Hi guys, new on here and so I am hoping this thread is in the right place. SO to basics, I wish to upgrade my computer to something a bit more powerful. Like running current games in High graphic settings, (AHEMGTA5AHEM) I don't care to do Ultra unless its a few dollars more. I want to keep my mother board if advisable, I am pretty sure I do not need a whole new computer. I am thinking just upgrading the processor to an i5 and a better graphics card with a 2 new sticks of 8GB ram. However, I am just really not sure, technology has far out paced my ability to keep up with it and school, and work...so I really do need some good advice here. Such as, which i5 do I need? I know there are several and are they compatible with my mother board?Or maybe I need an i7. I just don't know and although I have done a some research I can not find anything definite. I really do need an expert. My specs are as follows: MotherBoard: Joshua-H61-uATX Processor: Intel(r) Core(TM) i3-2130 CPU @ 3.4Hz RAM: 8 GBs of DDR3 Video Card: AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series Power supply...Its a high Wattage, I did upgrade that. 64-bit Windows 8.1 ( I miss 8.0) OR, go here for the full spec list. http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03499677 If anyone of you much smarter human beings need more info please let me know. Thank you in advance for any helpful advice, Mace P.S. May your cables never fray.
If you can fing cheap LGA1155 quad core CPU, like i5, you can upgrade it on existing motherboard. But that is obsolete technology so don't pay too much.
If its obsolete technology would it not be better to get something newer? Can the LGA1155 quad core handle the newer games? Sorry to question and point out potential problems but I need some information behind why your picking this CPU over the newer ones. Or are you refering to i5 in general as being obsolete?
LGA1155 quad core can handle newer games. However LGA1155 was replaced by LGA1150 and will soon be replaced by LGA1151. There are many generations of i5 processors. i5 LGA1155 quad cores are almost as good as LGA1150 (and upcoming LGA1151 quad cores are not that much faster). But LGA1155 motherboards are Vvery0 low supply (because LGA1150 replaced it) and that's why it's not recommended to buy expensive processors for already obsolete socket. So if you can find cheap (meaning at least 30% cheaper than similar LGA1150 processor) LGA1155 quad core processor, go for it. If not, then it's better to upgrade motherboard also. About graphics, that case is quite small and probably cannot handle better video cards.
Ok after a little research into what you said I get your point. I think I will wait a while and build a new one, as it is I am going to school for 3D CAD work, 3D printing and all that, so really getting a new mother board, and since my case is rather small I might as well get a whole new computer, would benefit me in the long run. Thank you for your help Wicked it did help me.
Yes, usually it's better to build totally new machine instead of upgrading OEM computers. You can get some parts from that computer (DVD, HDD, memory?) to new one that saves some money.
