What Should I Upgrade?

[Trossa]

I really messed up my first build because I really didn't put enough research into it. Here are my specs:

AMD A10-5800k APU, using integrated graphics
ASRock FM2-A55M-DGS R2.0 MoBo
4GB(4x1) Kingston RAM
Some generic case with a 680w Shaw PSU (What was I thinking?)

I'm really only willing to spend around $200. I was thinking of upgrading to a CM HAF 912 (Don't exist on Australian pcpartpicker?), a Corsair CX500 and 8gb G.Skill Ripjaws so I can get the most out of the APU. Upgrading my PSU is my top priority right now because of all the things I've read about Shaw PSUs.

If you have any better suggestions please leave them below. Also keep in mind that in Australia prices are crazy expensive. Please don't carry on about how bad APUs are, I know

 

[Tradesman1]

Whatever you heard about Shaw, the CX line from Corsair probably isn't any better, made with cheap Caps, would look at EVGA, SeaSonic, XFX or the like

 

[geofelt]

What is the problem you would like to fix?

If you don't have a ssd for the "C" drive, that is one of the most satisfying upgrades.

 

[Trossa]

What is the problem you would like to fix?

If you don't have a ssd for the "C" drive, that is one of the most satisfying upgrades.

My PC really isn't as good as I thought it should be, many freezes and crashes. Maybe an SSD should fix this?

 

[Trossa]

Whatever you heard about Shaw, the CX line from Corsair probably isn't any better, made with cheap Caps, would look at EVGA, SeaSonic, XFX or the like

How much will a quality PSU set me back? The Newegg page of the cx500 has relatively good reviews, so I thought it should serve me well.

 

[nostall]

If you don't trust your PSU, then I would consider this XFX for $10 more then the CX; more power and better quality
http://au.pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-p1650bbefx

If you trust your current PSU, then the biggest upgrade for performance will be either a bunch more RAM (to work with the APU) OR a discrete video card such as a Radeon R9 270X:
http://au.pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-video-card-r9270xcdj4
If you put the video card in the system, you might need to add a fan or two.

 

[nostall]

Whatever you heard about Shaw, the CX line from Corsair probably isn't any better, made with cheap Caps, would look at EVGA, SeaSonic, XFX or the like

How much will a quality PSU set me back? The Newegg page of the cx500 has relatively good reviews, so I thought it should serve me well.

You are looking at customer reviews, and there are a lot, but you should check professional reviews and here at Tom's to get a little better idea. johnnyguru.com or hardocp.com are two sites to look at. The XFX I linked is an excellent psu at a pretty reasonable price point, comparable to Newegg. Plus the XFX has a 5 year warranty here in the U.S., the CX only 3.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

Made by Super Flower , price is a steal.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: Rosewill Capstone 750W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $39.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-23 00:03 EST-0500

 

[nostall]

Made by Super Flower , price is a steal.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: Rosewill Capstone 750W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply ($39.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $39.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-23 00:03 EST-0500

NO S^&!! ! ! ! Trossa, if you can order from Newegg, that is your new PSU!
Thanks SR-71. Hell, I paid $30 more for my CAPSTONE 650.

Just want to add, for everyone's information, the following; I did some followup research on SHAW psu's and found this link in the Johnnyguru forums;
http://hardwareinsights.com/wp/shaw-psush80pgold850-650w-power-supply-review/
I expanded the picture of the power supply to find a UL or UnderWriters Laboratory number, as its label shows an UL approval mark (The 2nd from left), a lower case letter 'c' with a capitol reversed RU then u.s. To be a valid UL certification there must be a certification number which can be used to trace back to the manufacture; there is none.
Draw your own conclusion, but to me that tells me the PSU is labeled fraudulently by the manufacture/redistributor/Shaw and is not to be trusted.
UL research reference found in this article in this page:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/power-supply-oem-manufacturer,2913-3.html

 

[reedo_43]

Thanks SR71, I just bought that 750 and didn't even need it. Steal!!!

 

[reedo_43]

Thanks SR71, I just bought that 750 and didn't even need it. Steal!!!

 

[Trossa]

Sadly, newegg doesn't ship that PSU to Australia. Might do a bit of digging around various online retailers