Hey everyone! I'm a bit out of my depth here, but I'm trying to upgrade my son's old computer for gaming. He really wants to play Steam games and Fortnite, but I'm on a tight budget. I'm not sure if it's even worth upgrading the current setup or if I should just look for a new one. I recently upgraded it to Windows 11, but it runs super slow and lags a lot. Here's a quick rundown of the specs in case that helps:
- System Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
- System Model: M51BC
- Processor: AMD FX-4300 Quad-Core
- RAM: 8GB
- Graphics Card: AMD Radeon HD 7300 Series (about 1GB)
- Storage: 932GB HDD
Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
5 Answers
No offense, but this PC really is reaching the end of its lifespan for gaming. You might want to check out some local listings for used computers. Hobbyists often sell good systems at reasonable prices, and you can usually get them under $200. Look for something with at least a GTX 1070 for a decent gaming experience.
Upgrading this PC to make it gaming-capable is tricky! What I suggest is setting a budget for a low-end build instead. You can check out websites that list parts and find discounts on used items. You could withhold essential parts like the HDD and maybe even the case and build something fresh from the ground up. It’s definitely cheaper and often better in terms of performance!
It’s likely more worthwhile to invest in a used setup, especially since you can find decent gaming PCs for $200-$300. Keep an eye out for systems with a dedicated GPU included. If that’s too rich for your blood, consider console gaming as an alternative until you can save up for a better PC. You can find used consoles for cheap, and they’ll run Fortnite just fine.
If you're leaning towards upgrading, you could just throw in an SSD, which would make a significant difference in performance. However, for real gaming like Fortnite, it might be smarter to buy a second-hand gaming rig that fits your budget. Sellers on platforms like eBay or Facebook Marketplace often don’t know the true value of their parts, so you can snag a great deal!
Honestly, upgrading this PC is probably not worth it. You'll need to replace almost every component if you want it to handle modern games smoothly. The CPU is from the slower FX series, the RAM is minimal, and the GPU is just outdated. It might be better to look for a decent used gaming PC instead; even something that’s a decade old will likely perform better than this. But if you really want to upgrade, consider adding a small SSD for faster load times, and maybe a better GPU like an RX 470 or 570 along with extra RAM. Just make sure to keep it budget-friendly!
Thanks for your input! I’ll definitely consider looking for a better system.
Great idea! I’ll research building a new one and see what I can find!