[SOLVED] Need to upgrade a 6 year old gaming PC! Help!

yogagogga

Honorable
Apr 10, 2018
21
0
10,510
Hello everyone!

I gave my old PC gaming PC to my wife, as she does some light gaming occasionally, playing Paladins, Minecraft, The Sims 4 and Assassins Creed 2. It's been 6 years since I've bought it and I realize that it struggles to keep up with newer games such as GTA V, Star Wars Battlefront 2 and Assassins Creed Odyssey. Here is the PC specs:

Processor: AMD FX(tm)-8350 Eight-Core Processor
Memory: 16GB RAM (V-Gen DDR3 8GB PC12800 x2)
Cooler: Hyper 212 LED
Graphics Card: ASUS GTX 1050Ti 4GB OC CERBERUS DDR5 DUAL FAN
Display Monitor: LED LG 24MP59G 24" 75hz (1920 x 1080)
Mother Board: Asrock 970 Pro3
Storage: Toshiba DT01ACA100

I know that some of these components are quite outdated, so I would appreciate if anyone could advise me what I need to upgrade so that I can at least play current games at 60 FPS on Medium settings.

I would prefer Mini ITX based build, because we plan on converting the computer into a more portable PC, because we do often travel out of town every other month to visity the family. I have no preference between AMD/intel build.

I live in Indonesia, the average salary here is not great so I can't really afford high-end stuff, so would say that my overall budget is around is 600 US$.

Thanks!
 
Solution
Damn, this is hard. Ive looked at the local market and could find these two sets of CPU + mobo (all new)

- 280 USD =Ryzen 3 3100 + Aorus b450 Mini ITX

- 215 USD = i3 10100f + Asrock B460M-ITX

My wallet is saying go for the intel build, but my pc enthusiast heart is leading me to the ryzen one..
You know what, go with intel.
I mentioned future proofing for this low a rig, but I forgot about the fact that intel 11th gen will also go in that same socket, and is rumored to match AMD in single threaded performance but lack the core count (capping out at 8, even though current intel 10th gen has 10 cores.), not to mention the 10100F and 3100 trade blows as it is, so for the now build, it would be the same, or very similar.

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
You asked this in April.
What has changed?

 
Sorry to break it to you, but there's no where to take this computer.

Really, nothing you upgrade would be really a big improvement.
The cpu is so slow it will bottleneck any better gpu, but upgrading cpu won't improve stuff either, because then the gpu will be the slower part.


I would personally change cpu and platform (ram, motherboard and cpu, probably to a ryzen 3, or i3 if you want to keep the budget low)
Also an ssd is a MUST in 2020. It hurts me to see a machine using just a hard drive.

Then you would have a nice upgrade path.
 
  • Like
Reactions: yogagogga

yogagogga

Honorable
Apr 10, 2018
21
0
10,510
You asked this in April.
What has changed?


I actually ended up buying a whole new gaming setup, which is why i gave the old rig to my wife and did nothing other than buying a new monitor and cooler for it.

Now that ive been able to save up a few buck, i want to upgrade it and in the end turn it into a mid tier mini itx portable pc!
 

yogagogga

Honorable
Apr 10, 2018
21
0
10,510
Sorry to break it to you, but there's no where to take this computer.

Really, nothing you upgrade would be really a big improvement.
The cpu is so slow it will bottleneck any better gpu, but upgrading cpu won't improve stuff either, because then the gpu will be the slower part.


I would personally change cpu and platform (ram, motherboard and cpu, probably to a ryzen 3, or i3 if you want to keep the budget low)
Also an ssd is a MUST in 2020. It hurts me to see a machine using just a hard drive.

Then you would have a nice upgrade path.
Yeah i guess i cant really do anything as long as im still using the old motherboard. Do you have any recommendation of a good budget motherboard and cpu? Ive been wondering if i should get the amd APU called Ryzen 5 3400g with integrated Vega 11. But i'm torn on going that path (for extreme portability since i wouldnt need a graphics card and can use a small form factor case) or if i should stick with the 1050ti and buy a mid tier ryzen CPU

What do you think?
 
Yeah i guess i cant really do anything as long as im still using the old motherboard. Do you have any recommendation of a good budget motherboard and cpu? Ive been wondering if i should get the amd APU called Ryzen 5 3400g with integrated Vega 11. But i'm torn on going that path (for extreme portability since i wouldnt need a graphics card and can use a small form factor case) or if i should stick with the 1050ti and buy a mid tier ryzen CPU

What do you think?
There are lots of super small cases that have plenty of space for both a gpu and good cpu, I don't think that would be a very important matter.

You could get a gtx 1070 mini (they are dirt cheap right now.) and a ryzen 5 1600AF or 3600 if your budget allows, with a B450 motherboard for quite cheap, for a very capable gaming machine
(you can obviously turn down the cpu or gpu depending on budget and needs)
I don't suggest the 3400G.
Amd's 3rd gen apus like the 3400G or 3200G are actually not ryzen 3000, but ryzen 2000. They are old 4 core cpus, with okay gpus.
If you want to skip a gpu and perfer integrated, I suggest waiting for intel 11th gen. It will have intel's new Xe gpus, that are supposed to be a little faster than the Vega 11, almost at gtx 1050 (non Ti) levels, or around MX350-MX450.
And they will be integrated on current gen cpus, unlike the aging 3400G. AMD will also put out a 5400G and even 5700G soon, but these are rumored to be OEM only.
 
  • Like
Reactions: yogagogga

yogagogga

Honorable
Apr 10, 2018
21
0
10,510
You could get a gtx 1070 mini (they are dirt cheap right now.) and a ryzen 5 1600AF or 3600 if your budget allows, with a B450 motherboard for quite cheap, for a very capable gaming machine
(you can obviously turn down the cpu or gpu depending on budget and needs)
I don't suggest the 3400G.
Amd's 3rd gen apus like the 3400G or 3200G are actually not ryzen 3000, but ryzen 2000. They are old 4 core cpus, with okay gpus.
If you want to skip a gpu and perfer integrated, I suggest waiting for intel 11th gen. It will have intel's new Xe gpus, that are supposed to be a little faster than the Vega 11, almost at gtx 1050 (non Ti) levels, or around MX350-MX450.
And they will be integrated on current gen cpus, unlike the aging 3400G. AMD will also put out a 5400G and even 5700G soon, but these are rumored to be OEM only.

Okay, ive made up my mind and will keep the 1050ti for now while waiting for the new low tier RTX 30XXs. By upgrading the cpu alone I should be able to gain better performance with the 1050ti, and will hold me until the new gpus launches. After searching around some more i've narrowed down my sewrch to two potential cpus now, eitherthe Ryzen 5 1600f or the i3 10100f. I can get the i3 for 50 bucks cheaper than the ryzen, and it seems that it performs better than the ryzen 5 1600f even if the ryzen has more cores. Do you think that would be wise?
 
Okay, ive made up my mind and will keep the 1050ti for now while waiting for the new low tier RTX 30XXs. By upgrading the cpu alone I should be able to gain better performance with the 1050ti, and will hold me until the new gpus launches. After searching around some more i've narrowed down my sewrch to two potential cpus now, eitherthe Ryzen 5 1600f or the i3 10100f. I can get the i3 for 50 bucks cheaper than the ryzen, and it seems that it performs better than the ryzen 5 1600f even if the ryzen has more cores. Do you think that would be wise?
well, the thing is, for single core, yes, intel's low end offering is better than the 1600AF, but in multicore, AMD would obviously wreck intel.
But, I'mma throw another contender in the ring.
If you can find one in stock (I personally can't...) the ryzen 3 3100 or 3300X should be as good or better than the 10100F, the only reason I'm trying to push you to ryzen is because of the better upgrade path. for intel, the best you could put in the same motherboard as a 10100F is a 10900k which is kind of laughable compared to the 5950X that you can on the ryzen platform, and yeah, obviously you won't be getting one of those anytime soon, but it's something to consider for the future.
 
  • Like
Reactions: yogagogga

yogagogga

Honorable
Apr 10, 2018
21
0
10,510
Damn, this is hard. Ive looked at the local market and could find these two sets of CPU + mobo (all new)

- 280 USD =Ryzen 3 3100 + Aorus b450 Mini ITX

- 215 USD = i3 10100f + Asrock B460M-ITX

My wallet is saying go for the intel build, but my pc enthusiast heart is leading me to the ryzen one..
 
Damn, this is hard. Ive looked at the local market and could find these two sets of CPU + mobo (all new)

- 280 USD =Ryzen 3 3100 + Aorus b450 Mini ITX

- 215 USD = i3 10100f + Asrock B460M-ITX

My wallet is saying go for the intel build, but my pc enthusiast heart is leading me to the ryzen one..
You know what, go with intel.
I mentioned future proofing for this low a rig, but I forgot about the fact that intel 11th gen will also go in that same socket, and is rumored to match AMD in single threaded performance but lack the core count (capping out at 8, even though current intel 10th gen has 10 cores.), not to mention the 10100F and 3100 trade blows as it is, so for the now build, it would be the same, or very similar.
 
Solution

yogagogga

Honorable
Apr 10, 2018
21
0
10,510
You know what, go with intel.
I mentioned future proofing for this low a rig, but I forgot about the fact that intel 11th gen will also go in that same socket, and is rumored to match AMD in single threaded performance but lack the core count (capping out at 8, even though current intel 10th gen has 10 cores.), not to mention the 10100F and 3100 trade blows as it is, so for the now build, it would be the same, or very similar.

Thanks for all your tips! I'll be doing that then. I'll be building it inside the SilverStone SG13 mini ITX case, it'll be quite an interesting build process!
 
I wouldn't consider a 4 core none hyperthreaded intel in 2020 personally.

The ryzen 3100 is a better choice overall although I personally would have still gone with the 1600af if its available cheap.
6 cores and 12 threads versus a straight quad core is an absolute no brainer to me if you're planning on keeping that system awhile.

I'm running a gen 1 ryzen 1700, it's absolutely rock solid as long as you're not running a 144htz screen, those extra cores and threads on the ryzen will future proof you for much much longer than a 4 core intel.
 
I wouldn't consider a 4 core none hyperthreaded intel in 2020 personally.

The ryzen 3100 is a better choice overall although I personally would have still gone with the 1600af if its available cheap.
6 cores and 12 threads versus a straight quad core is an absolute no brainer to me if you're planning on keeping that system awhile.

I'm running a gen 1 ryzen 1700, it's absolutely rock solid as long as you're not running a 144htz screen, those extra cores and threads on the ryzen will future proof you for much much longer than a 4 core intel.
Depending on the title, one can dominate the other quite a bit.
In more cpu bound titles that need more than 4 cores, or in places where you game and record or stream, or renders/workstation tasks, yes.
but in most games, like the above titles of GTA V, Minecraft, sims 4 and AC, single threaded performance is king, and the 4 core 8 thread i3 is just plain better.
as for 3100 or 10100F, they are almost identical in performance, and the 3100 costs 65$ more for him so... it's a no brainer to go with intel if you want a low end machine.

I talked about upgrade path before too, I thought AMD's was better because of 5th gen, but intel will have 11th gen on that motherboard too, and while rocketlake will still have less cores than ryzen (less than intel 10th gen too somehow..) it will be just as, or faster according to rumors.
 

Latest posts