CPU upgrade for Acer predator po3 640 finding a replacement for the PSU

Im considering swapping my intel i5-12400f with a intel i5-13600kf. Since im experiencing bottleneck from my cpu while playing Warzone 2. But im unsure if my mobo supports the new cpu. And im also worried that my stock PSU would not be able to handle it. I know that some po3 640 comes with the i7-12700f which uses around the same wattage, but I would like to know if its doable. Since finding a replacement for the PSU is almost. impossible

My system:

Motherboard: U3E1 (b660)

Ram: 32 gb ddr 4

GPU: RTX 3070

Current CPU: I5-12400F

SSD: 1TB

PSU: 80 gold 500W

Model: Acer predator PO3-640

[Edited the thread to add issue detail]

Accepted answers

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1171131#Comment_1171131

Thaks for all that, as I'm trying to assist all community members and its not a problem. But as far as the 13th gen CPU its a NO, as the B660 chipset that the PO3-640-UD13 12th gen desktop has is not compatible with the 13th gen CPU's as they need 700 chipsets and some mobos manufacturers do make Z690 chipset boards that are compatible with the 13th gen CPU's but Acer does not with the PO3-640-UD13 12th gen desktop. To upgrade the i5 PO3-640 you not only need to upgrade the cpu as its a whole balance of upgrading cpu, ram and gpu, so do it that way.

The reason why you are experiencing cpu bottlenecks is because your cpu cant keep up with your GPU, its an advantage to upgrade the cpu to the i7 12th gen and also the ram so that the system can keep up with the RTX 3070, if the GPU then its vice versa, bottleneck issues, from either the CPU or GPU, are usually caused by the unbalanced component work speed.

To avoid the problems, you should always have the right CPU and GPU combo in a computer. Also, you should select the computer components in line with the video games you usually play. For choosing the right CPU and GPU pair, you can use a CPU bottleneck calculator like with PC Builds and this is their results for your system:

i5-1212400F with the RTX3070 at 1920x1080 pixels

Intel Core i5-12400F is too weak for NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 on 1920 × 1080 pixels screen resolution for General Tasks.

This configuration has 26.2% of processor bottleneck .

When playing games your graphic card won't perform on maximum possible performances (won't be utilized to the maximum), because you processor won't process and deliver data fast enough. This theoretically means that utilization of you processor will be on maximum and the potencial of graphic card will not be completely used.

COMPONENT UTILIZATIONS

While running general tasks, processor Intel Core i5-12400F will be utilized 100.0% and graphic card NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 will be utilized 73.8%. Processor bottleneck is worse, than graphic card bottleneck, because utilization of your processor will be on maximum and it will throttle other programs that are ran in background. Also you won't experience maximal performances that your graphic card offers.

SOLUTION

You can resolve this by upgrading your processor or by downgrading your graphic card. Downgrading your graphic card doesn't make much sense and in that case is better to leave current graphic card in you computer.

REDUCING THE BOTTLENECK BY CHANGING THE SCREEN RESOLUTION

If you are experiencing processor bottleneck, increasing your resolution will have a high impact on your graphic card and it's utilization will increase. Also when you are experiencing graphic card bottleneck, lowering your resolution will allow your graphic card to process more data and achieve higher frames per second. More frames per second will put higher impact on your processor because it needs to prepare more data for your graphic card. You can reduce this bottleneck by changing your screen resolution to one of these resolutions.

All comments

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/677104/cpu-upgrade-for-acer-predator-po3-640

These are all the compatible CPUs compatible with your PO3-640:

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/677104/cpu-upgrade-for-acer-predator-po3-640

The i7-12700F will work 100% with your mobo as Acer uses the same mobo but, you also need to upgrade the ram to at least 32GB or preferably 64GB to have any chance of playing all high-end games without the problems that you are having, and with Warzone 2. I would also upgrade the cpu cooler to the excellent Noctua NH-U9S chromax.black cooler as this cooler fits into this desktops spaces and is an excellent cooler. All these upgrades and if you get the proper settings for Warzone 2, you will be able to play this game and any high-end games flawlessly at their top settings.

BobbiDAGAL

Hey Steven thanks alot for you reply!

I have already read alot of great post from you, so I have already added 2 stick of 8 gb to my existing 16 gb. And I have also installed the noctua NH-U9S as my cpu cooler. Which helps alot. But im stille experiencing bottleneck.

I cant see where you posted all the compatible CPU for my po3 640?

I would love to get the i5-13600kf, since its the same price as the i7-12700f but it got around 15% better performance. But does it fit the mobo and can the PSU handle it? I dont intend to overclock it.

BobbiDAGAL

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1171092#Comment_1171092

Hey Steven thanks alot for you reply!

I have already read alot of great post from you, so I have already added 2 stick of 8 gb to my existing 16 gb. And I have also installed the noctua NH-U9S as my cpu cooler. Which helps alot. But im stille experiencing bottleneck.

I cant see where you posted all the compatible CPU for my po3 640?

I would love to get the i5-13600kf, since its the same price as the i7-12700f but it got around 15% better performance. But does it fit the mobo and can the PSU handle it? I dont intend to overclock it.

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1171131#Comment_1171131

Thaks for all that, as I'm trying to assist all community members and its not a problem. But as far as the 13th gen CPU its a NO, as the B660 chipset that the PO3-640-UD13 12th gen desktop has is not compatible with the 13th gen CPU's as they need 700 chipsets and some mobos manufacturers do make Z690 chipset boards that are compatible with the 13th gen CPU's but Acer does not with the PO3-640-UD13 12th gen desktop. To upgrade the i5 PO3-640 you not only need to upgrade the cpu as its a whole balance of upgrading cpu, ram and gpu, so do it that way.

The reason why you are experiencing cpu bottlenecks is because your cpu cant keep up with your GPU, its an advantage to upgrade the cpu to the i7 12th gen and also the ram so that the system can keep up with the RTX 3070, if the GPU then its vice versa, bottleneck issues, from either the CPU or GPU, are usually caused by the unbalanced component work speed.

To avoid the problems, you should always have the right CPU and GPU combo in a computer. Also, you should select the computer components in line with the video games you usually play. For choosing the right CPU and GPU pair, you can use a CPU bottleneck calculator like with PC Builds and this is their results for your system:

i5-1212400F with the RTX3070 at 1920x1080 pixels

Intel Core i5-12400F is too weak for NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 on 1920 × 1080 pixels screen resolution for General Tasks.

This configuration has 26.2% of processor bottleneck .

When playing games your graphic card won't perform on maximum possible performances (won't be utilized to the maximum), because you processor won't process and deliver data fast enough. This theoretically means that utilization of you processor will be on maximum and the potencial of graphic card will not be completely used.

COMPONENT UTILIZATIONS

While running general tasks, processor Intel Core i5-12400F will be utilized 100.0% and graphic card NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 will be utilized 73.8%. Processor bottleneck is worse, than graphic card bottleneck, because utilization of your processor will be on maximum and it will throttle other programs that are ran in background. Also you won't experience maximal performances that your graphic card offers.

SOLUTION

You can resolve this by upgrading your processor or by downgrading your graphic card. Downgrading your graphic card doesn't make much sense and in that case is better to leave current graphic card in you computer.

REDUCING THE BOTTLENECK BY CHANGING THE SCREEN RESOLUTION

If you are experiencing processor bottleneck, increasing your resolution will have a high impact on your graphic card and it's utilization will increase. Also when you are experiencing graphic card bottleneck, lowering your resolution will allow your graphic card to process more data and achieve higher frames per second. More frames per second will put higher impact on your processor because it needs to prepare more data for your graphic card. You can reduce this bottleneck by changing your screen resolution to one of these resolutions.

BobbiDAGAL

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1171149#Comment_1171149

Hey Steven, I finally got my CPU upgraded to the I7-12700F which increased my FPS in warzone by a whole 20 fps, which im very happy for.

I also listened to your advise regarding installing some extra ram. I went to use the crucial scanner, and found 2 x 8 gb so I could run quad channel. I will post the link for the rams I bought. They are CL22 and should run at 3200 mhz, same as the one which the computer came with. But when I booted the computer up I could see that the rams were only running at 2933 MHz instead of 3200. Do you know why that is? Im pretty sure the rams should match. Is there anything I can do or is that to be expected?

The rams I bought:

2-8GB DDR4-3200 UDIMM 1.2V CL22

CT2K8G4DFRA32A

https://www.crucial.com/memory/ddr4/ct2k8g4dfra32a

Im very greatfull for your help

-Bobbi

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1175554#Comment_1175554

Thats great to hear, with the ram running at 2933 MHz instead of 3200, its because the ram modules are not the same, they must not be any different in DIMMs 1,2,3,4 and they must match the 2x 8GB DDR4-3200MHz timings exactly of the Acer oem fitted ram, have a look at all the timings in CPUz SPD sections for what their Timing Tables are of each module, as for the ram to run at 3200MHz they all must match and be the same timings and if any are different, even if they are DDR4-3200MHz you get a total speed difference in Task Manager to what it should be and that is a total of 3200MHz speed,

Just as an example below is my CPUz SPD #1 and #5 in my Nitro 5 AN515-56 that is running on DDR4-3200MHz ram into 2x slots and both modules have the same "Timing Table" and in Task Manager the speed is running at 3200MHz, so that is what I mean and that is what you need for the ram to run at 3200MHz speed and in Dual Channel ram and not quad channel as your motherboard does not cater for Quad Channel ram, you need a special motherboard for Quad Channel ram that are only used for high end systems and your PO3-640 hasn't got that.

Task Manager

SPD #1

SPD #5

BobbiDAGAL

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1175562#Comment_1175562

Oh Well, dint know that. Do you reckon I should just keep the ram as they are, or is a decrease from 3200 MHz to 2933, a Big difference? Or should I just return Them? Guess next time I Would do something like that I Would just buy 4 new sticks or 2 16 gbs.

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1175581#Comment_1175581

If you can send the Crucial ram back then I would try and buy exactly the same ram as what Acer fitted to your desktop, same manufacturer and part number as that will give you 4x exact ram and will 100% run at 3200MHz speed., that is your option.