I have an old HP Pavilion that I've decided to repurpose as a server PC. It's primarily for data storage and management, running applications like Gitea, Postgres/PgAdmin, and MongoDB/Mongo Express. Currently, it has an AMD Athlon dual-core processor running at 2.3GHz, which is way too slow as it can't even handle SSH connections. I'm considering upgrading to an AMD FX-6300, which I can find for around $20 on eBay. Would this be a good choice, or should I consider getting a single-board computer for about $100 instead?
5 Answers
For just $20, the FX-6300 should do just fine for a basic setup—especially if you'll have 1-2 users and occasional data transfers. If you're open to it, the FX-8320 is also a solid option. What kind of RAM do you have in that old rig?
Honestly, the 6 core, 6 thread FX processors are quite fast. I've got one just sitting around, and it did well for a variety of tasks, including video recording. It should serve you decently for your server needs!
I just upgraded my old FX-8350 setup and it's running super fast with 32GB of RAM! FX CPUs are pretty reliable and can handle quite a bit, even for older systems. Considering the rising prices in hardware, it’s worth holding onto and upgrading these old machines.
I've still got an FX-6300 machine that runs great! Just tested it playing a game at 1080p and it was solid enough overall. If it fits your needs, I say go for it!
At that price, go for it! The FX series surprisingly doesn’t chew up too much power at idle, which is definitely a plus. Just make sure it fits into your setup without any hassle.
Pretty much agree! Those processors are decent even by today's standards for light tasks.