Where do I even start?

daiv · March 17, 2017

Okay, firstly, my budget is pretty high (I can spend almost anything honestly, its just a matter of if its worth it). Currently I game a decent amount (LoL, CSGO, Overwatch, GTAV). The thing is that I'm going to college in ~5 months, and after that I will have alot less time gaming, and wont care that much about my build/how good my PC is. So I want to spend the least amount of money possible to get the best PC, if I have to spend alot I guess I would do it, but you understand my problem.

My build:

Hard Drive: 5 year old HDD (Which is awful) : My parents are buying me a new SSD as a gift (Samsung 850 Evo), so any thats a plus, but the rest I have to buy on my own.

CPU: Intel i7-3770 (no k!!! everyone assumes the k)
GPU: Nvidia GTX 760
Motherboard: Dell OptiPlex 7010

RAM: DDR3 8GB

Moniters: Moniter 1: 1080p 60hz Moniter 2: 1080p 144hz

Another problem I have is my case. My case is very old and bad, and the side panel is off. If I keep the side panel on it overheats (If off it stays good temperature). I'm not sure if its a problem, but my case is awful.

Here is my userbenchmark results (Ignore the sandisk ssd, i cant use that for the computer normally): http://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/3131484

Questions:

Should I get a new motherboard since mine is so old and only supports DDR3?

Is my case a problem?

I constantly see my ram and cpu jump to 100% usage, but my GPU never hits 100% usage, is that a sign of something?

Should I format my hard drive? I've never done it in the 5 years I've had this computer.

What to buy first?

GDRRiley · March 17, 2017

grab a new gpu and more ram also maybe a new PSU.

themctipers · March 17, 2017

You shouldn't get a new motherboard because it won't support your 3770.

its a sign that you should probably upgrade your ram; a CPU hitting 100% means that it's being utilized to its full potential.

Buy a SSD and a new hard drive. Install windows onto the SSD (recommend 240gb)

Ram -> SSD -> new HDD -> RX 480

KeemoSabe · March 17, 2017

I think that you only need to manage cooling and powering up your system. I bet the motherboard can be re-cased so buy a new case that has a good ventilation (add cooling fans if need be). Buy an Air cooler (such as Hyper 212 Evo) and buy a better PSU (a 550w 80+ bronze will suffice). You can do this for around $100-$120 depending your hardware choice.

Your CPU usage may hit 100% because of other applications installed at the background so formatting can help. These things will ensure that you get the most out of your system and definitely prolong its life. Just hook up your SSD as soon as you got it to enjoy better performance.

If you don't plan on playing any other games aside from what you mentioned, I think your GTX 760 can pretty much do the job since you are only using 1080p monitors.