So, I'm wanting to upgrade to Ryzen. I game at 2560x1440p on my PG278Q. I'm using a GTX980.
I'm considering a 1700X Paired with a MSI Pro Carbon 4 after watching the review of the non pro version. (I use the optical out). It will support the Kingston Predator Memory that Wendell recommended. Then I want to get a refurbed EVGA 1080 FTW card. I want to sustain 60fps+ at 2560x1440p.
What do you think, I want more cores, the option of streaming is nice. The 1600X looks great too. Is the 1700 a better option?
Go 1700 and wait a few days for Vega and it's revolutionary memory unifying technology that utilizes all the memory in your system. You'll be glad you did!
I've had several EVGA cards and they've all been brilliant, with the exception of one. The one that I had problems with was a GTX780 refurb card. I began having random, intermittent crashes, which were extremely difficult to track down, but they typically only occurred when under high GPU load, as when playing a game. Long story short, EVGA had applied thermal paste to only approximately 1/3 of the GPU die. I cleaned everything up, re-applied thermal paste and the card was flawless ... for three weeks, whereupon i began getting all sorts of video artifacting, before crashing.
With literally two days left on my warranty, I reached out to EVGA, who, to their credit, processed a RMA right then, on the spot. This quick decision may have been helped along by the forum post and pics that I had posted on their site three weeks earlier, when I had discovered the thermal paste issue. The bottom line, however, is that they did the right thing and the RMA process was painless.
I'm not trying to talk you out of an EVGA refurb, but since it is an open question of exactly what EVGA's re-certification process consists of, as well as the quality of the techs performing said re-certification, I would urge caution if you are not the patient type, who is OK with attempting to diagnose random, intermittent problems and do without your GPU for ten to fourteen days, should it need to be exchanged. The refurb card that I received in exchange has been absolutely trouble free, so I presume that it's just down to the luck of the draw.
vega will probably be months but a 980 is a decent card to wait with. also i would go for the 1700x. if you go to microcenter you can get a 1700x + mobo and get 100$ off. if you get a 1700 + mobo it's only 50$ off. microcenters prices are generally a few % higher then the cheapest online alternative, but with 100$ off it's the best deal by far, and about the same as a 1700 + mobo online.
also the higher voltage limit is nice and it can overclock a small bit better. also if you go x370 you could use your 980 as a phsyX card after you upgrade.