I'm looking to upgrade my mom's old prebuilt HP Pavilion gaming PC with her permission. It's not my first time building a PC, but this one has some limitations. The specs include an Intel i3 9100F CPU, a GTX 1050 GPU, 8GB DDR4 RAM, and an Intel H370 chipset motherboard. I came across some affordable used components: a 32GB G.Skill DDR4 RAM and a GTX 1660 Super GPU. To use the GTX 1660 Super, I would also need to replace the power supply since the current one doesn't have PCIe cables.
I found a couple of used PSUs: one is an Intertech Hipower 750W for $75 (used for only 3 months), but I'm hesitant because it's not a well-known brand. Another is an HP Elitedesk 800 400W PSU for about $100, which appears to be unused and should fit in the case. Lastly, there's a Thermaltake Smart BM2 750W PSU, which I trust, but it's the priciest at $120 and the PC doesn't even need that much power. Good power supplies are rare in my country, and importing them is costly.
Considering the total upgrade cost would be around $245-$295, would this be a worthwhile investment, or is it better to just plan for a new computer later on?
2 Answers
What’s the primary use for her PC? If it’s for gaming and occasional video editing, consider looking for a 6GB RTX 3050 instead of the 1660 Super. It’s comparable in performance and doesn’t require additional power connectors. But honestly, upgrading the power supply sounds risky since it's only compatible with certain HP models. Maybe keep things simple and focus on the RAM upgrade first if you think that can help her current setup without too much trouble.
Honestly, I think buying a new PC might be the better option. The old hardware is quite dated, and you’d likely end up replacing most of the parts anyway. If your mom is mainly doing office work and some video editing, it's probably more efficient to invest in a new system that can handle those tasks smoothly without the hassle of upgrades.
She mentioned she often has lots of tabs open while doing office tasks and some video editing, so upgrading to 32GB RAM may help a lot. And if you spot a good price for the 3050 later, that could be a nice upgrade for her.