[SOLVED] Upgrade to SSD or buy a low end desktop?

[rren]

custom built over 10yr old.
-Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R REV 2.0 Socket 1366
- Intel i7-950 very old cpu
-16gig rams
-7200 rpm Hitachi HDD
-Zotac GTX 470 (dead, full 1080p doesn't work only lower resolution works) I might replaced with a used graphics card.
-windows 10

It's slow for today's standard but I'm thinking maybe use it as a backup. I'm wondering if replacing the HDD with a
SSD would this make a huge difference? Or maybe donate? Or buy a low end desktop for uploading and storing photos from my cameras? thanks in advance

 

[jay32267]

I'm running a machine that had an i7-920 in it...upgraded to an i7-980...and I'm still running it. I put an SSD in it a while back and it was a huge improvement.
I would do it.
You can always use the SSD down the road.

 

[tennis2]

You can always transfer an SSD to a different/new machine. Of course, nowadays, with M.2 SSDs being the better choice, having to buy a 2.5" SATA SSD (as would be required for your current PC) isn't the most ideal thing, but still serviceable.

Depends on your usage I presume. By the sound of it, you're not [currently] using this for anything more than....web browsing?

GPUs are basically unobtainable. Buying a CPU with integrated graphics is probably a good idea to be able to use it until the end of the year when GPUs are actually available again.

What are your usage plans for this? Obviously at some point, you can't kick the can down the road forever, but an i7-950 is still plenty capable for "light" usage. If you're not gaming or doing (serious) photo/video editing, a graphics card isn't really necessary, so you can save a bunch on that. Then you're starting to get into svelte little mITX machines which would drastically reduce the size of the PC.

 

[rren]

You can always transfer an SSD to a different/new machine. Of course, nowadays, with M.2 SSDs being the better choice, having to buy a 2.5" SATA SSD (as would be required for your current PC) isn't the most ideal thing, but still serviceable.

Depends on your usage I presume. By the sound of it, you're not [currently] using this for anything more than....web browsing?

GPUs are basically unobtainable. Buying a CPU with integrated graphics is probably a good idea to be able to use it until the end of the year when GPUs are actually available again.

What are your usage plans for this? Obviously at some point, you can't kick the can down the road forever, but an i7-950 is still plenty capable for "light" usage. If you're not gaming or doing (serious) photo/video editing, a graphics card isn't really necessary, so you can save a bunch on that.

thankyou. no editing, but when the graphics card gtx470 was working I did do photo editing and it was good but could be faster. I stored lightroom photo files. My storage controller is Sata, what's the best way to buy SSD? Currently I have a Dell 5680 i7-9000 with GTX1660i 6gb with SSD (don't know spec). What is the current cpu that's comparable but better than my i7-950?

 

[rren]

I'm running a machine that had an i7-920 in it...upgraded to an i7-980...and I'm still running it. I put an SSD in it a while back and it was a huge improvement.
I would do it.
You can always use the SSD down the road.

do you think it's worth it or should I buy a low end spec prebuilt desktop or even a midrange laptop because I have no laptop? Laptop can be nice to have but I don't like laptop speed that much.

 

[jay32267]

do you think it's worth it or should I buy a low end spec prebuilt desktop or even a midrange laptop because I have no laptop? Laptop can be nice to have but I don't like laptop speed that much.

I would do it.....as I said....I basically DID the same thing,

 

[tennis2]

thankyou. no editing, but when the graphics card gtx470 was working I did do photo editing and it was good but could be faster. I stored lightroom photo files.

I have a friend who's a graphic designer, he does photoshop/lightroom work on laptop with an 8th gen Intel IGP. (no discrete graphics card). He sees more advantage from having an SSD and appropriate amount of system RAM (RAM needs vary by usage, he's fine with 8GB).

My storage controller is Sata, what's the best way to buy SSD?

Tell us what capacity you're looking for and we'll give you choices.

Currently I have a Dell 5680 i7-9000 with GTX1660i 6gb with SSD (don't know spec).

Soooo. You already have a replacement? Then I see no need to prop up your old i7-950 machine, especially when the GPU doesn't work and there's no onboard graphics.

What is the current cpu that's comparable but better than my i7-950?

Something like an i3-10100 would still beat an i7-950 by a fair margin.

 

[logainofhades]

If you are just wanting something to store your photos, just get an external hard drive.

 

[rren]

I have a friend who's a graphic designer, he does photoshop/lightroom work on laptop with an 8th gen Intel IGP. (no discrete graphics card). He sees more advantage from having an SSD and appropriate amount of system RAM (RAM needs vary by usage, he's fine with 8GB).


Tell us what capacity you're looking for and we'll give you choices.


Soooo. You already have a replacement? Then I see no need to prop up your old i7-950 machine, especially when the GPU doesn't work and there's no onboard graphics.


Something like an i3-10100 would still beat an i7-950 by a fair margin.

i do have a replacement but like I said maybe use it (old one) as a backup storage. I just checked my local shop and there's i7 7th gen display model for aprox $380 and comes with a monitor.

 

[logainofhades]

$100 gets you a 4tb external.

https://www.newegg.com/seagate-model-stkc4000400-4tb/p/N82E16822184883?Item=N82E16822184883

$125 gets you a 5tb.
https://www.newegg.com/model-wdba3a...822234385?Item=N82E16822234385&quicklink=true

Unless you absolutely feel the need to buy another system, for a backup, I would just get one of those.

 

[tennis2]

I agree, you don't need an actual PC if you just need backup storage. Buy an external hard drive (you should own one for backups anyway). A lot of people have to learn the hard way that they need to back up their files. Don't "put all your eggs in one basket" (keep all your eggs in at least 2 baskets).

If your main PC operation is "mission critical" to the point where you can't afford the downtime of repair/replacement, then yes, have a second machine at the ready.

 

[rren]

I agree, you don't need an actual PC if you just need backup storage. Buy an external hard drive (you should own one for backups anyway). A lot of people have to learn the hard way that they need to back up their files. Don't "put all your eggs in one basket" (keep all your eggs in at least 2 baskets).

If your main PC operation is "mission critical" to the point where you can't afford the downtime of repair/replacement, then yes, have a second machine at the ready.

thank you all. i decided to donate it and saving a little bit for larger ssd drive as a backup. what do you all thind go with ssd or regular hdd?

 

[tennis2]

Depends.
Are you moving it around a lot? - Go SSD
If it's mostly stationary, go with an HDD, they're better with unpowered (cold storage) data retention.
If you do regular backups (even 3/year) then the above doesn't really matter, and an SSD wouldn't have issue.

 

[lvt]

custom built over 10yr old.
-Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R REV 2.0 Socket 1366
- Intel i7-950 very old cpu
-16gig rams
-7200 rpm Hitachi HDD
-Zotac GTX 470 (dead, full 1080p doesn't work only lower resolution works) I might replaced with a used graphics card.
-windows 10

It's slow for today's standard but I'm thinking maybe use it as a backup. I'm wondering if replacing the HDD with a
SSD would this make a huge difference? Or maybe donate? Or buy a low end desktop for uploading and storing photos from my cameras? thanks in advance

Unless you use the computer for gaming, adding an SSD will be a significant boost.

FYI I'm typing this from a Q9550 (775 socket), a config from 15 years ago