Would my PC benefit from a Graphics Card Upgrade?

[PeterTheNugget]

I have an old computer than i want to upgrade / get a new computer all together but my budget is the limiting factor. My PC's specs are:
Intel Pentium E5300 Dual Core
4GB DDR3 RAM
Nvidia GT 210 1GB silent
240GB HDD

I want to play games at 720p or 1080p, i was looking to get a GTX 1050 to put in my computer but would it make much of a difference? Would my CPU bottleneck my computer and it not make much difference? I don't have the budget to get a new CPU at the moment because there aren't any CPUs that fit my socket and are much of a performance increase. If I were to get a new CPU I would also have to get a new motherboard, and if I were to go current generation, RAM also because my board supports DDR3 not DDR4. I would also have to get a new power supply because my PC is a pre-built and the PSU is preparatory. If this is to be the case then i would save up and buy the whole new PC.

 

[jankerson]

Personally I think you would be better off building a new system than throwing money at that current machine.

 

[DSzymborski]

I have an old computer than i want to upgrade / get a new computer all together but my budget is the limiting factor. My PC's specs are:
Intel Pentium E5300 Dual Core
4GB DDR3 RAM
Nvidia GT 210 1GB silent
240GB HDD

I want to play games at 720p or 1080p, i was looking to get a GTX 1050 to put in my computer but would it make much of a difference? Would my CPU bottleneck my computer and it not make much difference? I don't have the budget to get a new CPU at the moment because there aren't any CPUs that fit my socket and are much of a performance increase. If I were to get a new CPU I would also have to get a new motherboard, and if I were to go current generation, RAM also because my board supports DDR3 not DDR4. I would also have to get a new power supply because my PC is a pre-built and the PSU is preparatory. If this is to be the case then i would save up and buy the whole new PC.

Yes, saving up is a better idea as it's hard to recommend you putting any more money into this rig. It's a decent office rig with a budget CPU from 2008 and a non-gaming GPU from 2009. To start upgrading this PC gradually, you'd want to start in, say, 2011 or 2012 at the latest. At the end of 2017, you'd literally have to replace everything and since making an entire new build piecemeal is not recommended, you might as well just save and make an entirely new build in one fell swoop.

 

[PeterTheNugget]

Personally I think you would be better off building a new system than throwing money at that current machine.

Well if I were to buy a new PC i would probably get a i3 / ryzen 3 + gtx 1050 anyways, just wondering if i should buy the GPU in advance and it would do anything to my current rig. I don't do much PC gaming because of school so i don't want to throw $1k at something I'll use 1-2 times a week for gaming.

 

[Nithin Nanda]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD - FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($65.98 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus - M5A78L-M PLUS/USB3 Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($55.33 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Zotac - GeForce GTX 1050 2GB Mini Video Card ($112.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $234.30
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-11-06 00:48 EST-0500

 

[DSzymborski]

Personally I think you would be better off building a new system than throwing money at that current machine.

Well if I were to buy a new PC i would probably get a i3 / ryzen 3 + gtx 1050 anyways, just wondering if i should buy the GPU in advance and it would do anything to my current rig. I don't do much PC gaming because of school so i don't want to throw $1k at something I'll use 1-2 times a week for gaming.

The CPU will hold you back quite a bit in most new GPUs, really. You can get a basic entry-level PC fairly inexpensively though.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Pentium G4560 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ($78.89 @ B&H)
Motherboard: MSI - B250M PRO-VD Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($54.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($76.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($43.78 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI - GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB Video Card ($142.29 @ Amazon)
Case: Rosewill - Galaxy-02 ATX Mid Tower Case ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($37.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($92.99 @ Best Buy)
Total: $552.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-11-06 01:03 EST-0500

You can also simply install Windows 10 and not register it until later - the only consequences are the printed reminder and some personalization options. Whatever entry-level build you go with, try to go with a Kaby Lake/Coffee Lake or a Ryzen, so that you're not already stuck in an old platform that you can't upgrade.

 

[PeterTheNugget]

Personally I think you would be better off building a new system than throwing money at that current machine.

Well if I were to buy a new PC i would probably get a i3 / ryzen 3 + gtx 1050 anyways, just wondering if i should buy the GPU in advance and it would do anything to my current rig. I don't do much PC gaming because of school so i don't want to throw $1k at something I'll use 1-2 times a week for gaming.

The CPU will hold you back quite a bit in most new GPUs, really. You can get a basic entry-level PC fairly inexpensively though.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Pentium G4560 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ($78.89 @ B&H)
Motherboard: MSI - B250M PRO-VD Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($54.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($76.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($43.78 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI - GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB Video Card ($142.29 @ Amazon)
Case: Rosewill - Galaxy-02 ATX Mid Tower Case ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($37.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($92.99 @ Best Buy)
Total: $552.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-11-06 01:03 EST-0500

You can also simply install Windows 10 and not register it until later - the only consequences are the printed reminder and some personalization options. Whatever entry-level build you go with, try to go with a Kaby Lake/Coffee Lake or a Ryzen, so that you're not already stuck in an old platform that you can't upgrade.

My budget to upgrade my PC at the moment is around 130usd. (I know not much.) I came up with this part list a while back. Is there any advantage in getting 2 sticks of RAM over 1? And if I'm not over clocking Ryzen (or if i am with Ryzen 3, I know you do if its ryzen 7) do i need a better CPU cooler or is the one that came in the box good enough? Also would I be able to use the version of windows I currently have on my PC on the new one, as-long as I don't use the motherboard / CPU that's in my current PC? And would buying the GPU now and putting it in my computer make any difference? (Ex new GPUs coming in the future that could be cheaper and perform as good or better than a 1050?

Part List
https://es.pcpartpicker.com/list/6YGYM8

 

[DSzymborski]

Personally I think you would be better off building a new system than throwing money at that current machine.

Well if I were to buy a new PC i would probably get a i3 / ryzen 3 + gtx 1050 anyways, just wondering if i should buy the GPU in advance and it would do anything to my current rig. I don't do much PC gaming because of school so i don't want to throw $1k at something I'll use 1-2 times a week for gaming.

The CPU will hold you back quite a bit in most new GPUs, really. You can get a basic entry-level PC fairly inexpensively though.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Pentium G4560 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor ($78.89 @ B&H)
Motherboard: MSI - B250M PRO-VD Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($54.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($76.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($43.78 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: MSI - GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB Video Card ($142.29 @ Amazon)
Case: Rosewill - Galaxy-02 ATX Mid Tower Case ($24.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($37.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft - Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($92.99 @ Best Buy)
Total: $552.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-11-06 01:03 EST-0500

You can also simply install Windows 10 and not register it until later - the only consequences are the printed reminder and some personalization options. Whatever entry-level build you go with, try to go with a Kaby Lake/Coffee Lake or a Ryzen, so that you're not already stuck in an old platform that you can't upgrade.

My budget to upgrade my PC at the moment is around 130usd. (I know not much.) I came up with this part list a while back. Is there any advantage in getting 2 sticks of RAM over 1? And if I'm not over clocking Ryzen (or if i am with Ryzen 3, I know you do if its ryzen 7) do i need a better CPU cooler or is the one that came in the box good enough? Also would I be able to use the version of windows I currently have on my PC on the new one, as-long as I don't use the motherboard / CPU that's in my current PC? And would buying the GPU now and putting it in my computer make any difference? (Ex new GPUs coming in the future that could be cheaper and perform as good or better than a 1050?

Part List
https://es.pcpartpicker.com/list/6YGYM8

The CPU is so old that any GPU worth buying is going to get bottlenecked to some degree by it. Sure, you could spend $120 on a GTX 1050 now and if it takes you a year to save up, there would likely be a much better use of $120 on a GPU for a PC that can handle more modern games.

Honestly, I wouldn't put *any* money at all into any parts for your old rig. It's just too old to meaningfully upgrade unless you get parts at ridiculously good prices; don't let a decade-old machine also hinder your upcoming machine too!

 

[jankerson]

Personally I think you would be better off building a new system than throwing money at that current machine.

Well if I were to buy a new PC i would probably get a i3 / ryzen 3 + gtx 1050 anyways, just wondering if i should buy the GPU in advance and it would do anything to my current rig. I don't do much PC gaming because of school so i don't want to throw $1k at something I'll use 1-2 times a week for gaming.

All depends on what you want to do.

You don't have to spend $1K on a new system, you can build a new one for less than that. Here are a few systems to show what you can get for not a lot of money. Take your time and save up.


Here is an i5 System:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-7500 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor (€185.95 @ PC Componentes)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-B250M-DS3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard (€63.75 @ Amazon Espana)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory (€113.95 @ PC Componentes)
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (€46.35 @ Amazon Espana)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1050 2GB ACX 2.0 Video Card (€122.00 @ Amazon Espana)
Case: Cooler Master - N200 MicroATX Mini Tower Case (€49.11 @ Amazon Espana)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - S12II 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply (€90.50 @ Amazon Espana)
Total: €671.61
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-11-06 09:08 CET+0100


Or An i3 Machine.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i3-7100 3.9GHz Dual-Core Processor (€102.00 @ Amazon Espana)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-B250M-DS3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard (€63.75 @ Amazon Espana)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory (€113.95 @ PC Componentes)
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (€46.35 @ Amazon Espana)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1050 2GB ACX 2.0 Video Card (€122.00 @ Amazon Espana)
Case: Cooler Master - N200 MicroATX Mini Tower Case (€49.11 @ Amazon Espana)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - S12II 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply (€90.50 @ Amazon Espana)
Total: €587.66
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-11-06 09:10 CET+0100

And even less a Pent Machine.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Pentium G4560 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor (€77.45 @ PC Componentes)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-B250M-DS3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard (€63.75 @ Amazon Espana)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory (€113.95 @ PC Componentes)
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (€46.35 @ Amazon Espana)
Video Card: EVGA - GeForce GTX 1050 2GB ACX 2.0 Video Card (€122.00 @ Amazon Espana)
Case: Cooler Master - N200 MicroATX Mini Tower Case (€49.11 @ Amazon Espana)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - S12II 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply (€90.50 @ Amazon Espana)
Total: €563.11
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-11-06 09:11 CET+0100

 

[guanyu210379]

Having a PC powerful enough for your need is one thing, matching the rig to your pocket is another thing. Try to find the balance.
You do not have to spend much for a PC, if you can not afford it. No use to force yourself.

One things is for sure, your C2D PC is simply too old and too weak to receive any kinds of upgrade, it would really better to simply go for a newer platform.
To build a new PC, you do not have to rebuy everything, you can find things you can re-use. Post here the complete stuffs you have right now e.g. monitor, keyboard, hdd, RAM type, etc. even if your PC is a branded pre-built.
The guys here can support you better if you post everything you already have and your absolute budget limit.

 

[pellemans101]

I have an old computer than i want to upgrade / get a new computer all together but my budget is the limiting factor. My PC's specs are:
Intel Pentium E5300 Dual Core
4GB DDR3 RAM
Nvidia GT 210 1GB silent
240GB HDD

I want to play games at 720p or 1080p, i was looking to get a GTX 1050 to put in my computer but would it make much of a difference? Would my CPU bottleneck my computer and it not make much difference? I don't have the budget to get a new CPU at the moment because there aren't any CPUs that fit my socket and are much of a performance increase. If I were to get a new CPU I would also have to get a new motherboard, and if I were to go current generation, RAM also because my board supports DDR3 not DDR4. I would also have to get a new power supply because my PC is a pre-built and the PSU is preparatory. If this is to be the case then i would save up and buy the whole new PC.

I dont think it is worth to buy a new GPU. Save up for a whole new pc. Maybe keep the SSD

 

[PeterTheNugget]

Having a PC powerful enough for your need is one thing, matching the rig to your pocket is another thing. Try to find the balance.
You do not have to spend much for a PC, if you can not afford it. No use to force yourself.

One things is for sure, your C2D PC is simply too old and too weak to receive any kinds of upgrade, it would really better to simply go for a newer platform.
To build a new PC, you do not have to rebuy everything, you can find things you can re-use. Post here the complete stuffs you have right now e.g. monitor, keyboard, hdd, RAM type, etc. even if your PC is a branded pre-built.
The guys here can support you better if you post everything you already have and your absolute budget limit.

My PC setup at the moment is as follows:
Intel Pentium E5300 at 26GHz Dual Core
Nvidia Geforce GT 210 1GB DDR3
4GB DDR3 RAM (2x 2GB) dual channel
240GB HDD + 500GB HDD
Power Supply that came with the case (24pin connector is like 2 inches to its useless)
Monitor is a Dell 1280 x 1024 (4:3) i like it because i prefer to play games at 4:3 rather than 16:9 (i know, weird)
Keyboard is a generic membrane one.
Mouse is a Logitech G403

I think my peripherals are fine for what i use it for, i don't need anything high end. I don't need a huge high end PC because as I said I don't play all too often, but i just want a PC that can hit smooth 60fps on CS:GO at 720p.

Would getting an SSD at this point be a much better use of my money as don't have one at the moment. My PC runs fast when browsing the web and general use. I know a SSD wont help with gaming performance and that's what I'm looking to get out of this upgrade.

 

[guanyu210379]

The PSU should be only barely enough for your PC, not even a slightly more powerful GPU will fit.
Looking at your monitor, if you do not plan to upgrade it in the near future, I would say that an iGPU on newer procs should be enough for you or if you wanna new dedicated GPU, you need to replace your current PSU too.
SSD is not really a must, if you are on tight budget.

I would start looking at these and see, if you can gather enough money:
Pentium G4600
Cheapest compatible mobo you can get
2x4GB RAM with the best bang for bucks value you can find
a GTX1050
a decent 400-500W PSU
Depending on where you live, you might need to get a new Windows copy.
Reuse everything incl your PC case, if possible.

You can take a look at several post above from Jankerson too.

One thing is for sure, do not even try to invest one single cent on your current PC.
If you do not have enough money, try to live with it and try to gather money to move to a newer proc platform
Any cent you invests is only wasting money.

 

[pellemans101]

Try to go for a Seasonic or Corsair PSU.