Hey folks! I'm reaching out because my gaming PC is getting pretty ancient—I built it when I was 15, and now I'm 27, so that's about 12 years! It's been quite reliable, with only a few fan replacements and a motherboard change along the way. However, I think it's time to move on to something more modern.
Here are my current specs:
- Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 motherboard
- Asus FX8350 4.0GHz CPU
- Sapphire AMD Radeon R9 290X 4GB GPU
- Corsair 2x4GB DDR3 RAM
- Corsair CX750M power supply
- 500GB SSD, 1TB HDD
- Corsair Vengeance C70 case
My budget is around $1,000 to $1,500—flexible, but I don't want to break the bank.
For gaming, I mostly play League of Legends, GTA 5, and other less demanding titles, but right now I can't even run League on medium settings without experiencing huge FPS drops. I got some 1440p monitors from work, and my setup can't keep up.
I have a few questions:
1. Can any parts from my old setup be reused? I doubt the motherboard, RAM, GPU, or CPU are salvageable, but what about the SSD/HDD and the power supply? Also, have cases changed since I last built a PC?
2. Is building a new PC more cost-effective than buying a pre-built one? I've seen some deals at Costco on IBuyPower systems ranging from $1,000 to $3,000.
3. What specifications should I aim for in a new build? I've heard good things about Ryzen CPUs but am a bit lost on current brands and models.
2 Answers
First off, mad respect for making that FX8350 last so long! I definitely think you can find a decent pre-built for under $1,500 that will make a world of difference. Just keep your eyes peeled for some deals, as prices can fluctuate a lot. Also, a good point—if you're going for VR down the line, make sure your CPU and GPU can handle it!
Honestly, it sounds like you need a whole new rig! You can definitely reuse your SSD and HDD for storage, but I'd recommend going for an NVMe SSD to maximize speed in your new build. It's a huge step up from the older tech you have now.
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