Computer people, all-aboard

[Junkhead]

Computer-related question. My CPU's "super old" (by today's standards). It's a Pentium Core 2 Duo 2.00GHz (bought it in the year 2004), upgraded it with an NViDia 9400 GT in 2009, 2 GB RAM.

I am looking forward to upgrading those three aspects, especially the CPU & RAM. Do you need to buy a whole computer case altogether, or is the "computer" just the motherboard thing?

[Sentacotus]

Depends how far you plan on upgrading. If say you're only looking to upgrade to a CPU from like 2007 probably not. There's other people that probably know more about the sockets and such than I do especially from that far back. RAM is pretty universal I would just try and stay with the same brand and speed of whatever you currently have (you can still increase the amount) because if you get a stick of RAM that's clocked at 1600mhz and all the others are clocked at only 1200 the 1600mhz will not go as fast as it could.

As far as your second question the "computer" part is really just the motherboard. Sure holistically it includes everything but if you're asking what I think you are asking the motherboard is what you are looking at. Be aware though newer motherboards might be bigger and require more space (aka new case). If you find that to be the case you might be better off building a new one from scratch.

The two biggest pieces of advice I can give you as far as the CPU goes is make sure your power source can supply it along with the other components and make sure the cooling on that bad boy is squared away. Nothing is worse than getting a new CPU only to have it fry on you or your whole motherboard. Apply thermal paste conservatively (IC Diamond is decent) and make sure your heatsink/fan is on right.

There's definitely people who know more on the subject than I do but those are just some general tips. From one fellow newbie to another.

EDIT: Another thing with RAM is the operating system. 32 bit OS can't use as much as a 64 bit OS. Additionally, I believe Pro and Ultimate versions of Windows can utilize more RAM not sure though.

Edited December 22, 2015 by LordTaco42

[Elieson]

Can your motherboard hold more ram? Building a PC these days is literally as simple as putting Legos together, but you need the slots to put them in, or just yank and replace. If anything, RAM deteriorates as time passes. You might just want to replace your [what I suspect are two 1-GB] RAM with a couple of 4GB ram sticks, which go for like 40 if you shop savvy.

Your Nvidia isn't bad. I'd knock up the processor though. Those can be pricey, and you need to make sure it's compatible with your motherboard.

Primary parts for a Computer are:

Case

Motherboard (MOBO)

RAM

Power Supply

Processor

Optional parts are:

Audio Card

Graphics Card (probably your NVIDIA)

Basically, it all plugs into your Motherboard, which needs to fit your Case (PCs these days are mostly ATX or MiniATX style, which hold ATX motherboards)

Power Supplies of about 350-400 handle the everyday PC plus probably a bit extra. I have a 350 that handles all my goodies and more.

Processor goes into the MOBO (with thermal paste, which most come with it already on it these days). Might have a cooling fan or two on top of it. Replacing the processor means unscrewing the fan usually and pulling it out to replace. You really need only like 2 drops of Thermal Paste, spread nicely. My Pentium processor came with it already on.

I'd go with Windows 7 Pro if you're starting brand new, and 64-bit if possible.

[Monte_Carlo]

Upgrade it all. It likely won't be too cheap, but you can get a fairly solid build for around 500-700 dollars minus OS. You can try your hand at used parts, but that's always an iffy venture.

At this point you'd be looking at:

-Motherboard: No point in going total budget bin here. A fairly nice Skylake compatible board shouldn't be too bad.

-RAM: 4 is the low point in this world, aim for 8 gigs or higher. Likely the cheapest part of the build. Also not aware of RAM "deteriorating" over time.

-CPU: Go Intel. AMD has nothing really competitive as of right now. An i3 or Pentium should suite you well in this case.

-PSU: A decent one will last you many many years. Seasonic is pricey, but with that 7 year warranty? Hard to beat.

-Graphics card: The 9400 GT is ancient and won't take you far these days. I'd look to upgrading to a decent low end GPU from AMD or Nvidia. Nvidia's GTX 950 is apparently a good entry point into the market. AMD's R9 380 is a heavy hitter in the price category as well.

As for the case...? Should still be good. All you really need is an intake fan, and exhaust fan. By and large, expect to get what you pay for. The more you spend (to a point) the more you'll get. Decide on a budget, and try to work with in it. There will be compromises, and only you can decide what can be traded off for what and where.

[amiabletemplar]

Yeah, at this point you really are going to have to do a lot of replacement. With an "ancient" computer (yours is, as far as I can tell, over 9 years old in its youngest parts--in computer terms, that's 6 generations, the equivalent of well over a century in human time scales) that sort of thing is unavoidable. There are no modern processors that can be put into your motherboard's socket--the design has changed 2-3 times since then. Depending on the construction of your motherboard, you may not be able to put a modern video card into it--and, on the flipside, your old video card may be incompatible with the sockets of a new motherboard. Your RAM has a good chance of being a different kind of DDR than the modern chipset (ALL of the different types of DDR memory are mutually incompatible, and yours is almost certanly DDR-1 or -2, whereas modern chips will be DDR-4 or, if you can find them, DDR-3).

In general, I must echo Monte_Carlo's points. Get a decent motherboard--not necessarily "expensive," but there's little point in skimping. Remember, though, that your motherboard must be compatible with the kind of processor you buy. Some are made to accept Intel chips, some are made to accept AMD--make sure you pick compatible equipment or you'll be real sorry when it's time to put it together!

8 GB of DDR-4 memory should definitely be your minimum; I personally have 16 and still find it occasionally limiting when playing Skyrim (which, I admit, I've loaded a bunch of hardware-intensive mods into). RAM can deteriorate over time, but it's a very slow process because it's accessed purely electronically, rather than mechanically like a standard hard drive. As long as you get a halfway decent brand, any memory you get should last you for several years (5+) without incident. Unlike processors and video cards, memory of a given capacity is all pretty much the same except for the level of quality control, so it doesn't require a lot of comparison. Do try to get either 2 or 4 chips that are all the same capacity--one of the advantages of modern memory architectures is improved efficiency with pairs of chips (dual-channel--you'll see it as motherboards having two different colors for their RAM slots).

Given the power requirements of modern video cards, it's a good idea to consider getting your own power supply unit (PSU), even if you buy a case that comes with one. I, personally, have found my Corsair PSU to be exceptionally high-quality--relatively low-heat, very quiet, sturdy--but that Seasonic warranty could be tempting. Guess it depends on whether you expect it to blow out--an unlikely but annoying event.

I haven't checked graphics cards in a decent while, haven't really needed to. I'm sure Monte's suggestions would be fine, but I could do some of my own digging if you'd like a second opinion. Same for CPUs, really. I tend to give AMD a lot of credit, as their stuff at least used to be typically cheaper than power-equivalent Intel chips. But both of these things, unlike RAM, are stuff you have to be keeping an eye on, as what the best-bang-for-the-buck card or processor is can vary heavily, even over the course of just a couple months.

As a final point: "The computer" is only the silicon-and-metal bits plus the power supply; it is perfectly possible (though risky) to run a computer with no case whatsoever. A good case primarily serves to shield the contents from dust settling onto them, to keep liquids and other spills out, and to give a solid support to push against when installing components. It also makes drives a lot easier to work with most of the time :P Fortunately, unlike sockets etc., motherboard layouts have largely remained constant. The only concern you might have is if your case has a fixed, rather than removable, back plate (where the mouse/keyboard/USB/sound/etc. plugs in). If it has a fixed backplate, you may not be able to install the board. Removable backplates became standard quite a long time ago, so it's PROBABLY not a concern--but do check, just to be safe.

[Skynstein]

In your case it won't be called an "upgrade", but a "replacement".

The kind of stuff you can buy new for cheap these days will require you to build something from scratch.

[Junkhead]

I'm considering changing most of it at this point, lol. Obviously, it will take plenty of money. Regarding the basics, this is what I have in mind:

Intel i7

8-16 GB RAM

NviDia 970 GX

I don't play a lot of up-to-date games, anyway. I just want to play Alice in 4k:

...alright, maybe not JUST Alice. I guess it'd be nice to play games like Metal Gear Rising & Batman at great quality & 60fps. For the record, I was never actually a "graphics person", but there are certain games that just look beautiful. It does help that there's the Zelda TP HD for Dolphin.

Also, my computer has trouble running Youtube videos at 720p 60fps.

Edited December 29, 2015 by Soul o:

[Pika2346]

I'm just giving advice but according to /r/pcmasterrace (they have reputable builds updated frequently) and several review sites i7's improvement over i5 is negligible, especially for gaming. Also, the current 'go-to' graphics card is the R9 390, but it does cost a load. If you don't want to shell out for that then the 970 is probably your next best bet. 8gb RAM should be enough, but I'm going for 16gb to be safe.

I say this because I'm about to build myself a complete upgrade, and I've recently spent a while researching which parts to go for. This does not mean that I am correct in any way though. My build is here for interest, but I'm not sure what your budget is: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/fZrwxr

I'm not a technical person, just make sure you look at a graphics card's 4k benchmarks before buying it. The 970 may run Alice at 4k/60fps, but according to reviews it's better used with 1440p resolution - [http://4k.com/gaming/nvidia-gtx-970-geforce-review-4k-gpu/] "the GTX 970 delivers some truly fantastic value as a GPU for the Full HD/1440p gamer and its retail price is a definite winner for those of you who want plenty of extra kick for your PC without going completely into 4K-compatible territory."

Please take what I say with a grain of salt, almost all of what I'm basing my points on is third-party information.

[Skynstein]

Before going the 4K route you need to ask yourself if you actually "need" 4K. 1080p looks pretty damn good and you can play around with antialiasing settings.

[Naughx]

You'll need a very good power supply if you want a graphic card that can output 4K.

But your motherboard's socket must match your processor. (LGA 1150? Or LGA 1155?)

Maybe you should get an i5...

You'll also require a good fan + heatsink/cooler or you cpu will literaly melt into your motherboard. (Well maybe not at this extend but close)

Plus a bunch of other stuff.

Edited December 31, 2015 by Naughx

[Sylvalum]

I can personally vouch for 970, excellent card that. You won't be wanting for much more.

edit: Oh, and just go for i5? I7 is only a decent choice if you're going for video editing or cpu intensive things like graphical work. For videogames i5 stomps and is perfectly apt for the job.

Edited January 3, 2016 by Sylvalum