Thoughts about upgrading my sister's PC so she can stay off mine.

[Filip Georgievski]

Here are the specs and the upgrade i plan to do:
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 (upgrade to Core 2Quad Q9300 and OC to 3.5Ghz)
MOBO:MSI P45 C51 (stays the same)
COOLER: Intel Stock (upgrade to DeepCool Gammaxx 400 with a DeepCool GS120 Fan)
RAM:6GB some random memory (upgrade to Kingston HyperX Black Fury 2 x 4GB 1600MHZ)
GPU: AMD Radeon HD6770 (upgrade to R9 280X)
PSU: Random 500w POS (upgrade to Corsais CX650M)
Storage WD BLUE 500GB (adding a 120GB Kingston A400 SSD)

Are all these upgrades worth it for such an old machine?
Opinions are welcome.

 

[P4-630]

Are all these upgrades worth it for such an old machine?

Depends how much you need to pay for all the "new" parts.

 

[dorsetknob]

Storage /PSU /CPU Cooler ( as long as you keep the optional fitting kit and GPU Can Eventually be migrated to a newer build
so thats not money wasted
If your happy to Spend your/her money then its worth it

 

[IceScreamer]

Before you do upgrade (IF the price is right) look around for a prebuilt computer, something with a 1155 socket.
They usually come with i3-2100s and such and would be a better upgrade IMO. Then just drop in a GPU and you're good to go.
You may spend a bit more (or maybe not) but the results would be better.

 

[Filip Georgievski]

Here are prices for parts:
Q9300 - 25$ used
Gammaxx 400 - 20$ new
HyperX Black RAM Sticks - free (already have them)
280X - free (already have it)
CX650M - free (already have it)
A400 SSD - 50$ brand new

Now these parts I already have are in my very own pc, so ill have to upgrade GPU, buy more RAM and new PSU so I can transfer these parts to the other build.
Thinking of getting another CX650M, an RX 580 4GB and 2 x 4GB HyperX Blue 1866mhz.

 

[jboydgolfer]

i would say it is most important to explore why she is using Your PC, over her own in the first place, then move forward from there. This would help with knowing the capabilities she is seeking out in your machine , that hers lacks

 

[micropage7]

i would say it is most important to explore why she is using Your PC, over her own in the first place, then move forward from there. This would help with knowing the capabilities she is seeking out in your machine , that hers lacks

i agree, why?
for gaming, or she thinks that your pc better or something
if for gaming, what game that she plays?
maybe coz your pc feels like much better than hers
yeah you know sometimes girls just use it and dont take any attention for keeping the pc clean. all they know just turn it on and run the apps
fresh OS and keep the apps clean, add antivirus, update the drivers could help too

 

[Filip Georgievski]

Well she does game a little, nothing too fancy or anything.
But most of all, i want to upgrade hers (and mine in the process) because she needs it for school stuff, projects, etc.
I want to make a fast capable pc out of it, that means making it sutable for all kinds of work, even gaming.

 

[Folterknecht]

Here are the specs and the upgrade i plan to do:

RAM:6GB some random memory (upgrade to Kingston HyperX Black Fury 2 x 4GB 1600MHZ)

Incompatible - this platform only runs with DDR2 toping out at 1066 (1200) MHz RAM speeds. 1600 MHz is DDR3 RAM.

 

[GorbazTheDragon]

As @Folterknecht mentioned, you are looking at a platform with DDR2 and those sticks are (most likely) DDR3.

More important than how much she plays games is what games she plays, I know plenty of hardcore gamers who wouldn't need anything beyond a GTX 750... You are going to have to be more specific with what she wants to do with it if you really want to optimise the system.

Otherwise I would look for second hand LGA 1155 and 1150 motherboards and compatible CPUs, probably i3s and up, then slap 16GB of ram in the system and call it a day. No need for beyond stock cooling, no need for faffing around with old hardware and conectivity...

So ditch Core2, and either get LGA 1155 or 1150 or maybe you can find a good FM2+ board and one of the more recent Athlon X4 or A8/A10 CPUs.

 

[Papahyooie]

I can tell you from experience, even a r9 270x will be bottlenecked by a C2Q, so that 280x will be largely wasted. Not sure if you care about that, but there it is.

I'm with most of the rest here.... You'll spend less money, and end up with a far better computer, buying a used pre-built. Dell or something.

 

[Ferrum Master]

Buy yourself a new one and give her the old one...

 

[biffzinker]

Dell Optiplex 9020, i5-4570 3.40GHz, 16GB RAM, 500GB HDD, Windows 7 64bit installed $210.00 Ebay

Edit: Only ship in the US though so nvm.

 

[R-T-B]

Wasn't there some Core2's that used DDR3?

My server/NAS cheapo thing is such a thing actually, so yeah.

 

[biffzinker]

Wasn't there some Core2's that used DDR3?

Yes, the OP's MSI P45-C51 has DDR3 slots.

 

[Folterknecht]

Hadn't thought about these strange P45 boards with DDR3 --- sorry.

That aside:

used 2500K ~50€
used board (P68) also around 50€

Makes more sense to me than the hassle with that totally outdated C2Q, and will result in a nice performance boost especially with a somewhat recent GPU. The C2Q will be limiting nearly every somewhat recent/decent GPU .

 

[Filip Georgievski]

Ill consider all your opinions.
Those prebuilt pcs sound like a good idea.

My opinion was that these Core2Quad are not too far off 1st and 2nd Gen i3s and I5s in performance ( 5 - 10% slower), but with my intention for overclocking the Q9300, i think it will not bottleneck the 280x by much.
My primary idea was to set that system up to be ready to play games like GTA V and Crysis 3 at 720p resolution, since it has a small Led Philips 720p 60hz monitor.

 

[Folterknecht]

My opinion was that these Core2Quad are not too far off 1st and 2nd Gen i3s and I5s in performance ( 5 - 10% slower), but with my intention for overclocking the Q9300, i think it will not bottleneck the 280x by much.
.

Nope, nope ...

take a look here: https://www.computerbase.de/2011-01/test-intel-sandy-bridge/46/

it's more like 35% and with the HUGE and easy overclocking headroom of the 2500K it will get even bigger, especially considering the 280X.

 

[peche]

Here are prices for parts:
Q9300 - 25$ used
Gammaxx 400 - 20$ new
HyperX Black RAM Sticks - free (already have them)
280X - free (already have it)
CX650M - free (already have it)
A400 SSD - 50$ brand new

Now these parts I already have are in my very own pc, so ill have to upgrade GPU, buy more RAM and new PSU so I can transfer these parts to the other build.
Thinking of getting another CX650M, an RX 580 4GB and 2 x 4GB HyperX Blue 1866mhz.

seems legit, check ram, cuz Q9300 and that board you mention for it are DDR2,

Regards,

 

[Papahyooie]

seems legit, check ram, cuz Q9300 and that board you mention for it are DDR2,

Regards,

I'm not knocking you personally, just using your quote to get across what I'm talking about: Let's get this straight once and for all, because it's been said several times now that the board is DDR2. That is not the case. The board uses DDR3. Straight from MSI's website:

Keep in mind that back during the C2Q days, the memory controller was on the motherboard, not integrated into the processor. So while we all think of C2Q as "DDR2 compatible Processors" that isn't necessarily the case. Any C2Q is capable of using DDR3, as long as the motherboard has the requisite controller. There were even some weird C2Q compatible motherboards from ASRock and others that supported both DDR2 and DDR3 (though not both at the same time.)

Once again, not trying to be mean, I just want to make sure the correct information survives, and there is no further confusion.

 

[lyndonguitar]

G4560 with a budget GPU is the way to go. maybe buy her a 1366 x 768 monitor so games will run good for a long time.

 

[Zyll Goliat]

Ill consider all your opinions.
Those prebuilt pcs sound like a good idea.

My opinion was that these Core2Quad are not too far off 1st and 2nd Gen i3s and I5s in performance ( 5 - 10% slower), but with my intention for overclocking the Q9300, i think it will not bottleneck the 280x by much.
My primary idea was to set that system up to be ready to play games like GTA V and Crysis 3 at 720p resolution, since it has a small Led Philips 720p 60hz monitor.

If you really want to go with the Core2quad and 775 socket instead of Q9300 I will suggest Q9550 or Q9650 can´t be such a difference in price anymore but performance is way better also great OC and Q9550 have 12mb of cash Vs 6mb in q9300......

 

[peche]

I'm not knocking you personally, just using your quote to get across what I'm talking about: Let's get this straight once and for all, because it's been said several times now that the board is DDR2. That is not the case. The board uses DDR3. Straight from MSI's website:

Keep in mind that back during the C2Q days, the memory controller was on the motherboard, not integrated into the processor. So while we all think of C2Q as "DDR2 compatible Processors" that isn't necessarily the case. Any C2Q is capable of using DDR3, as long as the motherboard has the requisite controller. There were even some weird C2Q compatible motherboards from ASRock and others that supported both DDR2 and DDR3 (though not both at the same time.)

Once again, not trying to be mean, I just want to make sure the correct information survives, and there is no further confusion.

contrary, thanks for illustrate us with the proper infor and source !

 

[biffzinker]

contrary, thanks for illustrate us with the proper infor and source !

already did, check post #15.

https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/...so-she-can-stay-off-mine.237305/#post-3730224

 

[Filip Georgievski]

I just dont want a good board to go to waste knowing it still has some life left in it.

Mainly ill upgrade my very own PC, but the leftovers from my build i want to put in this system and make a solid Core 2 Quad system for my sister to do stuff on it.

Q9550 and Q9650 are x2 the price of the Q9300, so that is why im not going with those since it wont justify 5 to 10% improvement over the Q9300 for double the price, since im going budget oriented.

The Q9300 will get a nice OC to 3.2 or 3.5Ghz with the 1600mhz Ram i put in it so we will see how it goes.

Tnx for all your opinions.