I'm currently running a budget LGA 1155 build assembled from older parts: an Intel i7-2600, Machinist B75 motherboard, 16GB of DDR3-1600 memory, an RTX 3060 Ti Founders Edition, a 1.5TB hard drive, and a 750W 80+ Bronze power supply. I'm also planning to move everything into a Corsair 3500X case and still need to buy a monitor, since I'm using an old HDTV for now.
I was considering upgrading the processor to an i7-3770 and adding a 1TB PCIe Gen 3 NVMe SSD, but I'm unsure how worthwhile that would be on this platform. My goal is to have a usable workspace PC and a backup gaming system, mainly for 1080p and possibly limited 1440p gaming.
Would it make more sense to keep the current system as-is, upgrade to AM4 with something like a Ryzen 5 5600X, B550 motherboard, and DDR4 memory, or save for an even newer platform? If I keep the current build, what upgrades would give me the best results without wasting money?
4 Answers
I’d keep the current computer as a fun backup, home server, or storage box instead of putting more money into the old platform. Add an inexpensive SATA SSD for the operating system if you want it to feel more responsive, but don’t bother buying the i7-3770 unless you find one extremely cheaply.
The 3060 Ti is still useful, so carry that graphics card into a new build. A CPU, motherboard, and memory replacement will provide a much bigger improvement than trying to extend the life of the existing board.
That’s an LGA 1155 system, not AM3. The i7-2600 and i7-3770 are second- and third-generation Intel processors. An i7-3770 would be a very small improvement, and your B75 board also doesn’t support the overclocking that could make the upgrade more worthwhile.
The RTX 3060 Ti is being held back substantially by that older CPU, especially in newer games and at high frame rates. An NVMe drive may work through a PCIe adapter for storage, but older boards generally cannot boot from one without firmware modifications. A SATA SSD is the simpler choice if you keep this machine.
An NVMe drive can still be used as a secondary drive through a PCIe adapter on some older systems; the main limitation is boot support. I’m using one that way in an older third-generation Intel machine.
The graphics card is the only especially modern performance part in the system, and the old processor will limit it in many newer games. Even an older six-core desktop CPU can show noticeable CPU limitations with a 2070-class card, so the effect will be stronger with an i7-2600.
For the current machine, prioritize a normal 2.5-inch SATA SSD and keep expectations around 1080p. For a proper workspace and 1440p gaming setup, replace the processor, motherboard, and RAM rather than spending heavily on the existing platform.
If you want a cost-effective system that you’ll use for a while, a B550 motherboard, Ryzen 5 5600 or 5600X, and 16GB of DDR4 would be a solid AM4 upgrade. It would let the 3060 Ti perform much closer to its potential and improve workspace performance significantly.
If you’re building soon and can afford to wait, compare current newer-platform prices before buying AM4. AM4 can be a good value, but it’s worth checking whether the extra cost of a newer socket is reasonable in your area.
That makes sense. I’ll skip the i7-3770 and focus on saving for a newer platform while using this one as a backup.