Hey everyone! I'm looking to upgrade my PC and could use some expert advice. I've been using my setup for multimedia projects like video editing and game programming, plus some gaming. I'm also planning to run a few virtual machines, so I need to make some hardware improvements.
Currently, I have an ASUS P8Z77-V motherboard.
**Storage:** My primary drive is a Samsung SSD 860 PRO with 512 GB, and I'm struggling with storage space. I'm considering upgrading to the Intel D7 P5520 SSD, which is fast and offers more storage, but I want to make sure that:
1. Cloning my existing drive to the new one will be smooth.
2. There aren't better cost-efficient alternatives that would work.
3. I'm not missing any catches about this drive.
**Memory:** I've got two 8 GB RAM sticks and I'm thinking about swapping them for 16 GB sticks. Any tips on what to look for, or should I just grab the cheapest option?
**Processor:** I'm running an older Intel Core i7-3770K. It works but I'm wondering if it's time for an upgrade. I'm uncertain what would be a good replacement since there are so many factors to consider nowadays compared to just clock speed.
**PSU:** My power supply is over 10 years old. Should I replace it? It still works fine but you can never be too safe.
**Cooling Fan:** I'm planning to replace this as well, but I don't need much advice on it; I'm just mentioning it for completeness.
Thanks in advance for your help!
2 Answers
Just a heads-up about the D7 P5520: it's a U.2 drive, not SATA or M.2, which might not be compatible with your motherboard unless you have an adapter or specific port. So definitely look into that!
Honestly, given the age of your PC, it might be worth considering a completely new build if you can swing it. If you're a data hoarder like me, think about getting larger HDDs for media along with NVMe SSDs. Also, definitely replace that PSU. A ten-year-old one could fail at any moment, and with how cheap some modern ones are, it's better to be safe. As for CPUs, you could go for a low-end i3 or a more budget-friendly i5—those will definitely outperform your current i7 for most tasks!
Thanks for the suggestions!
Ah, so that's the catch! Good to know!