[SOLVED] HELP! Old lady tryng to upgrade 11 year old son's gaming tower for Christmas and would love to score during Black Friday!

Nov 29, 2019
9
3
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My son is 11 and needs his aging Computer parts upgraded.

I have -some- specifications on whats in this tower but I don't know what I need to do first.

there are apparently
-(4) Intel Core(TM)2 Quad Q9500 @ 2.83GHz
-Graphics Card is NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti
-Drive is a KINGSTON SV****G ATA Device
-ACPI x64

His games are starting to have a hard time booting up as his memory is getting low.

And that is all I know at this moment. hah

Just start me in the right direction!
Thank you all in advance on not crucifying me for being so dense.

Black friday is here and I need to get these parts as cheap as I can!
 

R_1

Expert
Ambassador
love to help but a hard price ceiling is the most helpful information. what is the limit?

I am making some assumptions here. I assume the case is standard ATX. I'm assuming under 300 for the budget.
for your consideration
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($77.98 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 4 Blackout 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($32.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Patriot Burst 240 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Tempest EVO ATX Mid Tower Case
Power Supply: Corsair CX (2017) 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $215.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-29 04:38 EST-0500


a new motherboard, memory and CPU. these must be replaced as a block.
the power supply and SSD are not needed per se but the SSD would make his daily use faster, the power supply is suggested to keep everything alive with stable power. power supplies age and I do not know the quality or the age of the unit currently installed. he has an ssd but I do not know the size. the 240 is the minimum suggested today. the GPU and the case can be re-used.
 
Last edited:
Nov 29, 2019
9
3
15
love to help but a hard price ceiling is the most helpful information. what is the limit?

I am making some assumptions here. I assume the case is standard ATX. I'm assuming under 300 for the budget.
for your consideration
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($77.98 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 4 Blackout 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($32.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Patriot Burst 240 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX (2017) 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $215.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-29 02:28 EST-0500


a new motherboard, memory and CPU. these must be replaced as a block.
the power supply and SSD are not needed per se but the SSD would make his daily use faster, the power supply is suggested to keep everything alive with stable power. power supplies age and I do not know the quality or the age of the unit currently installed. he has an ssd but I do not know the size. the 240 is the minimum suggested today. the GPU and the case can be re-used.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I can go up to 400 for this. I was looking into getting him a better monitor as well but a decent one of those seems to annihilate my budget and then some. I am trying to figure out his case.
 

R_1

Expert
Ambassador
update price, updated system, for your consideration.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1500X 3.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($105.49 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 4 Blackout 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($32.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Intel 660p Series 512 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($59.99 @ B&H)
Case: NZXT Tempest EVO ATX Mid Tower Case
Power Supply: Corsair CX (2017) 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Dell SE2417HG 23.6" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $373.44
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-29 04:30 EST-0500

went to a processor that has more threads, which makes doing many things at once faster. first had 4 threads this one has 8.
much larger and much much faster SSD. HD monitor with a fast response time.
 
Last edited:
Solution
Nov 29, 2019
9
3
15
update price, updated system, for your consideration.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1500X 3.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($105.49 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 4 Blackout 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($32.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Intel 660p Series 512 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($59.99 @ B&H)
Power Supply: Corsair CX (2017) 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Dell SE2417HG 23.6" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $373.44
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-29 04:15 EST-0500


went to a processor that has more threads, which makes doing many things at once faster. first had 4 threads this one has 8.
much larger and much much faster SSD. HD monitor with a fast response time.


NZXT Tempest EVO Mid Tower
How can I find out what motherboard he currently has or have I already listed it. I feel so very lame, I am sorry.

I went to his device manager to find some specifications and have the list in front of me if any of that information will help as well.
 

R_1

Expert
Ambassador
the motherboard is not important info at this point. there are no new CPU's that will fit (CPU is many generations old) so a new board is a must. the case is ready for full sized boards and power supplies . I have updated the above lists with the case and the compatibility check shows its a fit.
 
Nov 29, 2019
9
3
15
the motherboard is not important info at this point. there are no new CPU's that will fit (CPU is many generations old) so a new board is a must. the case is ready for full sized boards and power supplies . I have updated the above lists with the case and the compatibility check shows its a fit.

Got it! and I just saw the link to the pcpartpicker! I honestly appreciate your expertise. You have giving me a major reason to celebrate this thanksgiving. Crisis averted. Thank you So VERY Much!
 
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JoBalz

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Sep 1, 2014
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My son is 11 and needs his aging Computer parts upgraded.

I have -some- specifications on whats in this tower but I don't know what I need to do first.

there are apparently
-(4) Intel Core(TM)2 Quad Q9500 @ 2.83GHz
-Graphics Card is NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti
-Drive is a KINGSTON SV****G ATA Device
-ACPI x64

His games are starting to have a hard time booting up as his memory is getting low.

And that is all I know at this moment. hah

Just start me in the right direction!
Thank you all in advance on not crucifying me for being so dense.

Black friday is here and I need to get these parts as cheap as I can!

This sounds like a fairly old system if it's an Intel Quad 4 and what can go into the case could be dependent on the make and model of the current computer (HP, Dell, etc. and a model #, assuming this was a pre-built PC). Model generally appears somewhere on the PC (for instance, my sister currently has an HP Pavillion Elite e9237 Quad Core system which appears on the front of the case and on a side sticker). Reason I ask is that some manufacturers use proprietary parts that are non-standard sizes which could influence the use of standard sized hardware such as motherboards and power supplies (I know, I've looked at hers to upgrade and find it would be easier to build a completely new one because of the proprietary parts). I'm noticing Black Friday deals at Amazon and Newegg.com are not quite as good as I would expect on some things, but could drop more in the next week or two. So check if you can get the make & model of the current system. Also, what's the maximum you want to invest in the current system or a new build?
 
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Nov 29, 2019
9
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Frankly? don't go 1st-gen Ryzen if you can help it - go 2nd -gen at least (more stable, less quirks) or even the cheapest 3rd-gen (3600 non-X is the smallest Zen2 chip available publicly). Get a single 8 Gb DDR4-3200 stick, this will be a nice, cheap upgrade down the line. The ASrock B450 mobo is good.
Frankly? don't go 1st-gen Ryzen if you can help it - go 2nd -gen at least (more stable, less quirks) or even the cheapest 3rd-gen (3600 non-X is the smallest Zen2 chip available publicly). Get a single 8 Gb DDR4-3200 stick, this will be a nice, cheap upgrade down the line. The ASrock B450 mobo is good.

So would the current pick list work for a oculus rift s. Apparently that is what he is getting from his grandparents. yay
 

R_1

Expert
Ambassador
the 2600 is on sale for a bit more, if you have the funds. I left the limit at 400 out of pocket. with rebates you could get the ryzen 2600 in place of the 1500x. it has two more cores and 4 more threads than the 1500x.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 3.4 GHz 6-Core Processor ($114.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 4 Blackout 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($32.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Intel 660p Series 512 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($59.99 @ B&H)
Case: NZXT Tempest EVO ATX Mid Tower Case
Power Supply: Corsair CX (2017) 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Dell SE2417HG 23.6" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $382.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-29 05:36 EST-0500



however. the oculus is happy with the 1500x the GPU is the problem now. the card he has is woefully too weak for VR.
new information, new suggestion.
 
I'd go with R_1's setup, I just don't like the 2x4 Gb setup - it makes upgrading to 16 Gb (which will soon become mandatory) wasteful. Get a single 8 Gb stick @3200 MHz for now, yes I know it kills performance, but then another 8 Gb stick with the same clock speed can be added later on for cheap and the system will perform MUCH better.
That, or get a motherboard with 4 DIMM slots.
 

R_1

Expert
Ambassador
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 1200 3.1 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($58.02 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B450M-HDV R4.0 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 4 Blackout 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($32.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Team MS30 512 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($41.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: XFX Radeon RX 570 4 GB RS XXX Video Card ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Tempest EVO ATX Mid Tower Case
Power Supply: Corsair CX (2017) 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Dell SE2417HG 23.6" 1920x1080 60 Hz Monitor ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $407.96
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-29 05:42 EST-0500


this system has a few cuts to meet the oculus minimum specs, but it does and will work with the other gift.
the CPU is a straight quad core 4 thread affair but still much faster than what he has now*. it can easily be replaced later as more powerful units come down in price. the SSD is still 500GB class but is not as fast as the intel 660p. this relies on rebates to stay on budget so out of pocket will be more until the rebates come.

I always suggest replacing RAM with another matched set, the chips on the matched sets are tested and binned to work together and then the sticks are assembled, mixing single sticks is a gamble I have lost many times. with enough tinkering and tweaking you might get sticks that are unstable to work together but replacement is the surest way to get RAM that WILL work together.
* for the general idea, results will vary but you get the idea of the performance difference this entry level CPU provides
 
[...]
I always suggest replacing RAM with another matched set, the chips on the matched sets are tested and binned to work together and then the sticks are assembled, mixing single sticks is a gamble I have lost many times. with enough tinkering and tweaking you might get sticks that are unstable to work together but replacement is the surest way to get RAM that WILL work together.
* for the general idea, results will vary but you get the idea of the performance difference this entry level CPU provides
Personally, I hate replacing RAM sticks - it's always a waste and reselling it almost never works.
As for the CPU, why not an Athlon? Less cores, but SMT-enabled and higher frequency - like the 3000G. It's slightly cheaper, too.
 
PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/2rp4sk

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 3.4 GHz 6-Core Processor ($114.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B450M PRO4 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate BarraCuda 1 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($42.24 @ Walmart)
Video Card: MSI Radeon RX 580 8 GB ARMOR OC Video Card ($144.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 100R ATX Mid Tower Case ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX (2017) 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Acer SB220Q bi 21.5" 1920x1080 75 Hz Monitor ($79.98 @ Amazon)
Total: $567.16
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-29 07:34 EST-0500

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/VMXGL2

CPU: Intel Core i3-9100F 3.6 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($88.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock B365M Pro4 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate BarraCuda 1 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($42.24 @ Walmart)
Video Card: MSI Radeon RX 580 8 GB ARMOR OC Video Card ($144.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 100R ATX Mid Tower Case ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX (2017) 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Acer SB220Q bi 21.5" 1920x1080 75 Hz Monitor ($79.98 @ Amazon)
Total: $551.16
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-29 07:38 EST-0500
 
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Nov 29, 2019
9
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talk about waste, paying for a GPU and not using it all. SMT is great but an actual core is faster.
the 3000g is an option if the 8 dollars is the dealbreaker.

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/pDQ9rV

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 3.4 GHz 6-Core Processor ($114.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B450M PRO4 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: MSI Radeon RX 580 8 GB ARMOR OC Video Card ($144.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair CX (2017) 550 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Acer SB220Q bi 21.5" 1920x1080 75 Hz Monitor ($79.98 @ Amazon)
Total: $494.93
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-29 07:29 EST-0500



What if I just bought the wrong processor.. It was $150 inc s/h with a Wraith Spire LED Cooler (which I also don't know if it is worthy of mentioning) And I am now deciding to temporarily ditch the monitor until after the holidays..

I was looking at several different ones on eBay, needles to say, got mixed up and picked the
AMD Ryzen 7 2700x 8core 3.2-41max GHz

I am also increasing my spending to 600 at the very top end. I can't just have computer parts for him to open on Christmas. LOL
 
What if I just bought the wrong processor.. It was $150 inc s/h with a Wraith Spire LED Cooler (which I also don't know if it is worthy of mentioning) And I am now deciding to temporarily ditch the monitor until after the holidays..

I was looking at several different ones on eBay, needles to say, got mixed up and picked the
AMD Ryzen 7 2700x 8core 3.2-41max GHz

I am also increasing my spending to 600 at the very top end. I can't just have computer parts for him to open on Christmas. LOL
amd ryzen 7 2700x is a good processor but u wud need an aftermarket cooler for it...
 
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Nov 29, 2019
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Yes, it will, no problems... make sure the cooler is compatible with am4 boards and u get all the proper mounts... always double check...

I am thinking this will work :
Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 33.84 CFM CPU Cooler

I however had not thought on how to find proper mounts. Will something like this come with them or is there another way that this is found for a NZXT Tempest Evo. I am sure I will figure it out once I start taking it apart to build it back up.

All of you have helped educate me so quickly and I cannot thank you enough!
 
My advice is to get your son involved in the upgrade decisions.
It sounds like you have not too much expertise, and I certainly hope son has some ability to do the changes.

Assuming that the primary purpose is gaming, there needs to be a balance between cpu capability and graphics capability.

You have that balance now, but at a minimal level.
There is no useful upgrade for the cpu without also changing the motherboard and ram.
Buying used is a possibility if budget is constrained.

If it is possible to reuse parts, you need to provide a more explicit list of what is currently installed.
I see no cpu upgrade without a change, not only of cpu but of motherboard and ram also.

With a budget if $400, I might suggest the following:
I5-9400f processor $85
300 series motherboard $60
2 x 8gb ram $50
GTX1650 super graphics card $160.
Total $355.

Let me reiterate.
Get your son involved if he has any expertise!!
Failing that, go to a local pc shop for some assistance.
Buy in haste,repent at leisure.