Database Users

Hardware Upgrading

To my knowledge many hardware upgrades can be made to the Universal.
Seeing earlier posts of Universal Motherboards and chipsets...
It is possible to solder and upgrade the Universal.
Upgrades Include:
1. RAM - Suggested Hynix DDR / SDR RAM
2. Processor - nVidia (includes video card upgrade) if you are lucky or the new Intel PXA29x Monahans or Intel Bulverade x270 650mhz processor.
3. Wifi upgrade to Atheros ABG
All these upgrades are possible. If anyone is successful on doing these upgrades or has any ideas from where these parts can be obtained.. we are looking at the next generation pocket pc's and mobile devices to be created on xda-developers.

nuclear said:
To my knowledge many hardware upgrades can be made to the Universal.
Seeing earlier posts of Universal Motherboards and chipsets...
It is possible to solder and upgrade the Universal.
Upgrades Include:
1. RAM - Suggested Hynix DDR / SDR RAM
2. Processor - nVidia (includes video card upgrade) if you are lucky or the new Intel PXA29x Monahans or Intel Bulverade x270 650mhz processor.
3. Wifi upgrade to Atheros ABG
All these upgrades are possible. If anyone is successful on doing these upgrades or has any ideas from where these parts can be obtained.. we are looking at the next generation pocket pc's and mobile devices to be created on xda-developers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not suggest this to a real company like Pocket PC Techs: http://www.pocketpctechs.com/main~unit~O2_XDA_Exec-500~area~repairs.htm
They already have a repair section for the Universal. It might be easier for them to acquire everything, plus it would give us the option of having trained professionals handling our Universal.
But I read sometime ago, someone already tried this and did not work.

Mobile SDR/DDR RAM
I will consult Pocket PC Techs as you say they are professionals.
I will consult Intel, Atheros and Hynix on obtaining the parts. I am highly trained with soldering since i recently upgraded the video card on my motioncomputing LE1600 tablet pc ($5000). This phone Universal costed me $1200 from expansys and I would not like it to get busted. But i am pretty sure i can do it myself. If successful i will post pictures of the new chipset. Most certainly it will fit into the same body. Device Driver flashing will need a new ROM... i guess Helmi's/Ivans/Jwrights ROMS wont work. Anyways this will take me a week to a month to obtain the parts. And a few days to solder.
The hard part is making the ROM. Maybe my new project of Windows Crossbow i can integrate the device drivers into the ROM since they will be provided by the manufacturer for sure. So its not impossible i would say. Getting help from Pocket PC Techs really sounds good.

nuclear
I have already done this operation on Universal.
Now I have
CPU -Intel P4
Video- NVIDIA GeForce 7950 GX2
RAM- Nynix -10TB.
OS-Photon
You foolish and tell the delirium!

arc said:
nuclear
I have already done this operation on Universal.
Now I have
CPU -Intel P4
Video- NVIDIA GeForce 7950 GX2
RAM- Nynix -10TB.
OS-Photon
You foolish and tell the delirium!
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Click to collapse
Please do not spam on the forum with false information. If you have really performed the upgrades post the picture of your new chipset and the Photon OS.

added foto

Again Spam
The Hynix RAM is not at the bottom right. It is supposed to be on the left. This is what the image is. Which i got from another thread! The RAM is supposed to be soldered on the top right. Right beside those 3, 2 slots are left for RAM to be soldered. And there is no Intel P4 processor. I guess people can use this as a reference to solder.
Anyways i am not going to keep mentioning about your spam. Because wind just adds more to the fire. The rest is upto the forum administrators.

get a sense of humour, man

It makes me cringed to see a naked Universal like that. It is like throwing $1000 to the trash.

not if you know what you're doing.
i for one would love a GeForce Go and faster WiFi in there. But isn't there a problem with RAM addressing over 64Mb?

r3bel said:
not if you know what you're doing.
i for one would love a GeForce Go and faster WiFi in there. But isn't there a problem with RAM addressing over 64Mb?
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Exactly what i was thinking. Upgrade the RAM and the processor (processor upgrading i think is impossible). And then the video card <-- not great chance of upgrading.
Currently i can only give confirmation based on my skills that i can upgrade the RAM. Getting hands on the hynix SDR/DDR RAM will not be easy either.
I am also sure that these upgrades shall keep our Universals tuned in for another 5 - 10 years along with Windows Mobile Crossbow and Windows Photon. Just like the Windows Vista that will be up and running for 10-15 years.
Anyways after these upgrades are successful i plan on marketing my product of research and upgrade for twice the same price as the universal. I shall post pictures of the device once it is upgraded and what the new ROM recognises.
I am currently working on Windows Crossbow and Windows Photon as well.
Now i base my research on facts from wiki so there is no chance of failure.

nuclear said:
Exactly what i was thinking. Upgrade the RAM and the processor (processor upgrading i think is impossible). And then the video card <-- not great chance of upgrading.
Currently i can only give confirmation based on my skills that i can upgrade the RAM. Getting hands on the hynix SDR/DDR RAM will not be easy either.
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Click to collapse
would would the CPU be impossible to ugrade? I believe the RAM is the most difficult because, I think, Win Mo doesn't recognize more than 64MB... but I don't have facts for that. would be awesome to have 128MB or even 256, 512 would be tha sh1t! I checked those chips and I have a PDF 'bout it... if it helps. but I haven't seen such low capacity
Now the processor would be awesome to upgrade, too... but why not? maybe pin configuration? or would they be able to compile WinMo for just one speed of a processor? or are we talking 'bout different processors altogether?
I was checking the internet 'bout such things, reflow stations(pro, DIY) and solder paste, but I'm afraid to try with my Universal as I haven't done it before. any ideas?

Yubastard said:
would would the CPU be impossible to ugrade? I believe the RAM is the most difficult because, I think, Win Mo doesn't recognize more than 64MB... but I don't have facts for that. would be awesome to have 128MB or even 256, 512 would be tha sh1t! I checked those chips and I have a PDF 'bout it... if it helps. but I haven't seen such low capacity
Now the processor would be awesome to upgrade, too... but why not? maybe pin configuration? or would they be able to compile WinMo for just one speed of a processor? or are we talking 'bout different processors altogether?
I was checking the internet 'bout such things, reflow stations(pro, DIY) and solder paste, but I'm afraid to try with my Universal as I haven't done it before. any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Steps to upgrade the processor.
a. Remove the existing soldered chip off the motherboard (most likely will damage the motherboard while removing the existing processor chip)
b. Obtain the next processor chip. Probably will be from the same family of processors or any other compatible chip and solder it on.
c. Make a ROM that supports this hardware.
Higher End processors:
PXA27x (The universal one)
The PXA27x family (code-named Bulverde) consists of the PXA270 and PXA271-PXA272 processors. This revision is a huge update to the XScale family of processors. The PXA270 <-- (((this one is ours))) is clocked in four different speeds: 312 MHz, 416 MHz, (((520 MHz))) and (((624 MHz <-- (((this is what we can upgrade to most likely))) and is a stand-alone processor with no packaged memory. The PXA271 can be clocked to 312 MHz or 416 MHz and has 32 MiB of 16-bit stacked StrataFlash memory and 32 MiB of 16-bit SDRAM in the same package. The PXA272 can be clocked to 312 MHz, 416 MHz or 520 MHz and has 64 MiB of 32-bit stacked StrataFlash memory.
Now this is the processor we are aiming for:
In August 2005 Intel announced the successor to Bulverde, codenamed Monahans. They demoed it showing its capability to play back high definition encoded video on a PDA screen. The new processor was shown clocked at 1.25 GHz but Intel said it only offered a 25% increase in performance (800 MIPS for the 624 MHz PXA270 processor vs 1000 MIPS for 1.25 GHz Monahans). An announced successor to the 2700G graphics processor, code named Stanwood, has since been cancelled. Some of the features of Stanwood are integrated into Monahans. For extra graphics capabilities, Intel recommends third party chips like the Nvidia GoForce chip family <-- ((NOT AUTHORIZED BY NVIDIA)).
******NOW CHECK THIS OUT:: YOU THOUGHT THE PROCESSOR WAS EVERYTHING RIGHT? WELL SEEMS LIKE YOU WERE WRONG::READ WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE RAM********
This is why i chose Hynix and not Samsung
Hynix Semiconductor Inc. (Hangul: 하이닉스 반도체) KSE: 000660 is an electronics company founded in 1983 as Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd. In the 1980s and 1990s it was mainly focusing on marketing DRAM, and then later SDRAM. In 2001 the business sold their TFT LCD assets for $650m, of the same year they developed the world's first 128MB DDR SDRAM for graphics.
Hynix is among the Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders.
In 2004-2005 an investigation was carried out into a worldwide DRAM price fixing conspiracy during 1999-2002 that damaged competition and raised PC prices. As a result, Samsung <-- (SEE SAMSUNG IS A LOSER) is to pay $300 million fine, Hynix was to pay $185 mln in 2005, Infineon: $160 mln in 2004. Micron Technology cooperated with prosecutors and no fine is expected.
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And now getting to the RAM
The RAM is an addon in the universal and not a replacement. Replacements are very damaging to the device and decreases the life of the device.
So all we got to do is addon the RAM.
Now i am going to personally speak to a Hynix manager and ask him if our devices are upgradable. I will also ask him about the pricing and how we can make bulk orders. I will read on more about RAM and what should we buy exactly? They manufacture so many products and you dont want to pick the wrong one.
Ah yes and they also manufacture better LCD screens for the Universal. In case some one wants to take on that project most welcome to. I would love a Anti-glare glass screen for my universal.

RAM,processor or WiFi of Universal cannot be upgrated,though RAM of HP4700 can be upgrated to 128MB.but the camera of Universal can be upgrated to 3.0MP.It costs only RMB200(USD25).There are already many people(except me) upgrated their camera of Uni.I will post the pictures later

yinfo said:
RAM,processor or WiFi of Universal cannot be upgrated,though RAM of HP4700 can be upgrated to 128MB.but the camera of Universal can be upgrated to 3.0MP.It costs only RMB200(USD25).There are already many people(except me) updated their camera of Uni.I will post the pictures later
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$25 USD Sounds too unreal for a 3MP camera upgrade for Universal. What is the optical zoom/digital zoom/lens mm? We here at xda-developers.com are looking into technical and specific details. I dont want a 3MP camera with barely any optical/digital zoom and images that cant be taken in a sunny day.
Also RAM upgrade is possible. Why else do you think those two empty solder spots are left on the motherboard?
I was sure that the camera can be upgraded too. I will find out more camera details and keep the forum posted. Since i am a professional SLR photographer i can provide the best camera's to the Universal device.
This means a stronger high beam flash can also be upgraded.

nuclear said:
$25 USD Sounds too unreal for a 3MP camera upgrade for Universal. What is the optical zoom/digital zoom/lens mm? We here at xda-developers.com are looking into technical and specific details. I dont want a 3MP camera with barely any optical/digital zoom and images that cant be taken in a sunny day.
Also RAM upgrade is possible. Why else do you think those two empty solder spots are left on the motherboard?
I was sure that the camera can be upgraded too. I will find out more camera details and keep the forum posted. Since i am a professional SLR photographer i can provide the best camera's to the Universal device.
This means a stronger high beam flash can also be upgraded.
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Click to collapse
Maybe $25 USD Sounds unreal for you,but in China,it's real.But now I can't find out the pictures of it on Chinese forum. It has optical zoom.
The battery costs only $25 in China,the imitated one costs only $7.And the 3200mAh battery costs less than $15 now,though I bought it for $19 5 months ago.I bought my T-Mobile MDA Pro for about $530.
Two empty solder spots are left on the motherboard is because the Universal was fist made for Windows Mobile 2003,which must has 128MB RAM.Do know CeBIT 2005?CeBIT 2005 had a Universal(T-Mobile MDA PRO) on show,which has WM2003 and 128MB RAM.
But someone had his HP4700 upgrated to 128MB RAM said that the Universal couldnot be upgrated to 128MB.He didn't tell me the reason.And so far,I have never seen any one have his Universal upgrated to 128MB RAM.

Battery and Camera
yinfo you might be correct about the battery. I actually bought my Universal for around the same price as yours. Just $100 more. My 3200mAh battery also costed around the same price as yours. All my items came ofcourse from Shanghai and Ho Chi Minh and Hong Kong.
But my RAM is going to come from South Korea, Seoul.
Some good stuff is also being sold at Hanoi in Vietnam. Better check that place out.
Camera upgrade cannot be so cheap. It really sounds too unreal. I mean camera is not equal to battery. Maybe $100-$200 will be more realistic. Anyways I am still looking into this camera upgrade on the net, will find some results soon and keep the forum posted.

hehe, it all sounds so exotic! I got my universal for £150 on a rainy high street in the UK!
loving the chance for a camera replacement, though. also, i had a browse through the universal's disassembly manual, and the flash LED is just stuck-down then plugged in. i bet even I could upgrade that!

r3bel said:
hehe, it all sounds so exotic! I got my universal for £150 on a rainy high street in the UK!
loving the chance for a camera replacement, though. also, i had a browse through the universal's disassembly manual, and the flash LED is just stuck-down then plugged in. i bet even I could upgrade that!
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I want to upgrade the flash LED to the flash in the SLR digital camera. So that i get better image quality while taking photographs in the public. Also i would like a 3MP camera. I have printed images on photo paper before and they came out nice. But 3MP would be the best.

nuclear You foolish !!
You absolutely do not understand in electronics and PPC.
1) You can not change the processor since this not PC. Mobile processors PXA 270 and PXA2XX to have other points and other auxiliary elements.
2) Such reasons and about graphic chip.
3)The Camera can be theoretically modernized -but if have an alike connector and electrically parameters.
We conducted the modernization on typhoon c500 cameras. This device was delivered on european and chinese market with miscellaneous camera.
When installation of the other camera -you need other ROM with the other driver for this cameras. You can not simply change this driver - necessary to build in this in ROM.
I did this on typhoon c500. But this in a complicated way.
4) Theoretically you may add on Universal RAM - my friends conducted modernization and tried to enlarge RAM - but you may use only such RAM as it is used in Universal.
My friends concern with the repair PPC to have specialized device. In home condition you will not be able this do.
After they were added chip RAM - a system does not see these chips. We thought that probably system does not see additional RAm since does not enter the signal CS ( chip select ) -we have found this signal on board. But probably system does not see RAM since is not installed specific driver which will be able to service additional RAM.
nuclear
Be enough to carry the foolishness and tell about that that you do not understand - you probably foolish young person who wants to raise its rating in this forum.

Fire 7 / HD 8 Refresh (Spring 2017)

www.pcmag.com/news/353708/amazon-refreshes-fire-tablets-keeps-low-price-tag
https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/17/...let-refresh-release-date-pricing-kids-edition
Nothing exceptional. Likely locked down and (at present) unrootable.

Fire 7 still 1.3Ghz and 1GB RAM. Wonder if any performance improvement say with speed of RAM and/or more efficient CPU. Anyone able to find model of Mediatek CPU vs last Fire 7?
Edit: Found CPU...
https://developer.amazon.com/public...ications/01-device-and-feature-specifications
2017 has a Mediatek MT8127B, 2015 had MT8127D..
https://www.mediatek.com/products/tablets/mt8127
Haven't found difference of B vs D variations.
2017 supports BT 4.1 LE, 2015 supports BT 4.0 LE.
So not much difference. Maybe better/lower power screen.

xenokc said:
Fire 7 still 1.3Ghz and 1GB RAM. Wonder if any performance improvement say with speed of RAM and/or more efficient CPU. Anyone able to find model of Mediatek CPU vs last Fire 7?
Edit: Found CPU...
https://developer.amazon.com/public...ications/01-device-and-feature-specifications
2017 has a Mediatek MT8127B, 2015 had MT8127D..
https://www.mediatek.com/products/tablets/mt8127
Haven't found difference of B vs D variations.
2017 supports BT 4.1 LE, 2015 supports BT 4.0 LE.
So not much difference. Maybe better/lower power screen.
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Click to collapse
It looks like the same logic board, with a drop-in replacement for the SoC. I was honestly expecting more from them in a refresh...
Honestly, a quad-core 1.3GHz wouldn't but bad if it weren't an A7, a low-power ARM cpu from 2011. If it were a 64-bit A53 like it's sibling the new HD8, it would be TONs faster.
This has 1GB of RAM, which is ridiculous, although I think we're going to see a lot of devices with 1GB of RAM with the launch of Android GO...
It's still using a Mali-450, which is a low-power GPU from 2012.
Still using N wireless, not even AC.
Honestly, for a $49 tablet, what more should you expect? You get what you pay for....
For my sister who would love one of these to read books, it's realistically all you need, and the increased contrast ratio is nice. For anyone who wants to play Minecraft or use it as a tablet in any capacity, it's absurd. Spend the extra $20 on the HD8.

Can't complain for the price but would expect newer components at same price point. At some point, is more expensive for chip makers to keep making older parts.

xenokc said:
Can't complain for the price but would expect newer components at same price point. At some point, is more expensive for chip makers to keep making older parts.
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Call me touched but thinking Amazon has a pretty good handle on long term component costs. They're not shopping Radio Shack for SOCs. Structures likely locked in for duration of product run with supplier accepting all sub-component pricing risk in exchange for guaranteed minimums.

Makes sense but still odd chipmakers still making such old parts. At some point it's cheaper to make newer faster parts than maintaining old chip lines. Older chip lines eventually lose economies of scale.

xenokc said:
Makes sense but still odd chipmakers still making such old parts. At some point it's cheaper to make newer faster parts than maintaining old chip lines. Older chip lines eventually lose economies of scale.
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Click to collapse
Western mindset. Components will likely see widespread use in less affluent markets.

Beginner's guide to building a PC: everything you know and don't already know!

When I saw the topic of a beginner's guide to building a PC, I jumped for it because I remember building my first PC. It actually wasn't nearly as long ago as you'd think. I also remember how clueless I was. Obviously, I know about everything that goes inside of a computer, but once I was faced with the task of putting all of that together, I was like a deer in headlights.
Prerequisites​Let's start off with a list of everything that you're going to need:
CPU
Thermal paste
Motherboard
CPU cooler
Case
Power supply
RAM
Storage
GPU (optional unless you have an Intel F-series processor)
An operating system
And then, of course, don't forget about the necessary peripherals:
Monitor
Keyboard
Mouse
Speakers
Webcam
External peripherals are beyond the scope of this post, but take note of what you need, keeping in mind that the PC you're building doesn't have the built-in parts of an all-in-one PC, like a microphone, speakers, and a webcam.
How to get started or: Pick a CPU​First of all, and I cannot stress this enough, PCPartPicker is your friend. The site lets you plug in a list of parts that you're planning on using and it will tell you if there are any compatibility issues. It's super useful. In fact, even if you know that your parts should be good to go, run them through PCPartPicker anyway just to make sure.
The other key thing you need to do when getting started is to pick a CPU. This is an important first step because you're pretty much building out the PC around this choice. There aren't any motherboards that support both Intel and AMD CPUs.
Choosing between AMD and Intel (see, I didn't put the same company first twice in a row so you guys can't yell at me) is the first step. Once you do that, you can decide what kind of performance that you need. I wrote a guide to Intel CPUs and what the product names mean. With AMD, you have Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7, and Ryzen 9, and performance goes according to how high that number is. The same goes with Intel and the Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9.
Intel has a bunch of different suffixes. If there isn't one, it's a standard 65W desktop processor, so something like a Core i5-11600 is pretty mainstream. Add a K and it's now a 125W processor that's unlocked for overclocking. And as mentioned above, an F means that it does not have integrated graphics, so you'll need a graphics card.
Pick a motherboard, or a case, or both​Next, you have to pick a motherboard and a case. I'm including both in this section because it's a matter of priorities. Do you want a case that fits your motherboard or a motherboard that fits your case? If you already know what case you want to use, start there and find motherboards that work. If not, start with a motherboard that has what you want.
First, let's cut your motherboard choices in half. If you're using AMD Ryzen, you need an AM4 socket. In you're using Intel 10th- or 11th-gen, you need an LGA 1200 socket. Note that with Intel, 12th-gen will use a new socket, so this is not upgradeable.
Next, you have to pick the size of your motherboard, and this is where compatibility with the case comes in. There's eATX, ATX, mATX, and mini-ITX, all in size order. This very much comes down to how big of a PC you want to build. Looking for something that's super-small and can hide behind your monitor? That's where mini-ITX comes in. Want something big and beefy that's going to have some serious power and thermals? Go for eATX.
When picking a case, it will tell you what size board it can fit. Obviously, the CPU, motherboard, and case choices go hand in hand.
Now that you've narrowed down your motherboard choices to the socket and the size, you're in good shape. It's time to start looking at ports, PCIe slots, and more. Make sure that you've got the ports to plug in what you need and the latest USB standard. Make sure you've got enough memory slots. A big one is the graphics card you want to use. Make sure there's room for it not only on the board, but in the case.
Pick a CPU cooler and thermal paste​Now, it's time to figure out how you're going to keep that CPU cool. Here's the bottom line. The more your CPU heats up, the worse the performance gets. The cooler you can keep it, the more it can sustain peak performance.
The first thing that you have to choose between is air cooling and liquid cooling, and there are pros and cons to each. Air coolers can be easier to install and more cost-effective, but if you want a good one, they take up a lot of space. Liquid cooling can be better if you plan on doing a lot of overclocking.
Personally, I'm a big fan of air coolers from Noctua. I use a Noctua NH-U12A, which is not only designed to be one of the best air coolers around, but it's quiet too.
So, after you decide if you want liquid or air cooling, you then have to looking at how cool it keeps the CPU and also how much noise it makes. That noise is important.
Then there's the thermal paste, which sits between the CPU and the CPU cooler. The more evenly it's applied, the better the cooling. Many CPU coolers, like the one I mentioned above from Noctua, come with thermal paste. You can always shop around though. A tube of thermal paste costs under $10, so using the best one there is should be an easy way to keep your CPU cool.
Pick a power supply and a GPU​As you can see, a lot of these parts go hand in hand. In fact, once you've put this all together, you'll find that they all go hand in hand. But we can't talk about the power supply without picking a GPU.
Picking a GPU is optional. Like I said, you might want a simple productivity machine with a Core i5 and integrated graphics. You also might want a gaming rig with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090. And then there's everything in-between.
With that in mind, you need to pick a power supply. This is an area that you'd definitely be well-off to use PCPartPicker for. It will tell you the wattage of all of the parts you've picked so far, and then tell you if there are any compatibility issues with you pick a power supply. I'd suggest picking one with plenty of wattage to spare so you can upgrade down the line.
Another thing is that you should definitely get a modular PSU (power supply unit). That means that the power cables aren't attached to the PSU itself. You can add cables as you need to, and since you're a builder now, you're probably going to need to at some point.
The other thing that's important is efficiency. You'll see an 80 PLUS rating that can be Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Titanium. This is important, because it's based on how much power is lost due to heat.
RAM, storage, and OS​If you've made it this far, you're in good shape. This is the easy part.
With RAM, you want more, and you want faster. It's that simple. You can also look up how fast of memory your CPU supports and go for that. The same goes for storage. An M.2 SSD is the way to go if you can, but there are also SATA SSDs. You can get an HDD if you're on a really tight budget, but I don't recommend it.
As far as the OS goes, it's between Windows and Linux. Windows costs money; Linux doesn't. I'm not really here to tell you which one you should go for.
Putting it all together​Alright, you've got all of your parts and you're ready to build your dream PC! It's the second-most exciting feeling behind the first boot.
Most of this is going to be about plugging things in where they fit, but sadly, it's not that simple. You need to start working through the manuals that came with your motherboard and your case. Those are going to tell you exactly what to plug in where, and most of it is fairly straightforward. There are few things that will actually break if you do them wrong.
The one thing that will break if you do it wrong is installing the CPU in the motherboard. It's important not to apply any unnecessary pressure when doing this because you could bend the pins on the chip or the board (depending on who made the CPU). Damage one of those and you've got some very expensive paperweights very quickly. To be clear, there's nothing to be afraid of here and it's very easy to do. Practice some healthy caution and you'll be fine.
Installing the motherboard in the case is something you'll need to follow instructions to do, which is fine, as it's easy enough. Once it's screwed into place, there will be several cables in the case that have to plug into the board. These will be for fans built into the case, for additional USB ports, and so on.
The other thing you'll have to install in the case is the PSU. Read the instructions and make sure the fan in the PSU is facing the right way. This is not something that you want to do incorrectly. There are a few cables to plug into the case and the board. Once the GPU is installed, you'll have to plug that in too.
Next, you'll probably be installing the CPU cooler. Make sure to apply thermal paste before you do. A pea-sized dot right in the middle of the CPU will do it. Do your best to bring the cooler directly down on the CPU, rather than doing it from an angle. This will spread it evenly across the chip.
Obviously, the graphics card, the storage, and RAM can fit into their respective slot. Note that for most boards, if you have four RAM slots and you only have two RAM sticks, you're better off separating them by one slot for dual-channel memory.
Once that's all done, you should be ready to plug it in and boot it up. You might not want to close the case on first-run, so you can make sure all of the fans are spinning. You can plug your USB drive with the OS into a USB port and boot into it to install the operating system.
Something went wrong!​Well, you've made it this far and now something doesn't work. Isn't that always the way it goes?
The most common problem is probably that you pressed the power button and nothing happened. After all, if the thing that went wrong is that you broke something, you should just buy a new one.
If it's not booting, now it's time to start checking cables. Make sure that everything is plugged in securely, particularly the CPU cooler. Make sure that the PSU cables are plugged in at both ends. If there were any steps you weren't sure about, such as if you plugged something in in the right spot, revisit it.
If you just can't figure it out, come back here and ask for help.

Question @therichwoods --- I'm an extremely heavy user of Chrome. I'm talking dozens of tabs open at all times in multiple windows. I assume I'm going to want to maximize my RAM to take full advantage? Or is CPU/GPU also important in my case?

svetius said:
Question @therichwoods --- I'm an extremely heavy user of Chrome. I'm talking dozens of tabs open at all times in multiple windows. I assume I'm going to want to maximize my RAM to take full advantage? Or is CPU/GPU also important in my case?
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Click to collapse
TBH CPU is always important. But RAM should definitely be a priority.

Hi
Just upgraded my complete system from an AMD FX8350 with 32gb Ram to a Ryzen 5 3600 with 32gb ram. Currently using my old HD7870 Graphics cards in Crossfire but as these are now nine years old am looking to upgrade to a more recent card(s) bearing in mind that I am a pensioner and it has taken me a year to gather new, system, what would you recommend in Graphics cards for this build.
Motherboard is an MSI B450 Gaming Plus Max, Ram is Corsair DDR4 2666 4x8Gb. TIA

Stransky said:
Hi
Just upgraded my complete system from an AMD FX8350 with 32gb Ram to a Ryzen 5 3600 with 32gb ram. Currently using my old HD7870 Graphics cards in Crossfire but as these are now nine years old am looking to upgrade to a more recent card(s) bearing in mind that I am a pensioner and it has taken me a year to gather new, system, what would you recommend in Graphics cards for this build.
Motherboard is an MSI B450 Gaming Plus Max, Ram is Corsair DDR4 2666 4x8Gb. TIA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That really depends what you want to do with your graphics card. Looking for a GTX1060/1660 might be a good idea, I had the latter one and you can play a lot of recent games in high settings with your ryzen.
Keep in mind buying a graphics card nowadays is REALLY expensive, even used ones, when you can get one. New ones are sold over the recommended manufacturer prices due to the mining scene and Corona!

Stransky said:
Hi
Just upgraded my complete system from an AMD FX8350 with 32gb Ram to a Ryzen 5 3600 with 32gb ram. Currently using my old HD7870 Graphics cards in Crossfire but as these are now nine years old am looking to upgrade to a more recent card(s) bearing in mind that I am a pensioner and it has taken me a year to gather new, system, what would you recommend in Graphics cards for this build.
Motherboard is an MSI B450 Gaming Plus Max, Ram is Corsair DDR4 2666 4x8Gb. TIA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should've opted for ram with xmp since ryzen benefit the most from faster ram. I'm currently using aorus 3200mhz 2x8gb kit with xmp enabled and it's better compared to it's stock settings.

Insanenity said:
You should've opted for ram with xmp since ryzen benefit the most from faster ram. I'm currently using aorus 3200mhz 2x8gb kit with xmp enabled and it's better compared to it's stock settings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's XMP?

svetius said:
What's XMP?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
XMP (Extreme Memory Profiles) is a technology that allows you to change memory settings by selecting a different profile, which takes advantage of higher than standard memory speeds. Simply stated, XMP is the "easy button" of RAM overclocking, as manual RAM overclocking can be an unnecessary headache!

svetius said:
What's XMP?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
RAM over 2400Mhz is overclocked. X.M.P is just a system to overclock your ram. It's standard now. Personally I wouldn't bother with anything over 3600Mhz as it gets too pricey for the performance. Go no lower than 2666, try for 3200 (this tends to be the cheaper one anyways). I believe you will need to enable X.M.P in your uefi when you install it otherwise you'll just be running 2400. Like Insanenity said, it's just a 1 click setup so there's no fuss.
If you're not focused on gaming; while 16GB is fine, if you find a 32GB kit in your budget than definitely get it. Get a fair CPU with over 6 cores. (so ryzen).
LTT just did a video on something that might interest you.
This could be a good option for your productivity build as it's bang for buck. But if you have the budget for R7 5000's than just go for that.
Tldr: Chrome is a ram and cpu whore, use firefox...
I'm kidding, invest in CPU and RAM more than others if chrome is your concern.
p.s. Feel free to ask questions

strongst said:
That really depends what you want to do with your graphics card. Looking for a GTX1060/1660 might be a good idea, I had the latter one and you can play a lot of recent games in high settings with your ryzen.
Keep in mind buying a graphics card nowadays is REALLY expensive, even used ones, when you can get one. New ones are sold over the recommended manufacturer prices due to the mining scene and Corona!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. Will just have to hang on to Current cards and hope prices drop in the near future on the GTX 1060/1660 cards. Too expensive for me ATM even second hand

Stransky said:
Thanks for the reply. Will just have to hang on to Current cards and hope prices drop in the near future on the GTX 1060/1660 cards. Too expensive for me ATM even second hand
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, unfortunately the prices are beyond the reality... If the bitcoin hype decreases, there might be a chance back to reality

strongst said:
Yeah, unfortunately the prices are beyond the reality... If the bitcoin hype decreases, there might be a chance back to reality
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just caught a news story headline that 30-Series cards will be available in stores, soon at reasonable prices soon - as BTC drops below 30K this morning....

HipKat said:
I just caught a news story headline that 30-Series cards will be available in stores, soon at reasonable prices soon - as BTC drops below 30K this morning....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Luckily I got my 3060TI in 2020 for a low price, now it costs 50-80% more

strongst said:
Luckily I got my 3060TI in 2020 for a low price, now it costs 50-80% more
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I looked and Best Buy has it for $399. Less than I paid for my 1080 2 years ago

HipKat said:
I looked and Best Buy has it for $399. Less than I paid for my 1080 2 years ago
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In stock for 399? Surely out of stock, otherwise it must be a mistake Sounds like the MSRP for the Founders Edition.

strongst said:
In stock for 399? Surely out of stock, otherwise it must be a mistake Sounds like the MSRP for the Founders Edition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll go look again when I get a break, but I'm pretty sure you're correct about it being the founders edition

Best components to upgrade?

What would be the best components to upgrade on my setup
Intel Core i5-8400
8GB RAM
1TB HDD
4GB Intel Optane
Nvidia GTX 1050

Kenora_I said:
What would be the best components to upgrade on my setup
Intel Core i5-8400
8GB RAM
1TB HDD
4GB Intel Optane
Nvidia GTX 1050
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello,
that depends on what you want to do with your PC. The mainboard is the base and limiter for all other components except the power supply(in most cases).

Well, i only have a acer pre-built the motherboard is acers....
I want to use it for video rendering or gaming
It can run pretty much anything I think I've seen people upgrade it to an rtx and stuff

@Kenora_I if it was me, and I just did this upgrade 2 weeks ago and am loving it, If your 1tb of storage isn't a Nvme/M.2 I would do that. I had a 2.5 in sata had and for $80 on Newegg I got a WD 1TB sata m.2 and it's night and day difference. Boots in like 15 secs, instant response when multitasking etc. And I just use PC for everything but gaming. So coding/compiling is a mind blown difference lol

If I was you I would start saving for a new built to be honest, aim for a B550/B550M with a Ryzen 5600X for example. Video rendering and gaming will soon become a stretch on that system if it isn't already.

Assuming the power supply is non standard and not easily upgraded, the only real bottleneck that can be remedied is storage. Agree an M2 ssd would be best upgrade likely available.

CamoGeko said:
If I was you I would start saving for a new built to be honest, aim for a B550/B550M with a Ryzen 5600X for example. Video rendering and gaming will soon become a stretch on that system if it isn't already.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the money, but I just hate the price inflation due to the chip shortages.
Dont wanna end up like one of those people with less RAM performance that LTT demonstrated in one of his vids

Kenora_I said:
I have the money, but I just hate the price inflation due to the chip shortages.
Dont wanna end up like one of those people with less RAM performance that LTT demonstrated in one of his vids
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would build new since you have several things that could use an upgrade in the next year or two. Adding upgrades to an older oem board is just money you will never recover for an end result of a PC still in need of a mobo upgrade.
Building new doesn't have to be that expensive nor does it have to be overpriced ryzen. I threw together an example here . Room to expand RAM by 2 slots later if needed. Less than $600 bucks and could use your GTX 1050 until you get an email that it's your turn to buy card at MSRP.
EVGA's notify list works, may take 2 or 3 months but you can get a card at MSRP.

In my opinion it would be best to wait until prices falls down to regular prices.
But you may consider getting SSD and HDD as you've mentioned you would be playing games and 1TB isn't sufficient.
You can look for case or better case fan if needed.
Mechanical keyboard and Mouse can be consider too.
You haven't mentioned about the PSU you may also consider that if you are looking forward to getting power hungry GPU in future.
Get a cooler if needed if prices are fair enough for it. (if you get one then get one where you don't have to buy one if you choose to upgrade to latest CPU.
In my opinion this are some possible upgrade you can make with your currant build.
If in case you choose to make new build in future then don't upgrade anything in this build presuming that you don't have any issue with currant build and your build gets job done.
In short upgrade if needed or just don't upgrade besides storage.

tek3195 said:
EVGA's notify list works, may take 2 or 3 months but you can get a card at MSRP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been on the EVGA list since beginning of the year, the only email I got from them was to tell me they're swapping the model I actually wanted to a low hash model. Thanks EVGA, how about you just make me a GPU. It's been 6 months.

CamoGeko said:
I have been on the EVGA list since beginning of the year, the only email I got from them was to tell me they're swapping the model I actually wanted to a low hash model. Thanks EVGA, how about you just make me a GPU. It's been 6 months.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Must depend on model. I signed up in Feb. and didn't have the money when 1660 ti came up, resubmitted for 1660 super and got it a couple of weeks ago. It's gotta be model, location shouldn't matter I wouldn't think. I don't know how they do it, but 6 months sucks.

CamoGeko said:
I have been on the EVGA list since beginning of the year, the only email I got from them was to tell me they're swapping the model I actually wanted to a low hash model. Thanks EVGA, how about you just make me a GPU. It's been 6 months.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol

ohjabarn said:
Tempted to upgrade my 2080 ti to a gigabyte 3080 ti so got it from NEWEGG however not certain my PSU would be adequate. PSU and everything (I imagine) that draws power are recorded underneath:
1 x Seasonic Focus Plus 750W 80 Plus Gold Modular Power Supply
1 x Intel Core i9-9900K 3.6GHz (Coffee Lake) Socket LGA1151 Processor
1 x Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Elite Intel Z390 (Socket 1151) DDR4 ATX Motherboard
1 x Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 PC4-24000C16 3000MHz Dual Channel Kit
1 x Samsung 2TB 860 EVO SSD 2.5" SATA 6Gbps 64 Layer 3D V-NAND Solid State Drive
6 x Corsair ML120 Pro RGB 120mm Premium Fan with Lighting Node
1 x Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro 4 air cooler
Cheers generally functioning admirably.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should be good, 750W is what EVGA Power Meter recommends for the components you listed. There are quite a few power supply calculators available online.

So, it really depends on what you want to do with your PC. Do you want to make your PC more suitable for gaming or work? As an example, I use editing software from Movavi and it requires a lot of good components such as SSD, high-end processor and of course a lot of RAM. From my point of view, you need to change your HDD to SSD and add more RAM, so you'll have a very powerful machine.

Now would be the time to start looking at things as prices are falling.

My PC, any idea on what to update next ?

Hey, here are the specs of my current desktop. I bought it back in June 2018, and since only added more ram and an HDD, also most of my peripherals.
Specs :
CPU : Intel i5 8400
CPU cooler : Be quiet, I don't know what exactly
RAM : 16 GB Dual-Channel "DDR4 Ballistix" @ 1366MHz --> 2 at 2400MHz and 2 at 2666MHz each 4096 MB
Motherboard: ASUS TUF Z370-PLUS GAMING
GPU : 3071 MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB (EVGA)
Storage : - 232 GB Samsung SSD 860 EVO 250 GB (SATA (SSD))
- 931 GB Seagate ST1000DM010-2EP102 (SATA)
- 931 GB Seagate ST1000DM010-2EP102 (SATA)
Power supply : I don't know, but I remember it being good 500-650W, 80+Gold, I think.
I want it to be better, any ideas on what should I update first ?

Noe367 said:
Hey, here are the specs of my current desktop. I bought it back in June 2018, and since only added more ram and an HDD, also most of my peripherals.
Specs :
CPU : Intel i5 8400
CPU cooler : Be quiet, I don't know what exactly
RAM : 16 GB Dual-Channel "DDR4 Ballistix" @ 1366MHz --> 2 at 2400MHz and 2 at 2666MHz each 4096 MB
Motherboard: ASUS TUF Z370-PLUS GAMING
GPU : 3071 MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB (EVGA)
Storage : - 232 GB Samsung SSD 860 EVO 250 GB (SATA (SSD))
- 931 GB Seagate ST1000DM010-2EP102 (SATA)
- 931 GB Seagate ST1000DM010-2EP102 (SATA)
Power supply : I don't know, but I remember it being good 500-650W, 80+Gold, I think.
I want it to be better, any ideas on what should I update first ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not a bad system in any way! The question is, in which application should your PC be better? A game? Video rendering?
And What is your resulution of your monitor(s) where your GTX1060 has to deal with?

strongst said:
That's not a bad system in any way! The question is, in which application should your PC be better? A game? Video rendering?
And What is your resulution of your monitor(s) where your GTX1060 has to deal with?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I mostly play game, but also use a lot of cpu in others programs, so the CPU is often at 100% because of the types of games and multitasking, the GPU is also often overused, but it can be changed by reducing in game graphics but a bit annoying. Also, I have two monitors, one 2560*1440 @ 144Hz and the other is 1920*1080 @ 75Hz. I know right now GPU are a bit expensive, but if I want to change CPU I will most probably have to change the motherboard too.

Noe367 said:
I mostly play game, but also use a lot of cpu in others programs, so the CPU is often at 100% because of the types of games and multitasking, the GPU is also often overused, but it can be changed by reducing in game graphics but a bit annoying. Also, I have two monitors, one 2560*1440 @ 144Hz and the other is 1920*1080 @ 75Hz. I know right now GPU are a bit expensive, but if I want to change CPU I will most probably have to change the motherboard too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the 1060 can't handle >1080p gaming at 144hz good, that's the main part you should update. You can check my Ryzen build here where I'm using similar resolutions for the monitors.
The 3060ti might be a good choice. I don't talk about the current prices at all, you know...
You can update to an i9-9900k which is ~30% faster than yours. But your processor isn't that bad, it might be more the lot of multiple tasks where you should think about more cores (10/16) in general

If you have more available bandwidth and ports consider adding more drives for the OS.
Depending on the Intel firmware there may be some interesting Raid options.
Explore your page file/drive options as well.
Just make sure to clone the OS drive for easy restore, clone before installing antivirus apps.
Keep the data off the OS drive, just apps.
Never clone data drives; copy only! Cloning media files can cause you to lose needed null marks.

strongst said:
Yeah, the 1060 can't handle >1080p gaming at 144hz good, that's the main part you should update. You can check my Ryzen build here where I'm using similar resolutions for the monitors.
The 3060ti might be a good choice. I don't talk about the current prices at all, you know...
You can update to an i9-9900k which is ~30% faster than yours. But your processor isn't that bad, it might be more the lot of multiple tasks where you should think about more cores (10/16) in general
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot ! Very useful

blackhawk said:
If you have more available bandwidth and ports consider adding more drives for the OS.
Depending on the Intel firmware there may be some interesting Raid options.
Explore your page file/drive options as well.
Just make sure to clone the OS drive for easy restore, clone before installing antivirus apps.
Keep the data off the OS drive, just apps.
Never clone data drives; copy only! Cloning media files can cause you to lose needed null marks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I might buy a .m2 drive

Noe367 said:
I might buy a .m2 drive
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I not up to date at all on the new mobos and drives... I run dinosaurs
ID your bottlenecks.
Research it thoroughly, even then it will be by trial and error.
Playing with the page file (maybe adding another fast dedicated drive) may yield good results with minimal expense/effort.

blackhawk said:
I not up to date at all on the new mobos and drives... I run dinosaurs
ID your bottlenecks.
Research it thoroughly, even then it will be by trial and error.
Playing with the page file (maybe adding another fast dedicated drive) may yield good results with minimal expense/effort.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, thanks !!

Noe367 said:
I mostly play game, but also use a lot of cpu in others programs, so the CPU is often at 100% because of the types of games and multitasking, the GPU is also often overused, but it can be changed by reducing in game graphics but a bit annoying. Also, I have two monitors, one 2560*1440 @ 144Hz and the other is 1920*1080 @ 75Hz. I know right now GPU are a bit expensive, but if I want to change CPU I will most probably have to change the motherboard too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go for a mobo with all solid state caps and preferably no electrolytics which invariably fail with age.
Gigabyte has been making all solid state mobos for over a dozen years.

blackhawk said:
Go for a mobo with all solid state caps and preferably no electrolytics which invariably fail with age.
Gigabyte has been making all solid state mobos for over a dozen years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, thank you, very helpful

Noe367 said:
Again, thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're welcome.
Don't skip on the power supply*. Get the best you can find. A failed supply can be a real pain to troubleshoot.
Make sure it's minimum rated output supports your devices on that rail. Probably not an issue but be aware of it.
Most importantly make sure you have lots of head room on all the supply rails especially the lower voltage ones. Leave room for expansion.
Overrate by at least 20% of expected maximum surge demand for all rails.
Look closely at build quality. Does it look well built using epoxy PCBs and heavy wires?
A clean, neat layout?
Quality fans and excellent ventilation that conform to your case layout/venting needs?
Enough direct outputs to minimize preferably eliminate daisy chaining?
Long enough for the mobo and graphics card?
Note the exit point for cables, do they integrate well with your case design/layout?
Fun times
*a good case is a joy to work with and helps to protect your investment.

blackhawk said:
You're welcome.
Don't skip on the power supply*. Get the best you can find. A failed supply can be a real pain to troubleshoot.
Make sure it's minimum rated output supports your devices on that rail. Probably not an issue but be aware of it.
Most importantly make sure you have lots of head room on all the supply rails especially the lower voltage ones. Leave room for expansion.
Overrate by at least 20% of expected maximum surge demand for all rails.
Look closely at build quality. Does it look well built using epoxy PCBs and heavy wires?
A clean, neat layout?
Quality fans and excellent ventilation that conform to your case layout/venting needs?
Enough direct outputs to minimize preferably eliminate daisy chaining?
Long enough for the mobo and graphics card?
Note the exit point for cables, do they integrate well with your case design/layout?
Fun times
*a good case is a joy to work with and helps to protect your investment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome !

This beast or similar. The power supply goes on the bottom.
Amazon.com: Antec P101 Silent Performance Series Mid-Tower PC Computer Case with Sound Dampening Panels, 4 X 120/140mm Cooling Fans Pre-Installed : Everything Else
Buy Antec P101 Silent Performance Series Mid-Tower PC Computer Case with Sound Dampening Panels, 4 X 120/140mm Cooling Fans Pre-Installed: Everything Else - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com

First of all, I don't want to offend anybody that has commented their suggestions already, but in my opinion most of the replies are pretty lackluster to say the least.
Now, I saw you mentioned that you mostly play games on your PC. I'd say your CPU is still perfectly fine for most modem games, the GPU is another story though. While the standard 1060 is still a decent card, your version only has 3 GB of VRAM. This is becoming more and more of a problem in modern titles and you should consider upgrading, I'd say at least to a 6 GB 1060. Of course, the current market is awful and you shouldn't spend too much money on that old of a GPU, but if you can find one at a decent price, it might be worth a buy.
Other than that, your system is pretty well specced out in my opinion, you might want to sort out that RAM situation and get a matching kit of DDR4 at a decent clock speed, your description seems a bit all over the place in that regard. 16 GB of RAM is still perfectly fine, I wouldn't recommend a capacity upgrade, but matching sticks with matching speeds can do wonders.
Furthermore, I'd consider a bigger SSD, but your current storage configuration should provide enough space and as long as the OS is located on the SSD performance shouldn't be too bad either.
Finally, whatever you do, getting a 9900k, like somebody suggested, is a bad idea in my opinion. If you don't want to do any serious overclocking or have to do **very** CPU-intensive tasks, your 8400 should still hold up well. If you go for a 9900k you might as well build a new system because you're probably gonna need a new motherboard, CPU Cooler and definitely a GPU upgrade so the 9900k doesn't have to live in bottleneck hell. Incase you absolutely want to upgrade the CPU, I'd say go for an i7 of the 8th generation, as you'll be able to expect better performance than from your i5 thanks to multithreading while not having to upgrade any others parts mentioned above.
So, to conclude: You should upgrade your GPU. Go for something like the 6 GB 1060 or better. Search around on the internet for GPUs that work well with your processor. Maybe get some matching RAM. If you still have money to spend, a bigger SSD might make everything a bit snappier. I wouldn't consider upgrading the CPU.
And, a last final note: Make sure you don't exceed your PSU's wattage, definitely check before buying any upgrades.

littlegamer757 said:
First of all, I don't want to offend anybody that has commented their suggestions already, but in my opinion most of the replies are pretty lackluster to say the least.
Now, I saw you mentioned that you mostly play games on your PC. I'd say your CPU is still perfectly fine for most modem games, the GPU is another story though. While the standard 1060 is still a decent card, your version only has 3 GB of VRAM. This is becoming more and more of a problem in modern titles and you should consider upgrading, I'd say at least to a 6 GB 1060. Of course, the current market is awful and you shouldn't spend too much money on that old of a GPU, but if you can find one at a decent price, it might be worth a buy.
Other than that, your system is pretty well specced out in my opinion, you might want to sort out that RAM situation and get a matching kit of DDR4 at a decent clock speed, your description seems a bit all over the place in that regard. 16 GB of RAM is still perfectly fine, I wouldn't recommend a capacity upgrade, but matching sticks with matching speeds can do wonders.
Furthermore, I'd consider a bigger SSD, but your current storage configuration should provide enough space and as long as the OS is located on the SSD performance shouldn't be too bad either.
Finally, whatever you do, getting a 9900k, like somebody suggested, is a bad idea in my opinion. If you don't want to do any serious overclocking or have to do **very** CPU-intensive tasks, your 8400 should still hold up well. If you go for a 9900k you might as well build a new system because you're probably gonna need a new motherboard, CPU Cooler and definitely a GPU upgrade so the 9900k doesn't have to live in bottleneck hell. Incase you absolutely want to upgrade the CPU, I'd say go for an i7 of the 8th generation, as you'll be able to expect better performance than from your i5 thanks to multithreading while not having to upgrade any others parts mentioned above.
So, to conclude: You should upgrade your GPU. Go for something like the 6 GB 1060 or better. Search around on the internet for GPUs that work well with your processor. Maybe get some matching RAM. If you still have money to spend, a bigger SSD might make everything a bit snappier. I wouldn't consider upgrading the CPU.
And, a last final note: Make sure you don't exceed your PSU's wattage, definitely check before buying any upgrades.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, now I have the choice and many opinions to make my own choice

blackhawk said:
This beast or similar. The power supply goes on the bottom.
Amazon.com: Antec P101 Silent Performance Series Mid-Tower PC Computer Case with Sound Dampening Panels, 4 X 120/140mm Cooling Fans Pre-Installed : Everything Else
Buy Antec P101 Silent Performance Series Mid-Tower PC Computer Case with Sound Dampening Panels, 4 X 120/140mm Cooling Fans Pre-Installed: Everything Else - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an In Win, this is fine for me, for the moment. Will also see that !

Noe367 said:
I have an In Win, this is fine for me, for the moment. Will also see that !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a real clean layout. Power harnesses run behind a steel inner panel for better shielding, out of sight and out of the way.
Plenty of cooling with the ability to expand cooling if needed. It's solid and heavy.
Antec cases come with a parts manifest as well.

blackhawk said:
It's a real clean layout. Power harnesses run behind a steel inner panel for better shielding, out of sight and out of the way.
Plenty of cooling with the ability to expand cooling if needed. It's solid and heavy.
Antec cases come with a parts manifest as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh cool, will look into that when needed !

Noe367 said:
Hey, here are the specs of my current desktop. I bought it back in June 2018, and since only added more ram and an HDD, also most of my peripherals.
Specs :
CPU : Intel i5 8400
CPU cooler : Be quiet, I don't know what exactly
RAM : 16 GB Dual-Channel "DDR4 Ballistix" @ 1366MHz --> 2 at 2400MHz and 2 at 2666MHz each 4096 MB
Motherboard: ASUS TUF Z370-PLUS GAMING
GPU : 3071 MB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB (EVGA)
Storage : - 232 GB Samsung SSD 860 EVO 250 GB (SATA (SSD))
- 931 GB Seagate ST1000DM010-2EP102 (SATA)
- 931 GB Seagate ST1000DM010-2EP102 (SATA)
Power supply : I don't know, but I remember it being good 500-650W, 80+Gold, I think.
I want it to be better, any ideas on what should I update first ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gaming wise, GPU should be a priority
multi-tasking wise, buy the newest intel gen 10 or 11 also you can opt for AMD
Core i5 11th gen is a wise option
ryzen 5 3600 still good too
you'll need cpu and motherboard too