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DethroneX

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Hey guys,

A couple of years ago I added a few parts to a computer I had just to get up and gaming. It worked well enough for what I wanted but am now experiencing some slow issues which are pushing me towards buying a whole new system. At the time I didn't want to spend the money to change the processor and mobo (I know I should have) but here we are..

I'd like to get some advice on if it would be possible to just change the processor and mobo on my currently set up, and if I did would I notice much difference in performance and is that what's needed here? Also, how is the GTX 750ti holding up these days? Is it still viable? The only game I play is WOW which has pretty reasonable requirements and it's served me well so far.

Here's my current setup:

AMD Athlon(TM) II X2 250 Processor 3.00gHz
64bit win 7
GeForce GTX 750ti
500GB HDD
8GB RAM

 
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Definitely the CPU + motherboard + memory. Get the SSD later when your budget has recovered from this round :).


The new chip *requires* a new motherboard and new memory - but an i3-6100 will be about 4X as fast as your current chip, and the new memory will also be 3-4X as fast (based on the benchmarks that I did).


There are ways to clone your existing HDD onto...
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voodoobunny

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Short answer: Yes! Even on the 750 Ti you should notice a *significant* jump in performance, because your CPU is significantly bottlenecking the video card.


How I know: I went from an Athlon X4-640 (3GHz, 4 cores) w/DDR2-800 RAM to an Intel Core i3-6100 (3.7GHz, 2 cores with hyperthreading) w/DDR4-2400, holding my Radeon HD 7870 constant, and I saw at least a 50% jump in framerates in my preferred game (Mechwarrior Online). Given that your current CPU is half what I had, and the 750Ti benches at maybe 30% less than the 7870 (?), you are more bottlenecked on the CPU and should see a bigger jump.

Sources:
- experience
- Anandtech Bench 7850 vs 750Ti http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1589?vs=1662
- Anandtech Bench Athlon II x2 vs x4 at same speeds: http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/121?vs=188
 
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DethroneX

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Thanks for the reply. I'm using a 780W power supply. What do you mean loose the HDD for 850 pro? (Sorry my knowledge on PC lingo is basic at best) :p

I was under the impression that my cpu is terrible, and that (if it's possible) switching in a new i3 with a gaming mobo would make a massive difference? Or am I chatting out of my @r*e?
 
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voodoobunny

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svan71 means that you should consider upgrading from a hard drive to an SSD - they are much faster, and will make your PC much more responsive in everyday usage.

You don't *need* to upgrade to an SSD, it just makes the whole experience of using the PC more pleasant. The Samsung 850 Pro SSD is probably overkill, it is way more expensive than the current group of consumer SSDs (as in 1.5-2X more expensive).

... Um, yes, your CPU is a bit terrible compared to current CPUs. The new i3's are impressively fast. Also, if you upgrade the CPU and motherboard you will also need more memory.

780W should be more than enough. The i3-6100 uses less power than the Athlon X2-250 so you're fine there, and the new motherboards and memory should also use significantly less power.
 
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DethroneX

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Ah ok thank you.

So would switching the HdD to an SSD be just a simple switch over? My knowledge is limited but I'm extremely practical so as long as it's not a case of wiring in a bunch of new stuff I should be ok..

I'd be happy to spend around £200-250, would this be sufficient to pick up an i3 with mobo and memory? Also, I'm not disagreeing, just curios as to why I'd need more memory? Any info would help greatly.
 
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svan71

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DethroneX

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Thank you.

I'm a little confused, which would give me better results in terms of performance. Buying an i3 with a new motherboard or buying an SSD?

How important is the motherboard? Is my current one worth changing for £70odd? If not then is it possible to apply the new i3 chip on my existing mobo?

Also is it possible to install my windows 7 onto the SSD if I do not have the disc?

Thanks
 
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voodoobunny

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Definitely the CPU + motherboard + memory. Get the SSD later when your budget has recovered from this round :).


The new chip *requires* a new motherboard and new memory - but an i3-6100 will be about 4X as fast as your current chip, and the new memory will also be 3-4X as fast (based on the benchmarks that I did).


There are ways to clone your existing HDD onto the SSD, if you buy an SSD the same size or bigger. Given the budget and CPU, you're probably better off upgrading the core internals now and getting an SSD later.

If you're buying a new CPU, motherboard and memory then you might have to re-authenticate your Windows 7 installation.

£250 should be enough for CPU + motherboard + memory:
- CPU £93 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Intel-BX80662I36100-Skylake-Dual-Core-Processor/dp/B015VPX2EO/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1477534866&sr=1-1&keywords=intel+i3-6100
- motherboard
- memory: 8GB is okay, 16GB is better but you can always upgrade that later. 8GB should run £50-60.


 
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DethroneX

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Thanks voodoo that helped a lot! I think for now I'm going to go for upgrading the chip and mobo. Then buy the SSD and I should have an ok system at that point right? Hopefully.. xD

The i3 on Amazon is 1-2month waiting list, I'm a more of a do it this weekend kind of guy. What do you think about this deal in regards to quality and pricing? I could just buy an extra 4GB on RAM on top to make 8.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/sniper-i3-6100-cpu-4gb-ram-silver-motherboard-and-processor-bundle-a02uu
 
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voodoobunny

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For reasons unknown, I can't get to the Maplin.co.uk site from the US (my machine thinks it does not exist). Can you post the details of it, especially the motherboard model and memory speed? Alternatively, how does the Maplin bundle price compare to the individual components on Amazon?

I would recommend at least 8GB of memory if you can find a deal with that, or if the motherboard has 4 memory slots then you could get another 8 or 16 later (but 4 memory modules runs slightly more slowly than 2 modules).
 
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DethroneX

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Try this link, upon clicking the one i sent i couldnt view it either.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/sniper-i3-6100-cpu-4gb-ram-silver-motherboard-and-processor-bundle-a02uu

alternativley:

Sniper i3-6100 CPU 4GB RAM Silver Motherboard & Processor Bundle

• Processor, motherboard and memory pre-assembled for quick start PC build and easy upgrading – ensuring compatibility
• Intel Core i3-6100 dual-core 3.7GHz, 3MB cache CPU - gives you good gaming, working and multitasking performance
• Corsair 4GB (1 x 4GB) DDR4, 2133MHz, CL15 (15-15-15-36) RAM module for terrific performance
• ASUS H110M-A Intel Socket LGA 1151 M-ATX motherboard with HDMI, VGA, DVI-D and 8-channel HD audio
• Has the following input and output (I/O) ports: 2 x USB 3.0, 4 x USB 2.0, 1 x 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet (RJ45) LAN port, 3 x audio jack(s), 1 x PS/2 keyboard, 1 x PS/2 mouse, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA (D-sub), 1 x DVI-D
• Expansion ports available for you to use: 2 x DIMM (1 x free, max 32 GB DDR4), 1 x PCI express (PCIe) 3.0/2.0 x 16 (1 x free), 2 x PCI express (PCIe) 2.0 x 1 (2 x free), 4 x SATA III 6 Gb/s ports (4 x free)
 
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voodoobunny

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Maplin is apparently dead to the US :(.

Checked prices on Amazon, and you shouldn't pay more than 190 for that bundle (individual prices from Amazon).
Also, that only includes 1 memory module, and you get a definite boost from having 2 modules. Getting a 2-module RAM kit will ensure that the 2 modules are compatible. Note also that the motherboard you're looking at only has 2 slots.

Does Maplin have the i3-6100 in stock as an individual component? If so, you might be able to pick up another motherboard and memory on Amazon.co.uk (e.g. the ASUS H110M-C-D3 for £59, and Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 8GB Kit (4GBx2) DDR4 2400 memory for £44).
 
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DethroneX

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Thanks man, after doing some more research that deal in maplin is actually pretty bad.

The thing that put me off buying a new chip and mobo before is that ive heard you have to be very careful when applying the processor, applying it with glue if i remember correctly? Is this easy enough? Wouldnt want to destoy it straight off the bat lol. Would the deal in this link work and would i be able to add my exisiting 8GB ram to it? Or do i need to buy new RAM? Thanks.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Skylake-3-7Ghz-Z170-P-Motherboard-Bundle/dp/B01APIJ94Y
 
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voodoobunny

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Sorry for the delayed response.

Installing the processor is pretty easy - the boxed heatsink & fan comes with a square of thermal compound already applied; so you just have to put the chip into the motherboard gently, clip it in, and then apply the heatsink.

Yes, that deal would work. I recommend getting the DDR4-2400 or faster, and as much memory as you can afford (at least 8GB). If you have a choice between getting *more* memory or *faster* memory, choose more. No, your current RAM will not work with the new CPU or motherboard.
 
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