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Want to upgrade current PC and build second

T

ThyManBearPig

Junior Member
Hello, I have one PC (custom built, specs are below) and I want two things.
I want to upgrade this PC, but also have a second PC.

I'm thinking of just upgrading my video card? I've been eyeing the R9 270 (idk if the 270x is worth it?)... I'd like to keep my budget small, and I made a rough idea of how much I'd spend doing an upgrade and a second PC. Came up with $400. Does that sound reasonable?
I want to play GTA V when it releases in Jan. and I only have a 19" 1600x900 monitor. I don't expect to max it out, but just something like high-medium settings. I'm also thinking of trying out Far Cry series and Assassins Creed series.. (any games I should try out? I've only enjoyed Valve releases, a little bit of COD - before BO2)

The second PC I'd wanna use like how I use this PC. I only play TF2 weekly and a couple random games that run okay-good.

*Current PC Specs*
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1
Intel Sandy Bridge @ 3.10GHz
10GB RAM (I have two 4GB sticks, an extra 2GB stick, so I'm guessing I'm not running in Dual Channel, what would I notice the difference in?)
DH67BL
HP S2031 @ 1600x900
AMD Radeon HD 6670 2GB DDR3
320GB WD

Exclude keyboard, mouse, CD drive, and OS. I need a second monitor but I can use a TV for now 😛

I think I should upgrade this to 1TB and reuse the 320GB on the 2nd PC. Reuse the 6670 too. I don't know if I should stick with the i3 2100 on this one. Still unsure whether and a cheap AMD setup or the G3258 for the second PC. I need help on deciding the video card too. I like the 270, but I see the 660GTX, 750 Ti, and others in the price range.

Thank you.
 
ThyManBearPig said:
Intel Sandy Bridge @ 3.10GHz
Click to expand...
Need a model number, not a speed.

ThyManBearPig said:
10GB RAM (I have two 4GB sticks, an extra 2GB stick, so I'm guessing I'm not running in Dual Channel, what would I notice the difference in?)
Click to expand...
If the 2 4GB sticks are in matching slots in each channel, then they should run in dual-channel, with the "top" 2GB accessed as single-channel. Your system may tell you during bootup, if you have the full screen logo and fast boot both off (often with fast boot on, but you might not be able to find and read it quickly enough).
 
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$400 is quite a low budget for two gaming computers. Having that one helps, though.

I'm thinking the thing to do is to basically use your current computer as the second computer and build a new first computer. [thread=2389797]My weekly $500 builds[/thread], with OS, are roughly $400 builds without OS. One is for overclocking, the other isn't.

The one thing I might suggest pulling out of your existing computer is some of the RAM. My current Intel build has 8GB, but only these rare circa-Black Friday deals are making that possible.
 
Yea I checked out your build. The motherboard seems like a great deal right now... I don't mind overclocking, but I can't decide if between the two, I'm leaning towards Intel for having a better CPU to upgrade to later.

I can do with 4GB with my current i3 - transfer the dual channel kit to the fresh PC.
I can't decide though, i3-4130 - 860K - or G3258?? I like the G3258 and I won't mind overclocking for the performance at such a low price.

GTX 660? 750 Ti? 270?

MSI H81M-P33 with the G3258. $28 + $60? How much is an ample cooler?

BTW when I bought this computer off of Craigslist, the guy had this CPU cooler and I originally had the model of it, but I lost it. Can any of you tell what it is from this pic?
CAM01301_1.jpg
 
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ThyManBearPig said:
Yea I checked out your build. The motherboard seems like a great deal right now... I don't mind overclocking, but I can't decide if between the two, I'm leaning towards Intel for having a better CPU to upgrade to later.

I can do with 4GB with my current i3 - transfer the dual channel kit to the fresh PC.
I can't decide though, i3-4130 - 860K - or G3258?? I like the G3258 and I won't mind overclocking for the performance at such a low price.

GTX 660? 750 Ti? 270?

MSI H81M-P33 with the G3258. $28 + $60? How much is an ample cooler?
Click to expand...

At a $400 budget (w/o OS), you can get the best of both worlds, the i3 and the 270 that Ken linked.

ThyManBearPig said:
BTW when I bought this computer off of Craigslist, the guy had this CPU cooler and I originally had the model of it, but I lost it. Can any of you tell what it is from this pic?
CAM01301_1.jpg
Click to expand...

Looks like a CNPS9500.
 
mfenn said:
Looks like a CNPS9500.
Click to expand...

Wow, you sir know your hardware. It probably is that model because I would have to guess it's a Zalman, unless they make a similar model. But yes, thank you.


mfenn said:
At a $400 budget (w/o OS), you can get the best of both worlds, the i3 and the 270 that Ken linked.
Click to expand...
Is the 4130 the best out of the four CPUs? With respect to OC, how would you rank the i3 2100, 4130, 860k, and G3258?
 
With respect to OC, how would you rank the i3 2100, 4130, 860k, and G3258?
Click to expand...
i3-2100, 4130: can't OC (if lucky, you might get 5% or so).
G3258: can OC well, but is a fragile performer.
860K: generally good OCer, but slower than the i3s, generally.

Of them I'd rank them as i3-4130 (or, with an H97 board, a 4150) > i3-2100 > G3258 = 860K.
 
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Cerb said:
i3-2100, 4130: can't OC (if lucky, you might get 5% or so).
G3258: can OC well, but is a fragile performer.
860K: generally good OCer, but slower than the i3s, generally.

Of them I'd rank them as i3-4130 (or, with an H97 board, a 4150) > i3-2100 > G3258 = 860K.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup: Agree
 
Okay I can agree with you on that. What about the i3-4150 ($100 now) vs FX-6300? FX-8320 is at $110...
I saw this at another forum though "I went with a core i3-4150 for the upgradability path, yeah the FX-6300 may be cheaper for now, but the AM3+ socket is dead. Their is no upgrade path on the AMD side, where I can go to an i5-4440 on the intel side."

Isn't the 1150 socket also dead?

EDIT: Forgot to say that my current build has a TX650 Corsair PSU, so I can buy a lower watt PSU and switch them.
 
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The whole worry about "dead sockets" is a little silly in my opinion. If you're allocating costs properly, the motherboard will be a small component of the overall expense and you won't feel beholden to it. If you're dropping such a large amount of money on the mobo that you're worried about having to swap it out later, then that's a sign that you're spending too much on the mobo and not enough on the processor.

To directly answer your question, Broadwell will also use Socket 1150, so the socket isn't strictly "dead". Though the only sensible upgrade path would be dual core to quad core because the generational improvements over Haswell will be small.
 
Cool yea that is sensible. I'm forgetting that the cost of a motherboard isn't even a lot.

Ohh, I didn't know about Broadwell. Yea I guess I'll finally get a quad core on my third build, or the next upgrade hopefully.

I think I've got a better understanding of my options now, so thank you guys for your help!
 
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