Time for a desktop upgrade. Please help.

[xistence]

Hi all,

This is my current setup.

Processor: AMD Phenom 8650 Triple Core Processor 2.30GHz
mBoard: Biostar TF8200 (http://www.biostar.c...on.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+- (If it is possible, if not please suggest the next closest amount)

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

Do let me know if you require more information.
Thanks!

 

[royfrosty]

Hi all,

This is my current setup.

Processor: AMD Phenom 8650 Triple Core Processor 2.30GHz
mBoard: Biostar TF8200 (http://www.biostar.c...on.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+- (If it is possible, if not please suggest the next closest amount)

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

Do let me know if you require more information.
Thanks!

The best closest bet would be the asrock b75m dgs + i5-3470 ~ $292

The rest can reuse.

But please list down you full specs.

Ram brand and speed
Psu
Hdd

So that we can know what you need to change.

 

[xistence]

Sure thing.

RAM:
4GB (2 x 2GB)
Memory type DDR2
Module format Regular UDIMM
Manufacturer (ID) Kingston
Size 2048 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC2-6400 (400 MHz)
Part number 2G-UDIMM

PSU:
Andyson 550W.
Model: AD-5520N2-18

Harddisk:
Primary - Western Digital - 500GB (OS installed here)
Secondary - Western Digital - 1TB

 

[koicafex]

change mobo/cpu/ram bah

 

[xistence]

change mobo/cpu/ram bah

Hi, thanks for your recommendation.
Can suggest what mobo/cpu and ram?

 

[koicafex]

I'm not good with mobo/cpu
i think the 1 roy recc is not bad
and maybe get kingston 2x4gb ram, around 90~

ram price has been going up like crazy

 

[xistence]

Any one can advise please ?

 

[royfrosty]

The ram cannot reuse as it is only a ddr2. Current is ddr3.

The cheapest like ive mentioned in my previous post and with your current budget. Only asrock b75m dgs + i5 3470 ~ $ 291

Ram get the kingston value ram 8gb at $90

Os and psu and hdd can reuse.

Optional plexor m5s 128gb ssd ~ $ 139

Only an ssd can make your os buttery smooth. But that is up to you. Its optional.

 

[xistence]

Thank you royfrosty.
Sorry, I got mistaken. My PSU only 500W. Is it still ok?

 

[royfrosty]

Thank you royfrosty.
Sorry, I got mistaken. My PSU only 500W. Is it still ok?

Yeap 500w is enough. No issue.

 

[xistence]

Well, I think i don't have much of a choice due to my budget constraint.

Trying to convince myself to fork out more to move to a higher range.
Is the Asrock b75M DGS a low end mb? Or is it a decent one?

 

[royfrosty]

Well, I think i don't have much of a choice due to my budget constraint.

Trying to convince myself to fork out more to move to a higher range.
Is the Asrock b75M DGS a low end mb? Or is it a decent one?

I wont use the word low end. Its an entry level mobo. Its a decent one. Just certain features are being removed.

 

[fleas1]

Hi all,

This is my current setup.

Processor: AMD Phenom 8650 Triple Core Processor 2.30GHz
mBoard: Biostar TF8200 (http://www.biostar.c...on.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+- (If it is possible, if not please suggest the next closest amount)

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

Do let me know if you require more information.
Thanks!

Well in my opinion, You can try buy 2nd hand DDR2 rams to at least 8GB if you doing light videos. that should be enough to help a lot since video editing does a lot of rendering. (8GB for light, 16GB for heavy usage). Your current comp should be ok. You just need the ram as 64-bit in my opinion, needs 8GB for a decent experience.

I felt a lot of difference when I upgraded from 4GB to 8GB.

all these if you want to minimize spending.


But if you do want to upgrade performance and stuff. I would recommend
upgrading all at once.

Motherboard + CPU(Note that newer motherboards may not have IDEs)
RAMS(ddr3 now)
and
Harddisk(as probably your harddisk is quite old now and you will need to replace soon. A new pc is always a good time to get a new one as you can't use a clone or port over your old harddisk as boot up)

You can however mount on your OS harddisk to the new PC and port over all documents and files over. Your secondary harddisk can be reused as it should not have much wear and tear(OS disk wears out a lot faster than storage/secondary Disk)

If by IDE devices you mean like Harddisk and DVD Drives, then its time to upgrade them also. to Sata.

Dvdrw drives are now like $20+


so to summarise, You can do a small upgrade boost by buying either RAMs to add your current PC or save up more $$ buy a whole new setup according to Roy's recommendations(motherboard + CPU, DDR3 Ram, Harddisk and dvdrw).

 

[xistence]

Thank you fleas1 for the very detailed explanation!

I will like to complete change of mb and processor because my current processor is giving a very loud "woo woo woo" sound. I suspect something is loose and i occasionally get BSOD.
It lasted about 4 years+ for me so I think its time to move on.

Aside to royfrosty or anyone else
Besides the asrock b75m dgs which is an entry level mobo, what will be a mid range asrock mobo that you will recommend? Lets just put the price tag aside first.

 

[fleas1]

Thank you fleas1 for the very detailed explanation!

I will like to complete change of mb and processor because my current processor is giving a very loud "woo woo woo" sound. I suspect something is loose and i occasionally get BSOD.
It lasted about 4 years+ for me so I think its time to move on.

Aside to royfrosty or anyone else
Besides the asrock b75m dgs which is an entry level mobo, what will be a mid range asrock mobo that you will recommend? Lets just put the price tag aside first.

sure np and wow that's long. then you may consider roy's recommendations.

Please get a new set of Harddisk and dvd-rw drive. It's a good long term upgrade. If you die die want to reuse harddisk you can get either USB to IDE converter(external) or IDE to Sata(internal).

the new motherboard also have USB 3.0 which is really really fast.

alternatively, you can try cleaning up your heatsink(do not use vacuum cleaner) use something that blows out AIR instead of sucking AIR(causes static). Do it outside.
Re-apply thermal grease on heatsink(CPU).

 

[royfrosty]

Thank you fleas1 for the very detailed explanation!

I will like to complete change of mb and processor because my current processor is giving a very loud "woo woo woo" sound. I suspect something is loose and i occasionally get BSOD.
It lasted about 4 years+ for me so I think its time to move on.

Aside to royfrosty or anyone else
Besides the asrock b75m dgs which is an entry level mobo, what will be a mid range asrock mobo that you will recommend? Lets just put the price tag aside first.

For ivy bridge asrock h77m seems a good buy. But the thing is this if you use a lot of features on H board then it is worth getting. But if you are not. A B75 board is more than enough of what you need.

 

[xistence]

Am i comparing the 2 correct models?

ASRock > Motherboard Series > Models Compare

A quick look, these will be what I am missing if i get B75M
1. RAID
2. Muli GPU
3. Different number of SATA2/SATA3/USB2.0/USB3.0 ports
4. Premium blue ray
5. on/off Play
6. Sound
7. chipset of course.

 

[royfrosty]

The thing is do you use any of it?

 

[xistence]

Haha. I think what will impact me is only the
3. Different number of SATA2/SATA3/USB2.0/USB3.0 ports

 

[fleas1]

Haha. I think what will impact me is only the
3. Different number of SATA2/SATA3/USB2.0/USB3.0 ports

I think u need 2 sata 3(6gb/s) ports for your 2 harddisk and your dvd-drive can go on sata 2(3gb/s). USB 3.0(identified as blue coloured and/or w/ "SS/superspeed" is useful for Data transfer(external hdd, wireless USB adapter or flash drive....etc)

nothing wrong with putting secondary harddisk on sata 2(3gb/s) just some bottleneck speeds. As your secondary harddisk is on IDE, so you probably buy a new one to store your raw video files. Which means u still need sata 3(6gb/s)