Enhancing your pre-built PC with a new motherboard upgrade
Enhancing your pre-built PC with a new motherboard upgrade
I possess a prebuilt HP Omen 880-021 equipped with a Ryzen 1400 and 1060 GB RAM. Upgrading the CPU and GPU is challenging because the motherboard BIOS is locked to first-generation Ryzen. The Higos model appears to have an AM4 socket but lacks updates for that chipset. Switching to a newer Ryzen processor would require replacing the motherboard, which may not be feasible. Upgrading the OS isn’t likely to cause issues if you’re already using Windows 10, as long as the hardware supports it. Consider reaching out to HP support for further guidance.
I'm more worried about the power supply functioning properly. A few prebuilt units seem to have unusual configurations.
I’m ready to purchase another PSU. My goal is to upgrade the motherboard so I can install my CPU. I have a budget of $500 for everything needed, including the PSU, CPU, GPU, and motherboard.
Welcome to the forum! Kinda gets to the point where it would be better to just sell this as is and build something yourself from scratch. A case can be found for like $50, you really should upgrade the PSU regardless. At that point you just need RAM and an SSD. Makes more sense IMO. Plus you can likely get more money selling your system whole vs parting it out. Agreed.
I understand you're considering beginning fresh for this situation. It's helpful to evaluate your choices carefully. Let me know if you'd like to discuss alternatives or ways to stay within your budget.
Sure thing. @TheDailyProcrastinator has a valid argument. Perhaps it's worth discussing with them about selling your existing PC and constructing a new one using the income you generate. You'll likely end up with very little from the parts you take out, yet you'd need to replace most components.
Unfortunately they are old fashioned and hard to be reasoned with when it comes to do anything with technology(I tried), don't get me wrong they are good people, but it is impossible so that is why i have resorted to this. I kind of thought about it like "I'll just upgrade my motherboard and power supply and cpu for now, and then maybe I'll get a new a graphics card down the line in a few months along with more ram". I am willing to take the hit with money and bang for buck vs building a new pc, I know I am making a bad financial decision but I just think it is much more worth it for me personally to upgrade my old pc instead of bringing attention. Think about it this way, "I know if i sold everything I could've maybe gotten a 3900x instead of a 3600, but hell it was sure worth the trouble of not waking the beast" Edited June 24, 2020 by wegoodtbh clarification
Ahhhh I see. The system is an uATX motherboard, matching the same form factor as mATX. If you're expanding inside your current case, consider these parts: a CPU like the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-core ($166.99), a motherboard such as the Gigabyte B550M AORUS PRO Micro ATX AM4 ($129.99), 16 GB DDR4-3200 CL16 RAM ($47.99), and a storage drive like the Crucial P1 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME ($62.99). You could also add a gaming GPU such as the EVGA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (6 GB black) ($233.98) or the Radeon RX 5700 8 GB GAMING OC ($359.99). For power, the Corsair CXM 550W 80+ Bronze certified ATX supply ($83.98) works well. Your total could reach around $725, depending on what you’re willing to spend. If your setup is worth about $400 or more, you have a solid budget. Otherwise, you might want to upgrade further.
You're welcome! I'm glad I could help. It's a big adjustment realizing you can sell parts now, and it gives you more flexibility in your budget. The list you received is really useful for visualizing your options.
For your preferences, a 3600 paired with a 1660 or an RX580 seems like a solid choice. You mentioned not being a fan of 4K but prefer 1080p at 60fps, which fits well with what you enjoy playing—games like Battlefront 2, AC Origins, and Odssey. Keeping your current RAM and planning upgrades later makes sense.
Regarding the best motherboard and GPU to match your setup, I’d recommend checking out a mid-range motherboard like the ASUS ROG Strix B550 or MSI MEG, paired with an RTX 3060 or similar GPU. These options balance performance and value for your needs. Let me know if you want more details!
I also didn’t realize I needed to address OS issues. My main concern is the possibility of needing to buy something again. Edited June 24, 2020 by wegoodtbh formatting issue