Thoughts on replacing damaged parts?

About two weeks ago, my PC finally gave up the ghost. Here is the breakdown of the components and their current status.

Intel Core i3-2120 3.3 GHz LGA 1155 - Most say it isn't worth saving because the socket is ancient.

ASRock H61m/USB 3.0 with 1155 - Fried.

Kingston 2 X4GB DDR3 1333 - Working fine, though outdated.

AMD Radeon HD 7850 GDDR5 2GB - Supposedly giving a weak signal, but might be salvageable.

WD Caviar Blue 500GB - Functional.

DVD-RW, Verbatim Secure Disc 24x, SATA - All working.

Zalman 500W GS Series - I’d swap this out; it’s likely the culprit behind the failure.

Spira Maverick gaming case - Should still be usable.

Any upgrades should probably center around the GPU, but considering it's nearly six years old, I have no idea how much longer it will hold up. Because of that, I was thinking about going with an AMD Ryzen 5 2400G. Apparently, its compatibility with my current card is a solid 9.4 out of 10, and if the card dies, I can just rely on the integrated graphics.

The rest of the parts would look like this:

View on imgur

I am not entirely certain if this motherboard is a good choice, or if there is something better out there.

I picked this specific RAM because of the processor. From what I understand, performance depends heavily on the RAM speed (apparently it can pull up to 2933 or something similar). 2X4GB would be ideal, but this way I can always add another stick later when prices drop.

I chose this power supply because they claim it has plenty of built-in protections. In terms of wattage, it should be more than enough.

Since I already own a hard drive, I figured I'd grab an SSD specifically for Windows.

I am honestly not sure how much sense this entire setup makes right now, so please let me know what you think.🙂

"AMD Radeon HD 7850 GDDR5 2" - supposedly giving a weaker signal, but it might be salvageable"

How'd you figure the signal was weak? Did you test it with something?

The CPU is fine, and since the motherboard doesn't support overclocking, it's not really a big deal... The real issue is the RAM. If you're planning on using the integrated graphics on the processor, you really need a 2x4GB setup. That way you get dual channel working, which makes the RAM much faster and should net you a few extra FPS...

Bryan Taylor6 said:"The AMD Radeon HD 7850 GDDR5 2GB supposedly has a weak signal, but it might still be salvageable"

How exactly did you determine the signal was weak? Did you test it with some kind of diagnostic tool?

The processor is fine, and since the motherboard doesn't support overclocking anyway, that isn't really a factor. The real issue is the RAM. If you intend to rely on the integrated graphics on the processor, you absolutely need a 2x4GB configuration. It needs to run in dual channel mode to boost the speed, which will give you a few extra FPS.

I took it to a repair shop and that is what the technician told me. If I understood him correctly, the graphics card will work, but it will struggle when running software like Maya and similar applications.

I have no interest in overclocking, so that isn't an issue for me. My priority is longevity. This current setup has lasted nearly six years, so I want a build that will survive at least five more and can accommodate this specific graphics card.

Regarding the RAM, does it require both slots to be filled, or will performance just be slightly lower if I use a single 8GB stick? I would rather not invest in a 2x4GB kit only to pull one stick out later. On the other hand, buying 2x8GB is simply too expensive for me right now.

Jerry Scott said:I took it to a repair shop and that's what the tech told me. If I understood him correctly, the graphics card will run, but it's going to struggle with things like Maya and stuff like that.

I'm not interested in overclocking, so that's not an issue. My main priority is longevity. This current setup has lasted me nearly 6 years, so I want something that will survive at least another 5 and can handle this specific graphics card.

Regarding the RAM, does it need both slots filled, or will it just perform poorly with a single 8 GB stick? I'd hate to invest in 2X4GB only to have to pull one out later. On the other hand, buying 2X8GB is just too expensive for me right now.

Don't go with an A320 motherboard unless you absolutely have to because of a tight budget. Grab the ASRock B350 Pro4 and put in 2x4GB. Using any kind of APU without dual channel is terrible here because you end up with half the memory bandwidth using just one stick.

It doesn't strictly need 2x4GB. You can run it on just 8GB total, but you'll take a hit... maybe 10-15% slower performance specifically on the graphics side... check this out



I think if you go with 2x4GB and allocate 2GB to video memory while leaving the rest for system tasks, everything should run smoothly without any stuttering in games... Battlefield 1, COD WWII, Wolfenstein 2... you can definitely pull those off with 6GB of RAM...

Down the road, you can just grab a dedicated GPU and get an extra 2GB of VRAM, or just sell these two sticks and pick up two 8GB sticks once RAM prices drop a bit...

Bryan Taylor6 said:It doesn't strictly need 2x4GB; it'll run on just 8GB, though it'll be a bit slower... maybe 10-15% drop, and mainly in graphics performance... check this out

I think if you go with 2x4GB and split 2GB for video memory and leave the rest for system RAM, everything will run smoothly and games won't stutter much... Battlefield 1, COD WWII, Wolfenstein 2—you can run all those with 6GB of RAM...

Down the road, you can just grab a dedicated GPU and get an extra 2GB of RAM, or sell these two sticks and pick up 2x8GB once RAM prices drop a bit...

I don't know how you crunched those numbers, man, but the difference is way more than 10-15%, as you can see more clearly HERE.

If you aren't sure about what you're saying, it's better not to suggest anything at all. Anyone with even a basic understanding of hardware knows what dual channel means for integrated graphics. You get double the bus width, which results in twice the memory bandwidth. Here's a little education for you CLICK

Besides, the ASRock board is only about $10 more, which is definitely worth it—not just for the extra RAM slots, but because of the overall build quality, the VRM phase design for overclocking, the VRM heatsinks, and so on.

And it'll run "Battlefield" a lot better. 😬

Adam Moore3 said:I am not entirely sure how you arrived at those numbers, friend, but the discrepancy is significantly higher than 10-15%. You can see a more precise breakdown HERE.

If you lack certainty regarding your claims, it is better to refrain from making suggestions altogether. Anyone with even a rudimentary understanding of hardware knows exactly what dual channel means for integrated graphics. It provides a much wider bus, which results in effectively double the memory bandwidth. Here is a bit of education for you: CLICK.

Furthermore, the ASRock board is only about $10 more, which is a worthwhile investment—not just for the extra RAM slots, but for the overall component quality, the VRM phase design for overclocking, and the heatsinks on the VRMs.

And it runs "Battlefield" quite a bit better. 😬

I am feeling a bit concerned regarding this motherboard.

I bought this motherboard with an AMD Ryzen 5 2400G. The BIOS version of my shipped motherboard is P3.00. The minimum BIOS version compatible with this CPU is P4.40, so It won't POST or boot to BIOS, and without another compatible CPU, I can't update the BIOS.

Bought with an AMD Ryzen 5 2400G. BIOS version 3.3 that came with motherboard did not support. AMD sent a "boot kit" (A6-9500). Installed the CPU, and the motherboard still will not post. Trying to RMA the motherboard now, getting the run around from ASRock Support. 1 Star, I bought a computer 3 weeks ago and no idea when it will even post. Thanks

Thanks Quote : The AB350 is supposed to be Raven Ridge Ready. It was not. Now I'm waiting to hear back from ASRock's support about getting the BIOS upgraded since I don't have a compatible CPU to do it myself. Incredibly frustrating. I bought this board specifically because it was supposed to be compatible with the new Ryzen CPUs and it won't even post.

I don't believe the issue lies with the motherboard itself; rather, it seems this newer generation of processors requires a more recent BIOS version (v4.xx) to function properly. Unfortunately, despite these requirements, many retail stores continue to stock motherboards pre-loaded with older BIOS versions designed for the initial Ryzen series (v3.xx). When you go to make your purchase, I would suggest being quite explicit with the staff and requesting that they flash the board to the latest available BIOS version specifically intended for these new Ryzen chips (v4.xx).

Samuel Castillo49 said:It’s probably not an issue with the motherboard itself. This newer series of processors requires a more recent BIOS version (v4.xx), yet retailers keep stocking boards with older BIOS versions meant for the first generation of Ryzen (v3.xx). Just make sure to tell them when you're buying it to flash it to the latest available BIOS version for those new Ryzen chips (v4.xx).

^ This. That board is actually one of the best buys on the market right now; you really can't go wrong with it. Like I said, running in single channel mode while using integrated graphics—especially AMD graphics—is just a huge waste, and it’s going to cost you much more in performance $33 than it's worth.

Samuel Castillo49 said:The issue isn't actually with the motherboard itself. It’s just that this newer generation of processors requires a more recent BIOS version (v4.xx). Despite this, retailers continue to stock boards with older BIOS versions designed for the initial Ryzen series (v3.xx). You simply need to tell them at the point of purchase to flash the latest available BIOS for those new Ryzen chips (v4.xx).

Understood. I will keep that in mind.

Take 2: View on imgur

Would this be a superior option for the RAM? I also opted for a slightly beefier power supply, just to be safe. :slap:

Jerry Scott said:Sure thing, I'll keep that in mind.

Take 2: View on imgur

Would this be a better move for the RAM? I also picked out a slightly beefier power supply, just to be safe. :slap:

If you're already stretching the budget a bit for the PSU, grab a Corsair CX M series for $6.75 more CLICK.

Go with the cheaper, faster RAM—how much extra cash you want to dump into speed is really up to you. Just don't forget to tell the shop to flash the BIOS to the latest version. They should handle it themselves since the PC probably won't run right without the updated BIOS and they need to test it anyway, but it doesn't hurt to mention it.

Jerry Scott said:Sure, I'll keep that in mind.

Take 2: View on imgur

Is this a better move for the RAM? Also grabbed a beefier power supply, just in case. 👏

With this build, you don't need a 600W PSU, or even 500W unless you're planning on dropping a top-tier GPU in there later.

Adam Moore3 said:Just make sure you tell the shop they need to flash the BIOS to the newer version... They really ought to be doing that on their own—I mean, the PC probably won't even behave right without the updated BIOS, and they'd need to test it anyway—but hey, better safe than sorry, I guess.

But how does that actually work? Like, are they just upgrading the BIOS?

The reason I'm asking is because these things are being bought as custom builds—separate components and all that. Are they actually plugging in their own CPU and RAM if an upgrade is needed???

Sent from my iPhone 13 using Reddit

Indeed, the procedure involves installing a processor from an earlier generation, such as a Core i7 1st Gen, onto your chosen motherboard which currently runs an older BIOS version (v3.xx); at that point, one would proceed to install the v4.xx BIOS update, given that the initial series of processors remains fully compatible with these newer firmware iterations. Once everything has been verified as functioning correctly and remaining stable, one can then go ahead and install the more recent processor you have selected, specifically a Core i7 2nd Gen.

Word on the street is that most motherboards have already received their latest BIOS updates.

All the Gigabyte motherboards from MSI and ASUS—every single one of them—already have the latest BIOS updates available.

Unless the retailer is sitting on some old inventory.

Futura has all their boards APU-ready.