#41 ·
Thanks for the advice. It isn't exactly an emergency right now, so I’d rather hold off until summer when I have some actual cash on hand. We can put a build together then. I'll be in touch. Best,
Upgrading my old PC for gaming
Started by Jerry Sanders71 · · 👁 10 views · 150 replies
Participants
#42 ·
Hey there! So, I’ve managed to bump my budget up to $1.75. As I mentioned before, here is my current setup. Based on previous advice, I’m planning to hang onto the case and the power supply, but everything else needs to be replaced with new parts
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-DS4
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM: Kingmax Semiconductor 4GB (2GB + 2GB)
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GT 430
PSU: Corsair TX650W
HDD: Western Digital Blue 250GB
I need a machine capable of running Red Dead Redemption 2 smoothly and staying relevant for modern titles for a while.
The hard drive I currently have is fine, especially since I want to pair it with an SSD. Of course, if there’s any room left in the budget after your suggestions, I might consider upgrading to a larger HDD. If my current drive is actually subpar, please let me know—though if it's just a matter of capacity, that isn't a huge deal for me right now.
That’s the situation. Thanks 👍
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-DS4
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM: Kingmax Semiconductor 4GB (2GB + 2GB)
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GT 430
PSU: Corsair TX650W
HDD: Western Digital Blue 250GB
I need a machine capable of running Red Dead Redemption 2 smoothly and staying relevant for modern titles for a while.
The hard drive I currently have is fine, especially since I want to pair it with an SSD. Of course, if there’s any room left in the budget after your suggestions, I might consider upgrading to a larger HDD. If my current drive is actually subpar, please let me know—though if it's just a matter of capacity, that isn't a huge deal for me right now.
That’s the situation. Thanks 👍
#43 ·
If you can stretch your budget a bit $33, this build would be killer
post the pics
If staying under $1667 is the goal, grab a cheap GTX 1050 Ti instead. It’s an insane value for anything under $667
edit: found it on CNN
post the picsIf staying under $1667 is the goal, grab a cheap GTX 1050 Ti instead. It’s an insane value for anything under $667
edit: found it on CNN
#44 ·
@analogtiger19/">@@analogtiger19
Not sure if you mentioned which case you're running, so just double-check how much clearance you actually have before pulling the trigger... don't want you getting screwed. 😬
Look, check your case dimensions first, then look at the manufacturer's spec sheet for the card length. Online retailers can be hit or miss with the details. For instance, that RX 480 from Best Buy that juretherebel linked says it's 310mm, but the card is actually only 240mm 😵, whereas for that NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 he linked, there's no length listed at all (even though it's 280mm).
Not sure if you mentioned which case you're running, so just double-check how much clearance you actually have before pulling the trigger... don't want you getting screwed. 😬
Look, check your case dimensions first, then look at the manufacturer's spec sheet for the card length. Online retailers can be hit or miss with the details. For instance, that RX 480 from Best Buy that juretherebel linked says it's 310mm, but the card is actually only 240mm 😵, whereas for that NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 he linked, there's no length listed at all (even though it's 280mm).
#45 ·
wiredotter14 said:if you can stretch your budget a little $33, this would be an excellent configuration
If you want to stay under $1667, you could grab the much cheaper NVIDIA GTX 1060 3GB, which offers incredible value for under $667
https://www.cnn.com/sapphire-rx-48...hdmi-2xdp.aspx
edit: that's from CNN
analogtiger19 said:@Tyler Booth7
I'm not sure if you mentioned which case you're using, so just make sure to check how long the GPU is before you buy it... you don't want to get stuck😬
Basically, check your case clearance first, then look up the actual card length on the manufacturer's site, because retail sites can be unreliable. For instance, that NVIDIA GTX 1060 3GB from CNN that wiredotter14 linked claims a length of 310mm, when the card is actually only 240mm 😵, whereas for the linked EVGA GTX 1060, there's no dimension listed at all (even though it's 280mm)
.
Thanks for the advice. The build looks great to me, and stretching the budget by those $33 isn't an issue 😁. I will definitely double-check all the dimensions before purchasing so there aren't any surprises 👍
.
If no one else in the group has any objections to the setup or other suggestions, I think this is it.
#46 ·
If I find out my case is too small and won't fit my GPU, does anyone have a recommendation for a new one I should grab?
#47 ·
It really just depends on your budget and what you're looking for.
https://www.amazon.com/zalman-mid-tower-case-z3-plus/dp/B00M9S9U3E
This one is a solid choice—it actually comes with four fans pre-installed.
But honestly, you could probably go with something cheaper and less ventilated. Your build isn't exactly a power hog.
https://www.amazon.com/zalman-mid-tower-case-z3-plus/dp/B00M9S9U3E
This one is a solid choice—it actually comes with four fans pre-installed.
But honestly, you could probably go with something cheaper and less ventilated. Your build isn't exactly a power hog.
#49 ·
I don't want to clutter the feed with extra posts, and I also want to apologize to the gentleman I'm jumping into his thread... but since those massive new GPUs and CPUs have just hit the market, could I get some advice? I'm looking at upgrading my next build with a budget of up to $1,000 from Micro Center:
CPU: Intel i7
Cooler: Liquid Cooler CC-120
Motherboard: ASUS Prime Motherboard
RAM: Kingston HyperX 2x4GB 1866MHz
GPU: EVGA R9 280 3GB WF3
PSU: XFX TS Series 550W 80+
Basically, my plan is to beef up the graphics card, the processor, and the RAM. I'd love to hear your thoughts—should I hold off a bit longer or pull the trigger now? Thanks in advance!
CPU: Intel i7
Cooler: Liquid Cooler CC-120
Motherboard: ASUS Prime Motherboard
RAM: Kingston HyperX 2x4GB 1866MHz
GPU: EVGA R9 280 3GB WF3
PSU: XFX TS Series 550W 80+
Basically, my plan is to beef up the graphics card, the processor, and the RAM. I'd love to hear your thoughts—should I hold off a bit longer or pull the trigger now? Thanks in advance!
#50 ·
Raymond Anderson14, first things first: what’s the end goal here? What kind of monitor are we actually talking about?
If you're sticking with a 1080p 60Hz screen, you could drop some cash on an NVIDIA GTX 1050 or maybe an NVIDIA GTX 970, but honestly, it's not much of an upgrade. You won't feel much difference. Anything beyond that is complete overkill for 1080p. Now, if you're planning to jump to a 1080p 144Hz setup or move up to 1440p, then yeah, a real upgrade makes sense—but you've gotta factor in the cost of the new monitor plus upgrading the whole rig.
That CPU and GPU combo is perfectly fine for 1080p. Actually, if you overclock that processor, it might even handle a beefier card for 1440p gaming, like an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or even a NVIDIA GTX 1070. You'll run into some bottlenecking, sure, but future titles will likely lessen the impact of older CPUs. Of course, that depends on whether you actually have the budget for a decent CPU overhaul. Moving to a non-overclocked i5 isn't much of an upgrade at all.
P.S. Don't bother messing with the RAM. You aren't going to see any real benefit from more capacity or faster speeds. Plus, if you move to Skylake, you'll be forced onto DDR4, which is just more money out of your pocket. In your situation, I'd actually consider sticking with a DDR3 board for Skylake since your current RAM is actually decent.
If you're sticking with a 1080p 60Hz screen, you could drop some cash on an NVIDIA GTX 1050 or maybe an NVIDIA GTX 970, but honestly, it's not much of an upgrade. You won't feel much difference. Anything beyond that is complete overkill for 1080p. Now, if you're planning to jump to a 1080p 144Hz setup or move up to 1440p, then yeah, a real upgrade makes sense—but you've gotta factor in the cost of the new monitor plus upgrading the whole rig.
That CPU and GPU combo is perfectly fine for 1080p. Actually, if you overclock that processor, it might even handle a beefier card for 1440p gaming, like an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or even a NVIDIA GTX 1070. You'll run into some bottlenecking, sure, but future titles will likely lessen the impact of older CPUs. Of course, that depends on whether you actually have the budget for a decent CPU overhaul. Moving to a non-overclocked i5 isn't much of an upgrade at all.
P.S. Don't bother messing with the RAM. You aren't going to see any real benefit from more capacity or faster speeds. Plus, if you move to Skylake, you'll be forced onto DDR4, which is just more money out of your pocket. In your situation, I'd actually consider sticking with a DDR3 board for Skylake since your current RAM is actually decent.
#51 ·
Yeah, look at the graph, like this one. As for RAM, it really depends on what you're using the PC for—if it’s just web browsing, general everyday tasks, or gaming, you don't need more than 8GB. You'd be much better off putting an SSD in instead, like this
.
.
#52 ·
wiredotter14 said:Raymond Anderson14, first things first: what’s your actual goal with this upgrade? And what kind of monitor are you planning to play on?
If you’re sticking with a 1080p 60Hz monitor, you could put some money into an NVIDIA GTX 1050 or maybe an NVIDIA GTX 970, but honestly, it isn't much of an upgrade, and you won't see a massive difference. Anything beyond that feels like overkill if you just want to play at 1080p. However, if you’re looking to jump to a 1080p 144Hz setup or move up to 1440p, then you definitely need to think about a serious upgrade—just keep in mind you'll have to factor in the cost of the new monitor plus upgrading the whole rig.
That CPU and GPU combo is actually quite decent for 1080p. In my opinion, if you overclock the processor, it could likely handle a more powerful card for 1440p gaming, like an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or even an NVIDIA GTX 1070. You might run into some bottlenecking, but future titles will actually help mitigate those bottlenecks for processors like yours. Of course, we also need to consider whether you have the budget for a proper CPU overhaul. Moving to a non-overclocked i5 wouldn't really be much of an upgrade for you.
P.S. There's no point in upgrading your RAM; you won't gain anything from adding more capacity or faster speeds. Plus, if you decide to move to a Skylake platform, you'll need DDR4, which adds another expense. Personally, given your current situation, I might even look into a DDR3 motherboard compatible with Skylake since you already have good RAM available.
I'm talking 1080p gaming at max resolution... I agree that my current card is still okay, but I can't enjoy playing when everything hitches for a few seconds or I get these FPS drops that drive me absolutely crazy. I'd love a high-quality card, preferably NVIDIA, and a better processor. Since I'm not entirely sure about compatibility with my current peripherals and motherboard, that's why I'm asking here. 🙂 Thanks!
#53 ·
Tyler Booth7 said:I just heard from CNN that this motherboard isn't being stocked by importers anymore, so I can't get it ordered. It looks like Best Buy pulled it from their site too. Does anyone know what I should pick up instead? Thanks.
https://www.cnn.com/motherboard-asr-b150m-hds.aspx
#54 ·
crimsonstag84 said:https://www.cnn.com/tech/motherboard-asrock-b150m-hds.aspx
I ended up finding one at a local Best Buy anyway. Thanks regardless.
#55 ·
Raymond Anderson14 said:1080p gaming.. max settings.. I agree this card is still decent.. but I can't get any smooth gameplay without it stuttering for a few seconds or hitting some FPS drops that drive me crazy. Looking for a quality card, preferably NVIDIA, and a CPU.. since I don't really know if they'll be compatible with my current setup/motherboard, which is why I'm asking here. 🙂 Thanks
Have you overclocked the processor? Which games are giving you those FPS drops? Drivers up to date? What kind of FPS are we talking about? Maybe certain settings in specific games are just choking the GPU.
The Intel i7 is a very capable processor, and it'll perform even better in DirectX 12 and Vulkan games. Plus, the Intel FX bottleneck shrinks at higher resolutions, and it should be enough to run most modern titles at 60FPS.
You could upgrade the GPU to max out 1080p—maybe an NVIDIA GTX 1050, a GTX 1060, or a NVIDIA GTX 970 if you find a good deal.
But if you actually have $1,000 on hand, just buy a better monitor. Dumping $1,000 into a 1080p build that's already decent is just madness.
P.S. all GPUs are compatible with basically any motherboard from the last 7 years.
You could grab one of these three:
Each of these is great for the price—you get what you pay for—but the last one would be the sweet spot for you because you don't realistically need anything stronger for 1080p. The NVIDIA GTX 1060 3GB is also a solid value, and you don't need more than 4GB of VRAM for 1080p.
The GTX 1060 is total overkill.
#56 ·
How is the NVIDIA GTX 1060 considered overkill when it’s actually about 10% faster than the NVIDIA GTX 1060 3GB in DX11 titles, and usually just slightly slower in DX12? 😬 Or are you strictly talking about the 6GB VRAM version? I don't think it's really overkill for 1080p.
You could probably snag an overclocked CPU (~4.3GHz), a GTX 1070, and a WQHD IPS monitor for under $1,000.
You could probably snag an overclocked CPU (~4.3GHz), a GTX 1070, and a WQHD IPS monitor for under $1,000.
#57 ·
crimsonstag84 said:How is the GTX 1060 overkill when it averages 10% faster than the NVIDIA GTX 1060 in DX11 games, and usually slightly slower in DX12 games? 😬 Or are you just talking about the 6GB VRAM? It’s definitely not overkill for 1080p.
An overclocked CPU (~4.3GHz), a GTX 1070, and a WQHD IPS monitor—you can pull that together for under $1,000.
It's overkill in terms of RAM and price, and that 10% boost isn't actually necessary for Full HD. You pay extra for that RAM and that tiny performance bump, but you don't see much impact at Full HD. Basically, if the goal is strictly 1080p, I think the NVIDIA GTX 1060 3GB is a way better value.
Personally, if I were aiming for 1440p, I'd probably grab the GTX 1060 because the 6GB version is priced really well compared to the 8GB NVIDIA GTX 1060, but 1080p is a different story.
BTW, in DX12 games, from what I've seen, there isn't any massive advantage for AMD, though who knows if that'll change. Vulkan game though 😁
I agree with the second part 😉 regarding spending $1,000 to jump to a higher tier. An overclocked Intel i7 won't significantly bottleneck a GTX 1070 at 1440p. Of course, at 1080p, you'd deal with a much larger CPU bottleneck on a 144Hz screen.
#58 ·
Honestly, I’d stick to what I suggested: either grab an NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB (their prices are pretty solid right now) or go with an NVIDIA GTX 1060 3GB (specifically those custom models under $667). As for everything else, just pick up a 240GB or even a 480-525GB SSD and you'll be good to go. Beyond that, there isn't much worth swapping out unless he really wants to justify the extra cost.
#60 ·
I’d probably lean toward an RTX 3060 (those Nvidia cards tend to play a bit nicer with AMD processors) and an SSD, even with $1,000 sitting there to spend.
http://www.bestbuy.com/product.asp?produc...&code=09829ADM
At this capacity, I guess the Sandisk Extreme might actually be a better value than the Samsung 870 EVO, even if it costs $27 more.
http://www.bestbuy.com/product.asp?produc...&code=09829ADM
At this capacity, I guess the Sandisk Extreme might actually be a better value than the Samsung 870 EVO, even if it costs $27 more.
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