swiftfalcon89 said:The Ryzen 5 3600 actually caught up to the Core i7 8700 Stock (keep in mind this test used an i7 8700K at its stock settings, which runs 500MHz faster than the non-K i7 8700), so those overpriced i5 chips without HT aren't even worth discussing.
An 8600K is cheaper than an 8700 and you can overclock it, making it faster than either the Stock 8700 or a Ryzen 3600 most of the time.
The i5-9400F is noticeably weaker than the Ryzen 5 3600.
Being Futureproof and handling non-gaming workloads is a whole different ballgame.
Yeah, Intel still owns the high-end market, but when you look at the mid-range, only the 9600K can actually go toe-to-toe with Ryzen. Everything else just fell flat on its face.
Honestly, I agree with what > said—if you need to save some cash, grab a 2600 or maybe a 1600(X) if the price is right.
You don't have much to choose from if you're looking for new cards in that budget.
The RX550 or the GT 1030. The first one is slightly stronger, but honestly, both are pretty weak. They'll definitely run The Sims 4, but the RX550 is roughly on par with the one recommended above, while the GT 1030 is a bit weaker.
Ideally, you should do what we suggested to that other guy earlier and grab a used RX460—it's similar to an RX 560 and stronger than those two new options—for maybe around $50.
With new cards, obviously, you get the advantage of a warranty, and if you buy online, you can just return it if something's wrong.
But for $100, you'll get better performance with something used for $60-$$233 compared to new, since these entry-level cards are overpriced.
Yeah, looks like a hardware issue. Best bet would be to test that card in another PC to rule out the GPU itself, but if your old one is acting up too, you might be looking at a motherboard failure or something similar.
At least try resetting the BIOS by pulling the battery for a few minutes.
Basically, unplug the PC from the wall, hold down the power button while it's disconnected, and then pop the battery out.
This second one is supposedly a "better deal," but it's total overkill. Honestly, it’s way too much for a build like this—you're better off sticking to something in the same ballpark as the first option but for less cash.
Like an HD7850, which performs pretty close to an RX560 2GB... for about $100.
If your laptop is still running on an old hard drive, just grab a 2.5" SSD. They all use the same form factor, so it’ll slide right into the slot where your old External Hard Drive used to sit.
Don't overthink it—just pick up something budget-friendly. It’s not like you need a top-of-the-line powerhouse for an older machine like this.
Andrew Fox74 said:That's a refurbished card. The link shows RMA status and it only has a 3-month warranty. Honestly, you're better off grabbing one from New York City for less cash, even if it's got more wear and tear.🤔
True, obviously. I didn't see it—well, "saw" it three years ago.🤦
If that's the case, this isn't a bad pick for something new: