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Tips on what to upgrade?

Hi!

 

I'm first time here, but been a subscriber of LTT for a long time. :) I've got an used system recently for pretty good price. It can actually run newer games like Hitman 2, AC: Origins etc. on FHD with decent settings.

I am planning to upgrade some components sooner or latter so I thought I may ask here what to upgrade and to what to upgrade (lol).

 

Current specifications are:

  • CPU: Intel Core i5 2500 (non K) at 3.3GHz, stock cooler
  • Motherboard: Intel DH67CL (LGA1155)
  • GPU: Gainward GTX 960 Phantom (2GB VRAM)
  • RAM: 2x4 GB Dual-Channel DDR3, 2 more slots available
  • HDD: 2x700 GB Western Digital drives in RAID 0
  • SDD: none
  • Cooling: stock Intel cooler, 1 140mm fan, 1 120mm coming soon
  • Case: Thermaltake Soprano RS (old, ugly?)

 

Apart from that, if I don't get a new case soon, any tips on cable managment for this old guy (Thermaltake Soprano RS)? Currently they are all on the front with one ziptie...

 

Thanks for all the help, regards.

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First get an SSD and then probably a new video card (and case).

CPU: Core i9 12900K || CPU COOLER : Corsair H100i Pro XT || MOBO : ASUS Prime Z690 PLUS D4 || GPU: PowerColor RX 6800XT Red Dragon || RAM: 4x8GB Corsair Vengeance (3200) || SSDs: Samsung 970 Evo 250GB (Boot), Crucial P2 1TB, Crucial MX500 1TB (x2), Samsung 850 EVO 1TB || PSU: Corsair RM850 || CASE: Fractal Design Meshify C Mini || MONITOR: Acer Predator X34A (1440p 100hz), HP 27yh (1080p 60hz) || KEYBOARD: GameSir GK300 || MOUSE: Logitech G502 Hero || AUDIO: Bose QC35 II || CASE FANS : 2x Corsair ML140, 1x BeQuiet SilentWings 3 120 ||

 

LAPTOP: Dell XPS 15 7590

TABLET: iPad Pro

PHONE: Galaxy S9

She/they 

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Just now, OrbitalBuzzsaw said:

First get an SSD and then probably a new video card (and case).

Thank you for the reply.

SSD I'm coming for ya! So the i5-2500 is okay? I mean, it's 7 years old.

 

Regards.

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1 minute ago, dontdropitlinus said:

Thank you for the reply.

SSD I'm coming for ya! So the i5-2500 is okay? I mean, it's 7 years old.

 

Regards.

It's not the best CPU but an SSD and a new case and video card (hint hint GTX 1070) will be bigger benefits to your rig. It's still a quad core at 3ish GhZ on DDR3 so it's not great but hey you can always upgrade it later

CPU: Core i9 12900K || CPU COOLER : Corsair H100i Pro XT || MOBO : ASUS Prime Z690 PLUS D4 || GPU: PowerColor RX 6800XT Red Dragon || RAM: 4x8GB Corsair Vengeance (3200) || SSDs: Samsung 970 Evo 250GB (Boot), Crucial P2 1TB, Crucial MX500 1TB (x2), Samsung 850 EVO 1TB || PSU: Corsair RM850 || CASE: Fractal Design Meshify C Mini || MONITOR: Acer Predator X34A (1440p 100hz), HP 27yh (1080p 60hz) || KEYBOARD: GameSir GK300 || MOUSE: Logitech G502 Hero || AUDIO: Bose QC35 II || CASE FANS : 2x Corsair ML140, 1x BeQuiet SilentWings 3 120 ||

 

LAPTOP: Dell XPS 15 7590

TABLET: iPad Pro

PHONE: Galaxy S9

She/they 

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1 minute ago, dontdropitlinus said:

So the i5-2500 is okay? I mean, it's 7 years old.

Yes it still a perfectly good CPU, if you wanted a bit more horsepower in that department though an upgrade to an i7 2600 or i7 3770 wouldn't hurt. 

زندگی از چراغ

Intel Core i7 7800X 6C/12T (4.5GHz), Corsair H150i Pro RGB (360mm), Asus Prime X299-A, Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (4X4GB & 2X8GB 3000MHz DDR4), MSI GeForce GTX 1070 Gaming X 8G (2.113GHz core & 9.104GHz memory), 1 Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1TB NVMe M.2, 1 Samsung 850 Pro 256GB SSD, 1 Samsung 850 Evo 500GB SSD, 1 WD Red 1TB mechanical drive, Corsair RM750X 80+ Gold fully modular PSU, Corsair Obsidian 750D full tower case, Corsair Glaive RGB mouse, Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 (Cherry MX Red) keyboard, Asus VN247HA (1920x1080 60Hz 16:9), Audio Technica ATH-M20x headphones & Windows 10 Home 64 bit. 

 

 

The time Linus replied to me on one of my threads: 

 

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Would this cheap guy do the job: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820331047?

About the case, this one: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA66Z8EW5545?

The case aesthetics aren't too important, but I would love a transparent/semi-transparent side. :)

 

EDIT: Crucial should be better than TeamGroup - never heard of them: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820156186

 

Regards.

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2 hours ago, dontdropitlinus said:

Hi!

 

I'm first time here, but been a subscriber of LTT for a long time. :) I've got an used system recently for pretty good price. It can actually run newer games like Hitman 2, AC: Origins etc. on FHD with decent settings.

I am planning to upgrade some components sooner or latter so I thought I may ask here what to upgrade and to what to upgrade (lol).

 

Current specifications are:

  • CPU: Intel Core i5 2500 (non K) at 3.3GHz, stock cooler
  • Motherboard: Intel DH67CL (LGA1155)
  • GPU: Gainward GTX 960 Phantom (2GB VRAM)
  • RAM: 2x4 GB Dual-Channel DDR3, 2 more slots available
  • HDD: 2x700 GB Western Digital drives in RAID 0
  • SDD: none
  • Cooling: stock Intel cooler, 1 140mm fan, 1 120mm coming soon
  • Case: Thermaltake Soprano RS (old, ugly?)

 

Apart from that, if I don't get a new case soon, any tips on cable managment for this old guy (Thermaltake Soprano RS)? Currently they are all on the front with one ziptie...

 

Thanks for all the help, regards.

1) SSD

2) Used RAM. You can find cheap 16GB DDR3 for cheap nowadays and you don't need the fancy stuff since this board does not OC.

2) Used i7. If you can find them for a cheap price.

 

Also i you want to stick to this 1155 build, you might want to watch a review by Hardware Canucks on pairing an 1155 setup with a 1080 ti and then compared to an i7-8700K setup with the same video card.  That should give you some idea on performance benfits on certain upgrades you plan for this rig.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dHCQOt5Nns

CPU: Sempron 2500+ / P4 2.8E / P4 2.6C / A64 x2 4000+ / E6420 / E8500 / i5-3470 / i7-3770
GPU: TNT2 M64 / Radeon 9000 / MX 440-SE / 7300GT / Radeon 4670 / GTS 250 / Radeon 7950 / 660 Ti

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On 1/3/2019 at 1:14 AM, grss1982 said:

1) SSD

2) Used RAM. You can find cheap 16GB DDR3 for cheap nowadays and you don't need the fancy stuff since this board does not OC.

2) Used i7. If you can find them for a cheap price.

 

Also i you want to stick to this 1155 build, you might want to watch a review by Hardware Canucks on pairing an 1155 setup with a 1080 ti and then compared to an i7-8700K setup with the same video card.  That should give you some idea on performance benfits on certain upgrades you plan for this rig.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dHCQOt5Nns

Thanks! 3rd gen i7 will work?

 

Regards.

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On 1/5/2019 at 7:09 AM, dontdropitlinus said:

Thanks! 3rd gen i7 will work?

 

Regards.

Well according to Intel it will: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000006050/boards-and-kits/desktop-boards.html?productId=50101&localeCode=us_en

 

They named very specific chipsets that don't work with 3rd gen 1155 in the article above. That article by the way is for your specific motherboard. :)

 

But just to be on the safe side, your motherboard's processor compatibility table from Intel themselves: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/boardsandkits/desktop-boards/DH67CL.pdf

CPU: Sempron 2500+ / P4 2.8E / P4 2.6C / A64 x2 4000+ / E6420 / E8500 / i5-3470 / i7-3770
GPU: TNT2 M64 / Radeon 9000 / MX 440-SE / 7300GT / Radeon 4670 / GTS 250 / Radeon 7950 / 660 Ti

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hint hint... 1070 ti or 580 if you want a cheaper upgrade, a ssd, another 8 gigs of ram and mabye a 2700

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks everyone for the help! I guess I'm getting a SSD and maybe a new case soon. Then I'll check the RAM and CPU - I found pretty cheap 2x4 GB sticks. :)

 

Regards.

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  • 2 months later...

I've done some smaller upgrades, but as a longterm upgrade, should I keep this board and RAM and eventually upgrade the processor or consider switching to something like B450 and a Ryzen with DDR4 RAM?

 

I'm thinking if I upgrade the CPU and put more RAM I would rather get a new motherboard, CPU, and RAM...

 

Regards.

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On 3/30/2019 at 7:27 AM, dontdropitlinus said:

I've done some smaller upgrades, but as a longterm upgrade, should I keep this board and RAM and eventually upgrade the processor or consider switching to something like B450 and a Ryzen with DDR4 RAM?

 

I'm thinking if I upgrade the CPU and put more RAM I would rather get a new motherboard, CPU, and RAM...

 

Regards.

It's really up to your "use case" and of course your wallet. :D

 

In my case, I would go with the 1155 upgrade and RAM if you get them dirt cheap.  If they're expensive then the new everything option is what I would go with.

 

Got my i7-3770 and 2x8GB DDR3 -- all used -- for a total of $160 about three years ago in my locality.

CPU: Sempron 2500+ / P4 2.8E / P4 2.6C / A64 x2 4000+ / E6420 / E8500 / i5-3470 / i7-3770
GPU: TNT2 M64 / Radeon 9000 / MX 440-SE / 7300GT / Radeon 4670 / GTS 250 / Radeon 7950 / 660 Ti

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On 4/1/2019 at 5:18 PM, grss1982 said:

It's really up to your "use case" and of course your wallet. :D

 

In my case, I would go with the 1155 upgrade and RAM if you get them dirt cheap.  If they're expensive then the new everything option is what I would go with.

 

Got my i7-3770 and 2x8GB DDR3 -- all used -- for a total of $160 about three years ago in my locality.

 

Wow, that's nice. I ain't in a hurry so I'll see how the prices will go... Thanks.

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