My pc has a decent processor, i5 3330, and RAM, 8GB Samsung DDR3, but it needs everything else upgraded. http://pcpartpicker.com/p/12l2V or for ~$150 more i could get an entirely new Haswell system. http://pcpartpicker.com/p/12owa
Which do you think would be a better option to do? Or is there a better option that you would do instead of either of them?
If you already have an i5, it won't be worth it to get the new Haswell i5. These options kind of strike me as a misallocation of funds. You should post your current build, that way it would be easier to determine what you need. I think you can achieve a lot, without the need to spend this kind of money. You should also post your budget.
If you decide to go with an entirely new build, get the unlocked version of the processor and an appropriate motherboard chipset.
my current pc is an i5 3330, a Lenovo H61 motherboard, 8GB of Samsung RAM, random off-brand 1TB HDD, GT 620, Windows 8, a optical drive, and an off-brand 350w PSU. I'd like to keep it under ~$750-$800ish. Perferably on the lower end though
I would suggest keeping your current cpu. It is plenty good. You should be happy enough with your ram, optical drive, and hdd. This is what I would advise getting. I think that this would be the best way to go about upgrading your system.
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/12zkM
Your psu and mobo need a good upgrade. If you like your case well enough, then cross that off the list, but with a 350w psu, I assume that the case is pretty bad as well. Most of the upgrade money should go towards the gpu, and since the 770 is such a great deal, that is what I opted for. You will need a much better psu than you have in order to power the 770, hence the 750watt. Threw in a good mobo with the rest of the money, and there you have it. (I am guessing that you have a prebuilt system.)
You're not going to see a huge preformance increase considering the money you'll sink into the thing to upgrade it. Haswell is only like a 6% gain plus graphics if you don't have a GPU. But hey if you have money to spend doesn't hurt.
750W is overkill, unless you're leaving an sli option open? Even so, two way 770 would be overkill for most display setups.
Could easily get a 550W PSU with a nice 7950. The 7950 comes with three AAA games, it is a pretty appropriate GPU for 1080p. The 770 would definitely make a difference for anything above 1080p.
I'd like a new case, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811322053&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=
is the one that i was looking at. And with the SLI/CrossFire, its not a priority, but if it can be done in budget then id like for it to be a future option, and would you recommend getting an actual monitor? I'm currently using a Vizio 32inch HD LCD TV (720p) as my monitor
yeah it was prebuilt, i got it for ~$520ish i believe. Not sure if i got ripped off entirely, though, from what I've heard the 3330 is a good cpu
I like to leave options open. Maybe in the future, he will want to sli. Maybe he will eventually get a multi-monitor set up. I just don't like the idea of being held back by something like the mobo or the psu. Honestly, a 7870 myst would probably be enough for 1080p gaming, but he put up a budget, and I grabbed the best option available in that budget. With the 770 being the value that it currently is, I tried to set up everything around it. That tends to be the way that I throw rigs together. There are sweetpoints with graphics cards such as the 660ti boost, the 7870 myst, and now the 770. Also, that psu is 80 plus gold, modular, and on sale. So I say, why not? He obviously has the money for it. Better to spend now and not need it when the next upgrade comes than to have to overhaul his entire system for the next upgrade.
That is a good cpu. It will be plenty for what you want. No reason to upgrade it until you have upgraded pretty much everything else.
forgot to mention this, but i need a new OS too, is there anything to tweak in the build you sent to account for that?
Or if i use the same HDD, will I need a new OS?
I went from a 32" 720p tv to a 1080p monitor, and let me tell you, an actual monitor is awesome. It would be worth it imo. That case seems like an amazing deal to me. Especially with that 20% off. I would grab that up immediately, if I were you. Here is another build which takes into account the monitor. As I was saying before, a 7870 xt (or myst, depending on the company making it) will probably be enough for 1080p gaming. I still suggest getting a decent mobo (an extreme4 would be as low as I would reccomend going, if you want to save some cash) and a good psu. That one is a good deal at the moment with it being on sale and all. Even with the money spent on that case you listed, you are still in budget with this build.
http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/partlist/
It is up to you how you allocate your funds.
Personally, I would look to upgrade the display. A 23" 1080p monitor will have a sharper display than a 32" 1080p TV. You should match the display to the GPU output. The 7870 will run great at 1080p. However, there is no immediate need to upgrade that, the TV will suffice. Better to concentrate on the important things first.
I would definitely get a better PSU. Something that is branded, has a good efficiency certification et cetera. You can upgrade your GPU to the 7870 (get the XT version), no problem with that. I wouldn't necessarily upgrade anything else. Changing the motherboard seems pretty needless. It won't boost your in-game performance. It might offer more features, but it is pretty needless, you have a working mobo.
Better to save your cash and invest in a new computer in a couple of years. This setup is fine for the current generation. Just do a complete overhaul in a two-three years, when it really matters. When it is actually time to upgrade. The main thing that will give you a performance boost is the GPU.
I don't have much experience with operating system transfering. I don't know whether that is possible or not. I can try to cut down on some stuff and see if I can work in a new os into the part list.
can you repost the link? mine takes me to a empty list
You could potentially invest in an SSD, for the OS and programs (at least 120GB). It seems you've got plenty of money to meet the upgrades I have suggested. The display and SSD can be carried from build to build. Better than upgrading the motherboard, which you will be looking to replace in two years, and it isn't necessary to upgrade now.
Upgrading to a new motherboard wouldn't be an improvement? not a z77, but something a little lower teir than that? or would a H61 board handle all the upgraded components?
You've already got an i5, if you pair that with a middle tier card, it's not going to be a problem. Z77 is the ideal platform for enthusiasts. You would have to completely overhaul your system to make it an optimal "enthusiast" rig.
Just make sure you get a good PSU, then upgrade your computer in a couple of years. No point wasting money. To upgrade the mobo to something inbetween H61 and Z77 would be even more pointless. You have a board that will let you pair your i5 with a 7870 (XT version is preferable, it runs like a 7950), why change anything?
Honestly, I would buy the things you can use cross-generation. Like a good SSD, or a good case, monitor...
Something you can use time and time again. I've invested in a $600 1440p 27" monitor, because I know that's the only monitor I will ever need, take it from build to build.
You'll be replacing the mobo and CPU in a year or two. There's a lot of architectural stuff heading our way. AMD have yet to unveil its latest line of processors, the 8000 GPUs are somewhere on the horizon.
I know it is very easy to answer your request directly, and start suggesting mobos and different things. However, I think the best advice is not to spend too much on this system. If you wanted some seriously high-end stuff, dual 780s, 1440p monitor, I would suggest investing in Z77 et cetera. But, this is a nice middle tier rig. You don't need to try and push the boundaries of anything. It'll play games, that is the main thing.
im not even sure if the mobo wil let me use a gpu is one reason for upgrading. This will be my third card (due tomorrow) that ive had to RMA. one 6850 and two 620s due to they randomly quit. I was told it was my mobo (chipset specifically) thats casuing this