Gaming PC upgrade 2018

Back at the end of 2015, I picked up a used gaming rig—it was doing alright for the most part, but lately, everything just feels sluggish. It’s stuttering constantly, and even after I spent time cleaning out the dust and doing a full reinstall of Windows, it’s still acting up... so, yeah, I figured it was finally time to give my setup a little refresh.

I’ve been doing some deep dives online, looking into what parts actually play nice together—you know, checking compatibility left and right—and I think I found a combo that would hit the sweet spot for me. I’m mostly just wondering if these specific components will work together without any headaches, and honestly, what kind of performance jump am I actually looking at? Like, will it be better than what I have now, or just roughly the same? If anyone here has messed around with these parts before, I'd love to hear if they're worth the buy 😁

I managed to find all the individual components a bit cheaper through Newegg, and I did the math on everything—the whole upgrade should run me about $1250. I actually put it all together in an Excel sheet so it's easier to see (http://prntscr.com/l938ix)

Thanks so much to anyone who can lend a hand or offer some advice! 🙂 🎉

The i3 8100 is a total disaster for that price.

$600For a motherboard and processor combo, you’re looking at pure entry-level junk.

Instead of an i3 with just 4 cores and 4 threads, grab an AMD Ryzen 1600 or a 1600X—you get 6 cores and 12 threads.

https://www.newegg.com/p/ryzen+1600

Pair that with a B350 or B450 motherboard for about $200.

Now that would be a real upgrade. This i3 setup isn't anything special.

Regarding the GPU, you'd get the most bang for your buck by picking up something used—at least an RX580 8GB or a GTX 1060 6GB—otherwise, just stick with what you have.
Truth is, that R9 280 x isn't much weaker than the GTX 1050 you mentioned.

wiredotter14 said:That i3 8100 is a total joke for that price.

$600For a motherboard and CPU combo, you're looking at pure entry-level junk.

Instead of an i3 which is just a 4core/4thread CPU, grab an AMD Ryzen 1600 or 1600X—you get 6core/12thread instead.

https://www.newegg.com/p/ryzen+1600

Pair it with a B350 or B450 board for about $200.

Now that's a real upgrade. Staying on an i3 isn't even worth mentioning.

As for the GPU, your best bet is hunting down used gear. Aim for at least an RX580 8GB or a GTX 1060 6GB, or just stick with what you have.
Truth is, that R9 280 x isn't much worse than the GTX 1050 you mentioned.

I'm with him on the Ryzen 5 1600 or 1600x plus a decent B350/B450 board.

Regarding the GPU, like wiredotter14 said, find something used with a warranty.

RAM: https://www.amazon.com/corsair-2x8gb-...m_medium=click

From Newegg:

AMD Ryzen 5 1600 x Processor, 3600/4000 MHz, socket AM4, no cooler
GIGABYTE B450M DS3H Motherboard, socket AM4, DDR4, DVI, HDMI

Total: $595

Save some cash for a used GPU that still has a warranty (maybe a GTX 1060 or an RX470-580). Honestly, just upgrading the platform should give your games enough breathing room without needing a new card immediately. A GTX 1050 Ti isn't really much of an upgrade over an R9 280 x, so I guess you might as well $467 😬

Thanks for all the input, everyone.

I guess I was mostly picturing a move over to a slightly beefier or similar Intel + Nvidia setup—it just feels more "me" for the types of games I play, so I haven't even really bothered looking into AMD processors or graphics cards 😁

Right now, Intel CPU prices are absolutely tanking.

crimsonstag84, that RAM link you posted isn't working.

So I was thinking 🙂 would it actually be worth ordering stuff from overseas, or does it all even out once you factor in shipping and taxes? Also, I’m really not feeling the whole used market thing—even though I did see some of those GPUs I'm hunting for going for maybe $800-$300. My main goal isn't even to make this rig a beast or anything; I'm pretty happy with how my current setup performs... well, how it *used* to perform when I first built it. I just really want to make the jump over to an Intel + Nvidia combo so there's at least some room for future upgrades down the road—though, honestly, who knows? You never really know. Is there some cheaper motherboard out there that can handle everything I'm looking for? Or maybe something similar that I could put together for around $2800-$1100?

Prices are pretty much the same for those mainstream components. Check this thread for some deals; people here know how to order stuff from overseas too.
Take this RX580, for example—the price is killer.

Cheaper than which motherboard? Not compared to the one from $150, and even that board is just entry-level.

An "upgrade" to an Intel CPU and Nvidia on your budget is barely an upgrade at all. I wouldn't waste my money on that.

Either commit to a decent upgrade—motherboard + CPU + RAM—or just grab a better GPU. You can't do both on that budget.

Honestly, that graphics card is solid enough, and driver support for that generation is still decent. What games are you actually aiming for? Which ones are giving you trouble?

P.S.

The point isn't to pick up a used card for $267 that isn't much better than what you have now; it's about finding something for $400+ that's a massive step up from your current setup.

Since I’ve already got a second PC sitting around with some ancient parts, my plan is to swap out these "old" AMD components from this build and toss them into that machine—then sell the whole thing to help fund the upgrade or replacement of my main rig.

I mean, the whole goal is usually to snag a beefier GPU for less cash, but honestly? I wouldn't jump at a used card if I actually have the budget to just buy something brand new right now.

Like, let me reiterate—the point isn't even really about a massive performance leap; it's more about making the switch over to an Intel + Nvidia setup with roughly the same level of power. Just the fact that everything will be brand new gives me peace of mind that the machine will actually feel better than what I'm running now, even if both systems technically hit similar benchmarks. A shiny new build is going to feel smoother than my old used one, regardless of whether the raw numbers are about the same. I hope that doesn't sound totally idiotic—I really think it makes sense.

Especially since I'm not out here playing the most insane, triple-A demanding titles or anything, but I still want things to feel buttery smooth at my highest resolution. Most of my time is spent on Trackmania 2 Stadium, where I tend to build these huge, complex maps, so I definitely need something a bit more robust than the average player's setup for that game. Besides that, I play Rocket League and Rocksmith 2014, which I'd say fall into that same general demand bracket as TM2.

Hopefully, that clears up why I'm not aiming for top-tier, ultra-high-end components and what my actual logic is. Of course, please set me straight if I'm tripping—I'm definitely not an expert in this field, but this is just how it seems to shake out logically to me. That's exactly why I came to you guys... I wanted to see what you'd personally do if you were standing in my shoes.

Cheers! 😁

Honestly, there’s zero point in moving to a new system just to get the same performance you already have. It’s basically burning money for no progress, but hey, that's your call.

Just give me a hard number for your total upgrade budget after you factor in what you're selling.

If we're talking about those $1250, the only thing that fits your budget is that i3 8100, but honestly? That's a terrible deal given current prices.
There was a time when it was under $333—it really should be under 900—but now the price has skyrocketed. It's actually costing more than a Ryzen 5 1600 x, which gives you 50% more cores and simultaneous multithreading.

In 2018, heading into 2019, trying to "upgrade" to a 4core/4thread CPU sounds insane, especially for that much cash when you barely have anything left over for a GPU.

With that budget, if you're buying new, your best bet is either a Ryzen 5 1600(X) paired with the GPU suggested, or a Ryzen 3 1200 combined with a stronger graphics card.

If you're sticking with Intel + Nvidia and buying everything brand new within that budget, then unfortunately, your options are pretty slim.

An H310 motherboard works fine for an i3, but don't expect it to handle any decent future CPU upgrades. You're basically killing your upgrade path right away (since Intel CPUs that rely on boost, like an i5 or i7, depend heavily on the motherboard's ability to actually deliver those boosts).

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find a better time to hunt for an Intel build. The issue with pricing is a global phenomenon, not just some local domestic struggle here in the States. Specifically, the i3 price jumped from $283 to $450, making it a terrible deal. Quad-core processors today really ought to be priced around $167, much like how the R3 1200 was positioned back in the day. As for the GPU, if you insist on buying something brand new, you're basically walking into a trap—in certain scenarios, even a GTX 1050 might actually feel like a downgrade. Your most logical move is to grab an AMD Ryzen 5 1600 x and pair it with a beefier used GPU. You could start by just upgrading the platform if your current setup is single-core bound, preventing a lower-clocked FX 8300 from bottlenecking an R9 280 x