B-Day coming, what parts should come too?

Discussion in 'General Hardware' started by the1nfection, Apr 24, 2013.

  1. the1nfection

    the1nfection Guest

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    I have a cpu (duh), but its rather old. You can see all of my specs on the side, but ill fill you guys in just incase.

    AMD Opteron 165 dual core with AC64 Freezer Heatsink
    LP NF4 Series, with NVIDIA NForce4 chipset
    Mushkin Blackline DDR 2x1GB PC3200
    ATI Radeon HD 3850
    2 WesternDigital 250 GB IDE HDD
    1 WesternDigital 80 GB SATA3 HDD
    FSB Group 350W PSU
    2 Random fans
    A generic CPU Case
    Windows 7 Ultimate
    And a Magnavox 16" monitor


    I've overclocked it to 2.39 GHz, so i dont want to upgrade the processor unless i can get either stock over 2.4, or overclock something up to like 2.8~

    Knowing what i have in my CPU, what would you guys recommend i upgrade? is there anything in specific that i really need to improve? i know i have low RAM, and want to grab something better there, but idk where to even begin.

    Im not paying for it myself, so im not going to be asking for a 1000$ new system kinda thing, just a few parts to bump my system up, with a 250$ MAX price tag. Any advice would be great, but PLZ be more specific than just saying "get a better processor" im looking for details of what to get, not generalities. Thanks everyone for all the help, and i hope i can get this thing running better soon! :)
     
  2. Deathchild

    Deathchild Ancient Guru

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    Hmm I'm not even sure.. you're better off SAVING money than spending it on upgrading parts of your current PC.

    Later on you'll do the full upgrade, just right now it seems useless to spend money on an aging system. It won't go anywhere. Trust me I did the same and you're better off saving up and then later eventually doing the full upgrade. It's a wait but it's worth it.
     
  3. Darkest

    Darkest Guest

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    I have to agree with Deathchild, it's simply not worth investing in such an ageing system. I'd save at least $450-550 (The more the better) and build fresh, keep your operating system and SATA drives. You should be able to get a respectable build out of that.
     
  4. Deathchild

    Deathchild Ancient Guru

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    Yeah exactly.
     

  5. StewieTech

    StewieTech Chuck Norris

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    Yeah buddy, save your windows license and perhaps your monitor and case, the rest is far too old. With 500 bucks we can help you squeeze a nice build for you.
     
  6. Anarion

    Anarion Ancient Guru

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    That system is pretty much not upgradeable. Like the others just said, keep saving - that's what I would do.

    Though if you must upgrade, AMD A10 5800K+mobo+8GB RAM will cost around 250 € together. Judging by 3DMark Vantage scores, the APU GPU should be faster than HD 3850. It goes without saying that the CPU will annihilate the one you have. You would probably need to buy IDE to SATA converters if you make the change. If you're PSU is really old, it might give trouble when it comes to cables.
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2013
  7. Deathchild

    Deathchild Ancient Guru

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    So in conclusion, don't upgrade and save up. :D
     
  8. Anarion

    Anarion Ancient Guru

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    Though he has not really said what he does with his computer. Building system around APU could work really nicely for him, especially with that monitor. Still, $250 wouldn't really be enough since that PSU is likely about to blow and he has IDE HDD's (and likely IDE optical drive). So yeah, save. $100 more would help a lot.
     
  9. the1nfection

    the1nfection Guest

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    okay guys, i guess i see what your saying... however...

    1) im really looking to up my PSU, because i love overclocking, and that allows my cpu to run pretty damned well. Im at 2.39 GHz on my opteron, and its pretty old, as you all already know. It runs like a champ, posting up 15.5 Sec on SuperPi 512K test. Thats from a 24 second at stock. I love this cpu, and generally want to upgrade it as opposed to completly replacing it (mostly becuase im unemployed right now, and IT ISNT MY MONEY, i dont have the option of just taking cash to hang on to, so until i finish the semester in 9 days, then find a job, i dont have any way to add on to the $$$)

    2) im using the CPU for gaming. i play things like LoL, DoTA2, Blackops 1 +2, mirrors edge, Civ 4+5, and some emulated games. They run decently, but not amazingly.

    3) im really quite attached to the system. Its been with me for 2 1/2 years now, and has survived:

    homeless living
    a rainstorm
    4 moves
    2 dogs
    a major overheat (75* C, which is well above what opterons can take, 57*C)
    and several instances of juice/soup/soy sauce being spilled inside it.

    it really is a beast of a CPU, and the fact that it has survived so much makes me want to keep it all the more. I may just suck it up and buy a SECOND cpu, but for now im looking for anything i can do to improve this one to run better. So now that you know that... What parts should i buy?


    Anyone know of any good heatsinks for overclocking that would fit over a 939 socket? should i upgrade to water cooled or something? how much would that cost to do?

    and lastly... i really do need a better PSU. Which ones would be best? what should i be looking for, knowing what my specs are? should i go for a higher overall wattage, or will i not even need to worry about that on my system? i havent had any problems with power so far, but it'll be the biggest restricting factor when i get the cooling to really push this thing.

    Also... my brother in law recomended i grab up a CPU/GPU combo processor with a motherboard, he suggested a few. Not sure if they are worth the money... opinions?

    thanks guys, and like always, i look forward to your replies! :)
     
  10. Deathchild

    Deathchild Ancient Guru

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    As Anarion suggested.. and the best suggestion so far.., you'll be best off with an AMD A10-5800K APU. Pretty good CPU + contains the GPU AMD Radeon 7660D which is integrated, you can play any modern day game with that, albeit not with the highest available settings but.. it's more than enough.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113280 it's 129$

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128572&Tpk=GA-F2A85XM-D3H&IsVirtualParent=1 79$

    +RAM .. either 8GB or 4GB, it really doesn't matter that much, 4GB is totally fine too nowadays.. and is enough.

    Anyways, here's a 4GB kit which will make the perfect 250$ for you. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231474

    As I've heard.. AMD APUs benefit more (A10-5800K especially) from higher speed ram. This little setup would kill anything else you have right now. +it would be quite a formidable upgrade. I for one would be happy for you. :)

    That PSU... I'm not sure.. but I think it will be enough, not sure though.. with something 400w+ you'd be on the safe side.

    Here's a little page on how the 7660D does:

    http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/359144-28-5800k-black-radeon-7660d


    I took the time to calculate an estimated drawn power during load. Not sure if the HD6570 should be there though (it's more or less likely the same as HD7660D). Or if the 7660D is already accounted for in the A10-5800K CPU listed there. You can do the same here. http://www.extreme.outervision.com/PSUEngine
    As you can see it consumes about 250W total. So that 350W Fortron should still do. :)
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2013

  11. Darkest

    Darkest Guest

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    For a 5800k setup get the fastest RAM you can within budget. I built one a few months back and honestly, if you're gaming at 720p you'll be able to play most modern games at low to medium without too much hassle. There's not a lot of future-proofing in it however. I still say saving is the best option.
     
  12. Deathchild

    Deathchild Ancient Guru

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    Yeah, agreed. But if he's desperate then I guess that'll do.. Anyways, it'll be quite a formidable upgrade from his current setup.

    But tell us what are your thoughts?

    (Hey Darkie man I'm gonna need some help with OCing this 3570k, getting 4.2 @ 1.230v but at 4.4/4.5 it locks up even @ 1.25v. I'm assuming it's to do with something else.. not particularly vcore? As 1.25v should be enough for 4.4 or 4.5 at least)
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2013
  13. the1nfection

    the1nfection Guest

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    Well you've definatly got me interested to say the least. im going to look around at the parts and a few reveiws, and see what people are saying, but my impressions right now are fairly good, at least from what i've already seen/heard. If my PSU will suffice then im happy, its held well so far, if it can keep doing so then ill stick with the best CPU mindset ever. "If it aint broke, dont fix it"

    I have access to a set of 2 mushkin blue RAM sticks, but they are only 512 MB. i would be giving up 1 GB of total RAM for the much improved timings over my Blacklines, meaning i would still have to buy RAM. That doesn't so much worry me, but if possible i want to keep my Blacklines and add another 2 sticks to them (adding the blues wouldn't give me any worthwhile bumps however, as i would be held back by the slower blacklines. If i removed the blacklines and added the blues + another new set of blues i could use them to their fullest. Would that be the kind of RAM speeds you guys suggest?)

    I love the idea of CPU/GPU combo processors, but im curious... can i use my 3750 on top of the already integrated GPU to boost my graphics even further? Ive never used a Combo processor before, so its new ground to me.

    Im also interested in an SSD if that possible. Not sure if it would be a good idea to look for one or not, what do you guys think? my SATA HDD is only SATA 3, ive been told that upgrading it would be a massive improvement for me.

    The last thing im worried about is overclocking one of those... is it safe? is it even possible? should i invest in something better than the stock HS if i want to overclock it?

    Oh, and just incase... How would one of the APU's run on a x64 system? should i be looking for an x32 OS, because all of my OS disks are x64... that would be a problem if they dont go so well with the 64 bit.

    Thanks for the answers guys, ill post again when ive read a little more about the APU and the RAM.
     
  14. Pill Monster

    Pill Monster Banned

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    Your Blackline ram is DDR and won't work in a new motherboard. With an APU I suggest the fastest ram you can afford...1866 or better.

    No, both GPU's must be from the same generation for Hybrid CFX to work.


    Well I wouldn't say massive; boot times and opening/closing applications will be faster, also some games will benefit from an SSD but if you're on a tight budget a HDD will be sufficient.

    Yes it's safe as long as a little common sense is applied, and yes an aftermarket cooler is a must when overclocking the CPU.

    Go with x64.
     
  15. Anarion

    Anarion Ancient Guru

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    the1nfection, your rig is ancient. You just have to totally forget about keeping stuff from it. You can't improve it in any reasonable way that would make it faster. I also agree with everything Pill said above. Also keep in mind that SSD doesn't make your games run faster, it will only only help when IO activity is heavy (in other words, they will load faster).

    IDE to SATA converters go for ~$10 on Ebay.
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2013

  16. boom12a1

    boom12a1 Active Member

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    Do not go with an SSD if you are on a budget, from your rig you will only be able to use your 80Gb hard drive, the other 2 250Mb are IDE and you most likely will not be able to use them.

    Get another HDD like Pill Monster suggested.
     
  17. Deathchild

    Deathchild Ancient Guru

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    He doesn't have money for that.

    It's only the 3 parts that he has money for.
     
  18. Darkest

    Darkest Guest

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    What HSF are you using right now, do you have your Dark Knight yet? Honestly, I've heard that there was a batch of newer Ivy chips that simply don't OC as well. That said, 1.25 might be a little low for 4.4/4.5. If you're aiming for 4.4-4.5 you might have to push to 1.3-1.35, but I'd not even attempt it without a good enough cooler.
     
  19. the1nfection

    the1nfection Guest

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    first off... massive shoutout to Pill Monster! you answered pretty much every question very concisely. Thanks for that man, i appreciate it!

    I guess the only thngs i can really keep are the PSU, 1 SATA drive, and my case, huh? oh well, if it has to be that way, it has to be that way. :(

    To clarify... I was asking about the SSD for my old system. If possible i want to keep my old system running at least, or have the parts avaliable so i can re-assemble it on a later date. Dont care if that may be 5 years from now, i simply want it for the sentimental value, we've had some amazing times together.

    I got it OC'd to 2.49 GHz, on 1.35 V, with 5/6 RAM/FSB ratio. my RAM can OC up to 250 MHZ from the stock 200 MHz, which is why i love it (gives me ALOT of room to try **** out and learn to OC, this really is the ideal rig for someone trying to go hardcore in CPU, but still learning the ropes). It'll be sad to see that wonderfull RAM sit and collect dust :(

    Anyway, is that a decent clock on an Opteron 165? i seem to run pretty well, and have even hit 14.750 Sec on Super Pi 512K test. Not sure how good or bad that is compaired to others, but it came up from 23 Sec stock. what do you guys think of that? (i had it up to 2.57 GHz last night, but my HS couldn't take it, so i clocked it down a little to protect it.)


    Ive reveiwed the parts you guys suggested... And im sold pretty hardcore. I want to try and get them, so i will. We'll see how this all goes, but today is my B-Day, so one way or another ill post what happened at the end of the day.

    I really like Mushkin RAM, they are very strong, and very good for OCing, but i wonder, do they have any RAM fast enough for the APU, or should i just drop that thought now? ill look around online, but i want some kind of confirmation before i buy Mushkin over the already suggested RAM.

    Thanks everyone for the replies, and i hope you all have as good a day as im about to! :banana: PARTYTIME!
     
  20. Anarion

    Anarion Ancient Guru

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    You can pretty much forget about SuperPi, it isn't really relevant benchmark these days.

    FYI, NewEgg has promo going on, you get 8GB ram with these mobos:
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&Depa=0&Description=PPSSMBPROMO418

    If you grab BIOSTAR Hi-Fi A85W FM2, you get 8GB ram (Team Vulcan 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600MHz) with it and it costs $89.99 right now. So in other words you get 8GB RAM and mobo for less than $90! AMD A10-5800K CPU/APU costs $129.99 there. That combined would cost only $219,98. I'd act quickly now.

    Next step would be CPU cooler and PSU especially if you plan to OC. You could already get cooler but once you start pushing APU, power consumption starts to rise quickly. Also if you have IDE DVD drive, you either need new one or adapter.

    But anyway, have a nice BD!
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2013

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