• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

Planning to upgrade my 3 year-old PC

RandelA

New Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
66 (0.02/day)
Location
Pateros, PH
System Name P55-NZXT
Processor Core i5 760 - 3.5Ghz
Motherboard MSI P55-GD55
Cooling CoolerMaster Vortex+
Memory Kingston DDR3 3x2GB 1333MHz (dumb setup)
Video Card(s) Powercolor HD5770 OD 910/1395
Storage Seagate 500GB - OS/WD 160GB - Backup
Display(s) Samsung 21.5"
Case NZXT Apollo
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply Thermaltake 650w
Software Windows 8 Pro x64
Hello TPU! I have a gaming computer that is almost 3years old-- without doing any upgrade, not even on the cooling! So I am saving up now and planning to upgrade it, since I don't think building a new one helps my pocket. (hehe:D)

I have listed my specs in the desc. What I am planning to upgrade:
CPU, Video Card, Storage, Coolers

What I play:
Usually I play the good old GTA IV and some other old games like BF3, Crysis 2.. (because my PC Can't handle new games) I will play GTA V tho.

What I have in mind:
months ago I was clueless of the "Thermal Paste" thing for my pc (my CPU was installed by the shop I bought the parts with), and so I needed some "Cleaning" because it is getting dusty. I removed the cooler of the CPU and GPU and put it back with the old and dry thermal compound (I know, stupid right?) so then after that, my games were logging like hell (5fps is the worst) I thought I needed to buy a thermal compound AND an aftermarket cooler.

What do you guys think? Is my current cpu specs future-proof enough if I replace the thermal compound and buy an aftermarket CPU cooler like, Antec H20 620 / CM V8??

Sorry for the long post!! :ohwell:
 
Joined
Jul 19, 2006
Messages
43,585 (6.74/day)
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Motherboard ASUS TUF x670e
Cooling EK AIO 360. Phantek T30 fans.
Memory 32GB G.Skill 6000Mhz
Video Card(s) Asus RTX 4090
Storage WD m.2
Display(s) LG C2 Evo OLED 42"
Case Lian Li PC 011 Dynamic Evo
Audio Device(s) Topping E70 DAC, SMSL SP200 Headphone Amp.
Power Supply FSP Hydro Ti PRO 1000W
Mouse Razer Basilisk V3 Pro
Keyboard Tester84
Software Windows 11
Well, for now you definitely need new thermal paste on there, your CPU is overheating and I suggest you not use your computer until this is fixed as it is VERY important. AC MX-4 works good and it's pretty foolproof in how you apply it. The Antec H20 620 is a fine choice, don't bother with the CM V8 as it is big and does a lousy job for its size.

As far as upgrading the rest of your computer don't bother other than the video card. If you were to upgrade your CPU, it's not worth it staying on your current platform. A video card upgrade will do you the most good. Currently a Nvidia 660ti or an AMD HD 7950 are the way to go.
 
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
5,061 (0.92/day)
Processor AMD Ryzen 5 7600
Motherboard Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX
Cooling Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
Memory Kingston Fury Beast DDR5-5600 16GBx2
Video Card(s) Gigabyte Gaming OC AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT 16GB
Storage TEAMGROUP T-Force Z440 2TB, SPower A60 2TB, SPower A55 2TB, Seagate 4TBx2, Samsung 870 2TB
Display(s) AOC 24G2 + Xitrix WFP-2415
Case Montech Air X
Audio Device(s) Realtek onboard
Power Supply Be Quiet! Pure Power 11 FM 750W 80+ Gold
Mouse Logitech G304
Keyboard Redragon K557 KAIA RGB Mechanical Keyboard
Software Windows 10
How much is your budget? The GTX 660 Ti is at 17000php (~$400) right now.
 
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Messages
4,355 (0.94/day)
Location
Mexico
System Name Dell-y Driver
Processor Core i5-10400
Motherboard Asrock H410M-HVS
Cooling Intel 95w stock cooler
Memory 2x8 A-DATA 2999Mhz DDR4
Video Card(s) UHD 630
Storage 1TB WD Green M.2 - 4TB Seagate Barracuda
Display(s) Asus PA248 1920x1200 IPS
Case Dell Vostro 270S case
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply Dell 220w
Software Windows 10 64bit
You already have the top i5 CPU and frankly going for an i7 isn't going to help much (if at all) in games unless you get an 875K (for the unlocked multiplier). I'd suggest to get an aftermarket heatsink, the CM Hyper 212 is a popular choice, just make sure to see if it would fit in your case (it doesn't in mine). If you aren't against watercooling you could get by with an H40 even with a slight overclock on your CPU.


For the GPU, if you don't mind buying used stuff you could snatch an HD6950 pretty cheap, around $150+shipping (I got mine used for $120 because the fans broke but I managed to "fix" it). If you got the money, the HD7850 has one of the best bang-for-the-buck ratios. If you can spend $300 go for the GTX660.


And for storage, I assume those 660GB of yours are constraining you, isn't it? Get a 2TB drive, costs just a fraction more of what 1TB drives go for.


EDIT: forget those prices, I see you're in the Philippines.
 
Last edited:

eidairaman1

The Exiled Airman
Joined
Jul 2, 2007
Messages
40,435 (6.61/day)
Location
Republic of Texas (True Patriot)
System Name PCGOD
Processor AMD FX 8350@ 5.0GHz
Motherboard Asus TUF 990FX Sabertooth R2 2901 Bios
Cooling Scythe Ashura, 2×BitFenix 230mm Spectre Pro LED (Blue,Green), 2x BitFenix 140mm Spectre Pro LED
Memory 16 GB Gskill Ripjaws X 2133 (2400 OC, 10-10-12-20-20, 1T, 1.65V)
Video Card(s) AMD Radeon 290 Sapphire Vapor-X
Storage Samsung 840 Pro 256GB, WD Velociraptor 1TB
Display(s) NEC Multisync LCD 1700V (Display Port Adapter)
Case AeroCool Xpredator Evil Blue Edition
Audio Device(s) Creative Labs Sound Blaster ZxR
Power Supply Seasonic 1250 XM2 Series (XP3)
Mouse Roccat Kone XTD
Keyboard Roccat Ryos MK Pro
Software Windows 7 Pro 64

RandelA

New Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
66 (0.02/day)
Location
Pateros, PH
System Name P55-NZXT
Processor Core i5 760 - 3.5Ghz
Motherboard MSI P55-GD55
Cooling CoolerMaster Vortex+
Memory Kingston DDR3 3x2GB 1333MHz (dumb setup)
Video Card(s) Powercolor HD5770 OD 910/1395
Storage Seagate 500GB - OS/WD 160GB - Backup
Display(s) Samsung 21.5"
Case NZXT Apollo
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply Thermaltake 650w
Software Windows 8 Pro x64
Well, for now you definitely need new thermal paste on there, your CPU is overheating and I suggest you not use your computer until this is fixed as it is VERY important. AC MX-4 works good and it's pretty foolproof in how you apply it. The Antec H20 620 is a fine choice, don't bother with the CM V8 as it is big and does a lousy job for its size.

As far as upgrading the rest of your computer don't bother other than the video card. If you were to upgrade your CPU, it's not worth it staying on your current platform. A video card upgrade will do you the most good. Currently a Nvidia 660ti or an AMD HD 7950 are the way to go.

6+months have passed and I'm still using my computer.. are my CPU and GPU already cooked? I overclocked them both once but now the CPU is on stock and GPU is on overdrive.

How much is your budget? The GTX 660 Ti is at 17000php (~$400) right now.

Wouldn't the 660Ti bottleneck with my 1st gen i5 or motherboard?

You already have the top i5 CPU and frankly going for an i7 isn't going to help much (if at all) in games unless you get an 875K (for the unlocked multiplier). I'd suggest to get an aftermarket heatsink, the CM Hyper 212 is a popular choice, just make sure to see if it would fit in your case (it doesn't in mine). If you aren't against watercooling you could get by with an H40 even with a slight overclock on your CPU.


For the GPU, if you don't mind buying used stuff you could snatch an HD6950 pretty cheap, around $150+shipping (I got mine used for $120 because the fans broke but I managed to "fix" it). If you got the money, the HD7850 has one of the best bang-for-the-buck ratios. If you can spend $300 go for the GTX660.


And for storage, I assume those 660GB of yours are constraining you, isn't it? Get a 2TB drive, costs just a fraction more of what 1TB drives go for.


EDIT: forget those prices, I see you're in the Philippines.

I was thinking of the H40 too, but the online store doesn't have them so I need to check it on the local stores. For the storage, I don't really put too much but a 2TB would be new for me. Also do you recommend an SSD?

http://us.msi.com/product/mb/P55-GD55.html#/?div=CPUSupport

get another stick of ram too to enable proper dual channel support

Got it! are my 1333RAM sticks okay or do i need to upgrade it as well?
 
Joined
Jul 19, 2006
Messages
43,585 (6.74/day)
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Motherboard ASUS TUF x670e
Cooling EK AIO 360. Phantek T30 fans.
Memory 32GB G.Skill 6000Mhz
Video Card(s) Asus RTX 4090
Storage WD m.2
Display(s) LG C2 Evo OLED 42"
Case Lian Li PC 011 Dynamic Evo
Audio Device(s) Topping E70 DAC, SMSL SP200 Headphone Amp.
Power Supply FSP Hydro Ti PRO 1000W
Mouse Razer Basilisk V3 Pro
Keyboard Tester84
Software Windows 11
6+months have passed and I'm still using my computer.. are my CPU and GPU already cooked? I overclocked them both once but now the CPU is on stock and GPU is on overdrive.



Wouldn't the 660Ti bottleneck with my 1st gen i5 or motherboard?

The motherboard/cpu has over temperature protection and it throttles the CPU. This is why you notice all the lag.

No bottleneck with the 660Ti and your setup. More/faster RAM will help a bit too.
 

RandelA

New Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
66 (0.02/day)
Location
Pateros, PH
System Name P55-NZXT
Processor Core i5 760 - 3.5Ghz
Motherboard MSI P55-GD55
Cooling CoolerMaster Vortex+
Memory Kingston DDR3 3x2GB 1333MHz (dumb setup)
Video Card(s) Powercolor HD5770 OD 910/1395
Storage Seagate 500GB - OS/WD 160GB - Backup
Display(s) Samsung 21.5"
Case NZXT Apollo
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply Thermaltake 650w
Software Windows 8 Pro x64
The motherboard/cpu has over temperature protection and it throttles the CPU. This is why you notice all the lag.

No bottleneck with the 660Ti and your setup. More/faster RAM will help a bit too.

Really? Awesome feature! I didn't know that. I need to have more knowledge in computers.. :laugh: anyway, I would save up and try the 660Ti. About the RAM, would 1800 "kill" it or do I need like, 2000Mhz? I'm planning on 8GB only Since I only run atleast 4 active programs at a time.
 
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Messages
4,355 (0.94/day)
Location
Mexico
System Name Dell-y Driver
Processor Core i5-10400
Motherboard Asrock H410M-HVS
Cooling Intel 95w stock cooler
Memory 2x8 A-DATA 2999Mhz DDR4
Video Card(s) UHD 630
Storage 1TB WD Green M.2 - 4TB Seagate Barracuda
Display(s) Asus PA248 1920x1200 IPS
Case Dell Vostro 270S case
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply Dell 220w
Software Windows 10 64bit
6+months have passed and I'm still using my computer.. are my CPU and GPU already cooked? I overclocked them both once but now the CPU is on stock and GPU is on overdrive.



Wouldn't the 660Ti bottleneck with my 1st gen i5 or motherboard?



I was thinking of the H40 too, but the online store doesn't have them so I need to check it on the local stores. For the storage, I don't really put too much but a 2TB would be new for me. Also do you recommend an SSD?



Got it! are my 1333RAM sticks okay or do i need to upgrade it as well?

Running with baked thermal paste isn't advisable, even if your PC doesn't show any detriments (which it does according to your post). You don't need any fancy stuff unless you intent to overclock, but even if you do, in the mean time get whatever you can locally (most probably CM Ice Fusion, that stuff is everywhere).

The i5-760 won't bottleneck the GTX660 unless you play a CPU bound game like Civ 5 or something. PCIe 3.0 cards will work at PCIe 2.0 on your board but there's no noticeable effect on performance: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Intel/Ivy_Bridge_PCI-Express_Scaling/23.html

As you can see, not even a GTX680 or HD7970 are bottlenecked by the PCIe 2.0 interface.



Personally, I don't mind SSDs but with all the horror stories going around I prefer SSDs for caching. A Win7 install uses about 15-20GB so you could get by with a 32GB SSD as a boot drive. If you pretend to install programs on the SSD I'd say a 128GB model would be ideal. I've heard a lot of good things about the Crucial m4 and not a lot of bad ones (mostly DOA drives).



1333Mhz is fine. Increased bandwidth doesn't seem to help intel CPUs a lot. If you can, go for a 2x4GB kit as loading all the RAM slots will put strain on the memory controller. You could get a 1600Mhz kit for a couple bucks more than a 1333 kit if you fancy one.
 

loloTHUNDAH

New Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2012
Messages
62 (0.01/day)
Location
Philippines
Hey There! Fellow Pinoy Here. I am too getting a new build, might as well help out on this one.

First thing's First, How much is your budget? We really need to know how much you're willing to spend.

Next thing is that is this really a purely gaming build? If you do some lite photoshopping and Video Editing then a good Processor upgrade would suffice. pair that with a good mobo and you're good to go.

EDIT: How big is the screen resolution your playing?

As said you really can't go wrong with a GTX660 ti, but since we're from the same country (Philippines), only a few models have some out.

I could recommend you a GTX 550ti
http://pcx.com.ph/components/graphic-cards-1/gainward-gtx560-ti-oc-phantom-1g-dr5.html which is around PHP 11,000 .
Or if you could spend more you could get a MSI Twin Frozr edition
http://pcx.com.ph/components/graphic-cards-1/msi-n560gtx-ti-oc-2gb-ddr5-twin-frozr.html
Which is PHP 14,000.
Don't bother with The 670 - 680 series here, they're kinda pricy

As for your Processor, I wouldn't mind upgrading it. It's powerful enough to handle gaming. Memory is kinda good too, since most games don't use 4gb+ (Correct me if I'm wrong tho.) So The only thing worth upgrading here is the vid card and your cooling. :\

Get the Antec Kuhler h20 620. http://pcx.com.ph/accessories/cpu-fans/antec-kuhler-h20-620-liquid-cooling.html Pretty cheap if you ask me for a good watercooler.

If you like to, then you could also swap out your HDD to a SSD. (though it's really optional)

Hope I helped
 
Last edited:
Joined
Oct 29, 2010
Messages
2,972 (0.61/day)
System Name Old Fart / Young Dude
Processor 2500K / 6600K
Motherboard ASRock P67Extreme4 / Gigabyte GA-Z170-HD3 DDR3
Cooling CM Hyper TX3 / CM Hyper 212 EVO
Memory 16 GB Kingston HyperX / 16 GB G.Skill Ripjaws X
Video Card(s) Gigabyte GTX 1050 Ti / INNO3D RTX 2060
Storage SSD, some WD and lots of Samsungs
Display(s) BenQ GW2470 / LG UHD 43" TV
Case Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced / Thermaltake Core v31
Audio Device(s) Asus Xonar D1/Denon PMA500AE/Wharfedale D 10.1/ FiiO D03K/ JBL LSR 305
Power Supply Corsair TX650 / Corsair TX650M
Mouse Steelseries Rival 100 / Rival 110
Keyboard Sidewinder/ Steelseries Apex 150
Software Windows 10 / Windows 10 Pro
It all comes down to how much money you have to spend.
First and foremost, for your setup you can increase considerably the performance (in games) by upgrading you GPU. Depending on the prices you have there, GTX660Ti or the HD7950 would be your best choices, while these cards don't break the bank they offer good performance. A plus for the 7950 which, overclocked can give you performance in the range of the 680/7970.
Then, thermal paste and the popular Hyper 212+ from Cooler Master will help you overclock the CPU.
Last but not least another stick of memory, preferably same brand and model, will help you run in dual-channel mode.
 

Raw

Joined
Mar 22, 2011
Messages
551 (0.12/day)
System Name it's a computer
Processor INTEL i5-2500K OC'ed @ 4.5GHz
Motherboard ASUS Z68-V DELUXE Gen3
Cooling NOCTURA NH-C14
Memory 16 GB CORSAIR Vengeance (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
Video Card(s) EVGA GTX 970 SSC 4GB
Storage Intel® Solid-State Drive 730 Series SSDSC2BP240G4R5 2.5" 240GB SATA 6Gb/s MLC
Display(s) SAMSUNG 24HD Model # 2494 Sync Master
Case CM HAF 922
Audio Device(s) onboard
Power Supply CORSAIR Gold AX850 Full Modular
Software Windows 10
just a fraction of...

And for storage, I assume those 660GB of yours are constraining you, isn't it? Get a 2TB drive, costs just a fraction more of what 1TB drives go for.

A 2TB WD drive is about $180.00
A 1TB WD drive is about $99.00

Percentage = 181.818%

Doesn't seem like just a fraction of...to me.
Just saying.
:)
 

RandelA

New Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
66 (0.02/day)
Location
Pateros, PH
System Name P55-NZXT
Processor Core i5 760 - 3.5Ghz
Motherboard MSI P55-GD55
Cooling CoolerMaster Vortex+
Memory Kingston DDR3 3x2GB 1333MHz (dumb setup)
Video Card(s) Powercolor HD5770 OD 910/1395
Storage Seagate 500GB - OS/WD 160GB - Backup
Display(s) Samsung 21.5"
Case NZXT Apollo
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply Thermaltake 650w
Software Windows 8 Pro x64
Hey There! Fellow Pinoy Here. I am too getting a new build, might as well help out on this one.

First thing's First, How much is your budget? We really need to know how much you're willing to spend.

Next thing is that is this really a purely gaming build? If you do some lite photoshopping and Video Editing then a good Processor upgrade would suffice. pair that with a good mobo and you're good to go.

EDIT: How big is the screen resolution your playing?

As said you really can't go wrong with a GTX660 ti, but since we're from the same country (Philippines), only a few models have some out.

I could recommend you a GTX 550ti
http://pcx.com.ph/components/graphic-cards-1/gainward-gtx560-ti-oc-phantom-1g-dr5.html which is around PHP 11,000 .
Or if you could spend more you could get a MSI Twin Frozr edition
http://pcx.com.ph/components/graphic-cards-1/msi-n560gtx-ti-oc-2gb-ddr5-twin-frozr.html
Which is PHP 14,000.
Don't bother with The 670 - 680 series here, they're kinda pricy

As for your Processor, I wouldn't mind upgrading it. It's powerful enough to handle gaming. Memory is kinda good too, since most games don't use 4gb+ (Correct me if I'm wrong tho.) So The only thing worth upgrading here is the vid card and your cooling. :\

Get the Antec Kuhler h20 620. http://pcx.com.ph/accessories/cpu-fans/antec-kuhler-h20-620-liquid-cooling.html Pretty cheap if you ask me for a good watercooler.

If you like to, then you could also swap out your HDD to a SSD. (though it's really optional)

Hope I helped

Thanks fellow Pinoy! But actually I have seen one 660Ti in PCX Gilmore. I didn't check the prices tho :roll: how about a 560ti? Well, I do Photoshops a lot and might be doing animations since I'm a Multi-Media Artist. I play games whenever I have free time which is like, almost every day after I work :)

It all comes down to how much money you have to spend.
First and foremost, for your setup you can increase considerably the performance (in games) by upgrading you GPU. Depending on the prices you have there, GTX660Ti or the HD7950 would be your best choices, while these cards don't break the bank they offer good performance. A plus for the 7950 which, overclocked can give you performance in the range of the 680/7970.
Then, thermal paste and the popular Hyper 212+ from Cooler Master will help you overclock the CPU.
Last but not least another stick of memory, preferably same brand and model, will help you run in dual-channel mode.

What would be the best bang for the bucks for a CPU cooler? I want those in the price level of CM V8 and Antec H20 620.. and yes, I will buy a new stick. :)
 

RandelA

New Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
66 (0.02/day)
Location
Pateros, PH
System Name P55-NZXT
Processor Core i5 760 - 3.5Ghz
Motherboard MSI P55-GD55
Cooling CoolerMaster Vortex+
Memory Kingston DDR3 3x2GB 1333MHz (dumb setup)
Video Card(s) Powercolor HD5770 OD 910/1395
Storage Seagate 500GB - OS/WD 160GB - Backup
Display(s) Samsung 21.5"
Case NZXT Apollo
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply Thermaltake 650w
Software Windows 8 Pro x64
Running with baked thermal paste isn't advisable, even if your PC doesn't show any detriments (which it does according to your post). You don't need any fancy stuff unless you intent to overclock, but even if you do, in the mean time get whatever you can locally (most probably CM Ice Fusion, that stuff is everywhere).

The i5-760 won't bottleneck the GTX660 unless you play a CPU bound game like Civ 5 or something. PCIe 3.0 cards will work at PCIe 2.0 on your board but there's no noticeable effect on performance: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Intel/Ivy_Bridge_PCI-Express_Scaling/23.html

As you can see, not even a GTX680 or HD7970 are bottlenecked by the PCIe 2.0 interface.



Personally, I don't mind SSDs but with all the horror stories going around I prefer SSDs for caching. A Win7 install uses about 15-20GB so you could get by with a 32GB SSD as a boot drive. If you pretend to install programs on the SSD I'd say a 128GB model would be ideal. I've heard a lot of good things about the Crucial m4 and not a lot of bad ones (mostly DOA drives).



1333Mhz is fine. Increased bandwidth doesn't seem to help intel CPUs a lot. If you can, go for a 2x4GB kit as loading all the RAM slots will put strain on the memory controller. You could get a 1600Mhz kit for a couple bucks more than a 1333 kit if you fancy one.

Couldn't argue with this one. :toast:

EDIT: Although guys, I also do a LOT of Photoshop and Illustrator. Also Adobe Premiere, and in the near future I will be doing animations and will be doing some computer codes..
 

RandelA

New Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
66 (0.02/day)
Location
Pateros, PH
System Name P55-NZXT
Processor Core i5 760 - 3.5Ghz
Motherboard MSI P55-GD55
Cooling CoolerMaster Vortex+
Memory Kingston DDR3 3x2GB 1333MHz (dumb setup)
Video Card(s) Powercolor HD5770 OD 910/1395
Storage Seagate 500GB - OS/WD 160GB - Backup
Display(s) Samsung 21.5"
Case NZXT Apollo
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply Thermaltake 650w
Software Windows 8 Pro x64
Hey There! Fellow Pinoy Here. I am too getting a new build, might as well help out on this one.

First thing's First, How much is your budget? We really need to know how much you're willing to spend.

Next thing is that is this really a purely gaming build? If you do some lite photoshopping and Video Editing then a good Processor upgrade would suffice. pair that with a good mobo and you're good to go.

EDIT: How big is the screen resolution your playing?

As said you really can't go wrong with a GTX660 ti, but since we're from the same country (Philippines), only a few models have some out.

I could recommend you a GTX 550ti
http://pcx.com.ph/components/graphic-cards-1/gainward-gtx560-ti-oc-phantom-1g-dr5.html which is around PHP 11,000 .
Or if you could spend more you could get a MSI Twin Frozr edition
http://pcx.com.ph/components/graphic-cards-1/msi-n560gtx-ti-oc-2gb-ddr5-twin-frozr.html
Which is PHP 14,000.
Don't bother with The 670 - 680 series here, they're kinda pricy

As for your Processor, I wouldn't mind upgrading it. It's powerful enough to handle gaming. Memory is kinda good too, since most games don't use 4gb+ (Correct me if I'm wrong tho.) So The only thing worth upgrading here is the vid card and your cooling. :\

Get the Antec Kuhler h20 620. http://pcx.com.ph/accessories/cpu-fans/antec-kuhler-h20-620-liquid-cooling.html Pretty cheap if you ask me for a good watercooler.

If you like to, then you could also swap out your HDD to a SSD. (though it's really optional)

Hope I helped

Thank you kababayan! Tho I saw one 660Ti infront of PCX in Gilmore. I didn't check for prices:roll:

It all comes down to how much money you have to spend.
First and foremost, for your setup you can increase considerably the performance (in games) by upgrading you GPU. Depending on the prices you have there, GTX660Ti or the HD7950 would be your best choices, while these cards don't break the bank they offer good performance. A plus for the 7950 which, overclocked can give you performance in the range of the 680/7970.
Then, thermal paste and the popular Hyper 212+ from Cooler Master will help you overclock the CPU.
Last but not least another stick of memory, preferably same brand and model, will help you run in dual-channel mode.

Is the Hyper 212+ the best bang for the bucks?
 
Joined
Mar 26, 2010
Messages
9,762 (1.91/day)
Location
Jakarta, Indonesia
System Name micropage7
Processor Intel Xeon X3470
Motherboard Gigabyte Technology Co. Ltd. P55A-UD3R (Socket 1156)
Cooling Enermax ETS-T40F
Memory Samsung 8.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3
Video Card(s) NVIDIA Quadro FX 1800
Storage V-GEN03AS18EU120GB, Seagate 2 x 1TB and Seagate 4TB
Display(s) Samsung 21 inch LCD Wide Screen
Case Icute Super 18
Audio Device(s) Auzentech X-Fi Forte
Power Supply Silverstone 600 Watt
Mouse Logitech G502
Keyboard Sades Excalibur + Taihao keycaps
Software Win 7 64-bit
Benchmark Scores Classified
I also do a LOT of Photoshop and Illustrator. Also Adobe Premiere, and in the near future I will be doing animations and will be doing some computer codes..
yep you need more RAM, for today usage, i5 is still pretty fast for vga card, if you dont need top of the line, you can take mid range card.
660Ti is good, but if possible take 2 gig memory it would help if you run high resolution, effect or like that
so you can add ram, replace your stock cooler, add some fans maybe to give your rig enough fresh air
 

RandelA

New Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
66 (0.02/day)
Location
Pateros, PH
System Name P55-NZXT
Processor Core i5 760 - 3.5Ghz
Motherboard MSI P55-GD55
Cooling CoolerMaster Vortex+
Memory Kingston DDR3 3x2GB 1333MHz (dumb setup)
Video Card(s) Powercolor HD5770 OD 910/1395
Storage Seagate 500GB - OS/WD 160GB - Backup
Display(s) Samsung 21.5"
Case NZXT Apollo
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply Thermaltake 650w
Software Windows 8 Pro x64
yep you need more RAM, for today usage, i5 is still pretty fast for vga card, if you dont need top of the line, you can take mid range card.
660Ti is good, but if possible take 2 gig memory it would help if you run high resolution, effect or like that
so you can add ram, replace your stock cooler, add some fans maybe to give your rig enough fresh air

So I DO need a 2000Mhz RAM? Those are pretty cheap today unlike before.. Esp. those 1800MHz. I was also thinking of 2GB for my vid card, but I couldn't find a better one at a low price. Yes, I will add a pre-filled liquid cooler like the antec 620 or the H40 from corsair. Might also add a cooling fan for my RAM and storage devices.
 

Fourstaff

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 29, 2009
Messages
10,020 (1.91/day)
Location
Home
System Name Orange! // ItchyHands
Processor 3570K // 10400F
Motherboard ASRock z77 Extreme4 // TUF Gaming B460M-Plus
Cooling Stock // Stock
Memory 2x4Gb 1600Mhz CL9 Corsair XMS3 // 2x8Gb 3200 Mhz XPG D41
Video Card(s) Sapphire Nitro+ RX 570 // Asus TUF RTX 2070
Storage Samsung 840 250Gb // SX8200 480GB
Display(s) LG 22EA53VQ // Philips 275M QHD
Case NZXT Phantom 410 Black/Orange // Tecware Forge M
Power Supply Corsair CXM500w // CM MWE 600w
So I DO need a 2000Mhz RAM? Those are pretty cheap today unlike before.. Esp. those 1800MHz. I was also thinking of 2GB for my vid card, but I couldn't find a better one at a low price. Yes, I will add a pre-filled liquid cooler like the antec 620 or the H40 from corsair. Might also add a cooling fan for my RAM and storage devices.

No not really. 1333 or 1600 is plenty for 1156 platform. Cooler is personal, so if you want to go for sealed loop over big tower I can't criticize your choice. No need cooling fan for Ram or storage either. Your front intake is probably more than enough for storage, DDR3 ram doesn't really get hot unlike DDR2's.
 

RandelA

New Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
66 (0.02/day)
Location
Pateros, PH
System Name P55-NZXT
Processor Core i5 760 - 3.5Ghz
Motherboard MSI P55-GD55
Cooling CoolerMaster Vortex+
Memory Kingston DDR3 3x2GB 1333MHz (dumb setup)
Video Card(s) Powercolor HD5770 OD 910/1395
Storage Seagate 500GB - OS/WD 160GB - Backup
Display(s) Samsung 21.5"
Case NZXT Apollo
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply Thermaltake 650w
Software Windows 8 Pro x64
No not really. 1333 or 1600 is plenty for 1156 platform. Cooler is personal, so if you want to go for sealed loop over big tower I can't criticize your choice. No need cooling fan for Ram or storage either. Your front intake is probably more than enough for storage, DDR3 ram doesn't really get hot unlike DDR2's.

Even though i do a lot of photoshop, illustrator, movie editing, animation, etc, 1333 would still be okay? and how did you know I had a front intake? :eek: :laugh: I mean, when I bought the case there isn't a front intake. just a side and rear exhaust. I just installed the front intake recently :roll:
 

loloTHUNDAH

New Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2012
Messages
62 (0.01/day)
Location
Philippines
When are you planning to get the parts? if its not now then You could wait for price drops.
 

brandonwh64

Addicted to Bacon and StarCrunches!!!
Joined
Sep 6, 2009
Messages
19,542 (3.68/day)
Honestly like others have said, stay with what you have and just get a better cooler like the water unit erocker mentioned and a new GTX 660TI video card also 8GB of DDR3 1600Mhz will help as well.

The I5 CPU you have will still last quite a while for gaming.
 
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Messages
4,355 (0.94/day)
Location
Mexico
System Name Dell-y Driver
Processor Core i5-10400
Motherboard Asrock H410M-HVS
Cooling Intel 95w stock cooler
Memory 2x8 A-DATA 2999Mhz DDR4
Video Card(s) UHD 630
Storage 1TB WD Green M.2 - 4TB Seagate Barracuda
Display(s) Asus PA248 1920x1200 IPS
Case Dell Vostro 270S case
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply Dell 220w
Software Windows 10 64bit

Raw

Joined
Mar 22, 2011
Messages
551 (0.12/day)
System Name it's a computer
Processor INTEL i5-2500K OC'ed @ 4.5GHz
Motherboard ASUS Z68-V DELUXE Gen3
Cooling NOCTURA NH-C14
Memory 16 GB CORSAIR Vengeance (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
Video Card(s) EVGA GTX 970 SSC 4GB
Storage Intel® Solid-State Drive 730 Series SSDSC2BP240G4R5 2.5" 240GB SATA 6Gb/s MLC
Display(s) SAMSUNG 24HD Model # 2494 Sync Master
Case CM HAF 922
Audio Device(s) onboard
Power Supply CORSAIR Gold AX850 Full Modular
Software Windows 10
Joined
Feb 26, 2008
Messages
4,876 (0.83/day)
Location
Joplin, Mo
System Name Ultrabeast GX2
Processor Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 @ 4.0GHZ 24/7
Motherboard Gigabit P35-DS3L
Cooling Rosewill RX24, Dual Slot Vid, Fan control
Memory 2x1gb 1066mhz@850MHZ DDR2
Video Card(s) 9800GX2 @ 690/1040
Storage 750/250/250/200 all WD 7200
Display(s) 24" DCLCD 2ms 1200p
Case Apevia
Audio Device(s) 7.1 Digital on-board, 5.1 digital hooked up
Power Supply 700W RAIDMAXXX SLI
Software winXP Pro
Benchmark Scores 17749 3DM06
I just wanna say how much I hate 32-bit Illustrator. Thank G-d CS6 is now 64-bit.

Did you mean to post this in the illustrator thread? or just a coincidence?
 

TheMailMan78

Big Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2007
Messages
22,599 (3.68/day)
Location
'Merica. The Great SOUTH!
System Name TheMailbox 5.0 / The Mailbox 4.5
Processor RYZEN 1700X / Intel i7 2600k @ 4.2GHz
Motherboard Fatal1ty X370 Gaming K4 / Gigabyte Z77X-UP5 TH Intel LGA 1155
Cooling MasterLiquid PRO 280 / Scythe Katana 4
Memory ADATA RGB 16GB DDR4 2666 16-16-16-39 / G.SKILL Sniper Series 16GB DDR3 1866: 9-9-9-24
Video Card(s) MSI 1080 "Duke" with 8Gb of RAM. Boost Clock 1847 MHz / ASUS 780ti
Storage 256Gb M4 SSD / 128Gb Agelity 4 SSD , 500Gb WD (7200)
Display(s) LG 29" Class 21:9 UltraWide® IPS LED Monitor 2560 x 1080 / Dell 27"
Case Cooler Master MASTERBOX 5t / Cooler Master 922 HAF
Audio Device(s) Realtek ALC1220 Audio Codec / SupremeFX X-Fi with Bose Companion 2 speakers.
Power Supply Seasonic FOCUS Plus Series SSR-750PX 750W Platinum / SeaSonic X Series X650 Gold
Mouse SteelSeries Sensei (RAW) / Logitech G5
Keyboard Razer BlackWidow / Logitech (Unknown)
Software Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)
Benchmark Scores Benching is for bitches.
Did you mean to post this in the illustrator thread? or just a coincidence?

Sometimes my level of fail is unprecedented.
 
Top