Time for a desktop upgrade. Please help.


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Hi all,

 

This is my current setup.

 

Processor: AMD Phenom 8650 Triple Core Processor 2.30GHz

mBoard: Biostar TF8200 (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/mb/introduction.php?S_ID=353)

Ram: 4GB

OS: Windows 7 64 Bit.

Graphics card: Radeon HD 7700

 

Just a little background about what I do with my PC.

I am a programmer by profession so I use quite a few IDEs.

I use GOPRO to shoot my hobby adventures so sometimes I do some importing, conversion and cutting of videos.

I don't game a lot. The most recently game I am playing now is Football Manager 2013.

 

Budget: 300 SGD+-

 

I don't think I need to upgrade my graphics card any more. I am thinking more at my mB and processor. Ram maybe?

I have attached the pricelist of my local PC hardware stores so you know the approximate price.

 

Do let me know if you require more information.

Thanks!

 

 

420415.pdf

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Any current mobo is going to support ddr3 so your ddr2 ram is going to be useless.  It will be a ram, mobo, and proc upgrade at the least...You can find some decent mobo proc and mem combos at the 300 price point on newegg and tigerdirect. 

 

this seems to be decent

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1440438

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1440418

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What +sc302 mentioned would be a good choice.  If possible get an SSD and 8GB of RAM is a good choice.  4GB is fine for most things, but it's relatively cheap, anyway.  And some games really like 8GB.  An SSD will make a world of difference in day to day usage.  Even more so that RAM.

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Thanks guys for the inputs.

 

What do you guys think of this combination

Asrock z77 Extreme

Intel i5 3570

 

Please correct me if I am wrong. So with the above mobo and processor, I will definitely need to change my RAM as mentioned by sc302 since my current ram is DDR2 only.

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it isn't a requirement of the processor as much as it is a requirement of the mobo.  I can show a few old i5's that use ddr2, but again it more is a requirement of the motherboard as that is what is designed to fit...the pins/spacer is in a different place so a ddr2 stick will physically not fit into a ddr3 slot.

ddr3-vs-ddr2-ram.jpg

 

here is a nice lga775 motherboard for a g1 i5 processor

https://www.serversupply.com/products/part_search/pid_find.asp?pid=124572

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Oh. Then i guess it is a "compulsary" upgrade for me then.

 

I will probably have to upgrade Ram + mobo + processor.

 

My current PSU is 

PSU:
Andyson 500W.
Model: AD-5520N2-18

 

Will it be sufficient?

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Thanks a lot!

 

I went through the price list and with this setup.

Option 1

Asrock z77 Extreme

Intel i5 3570

Kingston DDR3 8GB Value ram

Cost: SGD 492

 

Due to my budget contraint, I am looking at this.

Option 2

Asrock b75m DGS

Intel i5 3470

Kingston DDR3 8GB Value ram

Cost: SGD 384

 

Both already exceeded my budget however I don't want to get one that is too low end as well.

So considering the both setup above, any advise if I should fork out the extra ~100 to take option 1?

Or do you think with my daily usage, option 2 is sufficient enough?

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I am currently using biostar and I had bad experience with it. So I will pass on the biostar mobo.

 

And I don't know why, but in Singapore AMD isn't that popular and I am unable to find the combination that you recommended.

 

For Asrock and AMD processor combo, I can only find these.

 

Asrock FM2A75M-DGS + A10 5800K = SGD248

Asrock FM2A75M-ITX + A10 5800K = SGD 276

Asrock FM2A85X EXTREM 6 + A10 5800K = SGD 318

Asrock FM2A85X-ITX + A10 5800K = SGD 281

 

 

I don't really know what the different models of asrock mobo means though.

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it isn't a requirement of the processor as much as it is a requirement of the mobo.  I can show a few old i5's that use ddr2, but again it more is a requirement of the motherboard as that is what is designed to fit...the pins/spacer is in a different place so a ddr2 stick will physically not fit into a ddr3 slot.

ddr3-vs-ddr2-ram.jpg

 

here is a nice lga775 motherboard for a g1 i5 processor

https://www.serversupply.com/products/part_search/pid_find.asp?pid=124572

So wrong, the first gen i5's were on LGA1156, hence they used DDR3, and not DDR2.

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Is my current mobo and CPU really much older than a i3? 

 

Sorry if i ask a silly question. I am really amateur at hardware stuff.

 

Depends on the i3 but almost all i-series are an upgrade from the first generation Phenom's (which you have). 

 

Not sure why it's not suggested yet but first make sure that maybe you're able to unlock the fourth core on your current set up. Go into bios and look for ACC - if it's there, enable it.

 

If not, either go with the i5 setup suggested or A10 setup before i3's.

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