[SOLVED] Clean An 8-Year Old Computer or Build A New One?

DreamBliss

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Oct 8, 2016
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4,510
So here is what you need to know before you read any further and contribute to this topic:
  1. I have perhaps $1,200 to work with.
  2. I have a VERY OLD gaming computer I built myself, around this motherboard: https://us.msi.com/Motherboard/Z77AGD65_GAMING/Overview
In an ideal world, I would buy a new processor, RAM, case, mobo, an RTX card, etc, etc. In my current experience of the world however, I will use what I have and make some needed upgrades, hoping I over-engineered when I built this and I will have enough power to do what I wish (I have a 750w power supply.)

Focusing on RAM and a video card. Narrowed down the RAM to these compatible sets:
https://www.newegg.com/hyperx-32gb-240-pin-ddr3-sdram/p/N82E16820104512
https://www.newegg.com/ballistix-32gb-240-pin-ddr3-sdram/p/N82E16820148800

I think the Savage is the best set, best latency and timing.

I have not narrowed down a video card yet, and I am still debating if I want to get a 2060 RTX so I could buy and play Minecraft RTX. Now I like to record my gameplay, and I know the RAM I have chosen will aid that, as will additional RAM on the card. No helping my Intel i5 processor though (it is a 22m.) I also use shaders and custom textures for Minecraft.

Knowing this, is there some sort of ideal PCI Express 3.0 video card that allows you to run Minecraft with insane quality settings and record without lag? Is there a magic card for Minecraft let's players? I mean what is the best card? Is it ATI or Nvidia? Should I "buy ahead" and get the RTX card? Is it worth the investment, even if I do not use RTX? Should I go crossfire with my video card:
https://www.newegg.com/xfx-radeon-hd-7870-ghz-edition-fx-787a-cdfc/p/N82E16814150605

If so, why and which video card should I get to crossfire with this? Are there any other considerations? Should I replace the fans or the hard drives because they are so old? Will the power supply be OK even if it is also very old? Do I need to replace the CPU, fan or heatsink, or any of these? Have you ever dug out a 10 year old gaming computer from your closet and started using it to play and record games? Anything you learned along the way?

I appreciate your help with this!
 
Solution
OK, here are my system specs:
MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming
Intel Core i5-3570K
XFX Double D Radeon HD 7870
G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
CORSAIR HX Series HX750

It's all packed into a Lian Li K65 case. The case is shot, as the USB connections at the top no longer work right. Need a hub suggestion if I simply upgrade what I have. I have an old Orico, but I want something better than Chinese garbage. Assuming that I can't get the parts to replace the usb connectors for the case.

So, upgrade or build new? Everyone think building new is the answer?
Your choice of video card depends on what your resolution is .. and btw what is your resolution...

DSzymborski

Titan
Moderator
It would be extremely helpful if you ran down your full list of specs, in addition to the motherboard and GPU. This includes the exact 750W PSU as there are top-notch 750W PSUs and then there are "750W" PSUs. It's hard to give advice about upgrading a PC when one knows very little about a PC in the first place. Most PSUs I would not use if they truly haven't been on in a decade; capacitors do not fare well when being unused for this long.

Multi-GPU solutions are completely dead for gaming in 2020, so that's not really an option. Games are largely being released without little benefit or even no benefit from an SLI/Crossfire GPU. Nvidia and AMD have both rapidly been ending support for this as well, both in hardware and drivers.

Multi-GPU solutions were always extremely niche and never really scaled all that well even when effort was made, so it's mostly a waste of time for the GPU companies and the software developers.

In the end, you can build a very solid new rig for $1200, especially if you upgrade your old PC to Windows 10 (MS will still let you do it for free) and then move the license over to the new rig (MS liberalized their rules for this sort of thing). At this point of time, most of your currenet parts, with the possible exception of storage, will hinder a $1200 budget.
 
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Obiwancanabi

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Dec 24, 2020
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the build im looking at will be a Ryzen 5600x, b550 Tuf motherboard (better LAN @2.5GB than the Z series and it has 1 PCIE4 lane for M.2), 32GB GSkill 3200 CL16 16x2, RXT 3060TI when available, you should be able to build similar for around $1200 ~ im in the EU so our pricing is very similar to the US, will be a great little system when its all ready to go, i hope :p

Minecraft loves RAM so more is better, 32 gig will be fine. i would upgrade if you can afford to that old system wont play it too well, especially when you start adding modpacks and textures. it certainly wont like recording in the background. I wouldn't get rid of it, always good to have a backup or emergency system, some salvageable parts. its still a good pc, my gf has a 2nd gen intel and i currently have a 4th gen and they do ok for desktops and gaming. GTX 970 graphics card gets me the frames i need on at the settings ill put up with
 
Last edited:

DreamBliss

Reputable
Oct 8, 2016
20
0
4,510
OK, here are my system specs:
MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming
Intel Core i5-3570K
XFX Double D Radeon HD 7870
G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
CORSAIR HX Series HX750

It's all packed into a Lian Li K65 case. The case is shot, as the USB connections at the top no longer work right. Need a hub suggestion if I simply upgrade what I have. I have an old Orico, but I want something better than Chinese garbage. Assuming that I can't get the parts to replace the usb connectors for the case.

So, upgrade or build new? Everyone think building new is the answer?
 
OK, here are my system specs:
MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming
Intel Core i5-3570K
XFX Double D Radeon HD 7870
G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
CORSAIR HX Series HX750

It's all packed into a Lian Li K65 case. The case is shot, as the USB connections at the top no longer work right. Need a hub suggestion if I simply upgrade what I have. I have an old Orico, but I want something better than Chinese garbage. Assuming that I can't get the parts to replace the usb connectors for the case.

So, upgrade or build new? Everyone think building new is the answer?
Your choice of video card depends on what your resolution is .. and btw what is your resolution?

https://www.newegg.com/black-corsair-110r-atx-mid-tower/p/N82E16811139146
Corsair Carbide Series 110R CC-9011183-WW $64.99

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813157918R
ASRock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4 LGA 1200 Intel Z490 SATA 6Gb/s ATX Intel Motherboard (Open Box) $127.99

https://www.newegg.com/intel-core-i5-10400f-core-i5-10th-gen/p/N82E16819118132
Intel Core i5-10400F $161.99

https://www.newegg.com/ballistix-32gb-288-pin-ddr4-sdram/p/N82E16820164186
Crucial Ballistix 3600 MHz DDR4 DRAM Desktop Gaming Memory Kit 32GB (16GBx2) CL16 $149.99

https://www.newegg.com/crucial-bx500-1tb/p/N82E16820156231
Crucial BX500 1TB 3D NAND SATA 2.5-Inch Internal SSD $84.99

 
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