Hey guys, after saving up and realizing my computer is starting to slow down quite a bit overall, id like to upgrade components to keep my up to date and fast. The only problem is that I don't necessarily know what to upgrade! So i hopped on here to see if you guys to point me in the right direction, thanks! -Luke
PC: 2 Years old (est) Used 3+ Hours a DAY CPU- Intel Core i5-4690K Quad-Core 3.5GHz (Overclocked to 4.1 GHz) Motherboard: MSI Z87-G41 PC Mate RAM/Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 GPU: Nividia Gtx 770 Stock Cooler (Hate the cooler) PowerSupply: Corsair CX500M CX Series Modular 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified 500 Watts Hard Drive: 1TB Western Digital Caviar Blue SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 7200 RPM HDD OS: Windows 7
Yup, an SSD should really help for the overall responsiveness of your system. Also it would force you to reinstall windows (I assume?) which also helps when you feel like your system has "slowed down". In terms of gaming performance a new GPU would be the only thing you need. Upgrading anything else doesn't make too much sense if you just want better performance in games.
You have a pretty decent system there. Prob your issue is not having an SSD. Trust me it makes all the difference. I through in an Crucial MX100 into an old prebuilt with an Athlon II X4 630 and a 650 Ti and it feels like a brand new machine.
Unless you're doing hardcore rendering your CPU is fine and can be pushed further with OCing. Your GPU is a little slow although it is decent for 1080p. So I think an SSD and a new GPU will have you happy for a while.
What I would do is wait until Windows 10 comes out. Then get an SSD and install 10. By that time AMDs new card will drop and you can pick a new GPU up.
GPU should do him fine at 1080 for a while (although tbh it's pretty dependent upon the games he plays etc). PSU he upgraded in the last few months. Source An SSD is going to have a greater impact on his experience with his PC than a new mobo. Boot times, loading times etc.
@Ethereal@DerKrieger I suggested a new motherboard, for simply better overclocking, and additional features on a z97 board.
2GB of Vram is less than stellar. Newer games with settings cranked all the way up, at 1080p, will pass that 2GB mark pretty quick.
And he would more than likely need a new PSU to go along with the GPU upgrade. The Corsair CX PSUs, IMO, are much too basic to be used in gaming PCs. I've used one before, my mom has one in her computer, and my friend has one.
Well, he already has a mild overclock and considering even a stock 4690k won't bottleneck in any game it seems silly to push it further right now. IMO Z97 really doesn't offer many compelling features or reasons to upgrade. Is his motherboard not very good? Yes. But is buying a new one the best place to put his money? No.
2GB is generally okay at 1080p unless you are running a lot of texture heavy mods. The 770 is a decently speedy card. This is what I would upgrade for better gaming performance. However, considering he said his system was "slowing down" and wants it to be fast I'd recommend an SSD. But a new GPU wouldn't be a bad choice but I'm not a huge fan of the 970 and right now isn't the best time to buy with AMD's new stuff dropping.
As for his PSU he won't need an upgrade. Especially if he goes with a 970 which is a very power efficient card. Hell I have seen a 4770 and a 780 running on 430W. So 500 should be fine for a power efficient GPU. Much to basic? IDK decent quality, single rail, 80+ Bronze rating. Seems fine to me. Especially when I have used over 10 of them in many builds over the years and I've never had one fail. So really he wouldn't need an upgrade there.
Well, whatever we say, It's up to the OP to choose what he wants. We all agree that an SSD is necessary. At least that's been established... But I really do think that my suggestions would benefit him in the long run.
Your suggestions are solid, makes sense, and would provide the benefits you described. The problem is that it would be hilariously expensive. Usually when someone says upgrade they don't want the price of building a whole new machine. You want the most cost/performance that you can get. I completely agree that your suggestions would benefit in the long run, its just that they are a bit expensive.
Upgrade the PSU and the GPU. I don't know your budget, so I can't give you exact recommendations. While your current PSU is not outright dangerous like some, it cannot output its rated wattage and it does not belong in a system like yours. Your GPU is enough for 1280x960, maybe 1440x1080, but to go above that at reasonable framerates (100FPS+), I would upgrade it. If you play at 1600x1200 to 2048x1536, I'd get a 980. If you play above 2048x1536, I recommend a Titan X or 980 SLI setup.
Personally to Upgrade the System I would do the following,
Definitely get a SSD. (This will make your system incredibly fast)
Upgrade the GPU later down the road.
Get the SSD first, later on upgrade the graphics, you can get a R9-290 or a GTX 970. the 290 is dirt cheap right now considering AMD is about to Drop the R9-300 series in about a month or two. or if you have a preference for Nvidia, the GTX 970 the lowest i've seen it is $300.