Posts by gentlemoose19

Thanks for all the input, everyone—I have a much better idea of what I should be aiming for now.

crimsonstag84, this looks alright—but is there going to be an issue since my current RAM is Corsair and the one you suggested is Mushkin?
Also, would 2x2 GB be a better move than 1x8 GB, considering I'm running 2x2 GB right now?
I'm no expert here, so I'm asking...

With this setup, I’d actually have about $25 left over for a cooler—maybe a used Scythe Katana or a 212 Evo.

Looking at the numbers, just a used 1050 Ti seems to be the cheapest route at about $300..
Once you factor in RAM and a decent low-end cooler, I’m looking at over $1500 $533..

So, my plan is to aim for that older generation mentioned—something that hits the sweet spot for the processor. I want a balanced build where the CPU isn't bottlenecking the GPU, or vice versa.

Just to be clear again: I'm not trying to push this rig through the latest AAA heavyweights. My main targets are titles like Pro Evolution Soccer, FIFA, Call of Duty, and Grand Theft Auto V—basically anything from the last three or four years.

Lawrence Phillips, are you assuming that RX is used as well?

Bryan Taylor6, will an NVIDIA card work with my motherboard?

Thanks for the replies—hoping for more advice, the more the better!

Hey everyone,

In short—I need some advice on upgrading my PC components; this machine has definitely seen better days. I’ve set a modest budget of $333 (+/- $33), hoping it’ll last me at least another few years. I’m not trying to push modern titles on Ultra or High settings—my main focus is FIFA or Pro Evolution Soccer (up to 2017), COD (from 2013 onwards), or maybe even Call of Duty if I can pull off that combo. At the very least, I want Grand Theft Auto V to run on Medium/High with a smooth frame rate.

Maybe (read: probably) my expectations are unrealistic, and I'm certainly no hardware expert—so any guidance would be appreciated. Naturally, I’m primarily aiming for used parts. I plan to keep the CPU, add a cooler, more RAM, and obviously a new GPU (the current one is dead—details below). I might also swap in an SSD and potentially a new PSU if needed.

Current specs:
CPU: Intel Core i7

GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1GB (pretty sure this thing is fried; it's currently disabled in Device Manager because whenever I try to enable it, the screen just goes black)

RAM: Corsair Vengeance 2X2GB 1600 MHz

MOBO: ASRock M3A770DE

HDD: Western Digital 320GB

PSU: I believe it's a Corsair

Thanks.