SSD, New Case, or RAM Upgrade?

Surge4

Honorable
Nov 2, 2013
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10,510
I just got a new gaming rig (custom) and I would say it works pretty darn well.
However, I want to get a small upgrade to reach perfection. Problem is, I don't know what.
Either an SSD:
Lot's of people say that a gaming computer has to have an SSD or the performance will never reach its max.
More RAM:
I originally got 8GB but I realized one stick was faulty so i have only 4GB. I was thinking to re-upgrade.
A new Case:
Saying it honestly, the cooling in my case sucks. PSU is on the top, no front vents, small rear vent, etc. My graphics card heats up everything and despite all my work to add front holes and strong fans, It hasn't improved too much. My GPU goes up to about 55C in games and my CPU (OC to 4.2GHz) heats up to 45 -50C in Prime95 (per core)

Which is the best upgrade in your opinion? Also if you know any good items please share them; I'm looking for a good, trusted, and more importantly cheap upgrade :).
 

John Bong

Honorable
Jul 19, 2013
143
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10,760
tbh, if you just got this pc, you should have your PC builder replace the bad stick of RAM. You will want at least 8GB of RAM. The SSD is a nice luxury, but in gaming it really is not that noticable except for load times. A case would be the last thing i would consider upgrading. I would just add some case fans and/or replace the heatsink if heat is an issue.
 
Depending upon the OS you have installed, and the games/applications you are running, 4GB is a decent amount of RAM, 8GB it optimum for most. If using 64-bit applications that utilize a ton of RAM, 16GB-32GB can be used...but for most, anything over 8GB is a waste. You can check RAM usage by launching the task manager and checking RAM utilization.

SSD will improve boot speed and application launch speed, usually 10X performance on most PC's. It is a great performance boost for any PC, and probably the best upgrade at this time. A good SSD (120GB) will run you $100-$150, (240GB) will be about $170-$250.

A nice case with adequate ventilation, especially in intensive CPU/GPU usage will keep the PC cooler and help it last longer. One of my favorite build cases is this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129180 - on sale for $65 right now...plenty of fan upgrades (a fan is $6-10 to install) to increase cooling capacity.