New PC/Old Graphics card????

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Petes old klunker

Petes old klunker

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May 4, 2016
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Hello every-one. I am a first time poster but have come to this site a number of times for advice and as such I have learned a lot. :)
I had a PC that I was quite happy with and was going to upgrade once I got around to saving enough money for a decent upgrade, but when my motherboard died a few weeks ago it sort of pushed me along a bit.
The components I have so far is a Asrock Z170-Pro4 motherboard, a intel i5-6600k cpu, a Hyper-Cooler T4, 8gb (2x4) of Corsair Vengeance 2133MHz ddr4 ram .... From my old pc I have the old Antec full size case. Which has a Antec 600w power supply and 2 128mm fans at the front and one larger one at the top.
I also have a WD 600gb 7200 rpm hdd and a 480gb Sandisk extreme ssd.
Now i only have the graphics card to get and would like to know if I can use my old Nvidia gtx280 oc in my new build until I get a new card or would I be better off just using the cpu's onboard graphics? And which card would be best.? For maybe $300-$500.... (the first game i'd like to play is Mad Max)
 
Solution
Inkiad
Using the old gtx 280 will give you similar performance like the igpu, but you get dedicated video memory. SO i suggest you use it till buying the new graphics cared.

Also 2133MHz ram in a z170 board with i5 6600k seems odd. I would pick atleast 2666MHz with this combination. But, your call.

8gb is totally fine if you don't want spend money on ram. And if you buy same kit, same speed and timing from same manufacturer, it will work with your old kit in dual channel no doubt.

If your psu not giving you problem till now, i would keep it till it breaks. You spent money on that and should expect more out of it :D
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Ambular

Ambular

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Mar 25, 2016
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The stock GTX 280 is a little better than the 6600k's integrated Intel HD Graphics 530, though not by a whole lot. Probably the best $300-500 card would be an aftermarket GTX 1070, though they're still the new hot thing and in extremely high demand, so you may have to wait a couple weeks before they become readily available.

Can you find the exact model number for your power supply? It's always a good idea to take a look at one you intend to re-use and make sure it meets all the requirements for your new gear.

ETA: Also, you may want to consider upping your memory to 2x8 GB. 16GB isn't yet required by many games, but there are a few, and some others that recommend that much; more are sure to follow.
 
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Petes old klunker

Petes old klunker

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May 4, 2016
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Thanx for the reply Ambular..

The GTX 1070 sounds like it may be the one and waiting a few weeks is my only option as my wife would kill me if I bought it now...lol. (I've been pushing my luck as it is) and as far as the ram goes can I put in another 2 sticks the same? to make it up to 16gb?
oh..by the way... I had a look at the PSU but the info i need is not visible without taking it out of the case. I will do it tomorrow and let you know.
 
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Ambular

Ambular

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Whoops, sorry, it didn't click for some reason that you already had the RAM. You could try another identical RAM kit, but it's a bit of a crapshoot as to whether it would work properly or not; the only RAM guaranteed to work together is sticks sold together in a single kit. You'll likely do fine for a while with just the 8GB if you don't want to return them and get 16GB instead (and if you're on a budget); Mad Max only requires 6 and recommends 8, and few games currently require more than 8. It would just be something good to keep in mind when you're ready to upgrade.
 
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Petes old klunker

Petes old klunker

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Ambular

Ambular

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Apologies, text appears to be missing?
 
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Petes old klunker

Petes old klunker

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May 4, 2016
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Hi Ambular, thanx for the advice and when I upgrade I'll buy the required ram all in one hit.

I pulled out the psu and had a look.... It's an Antech Earthwatts, Model NR. EA-650, 650 watt. It's 5 years old but I've never had any problems with it. Will it be big enough to run everything once I get the graphics card and overclock the cpu?
 
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Ambular

Ambular

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Oooh. Okay, can you tell if it's an Earthwatts Green or Platinum? They are both designated EA-650.

The reason I ask is that although those both are theoretically very good units based on specs and professional reviews, and 650 watts should be sufficient capacity, I just had a look at the Newegg user reviews, and a fair number of people have reported their Green 650 caught on fire: www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371044 A few others have reported the same thing here on Tom's, and some near-misses were reported on Amazon. (I find no such reports for the Platinum version.)

If yours is an Earthwatts Green and this hasn't happened in four years, I would be inclined to think it's not very likely to, in that build. As I haven't worked with that PSU, I hesitate to advise you, and if possible, I would encourage you to seek a second opinion from someone who's had personal experience with that particular model. But I will say that if I were in your shoes, I'm not certain I would trust it in a brand-new rig.

(If you do consider replacing it, the EVGA Supernova GQ is a well-reviewed and well-regarded unit, with no reports of fire hazards that I could find: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/kz7CmG/evga-power-supply-210gq0650 )
 
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Petes old klunker

Petes old klunker

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May 4, 2016
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I had a look and it's the green one. So I might update the psu when I get the Graphics card ... It's only money, lol :)
Thanks for all your help mate. It's very much appreciated.
 
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Inkiad

Inkiad

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Jul 10, 2010
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Using the old gtx 280 will give you similar performance like the igpu, but you get dedicated video memory. SO i suggest you use it till buying the new graphics cared.

Also 2133MHz ram in a z170 board with i5 6600k seems odd. I would pick atleast 2666MHz with this combination. But, your call.

8gb is totally fine if you don't want spend money on ram. And if you buy same kit, same speed and timing from same manufacturer, it will work with your old kit in dual channel no doubt.

If your psu not giving you problem till now, i would keep it till it breaks. You spent money on that and should expect more out of it :D
 
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Petes old klunker

Petes old klunker

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May 4, 2016
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Thanx Inkiad,

The RAM I have was on sale, is it suitable for now? I looked it up and it said it's compatible. When I upgrade later on, how much and what type of RAM should I get?.
 
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