Fall Upgrade!

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.

Maybe grab an NVIDIA GT 1030 or a 560 and see if I can squeeze in another 4 GB of RAM—probably looking at used parts though.
That should bring the total to a bit over $333.

But hey, I'm sure someone who actually knows their stuff will jump in and give you some better advice!👍

4GB of RAM would be great, but even adding 2GB is the bare minimum upgrade you need here...

maybe look for a used GTX 1050 Ti

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!

gentlemoose19 said:Lawrence Phillips, are you thinking that RX is used too, or...?

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

Thanks for all the replies—honestly, I’m hoping for even more advice, the more the merrier!

For like, maybe $60, you could actually grab a brand new RX 560.
The 1050 Ti that was suggested is also stronger than the RX 560, though I guess maybe your Intel Core i7 might struggle to keep up with it properly anyway...

If you're looking at used gear, check out Craigslist for an RX 460—you can find them for around $30-$200.

Of course it will be able to

double up

Bryan Taylor6 said:Of course it'll run

From what I managed to dig up online, people used to say something like a GTX 660 was the sweet spot for that CPU—but hey, I'm definitely no expert here.

But honestly? If a GTX 1050ti works with that processor, then you're totally golden. That thing is actually a pretty beefy little card!👍

Lawrence Phillips said:From what I've seen online, people used to suggest something like a GTX 660 was the sweet spot for that CPU, but honestly... I'm no expert.

But look, if a 1050ti can handle that processor, then even better. That's actually a pretty decent card.👍

Yeah, exactly.

He could also check out some older stuff like a GTX 960, R9 280, and so on.

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.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/graphics-card-listing

https://www.amazon.com/ram-memory-listing

Maybe grab that Mushkin RAM.

A new SSD would be good for installing Windows and all your non-gaming apps:

https://www.newegg.com/adata-ssd-listing

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.

gentlemoose19 said:crimsonstag84, this looks okay, but is it an issue that my current RAM is Corsair and the one you sent is Mushkin?
Also, which is better, 2x2 or 1x8, since I'm currently running 2x2 GB?
Not exactly an expert here, so just asking..

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

Doesn't matter if they aren't the same brand. At stock speeds, this Mushkin is PC-12800 or 1600MHz, so there shouldn't be any issues.

Better to go with 2x2GB so you don't run into dual channel headaches—you don't want the motherboard splitting 8GB into dual channel and 4GB into single channel.

Besides, adding another 2x2GB gives you 4x2, totaling 8GB, which is plenty.
If you buy an extra 8GB, you'll end up with 12GB, which you don't need.

That GTX 960 is a solid deal, but honestly, you might want to consider some slightly lower-end GPUs too (like the GTX 660, 750Ti, HD7850 2GB, R7 265 2GB, or even an R9 270), especially if you stumble upon one that's noticeably cheaper.

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

Some guy on Craigslist is selling a GTX 1050 Ti with 4GB of VRAM for $333. Might be worth trying to lowball him a bit and grab some 4GB DDR3 1600 RAM for $33 too... I saw a similar deal somewhere else once

The cool thing about these 1050 cards is they only pull about 75W, whereas those older ones can hog 150W or more

That idea regarding the GTX 960 is solid

I just spotted a GTX 1050 2 GB with a warranty until $240