Good use for old PC?

[Maverickfftytwo]

I recently just built a new work computer. Primarily for photography work but also graphic design and some video.

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor
Motherboard: Gigabyte B550I AORUS PRO AX Mini ITX AM4 Motherboard
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory
Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive
Storage: Western Digital Blue 2 TB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER 6 GB MINI ITX OC Video Card
Case: Fractal Design Era ITX Mini ITX Desktop Case
Power Supply: Fractal Design Ion SFX-L 500 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular SFX Power Supply 
Monitor: MSI Prestige PS341WU 34.0" 5120x2160 60 Hz Monitor

NAS: Synology DiskStation DS218j w/ 2x WD Red 6TB drives

 

The computer it replaced, and the one I'm trying to find a use for, is...

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP LGA 1155
Memory: Ballistix Tactical 8GB DDR3 1600
Storage: Western Digital Black 1 TB  3.5" 7200RPM
Storage: Western Digital Green 4 TB 3.5" 5900RPM 
Video Card: SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7850 2GB
Case: COUGAR Volant
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80 PLUS

 

I'm also currently building a super budget HTPC/Plex server (used to run my Plex server from the old work computer with all the files stored on a USB hard drive) from some spare parts/extras. I've just been keeping my eyes open for a good deal on a motherboard as I have everything else already.

CPU: AMD Athlon 3000G 3.5 GHz Dual-Core Processor
Motherboard: MSI B450I GAMING PLUS AC Mini ITX AM4 Motherboard
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-2400 CL16 Memory (the 32GB in my work PC was on back order so I ran this for a bit until it showed up)
Storage: Western Digital Green  120 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive (was included for free with the WD Blue SSD in my work PC)
Storage: Western Digital Green 4 TB 3.5" 5900RPM Internal Hard Drive (This will be removed from the old work PC)
Case: Fractal Design Node 202 HTPC Case w/450 W Power Supply (The 3.5" drive will sit in a 3d printed bracket where the GPU would normally go)

 

I also have an old Dell Optiplex 790 SFF that my kids use for homework or stuff their Chromebooks can't do.

CPU: Intel Core i5-2400
Memory: 8 GB, was 4GB but was upgraded at one point. I forget the speed.
Storage: Team Group GX2 2.5" 256GB SSD
Storage: Random 360GB Samsung HDD from an old PC  

 

So now I have this big ole tower sitting on my desk without a use. I originally was going to find an old ITX motherboard for it and put it in the Node 202 and continue using it as my Plex server but after looking around that seemed like a fools errand. Pricing was just too high compared to the newer stuff and it would always be a roll of the dice on used equipment. Right now we're primarily a console gaming family but my kids have expressed some interest in certain PC games. I originally built the old work PC as a mid tier gaming rig but as I used it more and more for work I played less games on it. IMO, it was never that great of a gaming rig and would probably require a GPU upgrade (probably nothing crazy, GTX 1650 or RX570/580) to even be mediocre for newer games. However, I'd really prefer not having this big tower replacing the small Dell in our family room. If I added something like a slim GTX 1650 to the Dell it seems like it would give pretty similar performance, or at least good enough for what they want.

 

So that kinda leaves me scratching my head. It's still a good computer, I only replaced it because the performance of new hardware was so clearly more efficient that it couldn't be ignored anymore. My only thoughts so far have been to use all those hard drive bays and turn it into a second NAS, but I really don't need one. At least not yet. Thanks for any ideas/suggestions, I would really appreciate them!

[TehDwonz]

3 minutes ago, Maverickfftytwo said:

The computer it replaced, and the one I'm trying to find a use for, is...

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP LGA 1155
Memory: Ballistix Tactical 8GB DDR3 1600
Storage: Western Digital Black 1 TB  3.5" 7200RPM
Storage: Western Digital Green 4 TB 3.5" 5900RPM 
Video Card: SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7850 2GB
Case: COUGAR Volant
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80 PLUS

If you don't have a use for it, sell it. Or, if you want to feel all fuzzy inside, donate it. That spec would be great for a poor kid's homework, or a struggling med student.

[mug3n]

Use it as Router 

Quote

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570
Motherboard: ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP LGA 1155
Memory: Ballistix Tactical 8GB DDR3 1600
Storage: Western Digital Black 1 TB  3.5" 7200RPM
Storage: Western Digital Green 4 TB 3.5" 5900RPM 
Video Card: SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7850 2GB
Case: COUGAR Volant
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80 PLUS

Buy few expansion LAN cards and install pfSense  Level1Techs have a easy to follow guide. 

[Comixbooks]

Goodwill takes them I ditched two PCs and 2 broken monitors there =>

[Maverickfftytwo]

8 hours ago, TehDwonz said:

If you don't have a use for it, sell it. Or, if you want to feel all fuzzy inside, donate it. That spec would be great for a poor kid's homework, or a struggling med student.

I think my mother in law already called dibs if we're going to get rid of it. Was just hoping someone would mention something that would be useful to us.

8 hours ago, Grumpy Old Man said:

That could be fun

8 hours ago, mug3n said:

Use it as Router 

Buy few expansion LAN cards and install pfSense  Level1Techs have a easy to follow guide. 

Why would I do this versus just continuing to use the router I'm using now?

[Guest]

garbage. (electronics recycle)

 

Give away,

 

use as plex PC or some other like "When you come over you can borrow this computer"

[AvMaverick]

You can run Folding@Home or SETI research software on it. That'd help the world.

[Takt1kal]

You can connect it to your T.V for streaming movies. (If you don't have a smart one like me)

[Takt1kal]

4 minutes ago, AvMaverick said:

You can run Folding@Home or SETI research software on it. That'd help the world.

SETI is nice.

[AvMaverick]

5 minutes ago, Sounak Nag said:

You can connect it to your T.V for streaming movies. (If you don't have a smart one like me)

Yeah, a streaming PC'd be nice.

[tkitch]

On 9/10/2020 at 3:06 AM, knockless said:

SETI is nice.

@AvMaverick Seti@Home has shutdown, at least for the time being:  https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/

 

[Bombastinator]

My personal move would be pull the 4tb from it, the oled, and the kids machine, replace the kids machine with this one, add both 4 tb drives to the plex server,  (maybe in raid 1, they’re old, and they’ve got different wear patterns which is handy for raid 1) keep the plex drive as a backup for when the one of the other drive fails. And craigslist or donate the old machine.

[AvMaverick]

17 hours ago, tkitch said:

@AvMaverick Seti@Home has shutdown, at least for the time being:  https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/

 

@tkitch, thanks for the info! 

[Sir Asvald]

Use it as file storage server for your Plex.

[WildW_UK]

God-Tier Windows XP machine for those awkward old games you just can't let go of.

[Maverickfftytwo]

I think the conclusion I've come to is just replacing the kids computer with this one. It's bigger than I'd like but it can be stored under the desk instead of up top. They'll be better off as this has a dedicated GPU so they'll be able to play some more games if they choose to. It'll also be easier to upgrade if we ever decide it needs more RAM or a better GPU. No need to be locked into a slim GPU with the little Dell case.

 

Then I'll have to figure out something for the Dell. My mother in law expressed some interest in our old computer when my wife mentioned I was building a new one, so maybe it could go to her or maybe I'll find another use for it.

 

By the way, thanks for the suggestions guys. The security camera ones were pretty intriguing. I don't have any cams right now, but I wouldn't mind some. I have no idea how to go about installing those or running that stuff, so I'll have to look into that more.