PC Upgrade Advice Needed

Hey there

So, here’s what I’m running right now:
Intel Core i3 with ASUS Motherboard
1 TB HDD
DDR4 8GB Crucial 2400 MHz

After dragging this thing along for a few years, my power supply finally bit the dust. Turns out my 500W unit just couldn't handle the AMD Radeon R9 280 x, which is kind of a joke, honestly. So yeah, I'm stuck using integrated graphics for the moment.

I'm thinking about giving this PC a little boost, so I guess I need some advice on a few things:

1. A new power supply
2. Another 8GB of RAM
3. An SSD—I only really need 256 GB for what I do, but since the 480 GB version is barely any more expensive, I might as well go with the 480
4. A GPU—I'm not exactly a hardcore gamer or anything, but I play stuff occasionally. I don't want to break the bank; I just need a decent, super low-budget card.

Thanks

So, I finally pulled the trigger on this setup:

Power Supply

RAM, just sticking with what I’ve already got

SSD

Graphics Card

Capacitors don't just die because the PSU is weak; it's usually just old age, cheap components, or they get too hot and basically cook themselves...

Why not just stick with your current card if it actually gets the job done for you?

Jeffrey Cook82 said:I've settled on this build:

Power Supply

RAM, the exact same sticks I currently use

SSD

GPU

It’s always easy to blow someone else's budget, but why skimp on the power supply? If the funds allow, grab a Corsair unit. Most of them come with a 10-year warranty and they genuinely prove their worth for every cent you spend.

fadedorca66 said:Why not just stick with your current GPU if it gets the job done for you?

Whatever, man. Whatever.

Jeremy Lopez57 said:It's always easier to blow someone else's cash.

Maybe.
But where would I even get someone else's money from? It's my own cash, I guess.

Jeremy Lopez57 said:but why skimp on the PSU? If you can swing it, grab a Corsair unit. Most of them have a 10-year warranty and they're honestly worth every penny.

Don't be shy about it—just drop a recommendation, maybe even a link.

Jeffrey Cook82 said:Whatever happens, happens.

Fair enough.
Where would I get the nerve to spend someone else's money instead of my own?

Don't be shy—go ahead and make a recommendation. You can even drop a link if you want.

You missed my point. I was commenting on how easy it is for people giving advice to blow through other people's budgets by recommending overpriced gear.

Power Supply:

RM850

I realize it’s a bit more beefy and carries a higher price tag, but with a 10-year warranty, it’s a solid investment for the long haul.
Personally, I view the PSU as one of the most critical components in any build, regardless of what the machine is actually doing. It’s better to overbuild a little than to cut corners on power. In this specific scenario, having that extra headroom won't hurt.
I’m running the black version myself, and it works flawlessly.

Personally, I’d suggest just grabbing a slightly higher-end power supply—it's probably worth the extra couple bucks. https://www.amazon.com/fortron-psu-example/ for maybe $15 more.

Quick question for the pros here...
So, my current setup is running 2x16GB Kingston 3200 MHz Fury BEAST
But I’ve also got this TeamGroup delta 16 GB kit
lying around at home.
Can I actually throw the Delta sticks into the other slots to fill all four—assuming the frequency and latency match up? It's a different brand, obviously...

Thanks!

Jeffrey Cook82 said:Whatever happens, happens.

That’s possible.
Where on earth would I get the idea that I should be spending someone else's money instead of my own?

Don't be shy about it; go ahead and make a recommendation, you can even drop a link if you want.

If you haven't pulled the trigger on a power supply yet,😁 you might want to take a look at what I wrote or suggested over in the dedicated PSU thread. It’s generally better to keep recommendations in their proper place, which is why we bother having specific threads for different topics in the first place.🍿

Jeremy Lopez57 said:You missed my point. I was talking about how easy it is for people giving advice to blow through someone else's cash by recommending overpriced gear.

PSU:

RM850

Yeah, it's a bit beefier and pricier, but you get a 10-year warranty, so it's basically an investment for the future...
Personally, I think the power supply is one of those crucial parts, regardless of what you're using the rig for. Better to overbuy a little than to cheap out and regret it later. In this case, extra headroom doesn't hurt...
I've got the black version of this thing and it runs flawlessly.

A little pricier? It's definitely more expensive than the Seasonic most people would actually pick up. 😂
Seasonic is hands down the best in the business when it comes to power supplies. 👍

fadedorca66 said:It’s not like the power supply is too weak and causing them to pop or whatever. Honestly, I think it's just time catching up with them, or maybe they were just cheap junk to begin with. Or, you know, maybe they just got way too hot and basically cooked themselves. I guess.

So I took my rig down to the repair shop, and the tech basically told me it's all because of the GPU. Turns out my power supply is only 500W, but this card really needs at least 750W to actually function properly. Apparently, that lack of juice eventually just fried the capacitors. My bad, I guess.

Andrew Miller102 said:If you haven't pulled the trigger on that power supply yet,😁 Go look at what I actually wrote or suggested in that other thread about power supplies. Honestly, you really need to shove recommendations into the right topics, which is exactly why those specific threads even exist in the first place.🍿

I can't believe I'm even looking at this thread again. Seriously. It’s like watching a slow-motion car crash where nobody ever actually hits anything, they just kind of hover near the wreckage forever. So, I was scrolling through some old stuff and saw what Jessica Wells2 was saying earlier about those power supply issues. Honestly? Typical. People always want to complain when things go south, but then they act all surprised when their hardware decides to take an early retirement. Like, maybe if you didn't treat your rig like a rental car, you wouldn't be in this mess? Just a thought, I guess. And don't even get me started on what Andrew Miller102 posted about the RAM timings. Man, that guy... he's convinced he's some kind of overclocking god just because he managed to squeeze out an extra 20MHz. It’s cute, really. A little bit embarrassing, but cute. Most people are just happy if their PC actually boots on a Monday morning without throwing a tantrum. Anyway, I think I'm gonna go grab some coffee and try to forget this whole conversation happened. This sub is driving me nuts today. Maybe tomorrow will be less of a headache. Probably not, though.

Haven't even pulled the trigger on anything yet. I'll probably dig around and do some more research first. Thanks. 👍

electricdriver33 said:A little bit. More expensive? Yeah, 100%. It’s way pricier than a Seasonic, which is what I'd actually end up buying. 😂
Honestly, Seasonic is just in a league of their own when it comes to power supplies. They're easily the best in the game. 👍

That's what I was told too, I guess.

electricdriver33 said:Seasonic makes the best power supplies out there. 👍

If I'm being honest, though, I’d probably give a slight edge to Flextronics.

electricdriver33 said:A bit more expensive? It’s 100% pricier than the Seasonic unit I'd personally grab. 😂
Seasonic is the gold standard for power supplies. 👍

Sure, but you're paying for extra muscle—it comes with a 10-year warranty. At the end of the day, it’s his money; he can buy whatever he wants. I'm just pointing out what my move would be if I were in his shoes.

I'm well aware that Seasonic units are top-tier. Some people swear by them as the absolute best, others disagree, but that's the nature of everything from CPUs to GPUs or RAM...