Narrowing down my build

[postal_service]

Hello a lot of my questions have been answered in previous threads so ill provide links and keep this short.

Here's my rig: http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c03499587

Here's the build im looking to upgrade to: http://pcpartpicker.com/list/GKTmGf

My budget is EXACTLY $300. That's the issue.

1) Is replacing all 4 parts the best option? if so, how can i shave off some cost from it. Right now my estimate for newegg is above $300 and taking that to amazon will be even higher.

2) Do I need to replace all 4. Could I just throw in a gpu or a gpu and cpu and be done? If so, what would be the best to avoid having to mess with the motherboard and power supply.

 

[Krusteh]

Not sure but I'd rather switch that APU for an FX 6300 since you have a discrete card in the build. They cost almost the same, too.

 

[Zerk2012]

When you change motherboards then the HP operating system that came with the PC will not work also.

 

[WildCard999]

Your better off keeping your current CPU/MB. For your budget I would increase the RAM to 16gb, put a SSD in for the OS, get a better PSU and then get a EVGA GTX 960 2gb from B-Stock for $150.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Memory: G.Skill Value 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($51.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Sandisk SSD PLUS 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($41.39 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($61.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $155.37
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-06-11 13:44 EDT-0400

EVGA GTX 960 2gb: http://www.evga.com/Products/Product.aspx?pn=02G-P4-2962-RX

TOTAL: $305.37

 

[geofelt]

You made an unfortunate choice buying an apu if you ever wanted to upgrade.
You buy a APU for the excellent integrated graphics.
But, there are no real good upgrades, particularly for a gamer.
If you install a superior discrete graphics card, you will have thrown away the big advantage of the APU.
Then, you are left with a relatively weak cpu. Most games depend on only a few fast cores.
The possible upgrades are to more cores, but few games will use more than 2-3 cores so 6+ cores are not very helpful.
Bottom line.....
What you get with a APU is what you will live with forever.
Games depend on the performance of the single master core.
Your original A8-5500 has a single thread passmark rating of 1270.
You are not going to get a big boost with a $95 A8-6600K with a single thread rating of 1470.
In fact all of the even more expensive amd FX4/6/8 processors have cores rated at about 1500.
Do not make the same mistake again with another APU.


Another thing, your 300w psu will not support a GTX950.

I suggest the following.
Use a $125 Intel i3-6100. It has a single thread passmark rating of 2102.
Use an lga1151 motherboard, any will do. They start at about $50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157685

The nice thing about this combo is that you have future cpu upgrades available all the way up to a $340 i7-6700K.
A 8gb kit of ram will be $30
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231962

A GTX750ti will run on a 300w psu so long as it is not a heavily overclocked version requiring a 6 pin aux connector.
Here is one for $100.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487024

If I am not mistaken, the total will come very close to your $300 budget.

 

[postal_service]

You made an unfortunate choice buying an apu if you ever wanted to upgrade.
You buy a APU for the excellent integrated graphics.
But, there are no real good upgrades, particularly for a gamer.
If you install a superior discrete graphics card, you will have thrown away the big advantage of the APU.
Then, you are left with a relatively weak cpu. Most games depend on only a few fast cores.
The possible upgrades are to more cores, but few games will use more than 2-3 cores so 6+ cores are not very helpful.
Bottom line.....
What you get with a APU is what you will live with forever.
Games depend on the performance of the single master core.
Your original A8-5500 has a single thread passmark rating of 1270.
You are not going to get a big boost with a $95 A8-6600K with a single thread rating of 1470.
In fact all of the even more expensive amd FX4/6/8 processors have cores rated at about 1500.
Do not make the same mistake again with another APU.


Another thing, your 300w psu will not support a GTX950.

I suggest the following.
Use a $125 Intel i3-6100. It has a single thread passmark rating of 2102.
Use an lga1151 motherboard, any will do. They start at about $50
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157685

The nice thing about this combo is that you have future cpu upgrades available all the way up to a $340 i7-6700K.
A 8gb kit of ram will be $30
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231962

A GTX750ti will run on a 300w psu so long as it is not a heavily overclocked version requiring a 6 pin aux connector.
Here is one for $100.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487024

If I am not mistaken, the total will come very close to your $300 budget.

Looking back I wouldnt have bought this myself. It was a gift, an awesome one at the time but it hasn't aged well at all.

Thank you for writing this all out im not to great with pc terms and this was really easy to understand. I'll get those three parts! I just have to figure out how to put them in the tower now. Thank you again.