Posts by Adam Moore3

A buddy of mine is running an AMD Ryzen 5, an ATI Radeon HD 6850, and an EVGA 450W PSU. He's a massive fan of The Witcher series—probably played the second one about 15 times—so we tried getting The Witcher 3 to run, but it's a struggle. He’s barely hitting 30 FPS on low settings at 1280x1024, even though he's using a 1080p monitor. Money is tight right now, so he’d have to sell his current gear to pick up something used.

Is it realistic to ask $133 for a 6850? It’s a full bundle, works perfectly, and the thermal paste has already been replaced. The cheapest one I found online is going for $167. Honestly, this seems like the only decent deal out there—Best Buy. Or maybe a 6950 for a similar price. Since they have similar power levels and the 7850 is newer, I think the 7850 is probably the better bet. I also saw an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 for $250. Is that worth it or not?

Kenneth Diaz6 said:the PC is running like a beast
after installing those new drivers for some reason.

Hard drive is only 3 months old, cost about $133, might grab a new one in 2 months, paid $117 for the RAM.

The reality is, this platform is dead. If someone picks this up, they're doing it for cheap just to run Office, watch movies, or browse the web. Maybe some really old games for a kid or something. That new HDD costs $117, you might be able to sell it for $200, but you definitely overpaid for the RAM since it's DDR2—it's ancient, out of production, and practically obsolete now. Those sticks are realistically worth maybe $200-$ $83. The rest of the build isn't worth much, unfortunately. If you sold everything piece by piece, you might scrape together $700, but nobody wants this as a bundle because it's just too outdated. Honestly, I doubt anyone would pay more than $600 for the whole thing, man.

No worries, just don't let them screw you over by trying to sell you something inferior to what we suggested, because anything less than this is a total scam. You're looking at an Intel Core i5-4460 plus a GTX 960 or R9 280 as your absolute baseline. Avoid those pre-built bundles at all costs. 🙂

Nobody actually suggested the GTX 760 to you; the recommendation was for the GTX 960, and that's the one you should be looking at.

Carl Campbell said:I've got three used office PCs I'd love to get rid of, so I'd appreciate some help figuring out what they might be worth. 😁

HP Compaq 6200 Pro Microtower
Intel i3 3.1 GHz
2GB RAM
500GB HDD Seagate Barracuda
Chipset - Intel Q65 Express

Lenovo A70
Intel E7500 2.93 GHz
2GB RAM
500GB HDD Seagate Barracuda
Chipset - Intel G41

HP Compaq DX2450 Microtower
AMD Athlon 2.8GHz
1GB RAM
250GB HDD Seagate Barracuda

All running Windows 7 pro

Available monitors include a Philips 192 e 19, a ViewSonic ca2231ea-led 23", and an AOC 919VZ 19".

Roughly this much: maybe $400-$167 per PC. It’ll be tough to get more than that since these are just standard office machines that nobody really needs. Monitors should go for about $200-$100 each on average.

Kenneth Diaz6 said:Hey!
I'm wondering roughly how much cash I could get for a computer with these specs:

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ 2.10 Ghz
Motherboard: Gigabyte M61SME-S2L
GPU: ATI Radeon HD 3600 series
RAM: DDR2 4Gb 800Mhz (1 slot), Kingston
PSU: MS MAV-300W-P4
HDD: Toshiba dt01aca050 scsi (500 Gb)

Thanks! 😁

Oof, that platform is ancient and pretty much dead. That power supply is so bad I'm surprised it's even still running. If someone actually $200 offers you anything for it, take it and consider yourself lucky.

Why start a whole new thread? You'll get all your answers right here. Here’s the breakdown:

1 x Asrock H81M-HDS, s1150, Intel H81, M-ATX, dual Channel 2 xDDR3
1 x Intel Core i5-4460 3.2 (3.20GHz,1MB,6MB,84 W,1150) Box
1 x Toshiba 1TB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA100
1 x XFX R9 380 2GB, XFX-R9-380P-2DF5, 03.09.2015.!!!
1 x EVGA 500 w, Hyper, PPA5005003, 12cm ventilator
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Corsair, 1600MHz, CL11,Value, CMV8GX3M1A160C11
1 x MS KNIGHT midi tower case without PSU

$1647US Forums

Maybe a few extra bucks over $650, but it's worth it. If that's too steep, you could drop down to 4 GB of RAM, though I wouldn't recommend it. You won't find anything better than this for under $5k.🙂

Chloe Vaughn3 said:Hey everyone, I wanted to pick your brains on something. Since I’m definitely not an expert when it comes to PC hardware, I was wondering if you think this setup can actually handle today's games

processor: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2, 6M Cache
motherboard: Intel B85
memory: 8GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1600 MHz
graphics card: Nvidia N750GT 2 GB DDR5
thanks in advance

It's unbalanced. You didn't list the rest of the specs or the price. Tell me what your budget is and how you plan to pay—cash or credit/installments—and we can figure out something that works for you.

Robert Rodriguez2 said:The setup Smartic put together for you is honestly a total steal if you're looking to game at 1080p or even 1440p. You're in good hands there.

Smartic? 🙂

Paul Perez87 said:Hey, I'm looking for a new motherboard, processor, graphics card, power supply, and RAM (thinking about grabbing one 8GB stick now and adding another in a few months). I'll keep my current case (Thermaltake V3) and my Western Digital WD Green WD10EARS 1TB 5400 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" drive; I'll pick up an SSD later. I also have an Intel E97379-001 CPU Cooler for LGA1155/1156 - OEM, unless that doesn't fit the new setup, then include a new cooler in the offer.
I have about $500-$$1833 to spend. I'd prefer to pay cash, so does anyone know where I can get a cash discount? Also, would that discount still apply if I chose cash on delivery? If there's a discount, I might try to stretch the budget to $600 by adding some peripherals so the total stays within what I can afford. Thanks in advance.

You didn't mention what you'll be using the PC for, though I assume it's mostly gaming. There isn't really a "cash discount"—prices are usually higher when you use credit or financing, so the "cash price" is basically just the standard discounted rate. Here's a suggestion:

1 x Asrock H81M-HDS, s1150, Intel H81, M-ATX, dual Channel 2 xDDR3
1 x Intel Core i5-4460 Processor (3.20GHz, 1MB, 6MB, 84 W, 1150) Box
1 x DDR3 8GB (1x8GB) Corsair, 1600MHz, CL11, Value, CMV8GX3M1A160C11
1 x EVGA 500W Power Supply, Hyper, PPA5005003, 12cm fan
1 x Gigabyte GTX970 WF3 OC 4GB GDDR5, GV-N970WF3OC, 256 bit,

$1879 admin.us

I went a little over budget, but I honestly think this is worth it. That GPU is a massive jump compared to anything lower in the hierarchy, making it a genuine "best buy" among high-end cards. Also, that HDD is pretty slow—it's just a storage drive, so I'm guessing your system feels sluggish. You should grab an SSD as soon as possible to speed things up; it'll make the PC fly... 🙂 And you won't need to upgrade the RAM if you're just gaming.

crimsonstag84 said:It isn't just the VS series; they offer 350W, 450W, 550W, and 650W models. If you have a 400W Corsair PSU, it would have to be a 😉CX

Jonathan Bennett46 said:I finally had a chance to check, and it turns out the power supply actually is a Corsair 450W VS series. Honestly, as a layman, I think 450W should handle all the components just fine.

😍

Taking that into account, you're better off going with the i3 in this situation. The power supply is just okay, and an aftermarket cooler is almost a necessity. An i3 will also serve you very well. 🙂

crimsonstag84 said:It isn't the VS series; they offer 350W, 450W, 550W, and 650W versions. If it's a 400W Corsair unit, it has to be a CX 😉

I know, that's exactly why I figured it was a CX. People often say 400W when it's actually a 450W—just being careless or whatever. You can never be 100% sure when you're dealing with power supplies...🍿

Jonathan Bennett46 said:Adam Moore3..

My power supply is a 400W Corsair, so it should handle everything without any issues.

I’m also going to toss in an old hard drive, maybe 350 GB, but common sense tells me it's worth paying $17 more for a 1 TB drive.

Thanks for the advice; my main goal is to build this so I don't have to sink any more money into it for the next 5 or 6 years, unless something actually breaks.

Which specific Corsair model? If it's 400W, I'm guessing it's a CX, but you really need to double-check. As long as it isn't the VS series, you're fine—though even if it is a VS, it'll work, just don't expect high quality.

As for the hard drive, that's your call. $17 More capacity means double the space, so decide if you want that. One other thing: if you're looking for future-proofing, you might want to consider stretching your budget just a little bit more.😬

So, look, the processor I suggested costs $300, and that's a six-core chip. However, the eight-core AMD FX 8300 is only $33 more, which is basically $333 extra. That's a significant jump for not much cash. Honestly, if you can swing it, it would be pretty smart to stretch a bit further; with the FX 8300, you won't be thinking about an upgrade for a very long time. After all, the CPU isn't something you swap out every couple of years. Here is how it looks:

1 x ASUS Prime, AM3+, AMD 970 SB950, 4x DDR3 2000(O.C.)/1866
1 x AMD FX 8300 3.3GHz Processor, 16MB, 125W, AM3+, FD8300WMHK
1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL11, Value
1 x TOSHIBA 1TB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA100

$720 tech forum

That would be the sweet spot. That FX 6300 used to be the better deal, but now that the FX 8300 is only $333 and the 6300 jumped up to 900, the 6300 isn't such a great value anymore. If you want to save some cash, you could go with the 500 GB hard drive instead, which brings the total down to 2100. Anyway, that's my two cents.🙂

Jonathan Bennett46 said:Hey there,

Does anyone have recommendations for a motherboard, processor, and a 500GB hard drive? I'm looking to spend around $500, maybe up to $667 max. I already have some other parts: 4GB of DDR2 RAM and a 400W power supply. My current graphics card is an AMD Radeon R7 250 OC with 1GB DDR5, PCIe.

The PC will be mainly for gaming.

Thanks.

The issue is that DDR2 RAM. It's going to be tough to find a new motherboard that actually supports DDR2. Here’s a potential combo including the RAM:

1 x ASUS Prime, AM3+, AMD 970 SB950, 4x DDR3 2000(O.C.)/1866
1 x AMD FX 6300 Processor, 3.5GHz, 14MB, 95W, AM3+, FD6300WMHK
1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Kingston, 1600MHz, CL11, Value
1 x TOSHIBA 500GB, 7200rpm, SATA 6 Gb/s, 32MB, DT01ACA050

$665admin.us

Just keep in mind that a 1TB HDD—which is twice the capacity—is only about $5 more. 500GB is $117 while 1TB is $133, so my advice would be to sell that old RAM and stretch your budget to $683 so you can grab the 1TB drive too. If you really don't need that extra 500GB, then the setup above is actually more than enough for you.

Also, what exactly is your power supply model? If it's some cheap generic brand, that could be a problem too. Pop the case open and check what it actually says on the label.

Adam Moore3 said:

Man, I haven't laughed this hard in ages :lol

Robert Rodriguez2 said:ASUS Z97-P, LGA 1150, Intel ® Z97, DDR3, DDR3, 4 slots.
1 x Intel Core i5-4690K Processor (3.50GHz, 1MB, 6MB, 88 W, 1150) Boxed
1 x MSI gtx 750 Ti 2GB GDDR5, N750Ti-2GD5/OCV1, Dual-link DVI-D x 1
Zalman Z1 mid tower case. Dimensions: 199(W)x432(H)x457(D)mm. Standard motherboard support.
1 x DDR3 8GB (2x4GB) Kingston, 1866MHz, CL10, HyperX Fury
1 x Seagate 1TB HDD, SATA III, 7200 rpm, ST1000DM003
1 x FORTRON 400W power supply, HEXA plus 400, 12cm fan
1 x LC Power Cosmo Cool, 92 mm, Hydraulic bearing, 800-2200 rpm...
$1854

What an absolute joke... i5-4690K + gtx 750Ti vs. i5-4460 + GTX 950 + SSD. 🙂

Then just go ahead and grab the Intel Core i5-4690K if that’s really what you want. I honestly don't get why people show up, ask for advice, listen to a full explanation, and then just shut it down with an "But I STILL need..." followed by opening three different threads and spamming half the forum. ☕

Intel build option:

1 x ASUS B85M Pro3, LGA 1150, supports 4th Gen Intel Core i7 / i5
1 x Intel Core i5-4460 Processor (3.20GHz, 1MB, 6MB, 84 W, 1150) Box
1 x 8GB DDR3 (1x8GB) Kingston Fury, 1866MHz, CL10
1 x Gigabyte GF GTX970 G1 GAMING, 4GB GDDR5, DVI, DP, GVN970G14GD-00
1 x Seagate 1TB HDD, SATA III, 7200 rpm, ST1000DM003
1 x FORTRON 550W Raider PSU, RA550, 12cm fan
1 x Zalman R1 mid tower case. 192(W) x 465(H) x 450(D)mm.
1 x OCZ ARC 100 240GB SSD, featuring the OCZ Barefoot 3 M10 controller

$2498admin.com

Yeah, the Hexa is a perfectly decent power supply for that build. If you were running some heavy-duty components, sure, it might be an issue, but since you're just rocking a GTX 960 and an Intel Core i5-4460, you'll be fine...

^ Absolutely. If an i5 can handle it without any compromises, then just go for the i5 👍

A computer you've owned for a year and a half $1333—are you seriously thinking about selling it for $4700 just because of those peripherals? Look, if you had a Razer Ouroboros, a Black Widow keyboard, and a $667 monitor, maybe you could push the price toward $4700, but even then, MAYBE 😬 As for upgrades, adding another 4 GB of RAM is a definite move, but beyond that, you're pretty much stuck. You can't really swap in a better CPU or a GPU without it being a waste of money. You could overclock the processor as much as you want or toss in another 4 GB of RAM, but that’s basically the limit. Unless you're looking to change the whole platform and drop more than $500, of course 🙂