[SOLVED] Frankenstein - Recommendations for a piecing together mostly obsolete system parts (3 not quite vintage PCs to 1)

[raven1970]

Thoughts, suggestions, no money. TIA!

3 computers and only need one, but don't have budget to upgrade just yet and targeting later this year to build a dedicated gaming system.

Needs - Home PC, light 1080P gaming, Plex server (literally just to manage storage and I don't transcode and use Apple TVs in house); will run 24/7

PC1 - Current Home PC (browsing, light gaming like Civilization) - Built 2012
i5-3570K with 8GB RAM (G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2x4) DDR3 1600 at 9-9-9-24) on an MSI-Z77A-G45 1155 MB; 500GB 2.5" SSD, couple 3.5" data drives
Radeon HD 7850

PC2 - Current Plex server; slow as F! to do anything - But has large case and can hold the HDDs for storage (has 3x 2TB drives) - Built 2013
G1610 with 8GB RAM (Ballistix Tactical Tracer 8GB (2x4) DDR3 1600 at 8x8x8x24) on also same MSI board
Radeon R9 380 (GPU and memory pulled form son's PC when he got 1660 Super last year and upgraded to 16GB RAM (2x8))
Case is an older Fractal Design Define R4 Black Silent ATX midtower (9 internal 3.5" drive bays)

PC3 - Current 1080p gaming - Built Spring 2016
i3-4170 with 8GBR RAM (G.Skill Ares Series 8GB (2x4) DDR3 1600 at 9x9x9x24) on ASRock H97M-ITX/ac LGA 1150 (but in HTPC case)
Also R9 380


My thoughts/Questions:
PC1 guts to PC2, 16GBRAM from PC1 and PC3, and upgrade to R9 380 from PC2 or PC3, move all the extra HDD drives over for storage, and make sure adequate fans and cooling. Thoughts?

• PC2 Case and PSU (I think it has a robust PSU as original failed a while back that has been running good and decent case)
• Stick with the older i5 and MB
• Timings on G.Skill memories are the same, so 4x4 = 16GB. Would that work? RAM will probably work, it's not guaranteed. Only RAM packaged together is guaranteed to work., but would appreciate feedback
• R9 380

 

[Viorala]

I have a frankenstein machine too and it's got (2x4) + (2x8) DDR3 ram, all Ballistix with the same timings and whatnot. I remember being so happy to upgrade my ram by 16 GB, lol. I mean if you think about it, it would cut down on a heck of a lot of sales if people could only count on 4 packs. I think it's probably like the motherboards: the brands aren't bad and there aren't rules for buying, but there is definitely a difference in quality within same brands and specs.