OS update card, font and memory

[sorel]

Hello, I'm updating my… little turtle. My budget is almost zero, currently the PC, although not the eighth wonder, meets me in almost everything. I want it to play games like Aion or starcraft2 and in a few TERA online and diablo3, with a more or less acceptable level in graphics in FULLHD.

The current configuration I have is this:

AMD Athlon 64 xw Dual Core 4400+ 2.31
2 Gb ram
AMD scocket AM2 GA-M56S-S3
Windows XP professional SP3

A friend gave me one of his cards that he no longer uses:

HD5770
I changed it to put the power supply to a 750W, there would be no problem there.

Now the doubt comes from where to update more with the minimum expense. My idea was to increase to 4Gb the ram and put windows 7. Would I notice improvement with just this? It's already 150 euros long and the truth, the Aion pulls me perfectly although I think the TERA asks for more machine, I don't know to what extent I would notice improvement when changing OS and adding a little more ram. Will it be appreciable?

[Bm4n]

Windows 7 is not going to improve performance, on the contrary it will consume more memory, and the 4GB of RAM depending on the game may not be bad for you but honestly in DDR2 I wouldn't spend the money.

[Obione]

+1 to not put money into that platform and slight disagreement with the 7, both capped ones consume the same but well, although I think the 7 is better, you won't notice it because you won't be able to run DirectX 11 with that equipment.

Put money in the piggy bank and when it comes time for a quad Ivy Bridge (just over 150€ and just under 100 for the card) + 2x4GB DDR3 1600MHz (45€) you can go for it. You can keep using the 5770 until you save up for a 7850 or higher, if you want Nvidia but get one with 2GB of vRAM.

[Jesus_Panella]

In your place I wouldn't spend a single cent on this PC. DDR2 memory is going up, and honestly, putting Windows 7 on it, even expanding the RAM to 4 GB you're barely going to notice an improvement, and in some games, it may even worsen its performance because Windows 7 consumes more resources than Windows XP.

It's better that you wait a little longer with this configuration that you have and continue saving, and later move on to Ivy Bridge.

[Bm4n]

@Obione:

slight disagreement with the 7, both capped consume the same

And what would be the point of buying the W7 then? To remove the interface, the extra services and, while we're at it, the 32-bit one... for that, just stick with XP :lol:

[sorel]

So it would be to leave it as it is while I keep using it or to change the motherboard+CPU+memory when I save up for it. It's noted, I have to save, that's the remedy. I don't know what Ivy Bridge is, I'll look it up on Google now. Thanks for the help, everyone

EDIT. Okay, I looked it up and it says it's a new processor, like an I5? Can that be? Isn't that expensive? I can't find it in any store to see the prices. Some I5s are listed at 200 euros… that's way over my budget.

Would I have to change the case? I use a pretty standard one.

I-JOY CASE I-CASE 286B

And I imagine that I'd also have to get a new heatsink and I'd have to go to a store for all of that because you have to put thermal paste and I don't know what else. I'm clueless about this stuff, I only know as much as Google tells me... :mudo:

I'm going to put up a supposed configuration to save money for it, to see if you can help me if I'm on the right track or what I need to change:

-Intel Core i5-2320 3.0Ghz Box Socket 1155 ---------- 164Euros.
As it comes out very expensive, optional:

Intel Core i3 550 3.2Ghz Box Socket 1156 –--------- 78 Euros.

I don't understand the issue very well, it says it's faster at 3.2Ghz but it's cheaper. Is there much difference between an i3 and an i5? In terms of power or what, I don't understand. Theoretically, even if I put in a more powerful processor… with that card, it wouldn't be utilized or would it?

-Motherboard... no idea what to put.
-Heatsink... same thing.
-2x Kingston HyperX Blu DDR3 1600 PC3-12800 2GB CL9 –------- 30 euros
(If I keep using Windows XP)
-CASE: AeroCool VS-3 Advance Gaming USB 3.0 –---------- 34 Euros
-Assembly –------- 45Euros
Optional:
-Hard Drive Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 500 GB SATA3 Recertified –------------ 74 Euros
(my current one is old, I guess that while we're at it…)

-OS: I would keep using Windows XP ------ 0 euros
-Graphics Card: the current 5770 --------0 Euros
-Power Supply: the current 750W ----------0 Euros

Keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, microphone, DVD burner, card reader: the current ones ---------- 0 Euros

TOTAL: 255 Euros with the i3, not including the heatsink and motherboard.

[Obione]

@Bm4n:

And what would be the point of buying W7 then? To remove the interface, the extra services and, for that matter, the 32-bit version... for that, they should stick with XP :lol:

It has many better things, it's just a matter of whether you're going to use them all or if it's worth paying for it.

[Bm4n]

With any Core i you will notice the difference, compare the models at intel.es to see what differences there are. The processors that come in a BOX have a heatsink and instructions to install it, so there is no great dilemma in assembling it yourself.

Your current case can serve you, because why not.

The base plate you will need is any for socket 1155 (which, if you look closely, is the one for the current Core i), look for features that include the latest standards such as: USB 3.0, SATA3, PCIE 3.0 (from most important to least important in your case).

[sorel]

Mmmm, I could try to assemble it but I have a little respect for the thermal paste and knowing how to connect all the wiring to the board. Does the processor already come with the paste to put it on?

I was talking about the case because I googled it and read that not all cases work for the same boards, I don't know if it's because the screws don't match, there's no space or what exactly. Thanks for the help

[Bm4n]

If the motherboard is ATX and the case is ATX… The heatsink that comes with the processor in the box already has thermal paste applied, you just have to mount it. The motherboard cables... the SATA and the power supply cables are not mysterious and the case cables for the buttons are not complicated either, everything comes in the motherboard manual.

[sorel]

Well if that's the case it doesn't seem excessively complicated. Thank you very much for the info.