slot is disabled.

Yes it is for the M.2 SSDs which use PCIE rather than older SATA and thus are much faster. You would be able to plug in you current SATA SSD and 2TB HDD off the SATA slots and have it boot from there.

I should also note this Z590 motherboard has three M.2 slots and that with the 10th gen i5 in my list, slots #2 and #3 will still work.

Yes, I would prefer a new case. current case is working, but has problems. power button is glitchy sometimes, lacks usb ports on front/top, poor airflow.

External USB Hub for attaching more USBs. Why do you need more USB ports on the front and top? For wireless mice/keyboard?

If you need more airflow just cut a hole in the side and tape a fan on it. If you are gonna upgrade your case in the future, this could be an temporary solution for now.
 
Top