Posts by Kyle Robinson41

crimsonstag84 said:Nah, none of that works... that G3258 is just another dual-core processor, and honestly, everything else you've linked here is way overpriced.

I mean, look, it would be much more productive if you just told me what your absolute maximum budget is and what you actually expect from a PC—assuming we aren't talking about some overkill monster. Because if we keep going like this, you could just keep tossing links at me forever without ever actually knowing what you're looking for.😛

So I have $300 well, I think I could stretch to maybe $1,200... and I don't need anything totally insane, just something reasonably fast. I guess I realize I can't really pick out the graphics card myself or whatever... but basically, my biggest headache is when I'm multitasking and the whole thing just locks up or freezes on me, and then I have to hard reset it... that’s easily the worst part. As for gaming, I suppose a kid might be able to put up with a bit of lag for a while... so, really, I just want to know what the best bang-for-my-buck setup is for that amount. Whether that means buying a whole new rig or just upgrading what I currently have, I don't really care.

I mean, would it actually be okay to grab a tiny 32 GB SSD just to run Windows on, or should I really be looking at something with 120 GB or more?

fadedorca66 said:No.

Your processor uses a LGA 1151 socket, but that motherboard is an LGA 1150. So, I guess that CPU just isn't going to fit on that board.

Yeah, I realized that after the fact, so I went looking for something else... how about this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/processors/3.2...listing-22322318

Would that work?

So, I guess the question is, am I actually able to pull the trigger on this stuff? :

Timothy Kim60 said:pentium G4560 - roughly $167
H81 mbo - about $150 (you’ll probably need to handle a BIOS update at the local Micro Center)
4gb ddr4 ram - maybe around 250-$100

And then you'd have your foundation; later on, you can just drop in a power supply, a GPU, and an SSD

Man, seriously? If I pull the trigger on this now, I'm basically stuck waiting forever to scrape together enough cash for everything else... I honestly thought this was going to be a quick fix, but now it feels like I've stumbled into this massive, drawn-out project...

Larry Ortiz5 said:I honestly don't know; if you can possibly hold out for just a few more months until you’ve scraped together enough cash, I’d say go for it and do things the right way. It’s all interconnected, you know? It’s kind of like when you decide to remodel a bathroom—say, you swap out an old bathtub for a modern walk-in shower, but then you leave the tiles, the sink, and the toilet exactly as they were. Except the reality is those things are twenty years old and probably need a full overhaul anyway..

Honestly, I’m at a bit of a loss myself now. I’ve been doing some digging up to $400, and I think I’m actually starting to lose steam regarding the whole idea of upgrading to a better laptop or a desktop than what I’m currently running. I really do want to change things up, though—mostly just to speed things up with the budget I have on hand, haha—but I figured I might ask if anyone could recommend a solid laptop or PC available in the US within that price range. Then I could just sell my old setup and call it a day... 🙂

Also, you really ought to look into replacing that power supply unit too—if not right this second, then definitely down the road (since, I assume, it’s probably seen better days by now?)

I'm not entirely sure what the biggest headache is with your current rig. Is it just general sluggishness, or are you hitting a wall whenever you try to play games? If it's one or both of those issues, you could potentially just grab an SSD and maybe pick up a decent used graphics card.

Honestly, the thing that drives me absolutely crazy is when I'm in the middle of working—just having one or two programs open along with a couple of browser tabs—and the whole system just freezes or locks up on me. Then, well, I'm stuck having to hard reset everything, and once it's back up, the entire machine feels even slower than before. So, instead of just buying random new parts, I guess it might actually make more sense to just get an SSD, a used GPU (maybe that one mentioned earlier in the recommendations?), a new power supply, and this CPU for $17, which would hopefully get things somewhat back on track... though, I suppose, what kind of power supply would actually be reliable enough?

So, what am I even supposed to do at this point? Honestly, I'm just staring at my options and feeling completely overwhelmed... I can't decide if I should grab an SSD, pick up that graphics card, or maybe just go all out and do both to finally get this rig upgraded... or whatever else makes sense.

Here’s the list of power supplies and motherboards I've got available

fadedorca66 said:Let me try to clarify a few things for you, just in case that might make you reconsider your position:

Look, you're essentially working with a processor that’s been sitting around for a decade now, which means your entire platform—the whole Socket 775 setup—is ten years old. It's pretty much ancient history at this point, I guess.
As things stand, we’re firmly in the era of DDR4, and honestly, I feel like DDR3 is starting to lose its grip on relevance quite rapidly, while DDR2? Well, that’s already ancient history at this point.

So, let me get this straight—you’re looking at a platform that's ten years old and you actually think about just tossing it out? I mean, I guess it's possible, but honestly, it seems a bit reckless to me. $333 So, you're seriously telling me you'd go out and buy the exact same platform again? I mean, we're talking about hardware that's ten years old at this point. It seems a bit wild to me, but I guess if someone was truly obsessed with replicating their old setup, that's their prerogative. Personally, I can't wrap my head around why anyone would want to revisit a decade-old architecture when there's so much better stuff out there now.

Honestly, whatever you end up picking up with that kind of budget—especially given how dated this hardware is—it’s going to feel sluggish, and I'd say that's primarily due to the hard drive. To be fair, the upgrade path here is practically non-existent, so you're pretty much stuck with what you get.

If you’re genuinely looking to breathe some life into that PC without emptying your bank account, I suppose the first thing you ought to do is figure out exactly which motherboard you're working with. Once we know what we're dealing with, maybe we can actually see what else is compatible with it. For instance, you could probably pick up an extra 2GB of RAM for... $33I suppose it might be worth looking for a slightly more powerful processor on eBay for the same kind of money, if that's even possible. $33I suppose it would probably be a wise move to actually pop the side panel off and take a proper look at what kind of power supply is sitting inside that chassis. As for getting any real, noticeable performance gains, I guess you’d see the most significant jump if you just invested in an SSD—new 120GB drives are hovering around a pretty reasonable price point these days. $133 Look, you can always find used gear for a much lower price if you're willing to hunt for it. Honestly, if you just install Windows and your basic software on a solid drive, you'll probably see everything running significantly faster than it ever did on that ancient hard drive of yours. And, I suppose, even if you decide to pull the trigger on a brand-new SSD, it’s really not like you're throwing money down the drain; you can always repurpose it later in a new desktop or a laptop down the road.

So, I think I follow your drift here... you're essentially suggesting that instead of blowing my budget on something entirely new, I should take the cash I've got on hand and try to squeeze some more life out of this aging rig of mine. Hmm... alright, fair enough. If I go down that rabbit hole, what exactly should I be scrutinizing regarding the motherboard and the power supply?

[QUOTE=crimsonstag84;64358237]That first one you're looking at is a much better bet than those other two options. If you can talk him down by another 50 bucks, $33, then you've got a solid deal. You could even look into upgrading the GPU later to something like an AMD Radeon RX 560 for just a bit more than $267. If you did that, you'd probably be able to run GTA V on Full HD 1080 at Medium-High settings without any real trouble.[/QUOTE

Well, he’s willing to drop the price on that first unit to 900, but honestly, since he's out in a suburb like Naperville, the drive there is going to be a massive pain in my neck, which is $33. He’d be willing to let it go for 950 total... but I don't know, I guess I should probably keep sniffing around a little longer before I pull the trigger. I'm definitely open to any other suggestions if anyone happens to have a better deal on the table..[/QUOTE]

Look, my absolute ceiling is $900... though I suppose I might be able to stretch it to $333, if I really have to. I've been browsing Craigslist, but honestly, I'm a bit out of my depth when it comes to motherboards and processors. What I really want is something reliable—something fast enough that it won't freeze up or stutter on me constantly. I also wouldn't mind a decent enough graphics card so that when my kid visits, he can play a few games, though they certainly don't need to be high-end titles running at massive resolutions.

I actually gave some thought to picking up a laptop, but I suspect I'd just end up getting an even bigger piece of junk for that kind of money compared to what I could get with a desktop... so, I'll admit, I'm feeling pretty lost here regarding what would actually be a solid buy. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

By the way, is this thing even worth it? $267

A very high-quality Intel Core 2 Duo 3.0GHz computer with a fresh installation of Windows 10 Pro.

Specs:

1. Intel Core 2 Duo E8400, 2x3.0GHz/6MB cache, cooled by a massive SCYTHE Katana cooler.
2. Gigabyte P35-DS3L, top-tier 775 socket motherboard, supports all Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad processors, 4xSATA, 6xUSB, 4xDDR2, LAN, 5.1 audio...
3. 4GB DDR2 Samsung memory (4x1GB)
4. 1.5TB WD Blue Hard Drive, SATA6.0GB/sec (1TB+500GB)
5. XILENCE Red Wing 420W power supply, 80+, a modern component purchased just 6 months ago.
6. ATI 3870, 512MB, DDR4 graphics card, capable of running Full HD 1080p video content from the web as well as less demanding games.
7. DVD-RW, SATA
8. 7-in-1 multi-format card reader.
9. ANTEC Big-Tower case, heavy-duty, thick galvanized steel, high quality, features 2x92mm fans, weighs about 15kg with all hardware included.

$317

1. Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400, 4M Cache, 2.66 GHz + AC Freezer 13
2. DFI BloodIron P35-T2RL Motherboard
3. 6GB DDR2-800, 2x2GB, 2X1GB
4. 250GB WD 3.5" SATA Hard Drive, 16MB cache, 2013 model, works perfectly
5. Gigabyte GTX 460 OC 1GB GPU
6. SATA DVD/RW drive
8. Antec Earthwatts 500W 80+ (a rebranded Seasonic)
9. Case is in decent shape, features an LED screen and temperature probes for the CPU, GPU, and hard drive, plus 92mm front fans and a 120mm rear fan
10. 2.5" multi-card reader

$267
CPU: Intel Core 2, E730 2.66GHz
RAM: 8 GB Dual-Channel DDR2 333MHz
Motherboard: Gigabyte EP35-DS3L (Socket 775)
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GT 640
HDD: 300 GB

Gigabyte chassis, dimensions 20x47.5x42 cm.

thanks

Since my old PC is heading out the door, I was wondering what a realistic asking price might be if I wanted to sell it quickly on Craigslist rather than just tossing it in a dumpster somewhere🙂 I'd appreciate any kind of estimate you guys could give me. Just a heads up, though—the front USB port isn't working, the DVD drive is a bit sluggish, and I'll probably pull the hard drive out anyway so I don't have to deal with migrating all my data. thanks

Processor
Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU E6600 @ 3.06GHz
Manufacturer
Intel
Speed
Intel speed 3.1
Installed Memory RAM 2.50
RAM
2.50 GB
Video Card
Nvidia GeForce 210
Dedicated Memory
974 MB
Total Memory
2.2 GB
Pixel Shader Version
4.1
System type: 32 bit operating system, x64 based processor
Windows 10

So, here’s another question I wanted to throw out there: do you think there's any way I could actually upgrade this setup to make it faster or just generally better? I'm really hoping to get it to a point where it can run games like GTA V, or maybe something a little less demanding than that:

Processor
AMD A8-3850 APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics 2.89 GHz
Video Card
NVIDIA GeForce GT 520

Video Card

NVIDIA GeForce GT 520
Dedicated Memory
512 MB
Total Memory
2.0 GB

RAM
4.0 GB
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 home Premium edition (build 7600), 64-bit

thanks

My only real hesitation at this point is whether I can actually find any chassis that I genuinely like... I mean, how does that process even work?

Well, look, I know the kid can get some gaming done when he comes over to my place... but I was browsing one of those hardware spec sites earlier and it flagged that I've only got 3 GB of RAM installed. So, I guess if I were to add, say, another 2 GB of memory... and maybe pair that with a decent graphics card and a solid case, that would actually turn this thing into a pretty capable machine, right?

Thanks... so I guess all I really need to do is pop that graphics card in and everything else should be fine... though, if I’m being honest, I was still thinking maybe I ought to throw in a bit more RAM, and I definitely need a new case too. I was hoping to fit all of that within the $333 budget... but whatever, I appreciate the advice 🙂

Hey there, everyone!
So, I’ve run into a bit of a situation where I really want to beef up my PC, but I have to admit, I’m definitely not an expert when it comes to this kind of stuff, so I was hoping I might be able to pick your brains for some advice... basically, here is what I am currently running:

Processor
Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU E6600 @ 3.06GHz
Manufacturer
Intel
Speed
Intel speed 3.1
Installed Memory
RAM
2.50 GB
Video Card
Nvidia GeForce 210 Dedicated Memory 974 mb total Memory 2.2 GB pixel shader version 4.1 system Type
Dedicated Memory
974 MB
Total Memory
2.2 GB
Pixel Shader Version
4.1
System type: 32 bit operating system, x64 based procesor
Windows 10

What I am thinking is that I would love to upgrade things a little bit—maybe swap in a better graphics card... or perhaps add a bit more RAM... and so on... just generally trying to make everything feel a little snappier and perform better overall. I also think I probably need a new case, seeing as the front USB ports on my current one don't even work properly. Anyway, I am open to any and all good suggestions you might have... my budget isn't exactly massive, but I suppose there's still some hope, right? haha
thanks