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How to improve a PC so it can handle games?

D

Diwiw

Junior Member
I would love having a PC that can handle games well. After trying many upgrades to it I don t know what else to do! Here are my PC specs, PLEASE tell me which part of my computer needs an upgrade. I am willing to upgrade it but definetely won't buy a new one.Also I would take any suggestions on windows settings that would improve the performance. Thank you! (I'm from Brazil so excuse any typos or repetitive vocabulary D: )

Processor is intel (R) pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.06GHz
Graphics card is XFX ONE + Edition 1GB
Windows 7 home premium 64 bits
8 GB of ram (maxed out on the ram BTW)
Mother board is ASRock G41M-VS3
500 GB of space
 
Forget about upgrading that thing. Unless you like purchasing Hardware at museums, there is absolutely no reason to spend money on a totally obsolete Pentium 4.
 
:/ I'm pretty sure I would be able to upgrade my processor.... I don't know if it would be worth giving the limitation of the compatibility of the mother board. I can upgrade the processor can't I?
 
Diwiw said:
Graphics card is XFX ONE + Edition 1GB
Click to expand...

Is this what you have? A 5450.

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpudb/b1730/xfx-one-hd-5450-plus-edition.html

b1730.jpg
 
5450s were budget cards upon release, allowing the playback of HD video and some extremely light gaming. Now, they totally suck and even $100 cards destroy it.

Pentium 4s are very slow CPUs.

Depending on your budget, there are some options for you. You can upgrade the CPU and GPU and get something better, but price will play a big role. I don't know what the prices down there in Brazil are like though...
 
What is your reason for wanting to hold on to the old computer?

Maybe it's the appearance and case? You can probably still keep those, and just replace the insides.

But as a quick gut-check, do you realize what your computer's dollar value is, for the motherboard, CPU, and video card? Trying to hang on to those parts, may be not worth the dollar value they hold. Perhaps learning what it's actually worth will help to let them go?
 
Let me tell you how things are in Brazil. Every thing i double the double of the price and is poorly made. D: unfortuneately that's my country! I apreciatte all of you who helped and have given your opinions so far. Thanks ! 🙂
 
slackingoff7 said:
I remember getting my Pentium D in 2006. Your computer is older than that. Time to buy a whole new one.
Click to expand...

His motherboard is actually a newer LGA 775 model though (eg, it runs DDR3).

P.S. Tom's hardware recommends Athlon X4 750K as the best gaming processor under $100--->http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-review-overclock,3106-2.html

Looking at the chart below, Core 2 Quad (Q9550) is competitive in the stock speed comparison and wins the overclocked vs overclocked comparison:

Combined-Average-Gaming-Performance.png


So I don't think keeping his mobo is necessarily a bad idea provided he can get a good deal on a used Core 2 Quad.
 
A Core2Quad and a Radeon 5850 would play just about any game near high settings.

That combo shouldn't cost more than about $120-150.
 
yhelothar said:
A Core2Quad and a Radeon 5850 would play just about any game near high settings.

That combo shouldn't cost more than about $120-150.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

For a small budget build which I assume this is, look for used graphics cards like Radeon 5850, Radeon 5870, Gtx 560ti, Gtx 460 1GB, Radeon 6850, Radeon 6870, Radeon 7770.

CPU: any Core 2 Quad Q9xxx or Q8xxx (try to get 9xxx).

REMEMBER THOUGH: this is only if your power supply is around 500w or greater. What is the wattage of your power supply?
 
Simply start all over. No need to continue to buy obsolete. If budget is a problem, get a H81 board and a Haswell Celeron.
 
Buddy, is time to think about changing your whole computer...

You can pick a Q9550, but will even not be better than a 2009 i5 750...

In Portuguese in spoiler:

Uma idéia boa(caso você esteja com a grana curta) era pegar um i5 750 usado de algum bazar da web... nos 3,4 GHZ ele seguraria até uma GTX 770. Boa idéia, não??
 
I agree with the other posters, that P4 has to go. Its basically a 13 year old architecture. Also that HD5450 is simply inadequate to run any halfway modern game. Its actually slower then modern IGPs.

ShintaiDK said:
Simply start all over. No need to continue to buy obsolete. If budget is a problem, get a H81 board and a Haswell Celeron.
Click to expand...

Yep. A Haswell G1820/30 will trash that P4 and use a lot less power then the P4 doing it...

007ELmO said:
Can we help form a budget to help this brazilian man achieve his dreams
Click to expand...

A budget would really help. 🙂
 
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