What Should I Upgrade?

[supermanfan51]

Hello Everyone. I have a new PC, only around a month old, but I am already thinking of upgrading it. My specs are:

• 
  Intel I5-7400
  AMD Radeon RX 580 4 gb
  8 GB DDR4 Ram 2400
  ASUS B250m-A motherboard
  1 TB Hard drive
  500W Power supply

I am already working on upgrading the RAM, but after that I don't know what to upgrade. Should I wait a year or two for the I7's to go down? Any input is appreciated.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Unless you KNOW you already have a really good power supply, this is the one area where most users who don't know better skimp. This is MOST likely where you stand to do your system the most good by upgrading unless the unit you already have is unquestionably solid.

What is the exact model number of your current power supply?

Keep in mind, just because it "works" does not mean it is suitable or "good". The number one thing that causes premature failure of ANY computer system is a cheap power supply with high levels of ripple/noise that can cause premature failure of the motherboard and other components by overheating the capacitors. It is not uncommon to see a motherboard or hard drive lose half it's useful life due to a bad or cheap power supply.

Having 16GB of RAM wouldn't hurt either, but honestly, I'd make sure I had a solid PSU that is likely to last you far longer, through several builds or upgrades, than any of your other components.

Unless you do more than gaming and browsing, you are unlikely to see much benefit from upgrading to an i7 from where you are now, although the bump in clock speed and the potential for overclocking are interesting and might be beneficial, just not sure they'd be "worth" the cost of a whole new CPU.

 

[supermanfan51]

Unless you KNOW you already have a really good power supply, this is the one area where most users who don't know better skimp. This is MOST likely where you stand to do your system the most good by upgrading unless the unit you already have is unquestionably solid.

What is the exact model number of your current power supply?

Keep in mind, just because it "works" does not mean it is suitable or "good". The number one thing that causes premature failure of ANY computer system is a cheap power supply with high levels of ripple/noise that can cause premature failure of the motherboard and other components by overheating the capacitors. It is not uncommon to see a motherboard or hard drive lose half it's useful life due to a bad or cheap power supply.

Having 16GB of RAM wouldn't hurt either, but honestly, I'd make sure I had a solid PSU that is likely to last you far longer, through several builds or upgrades, than any of your other components.

Unless you do more than gaming and browsing, you are unlikely to see much benefit from upgrading to an i7 from where you are now, although the bump in clock speed and the potential for overclocking are interesting and might be beneficial, just not sure they'd be "worth" the cost of a whole new CPU.

Thank you for responding. First of all, I do know that it is an ATNG Power co. 500W power supply. Would this be alright for the future? Secondly, Does the brand of RAM I have matter? Right now I have XPG Adata (1x8gb) 2400, and I am looking into getting 1x8gb 2400 from Crucial. Will this affect anything?
Thank You.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Speaking to the memory first. There are NEVER any guarantees when adding memory. It's ALWAYS best to buy multiple modules in a matched set. So, if you want 16GB, it's always best to go with 2 x8GB in a matched set. ANY time you buy different, or even exactly the same model number, but not in a matched set, you stand a good chance of them being incompatible and not wanting to play nice together. This has become an increasingly worse scenario as memory manufacturers have increasingly taken to reusing model numbers on modules that have had drastic changes made to the configuration of the modules as well as the memory chips used on the modules.

Even buying two identical part numbers, at different times, is no guarantee they will work together at all, or most especially, in dual channel operation. See this thread for more examples on that so that you understand the underlying problem with this. Whether it is an AMD or Intel system makes NO difference when it comes to potential problems with memory compatibility. This has always been a potential issue and it has gotten worse in the last two or three years due to the lack of consistency in manufacturers using the same configuration and materials on different production runs even when part numbers are the same.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3610013/amd-ram-compatibility.html#20562100


As for the power supply. ATNG is not known for good quality or reliable power supplies. Of course they CAN make some good models, and there are a few models they've made through the years that show at least some minimal improvements to their platforms, but in general they are not a go to OEM for power supply platforms or units. I would not trust it much and would be highly inclined to recommend an upgrade to a solid, high quality unit.

To tell you anything SPECIFIC, I would need to know more than just the brand and wattage. There IS a model number somewhere on the unit. Look for the specifications decal on the power supply. It will be on one of the four sides or the back, and will look somewhat similar to this.

 

[supermanfan51]

Speaking to the memory first. There are NEVER any guarantees when adding memory. It's ALWAYS best to buy multiple modules in a matched set. So, if you want 16GB, it's always best to go with 2 x8GB in a matched set. ANY time you buy different, or even exactly the same model number, but not in a matched set, you stand a good chance of them being incompatible and not wanting to play nice together. This has become an increasingly worse scenario as memory manufacturers have increasingly taken to reusing model numbers on modules that have had drastic changes made to the configuration of the modules as well as the memory chips used on the modules.

Even buying two identical part numbers, at different times, is no guarantee they will work together at all, or most especially, in dual channel operation. See this thread for more examples on that so that you understand the underlying problem with this. Whether it is an AMD or Intel system makes NO difference when it comes to potential problems with memory compatibility. This has always been a potential issue and it has gotten worse in the last two or three years due to the lack of consistency in manufacturers using the same configuration and materials on different production runs even when part numbers are the same.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3610013/amd-ram-compatibility.html#20562100


As for the power supply. ATNG is not known for good quality or reliable power supplies. Of course they CAN make some good models, and there are a few models they've made through the years that show at least some minimal improvements to their platforms, but in general they are not a go to OEM for power supply platforms or units. I would not trust it much and would be highly inclined to recommend an upgrade to a solid, high quality unit.

To tell you anything SPECIFIC, I would need to know more than just the brand and wattage. There IS a model number somewhere on the unit. Look for the specifications decal on the power supply. It will be on one of the four sides or the back, and will look somewhat similar to this.

Hi again. I opened up the computer, and I wasn't able to see the label for the power supply. I have contacted their customer support, and I will tell you when they respond. I am now planning to replace it, what would you recommend? BTW, the model is the CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme GXIVR8020A4 Desktop Gaming PC. Edit: It is one of two model numbers: ATM-500SERIES-P or ATM-500SERIES-G

 

[Darkbreeze]

This would be the least expensive VERY good option I would currently recommend based on your system hardware.


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: SeaSonic - FOCUS Gold 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $64.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-01-15 04:05 EST-0500




But this COULD be used if you absolutely needed to spend less money on it and still wanted something much improved over the unit you currently have. I'd really recommend the Seasonic, with it's highly reputable history and terrific professional reviews, but this unit is pretty good for the lower end of the "halfway good" scale.


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: Corsair - TXM Gold 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $44.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-01-15 04:07 EST-0500