Thinking of upgrading core components, is this ok?

By bucko
in Hardware Hangout

 Share

Recommended Posts

Mentor

bucko

Posted
Posted

Hi,

I am thinking of upgrading my rig in the near future. I built this in 2005/6 and it's lasted me very well. However I have been thinking of upgrading because I would like more performance as some of my games are starting to lag, I also do the odd video editing and photo editing.

My current spec is this:

  • Core 2 duo E6320 4MB L2
  • 5GB PC6400 Corsair
  • ATI Radeon 6950 2GB
  • 600W Zalman PSU
  • 250GB & 1TB Sata hard drives
  • Asus Nvidia motherboard P5N32-E SLI Plus

I am happy with my PSU, Graphics card and I have all the DVD Burner, case and that kind of stuff. I am thinking of upgrading to the following:

  • Intel Core i7 3770K Quad Core IvyBridge Processor Retail with Heat Sink Fan ?251.00
  • Gigabyte GA-Z77-DS3H Intel Z77 Socket 1155 Motherboard ?69.32
  • Corsair Memory Vengeance 32GB DDR3 1600 MHz CAS 10 XMP Quad Channel Desktop - ?114.38

I'm undecided about the ram, 32GB seems overkill but didn't seem that much over 16gb but willing to spend the bit extra to make it last as long as my current rig, and yes I run a 64bit OS. I'm just wondering if my selection of new parts is good enough? I don't have a budget set, but I will be spreading it out over three months or so as my flat rent is far more important (the cpu alone is almost about one months flat rent :p). Any other suggestions welcome, as long as it's Intel for cpu as I have been impressed with them the last few years. After I have the new parts, I'll probably sell my old parts to make up for some the cost since it is all working. I have experiencing in upgrading motherboard bios so I am comfortable with this (I understand it is needed to support latest cpu's?)

I will probably be ordering from scan.co.uk as I don't like the ebuyer.com returns policy.

Grand Master

Phouchg

Posted
Posted

1) 32 GB is quite an overkill. Unless it's a really good deal, which it isn't. Because you've sufficed thus far with 5 GB RAM, you could do with a single 8 GB module now, have the system going. Add another (or three) 8 GB module(s) later, should you really feel the need. See Step 4 why.

2) K processor isn't necessary unless you plan to OC. Save 20 quid there.

3) Z77 doesn't need any BIOS updates just to work with Ivy Bridge, so have a peace of mind there

4) Consider an SSD, perhaps? One with a fair capacity of 120 GB, say, Corsair Force 3 will not set back you a lot (?75 as of now on scan.co.uk), but will make the system fly.

Grand Master

Astra.Xtreme

Posted
Posted

I also agree on getting the Asus P8Z77-V LK. Very very good mobo.

16GB of RAM is plenty. Don't waste your money on any more than that.

I'd also highly recommend getting an SSD. You'll see a huge huge boost in performance then. A Crucial M4 is a top notch SSD, which is really cheap. Or go OCZ if you want the latest, greatest, and fastest. It obviously costs more though.

Mentor

bucko

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the suggestions, I do have an SSD around but I am not using it at the moment, because my current motherboard does not have ahci and it messed up the previous drive so I had a replacement (so holding of SSD until I upgrade). I will look into your suggestions.

I was thinking of moving away from Asus motherboards as my current one is Nforce chipset and I read other manufactures are more stable with things like cpu voltage, but I could be totally wrong here. I don't mind doing a bit of overclocking (my case is very well air cooled with lots of fans) but it wouldn't be that much overclocking.

Edit, just thought of another question. Would my 600W Zalman PSU be compatible with the current motherboards? It's ok with the connector and everything?

Grand Master

Astra.Xtreme

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the suggestions, I do have an SSD around but I am not using it at the moment, because my current motherboard does not have ahci and it messed up the previous drive so I had a replacement (so holding of SSD until I upgrade). I will look into your suggestions.

I was thinking of moving away from Asus motherboards as my current one is Nforce chipset and I read other manufactures are more stable with things like cpu voltage, but I could be totally wrong here. I don't mind doing a bit of overclocking (my case is very well air cooled with lots of fans) but it wouldn't be that much overclocking.

I've used Asus mobos for years and years and have been extremely satisfied. They tend to be really quick with driver and BIOS updates, which is nice. I currently have the Z77 LK and it's definitely the best board I've bought from them.

A nice feature of the newer Asus mobos is that they have predefined overclocking profiles. So overclocking your RAM or CPU is as easy as picking a frequency from a drop-down list. You can obviously tinker with latency and voltages all you want, but for simplicity sake of OC'ing a few GHz, it takes about 5 seconds. I would imagine other mobos have the same features, but I can't see it getting any easier than that.

  • Nothing Here
  • Like 1
  • 2 weeks later...
Mentor

bucko

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Ok so I think now is about the time to order, I thought I would wait until after CES to see if any new CPU's are coming out. But it just seems to be mostly mobile platform cpu's coming out at the minute, unless I have missed anything that is worth waiting for?

Just wondering if there should be any other suggestions before I start ordering.

Edit, I was reading about http://t.co/fETXWP3 Broadwell, would the motherboards suggested by other supports these in the future, perhaps by a BIOS update? (I know that's an impossible question to answer but hoping my invesment is a sound one). Perhaps I should buy a lower cost i7 for now and then upgrade to Broadwell in a few years?

  • 4 weeks later...
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Posts

    • Politically funny images of the World

      By +primortal · Posted

    • Microsoft further improving Windows 11 Taskbar with latest builds

      By hellowalkman · Posted

      Microsoft further improving Windows 11 Taskbar with latest builds by Sayan Sen Microsoft has released new Windows 11 builds for users flighting the Experimental channels. The new builds are 26300.8758 for Windows 11 26H2, 28120.2374 for 26H1, and 29617.1000 for future platforms. There are improvements related to the Taskbar, File Explorer and more with the new update. The full changelogs are given below: First we have the build 26300.8758: Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out [Taskbar] Taskbar customization just got easier. As we continue to make improvements to the Taskbar experience mentioned last month, we've introduced a dedicated Taskbar Size setting, making it simpler to find, understand, and personalize your ideal taskbar experience. UI showing the new Taskbar Size setting in Settings. We've also made refinements to the transitions between taskbar sizes for a smoother overall experience. [File Explorer] We've improved the reliability of thumbnail previews for cloud files in the Details pane. The pane has also been reorganized so file properties are easier to find and review at a glance. Fixed an issue where the OneDrive shortcut in File Explorer stops working when File Explorer is run in administrative mode. Fixed an issue where the confirmation dialog might display an internal Recycle Bin file name instead of the original file name when permanently deleting a file. [Sounds] Improved system sounds when using Windows in dark mode. Up next we have build 28120.2374: Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes [Mobile Device Settings] You can add and manage your mobile devices in Settings under Bluetooth & Devices > Mobile Devices. On this page, you can manage features such as using your device as a connected camera or accessing your device's files in File Explorer. [Remote Recovery Management] Added a recovery remote management plug-in to extend WinRE management capabilities for MDM providers. [Input] The emoji panel (Windows key + period (.)) now uses GIPHY as the GIF provider, delivering a smoother GIF browsing and sharing experience following the deprecation of the Tenor API. Finally we have the changelog for Windows 11 build 29617.1000: Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out [Windows Update] As announced in the Windows Update announce blog, we are now bringing a new unified update experience to reduce the number of reboots you see per month. We are starting by coordinating driver, .NET, and firmware updates to align with the monthly quality update, reducing the update experience to a single monthly restart. See the blog for more information. [Windows Magnifier] Magnifier now gives you more control over how you zoom. You can type an exact zoom percentage directly in the magnifier toolbar to land on precisely the level you need. We've also added preset step increments (5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 100%, 150%, 200%, and 400%) to the Settings dropdown, so you can jump to common levels in a single click. Whether you need a subtle boost or a dramatic close-up, Magnifier adapts to how you want to zoom. Enter an exact percentage or jump to preset steps —5% up to 400%. Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Magnifier. [Accessibility] We're introducing screen tint, a new accessibility setting that applies a color overlay across your entire display, softening its intensity so it's easier on your eyes throughout the day. If bright, saturated screens leave you with tired or sensitive eyes by the end of a long session, screen tint can help. Screenshot showing UI for screen tint in Accessibility, with color presets and a strength slider. To get started, open Settings > Accessibility (or press WIN + U) and look for screen tint under the Vision section. From there, you can: Pick from six preset colors or choose a custom color of your own. Adjust the tint strength slider from a subtle wash to full intensity. Night light warms your display to reduce blue light that can interfere with sleep. Screen tint reduces overall screen intensity to ease eye fatigue and light sensitivity during the day. They tackle different problems and you can use both at the same time, one working on warmth and the other on intensity. Note that turning on screen tint will disable color filters, and vice versa. If you currently rely on color filters, you might need to keep screen tint turned off. Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator. [Voice Access] Voice Access now supports Portuguese (Portugal), Portuguese (Brazil), and Korean (South Korea). [Audio] Continuing our work on improving Sound Settings, we've made a few more updates in this build: We've adjusted the description text for the Allow option in properties for audio devices to include the current state of the device, to improve the clarity of the text and the purpose of the button actions. "Listen to this device" is now available in properties for audio devices, so you don't need to enter Control Panel for this functionality. [Multiple Desktops] Improved explorer reliability when switching between multiple desktops. [Storage] We've updated the dialog when creating a Dev Drive to now support specifying the size in GB instead of only MB. This has also been added when changing the size of volumes under Settings > System > Storage. [Personalization] This update improves color selection accuracy when adjusting your accent color to match your wallpaper when automatic accent color selection is enabled in Personalization settings. This update improves wallpaper persistence reliability across restarts and upgrades, including better support for large-resolution wallpapers and other scenarios to prevent solid color wallpaper fallback. [Display and Graphics] Improves the reliability and persistence of applying color profiles. You can view the official blog posts here (link1, link2, link3) on Microsoft's site.
    • Windows 11 is getting redesigned taskbar settings in new build

      By TarasBuria · Posted

      Windows 11 is getting redesigned taskbar settings in new build by Taras Buria Microsoft is rolling out new Windows 11 preview builds in the Insider program, offering users new features and changes to try ahead of public release. In the Experimental channel (formerly Dev), Microsoft is shipping build 26300.8758, while in the Beta channel, users can download build 26220.8754. The changelogs do not contain much, but there is an important update to taskbar settings. Here is what is new in build 26220.8754: [Taskbar] Taskbar customization just got easier. As we continue to make improvements to the Taskbar experience mentioned last month, we've introduced a dedicated Taskbar Size setting, making it simpler to find, understand, and personalize your ideal taskbar experience. We've also made refinements to the transitions between taskbar sizes for a smoother overall experience. [File Explorer] We've improved the reliability of thumbnail previews for cloud files in the Details pane. The pane has also been reorganized so file properties are easier to find and review at a glance. Fixed an issue where the OneDrive shortcut in File Explorer stops working when File Explorer is run in administrative mode. Fixed an issue where the confirmation dialog might display an internal Recycle Bin file name instead of the original file name when permanently deleting a file. [Sounds] Improved system sounds when using Windows in dark mode. And here is what is new in build 26220.8754: [Smart card removal policy] Administrators can now configure Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365 sessions that use Microsoft Entra ID (RDS AAD Auth) authentication to automatically disconnect when a redirected smart card is removed. This extends smart card removal policy enforcement to Microsoft Entra authenticated remote sessions, helping organizations meet security and compliance requirements. [File Explorer] Fixed an issue where the OneDrive shortcut in File Explorer stops working when File Explorer is run in administrator mode. [Taskbar] Improved reliability of loading the system tray area of the taskbar. [Sounds] Improved system sounds when using Windows in dark mode. You can find release notes for build 26300.8758 here and for build 26220.8754 here.
    • Apple reportedly has a second-generation iPhone Fold planned for 2027

      By +Random Stranger · Posted

      Correct. Thank you unfortunately commenting on this stupid article we bring a possible more crap like that. If it gets click they post it
    • Firefox 152.0.3

      By Copernic · Posted

      Firefox 152.0.3 by Razvan Serea Firefox is a fast, full-featured Web browser. It offers great security, privacy, and protection against viruses, spyware, malware, and it can also easily block pop-up windows. The key features that have made Firefox so popular are the simple and effective UI, browser speed and strong security capabilities. Firefox has complete features for browsing the Internet. It is very reliable and flexible due to its implemented security features, along with customization options. Firefox includes pop-up blocking, tab-browsing, integrated Google search, simplified privacy controls, a streamlined browser window that shows you more of the page than any other browser and a number of additional features that work with you to help you get the most out of your time online. Firefox key features Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP) – Blocks trackers, cookies, cryptominers, and fingerprinters by default. Private Browsing Mode – Deletes history, cookies, and temporary files when closed. Lightweight & Fast Performance – Optimized memory usage with efficient page loading. Cross-Platform Sync – Sync bookmarks, passwords, history, and open tabs across devices. Customizable Interface – Toolbars, themes, and extensions can be tailored to user needs. Strong Privacy Controls – Options to manage cookies, permissions, and site data easily. Reader Mode – Strips away clutter for distraction-free reading. Pocket Integration – Save and read articles offline with Pocket built into Firefox. Picture-in-Picture (PiP) – Watch videos in a floating window while multitasking. Extensions & Add-ons – Vast library for productivity, security, and personalization. Built-in PDF Viewer – No need for external software to view PDFs. Firefox Monitor – Alerts users if their email is part of a known data breach. Multi-Account Containers – Isolate browsing sessions (e.g., work, personal, shopping). Performance & Resource Efficiency – Uses fewer system resources than some competitors. Open Source & Community-Driven – Transparent development with global contributions. Firefox 152.0.3 fixes: Fixed an issue that could cause extreme memory usage and freezing on startup for users with language packs installed. (Bug 2049845) Download: Firefox 64-bit | Firefox 32-bit | ARM64 | ~70.0 MB (Freeware) Download: Firefox for MacOS | 146.0 MB View: Firefox Home Page | Release Notes Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware

  • Recent Achievements

    • Week One Done
      Scoobystu earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      tuben earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • First Post
      OffsetAbs earned a badge
      First Post
    • Reacting Well
      OffsetAbs earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • First Post
      Kolakid60 earned a badge
      First Post

  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      438
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      197
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      156
    4. 4
      FloatingFatMan
      71
    5. 5
      Steven P.
      68
    Show More

  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!