Need Motherboard + CPU + PSU Suggestions Please?

[Jason H.]

My current system specs are at the bottom. Im not sure if I can get a motherboard that will run BOTH DDR3 ram AND DDR4 ram, so I need your help.

I cannot afford to upgrade my entire system so Im focusing on what really needs replaced 1st.

I want to keep my GPU, Ram, Cooler and HDD's and buy a new MOBO with a new CPU and new PSU.

Is there any good options for a budget with 300$? I mainly need the new CPU because my CPU is lacking in MANY aspects of use. Music Recording being 1 of them and Gaming being the other.

Any suggestions for the 3 items would be great, I just dont want to have to buy new RAM but I want to have the option to upgrade to DDr4 ram when I can.

* SYSTEM SPECS *

CPU- AMD A8 5600k
COOLER- Cooler Master Hyper T2
GPU- GTX 750 1gb
RAM- 8gb DDR3 1333 Team Elite
MOBO- BIOSTAR A55ML2
PSU- Logysis 480w
WIN- Winodws 10 Home
CASE- RAIDMAX Tornado ATX-238WR Black / Red

 

[Darkbreeze]

Any upgrade from the past three to four years will require that you upgrade CPU, motherboard AND memory. You cannot use DDR3 with any platform released in the last few years. And if you are looking at platforms that accept DDR3, they are not from the last few years and are a waste of time to even be looking at.

There is nothing you can upgrade to worth upgrading to that uses both DDR3 and DDR4. In fact, there is nothing period that uses both, or either/or. There were a few boards that used DDR3L low power memory and could take DDR4 modules, but they were problematic and are by now getting pretty old as well. Not worth doing.

First thing you want to do, before you do ANYTHING else, is get that Logisys power supply out of your box and into the trash. Yes, they are that bad. The ONLY reason you haven't had a serious hardware failure or fireworks show yet is because that GTX 750 uses only slot power. Anything beyond that and I promise that something is going bye bye.

Logisys is among the WORST of the worst possible brands you could choose for a power supply.

Tier Five - Replace immediately. These units are NOT recommended for any system, no matter the purpose. Reference to higher tiered models for a better and potentially money-saving unit


A-TOP technology
Apevia
Apex (SUPERCASE/ALLIED)
Artic / Ace (They're the same company)
Aspire (Turbocase)
ATADC
ATRIX
Broadway Com Corp
CIT
Coolmax
Deer
Diablotek
Dynapower
Dynex
Eagletech
Enlight
Evo labs
EZ-cool
Foxconn
G7
HEC / Compucase Orion
HEDY (should be WAAAYYY lower down than these units. They're that bad)
iStar computer co.
Jeantec
JPac
Just PC
Linkworld electronics
Logisys computer
Macron
MSi (just stick to their GPUs and motherboards)
NMEDIAPC
Norwood Micro/ CompUSA
Okia
Powercool
Powmax
Pulsepower
Q-tec
Raidmax
Rocketfish
SFC
Sharkoon
Shuttle
Skyhawk
Startech
Storm
Sumvision
Tesla

Thermaltake -
BronzeMunich 430w
Purepower NP / RU
TR2 and TR2-RX

Trust (Stick to their peripherals)
Wintech
Winpower
xTreme (Cyberpower PSUs)
Youngbear
Zebronics

 

[Darkbreeze]

This is the absolute least expensive upgrade I see, that is even worth looking at if you want to go with new parts rather than something used. Used parts are always a crapshoot and very risky even in the best of circumstances. I'd very much recommend first getting a high quality power supply, or getting one along with these if you decide to upgrade.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($98.89 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI - B450M PRO-M2 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($64.99 @ B&H)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $233.87
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-09-11 02:39 EDT-0400

 

[Jason H.]

Any upgrade from the past three to four years will require that you upgrade CPU, motherboard AND memory. You cannot use DDR3 with any platform released in the last few years. And if you are looking at platforms that accept DDR3, they are not from the last few years and are a waste of time to even be looking at.

There is nothing you can upgrade to worth upgrading to that uses both DDR3 and DDR4. In fact, there is nothing period that uses both, or either/or. There were a few boards that used DDR3L low power memory and could take DDR4 modules, but they were problematic and are by now getting pretty old as well. Not worth doing.

First thing you want to do, before you do ANYTHING else, is get that Logisys power supply out of your box and into the trash. Yes, they are that bad. The ONLY reason you haven't had a serious hardware failure or fireworks show yet is because that GTX 750 uses only slot power. Anything beyond that and I promise that something is going bye bye.

Logisys is among the WORST of the worst possible brands you could choose for a power supply.

Tier Five - Replace immediately. These units are NOT recommended for any system, no matter the purpose. Reference to higher tiered models for a better and potentially money-saving unit


A-TOP technology
Apevia
Apex (SUPERCASE/ALLIED)
Artic / Ace (They're the same company)
Aspire (Turbocase)
ATADC
ATRIX
Broadway Com Corp
CIT
Coolmax
Deer
Diablotek
Dynapower
Dynex
Eagletech
Enlight
Evo labs
EZ-cool
Foxconn
G7
HEC / Compucase Orion
HEDY (should be WAAAYYY lower down than these units. They're that bad)
iStar computer co.
Jeantec
JPac
Just PC
Linkworld electronics
Logisys computer
Macron
MSi (just stick to their GPUs and motherboards)
NMEDIAPC
Norwood Micro/ CompUSA
Okia
Powercool
Powmax
Pulsepower
Q-tec
Raidmax
Rocketfish
SFC
Sharkoon
Shuttle
Skyhawk
Startech
Storm
Sumvision
Tesla

Thermaltake -
BronzeMunich 430w
Purepower NP / RU
TR2 and TR2-RX

Trust (Stick to their peripherals)
Wintech
Winpower
xTreme (Cyberpower PSUs)
Youngbear
Zebronics

Thanks for the detailed response. Is the anything worth getting for about 350$ for the mobo, cpu, psu and memory?

That I can still use my GPU, HDDs, Cooler with?

 

[Jason H.]

This is the absolute least expensive upgrade I see, that is even worth looking at if you want to go with new parts rather than something used. Used parts are always a crapshoot and very risky even in the best of circumstances. I'd very much recommend first getting a high quality power supply, or getting one along with these if you decide to upgrade.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($98.89 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI - B450M PRO-M2 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($64.99 @ B&H)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $233.87
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-09-11 02:39 EDT-0400

could I theoretically play fortnite at low/med settings with that hardware and my current gpu?

and is the CPU better than my current CPU (I know its an APU but Id only be using it as a CPU)

or even would that APU be better GPU wise than my current? I also make music and this AMD A8 is just terrible.

 

[Darkbreeze]

That Ryzen CPU would be MILES better than your current CPU, which IS in fact, a CPU. All an APU is, is a CPU with integrated graphics. That's most Intel CPUs, but they don't call them APUs. It's an AMD thing.

Yes, you could probably run at lower settings with those components and the GTX 750, PLUS, you would have a platform you could EASILY upgrade in several directions as time goes on. There are a ton of better CPUs that would be usable on that board with higher core counts and clock speeds. You can add more, or faster RAM at a later date if you wanted. And you could add practically any graphics card currently available for use with this platform.

I have to stress though, the PSU should be your first and highest priority. I am not bullshitting when I tell you that your current unit is seriously a ticking timebomb. I'm incredibly surprised it hasn't toasted your system already if it's been in use for a while.

If you can swing 350 bucks, I'd do something like this. This would be a VERY good upgrade from what you have currently, a lot more safe and stable, and even better actually, with a better CPU and motherboard, than what I posted earlier.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 1500X 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($148.99 @ Newegg Marketplace)
Motherboard: Asus - PRIME B450M-A/CSM Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($77.01 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair - CX (2017) 450W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($27.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $323.98
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-09-11 02:59 EDT-0400

 

[norcalsc]

get 2400g if possible its got slightly better graphics

 

[Darkbreeze]

It doesn't have better graphics than the GTX 750 he already has, none of the Ryzen iGPUs are that good, so it's practically irrelevant.

 

[Jason H.]

That Ryzen CPU would be MILES better than your current CPU, which IS in fact, a CPU. All an APU is, is a CPU with integrated graphics. That's most Intel CPUs, but they don't call them APUs. It's an AMD thing.

Yes, you could probably run at lower settings with those components and the GTX 750, PLUS, you would have a platform you could EASILY upgrade in several directions as time goes on. There are a ton of better CPUs that would be usable on that board with higher core counts and clock speeds. You can add more, or faster RAM at a later date if you wanted. And you could add practically any graphics card currently available for use with this platform.

I have to stress though, the PSU should be your first and highest priority. I am not bullshitting when I tell you that your current unit is seriously a ticking timebomb. I'm incredibly surprised it hasn't toasted your system already if it's been in use for a while.

If you can swing 350 bucks, I'd do something like this. This would be a VERY good upgrade from what you have currently, a lot more safe and stable, and even better actually, with a better CPU and motherboard, than what I posted earlier.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 1500X 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($148.99 @ Newegg Marketplace)
Motherboard: Asus - PRIME B450M-A/CSM Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($77.01 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair - CX (2017) 450W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($27.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $323.98
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-09-11 02:59 EDT-0400

Thank you very much for all the info and help

And yea to be honest, the PC has been in use for almost 4 years with that PSU and the fan died so I rigged up a CPU fan inside of it and mounted it up where the PSU fan would go lol. On the bright side, I have more exhaust airflow using the CPU fan I rigged inside the PSU, than I ever did with the brand new PSU fan lol.

Im livin on the edge x D

But Im going to order all the hardware at once. Tyvm for the suggestions, sounds about exactly what I need !

 

[Darkbreeze]

Nice. Good luck to you Jason.