Hey everyone! I have a bit of a dilemma. I've never assembled a PC from scratch before but I'm keen to give it a try since I have a college degree in computer tech and have gained some experience taking apart and reassembling computers. My current gaming PC, which I bought years ago from Best Buy (it's an HP model 690-0034), is starting to show its age. I'm trying to figure out whether I should just upgrade some parts of this PC or if I should go all out and build a new one. Can I even upgrade this HP? I know I can add more RAM, but I'm unsure if I really need to. I mostly play casual games like Animal Crossing and Kingdom Hearts and I definitely want to expand my storage, aiming for at least a 2TB hard drive.
3 Answers
First things first, it would really help if you shared your full specs! Knowing exactly what you have makes it easier for everyone to give you accurate advice. If you’re looking at upgrading, I believe you have a Ryzen 2700 and an RX580, right? You should definitely check for compatibility if you want to upgrade the CPU or GPU. Just keep in mind that newer CPUs might require a BIOS update and a decent power supply. Speaking of which, you might need a more powerful PSU depending on what graphics card you choose. A Ryzen 5600 or 5700x could be a nice upgrade and for GPUs, something like the RTX 5050 should work well too!
You've got a solid background! If RAM prices are any indication, it might be worth sticking with DDR4 for now unless you find a good deal on DDR5. I’d suggest starting with a new graphics card since prices are on the rise, and then consider storage options. An upgrade can add up to $1000 or more, especially if you start changing out your motherboard and CPU too. Personally, I think it’s better to gradually upgrade rather than going for a whole new system, unless your case is really hindering your plans.
Good call! Just make sure to factor in the costs before diving in. If you end up needing a new motherboard and CPU, that’s when it might make sense to just build from scratch.
It really depends on how far behind your current setup is. If it's just one or two generations old, a CPU/GPU upgrade usually works well without costing a ton. But if your RAM and motherboard are outdated too, you could end up needing a major overhaul anyway, which makes a new build more appealing. Also, make sure to share your complete specs; that’ll give clearer insight into what upgrades make sense!
Totally agree! You should definitely check the PSU wattage too; that’ll tell you what graphics card options you have. With the RX 580 you have now, you’re somewhat limited on upgrade paths because of the small form factor case that HP uses.