Upgrade Suggestions?

[matthewmca]

First off all, here is my build:

Motherboard: Asrock N68C-GS UCC ( Only compatible with AMD Processors)
Link to compatible processors:
http://www.asrock.com/mb/NVIDIA/N68C-S UCC/?cat=CPU

Processor: AMD Athlon II X2 250 (3000Mhz)

Memory: 2x2GB RAM(unsure of brand.) 2DDR3 slots, 8GB Maximum.

Graphics Card: ASUS EAH5450 Silent 1GB

Hard Drive: 500GB

PSU: 500W

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Approximate Purchase Date: May 2011

Budget Range: £150($230)

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Casual gaming, watching movies, surfing the net.

Parts to Upgrade: Open to any suggestion, I would like to see what you suggest.

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: amazon.co.uk, dabs.co.uk, ebay.co.uk

Location: City, State/Region, Country - Belfast, Northern Ireland. (U.K)

Parts Preferences: AMD Processors, apart from that nothing else.

Overclocking: Maybe
SLI or Crossfire: Maybe

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: i would like to be able to run games that my current setup has difficultly with (GTA IV, Skyrim etc.)

Note: My computer knowledge is very poor, so I apologize if/when it is lacking. If more information about my current computer is required, please tell me and I will include it.

Thanks very much, Matthew.

 

[jerreddredd]

unfortunately your MB only supports older Phenom II and Athlon II CPU's 95W and under. If it would have supported it, I would say put in a Phenom II x4 965BE and a new video card, but it doesn't. any other CPU upgrade that you MB supports, would not be worth the cost. So, on £150 budget I would just go with a new GPU.

Not knowing how robust your power supply is, I will error on the side of caution and suggest this one.

http://www.dabs.com/products/xfx-ati-radeon-7770-hd-1ghz-1gb-pci-express-3-0-hdmi-core-7YH2.html

if you had £212 then:

http://www.dabs.com/products/amd-phenom-ii-x4-965-3-4ghz-black-edition-am3-socket-l2-l3-8mb-6B0X.html
http://www.dabs.com/products/asus-m5a78l-m-lx-v2-am3--amd-760g---sb710-ddr3-atx-7W40.html
http://www.dabs.com/products/xfx-ati-radeon-7770-hd-1ghz-1gb-pci-express-3-0-hdmi-core-7YH2.html

or if you don't mind switching to intel since you cant upgrade your current Motherboard really anyway - £186.

http://www.dabs.com/products/xfx-ati-radeon-7770-hd-1ghz-1gb-pci-express-3-0-hdmi-core-7YH2.html
http://www.dabs.com/products/intel-pentium-dual-core-g840-2-8ghz-lga1155-3mb-7HYC.html
http://www.dabs.com/products/gigabyte-h61ma-d2v-s1155-intel-h61-ddr3-atx-7Y3R.html

Additional info request:
do you know the make and model of your Power supply and if it has a PCIe connector?
what resolution is your monitor?

 

[jerreddredd]

Wait! I found a CPU that works with your MB and is a good upgrade.

AMD Phenom II X4 945 £68.81
http://www.amazon.co.uk/AMD-Phenom-Quad-Core-Processor-Warranty/dp/B002XNBQJQ/ref=sr_1_11?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1343233065&sr=1-11
with this GPU £89.98
http://www.dabs.com/products/xfx-ati-radeon-7770-hd-1ghz-1gb-pci-express-3-0-hdmi-core-7YH2.html

a little over £150

 

[matthewmca]

Hello, thanks very much for the feedback.
I have done a little investigating and opened up my computer to find the out more about the power supply. Majority of the writing on it was in Japanese or a similar dialect. However, I have tracked it down to this:
http://www.onyougo.com/linkworld-lpj9-25-power-supply-units_pi100298

I was mistaken, as in fact it is 420w. I do not know if it has a PCI-e connector, maybe you would be able to establish that.

I think you are very right in the fact that I need a new motherboard, and I quite like the Asus that you recommended, as i would like to stick to AMD. Although, I am thinking of buying a new PSU, as my current one also limits upgrades in the future.
I was wondering if you would be able to recommend a PSU and motherboard for me, I don't really know the ins-and-outs required to make an informed choice.

Many Thanks.

 

[jerreddredd]

yeah, you need a new power supply.

for your system here is what i would buy to upgrade it:

http://www.dabs.com/products/corsair-500-watt-cx500-v2-builder-series-80-plus-power-supply-7K9H.html
http://www.dabs.com/products/amd-fx-4100-am3--3-6ghz-12mb-95w-7R41.html
http://www.dabs.com/products/asus-m5a78l-m-lx-v2-am3--amd-760g---sb710-ddr3-atx-7W40.html
http://www.dabs.com/products/xfx-ati-radeon-7770-hd-1ghz-1gb-pci-express-3-0-hdmi-core-7YH2.html
-------
£256.94

 

[matthewmca]

I think I'm going to buy those components or something similar, I may as well save for a while longer.
Thanks for the help and advice