Evaluate your needs and compare options before deciding.
Evaluate your needs and compare options before deciding.
I just got a computer that isn’t great, but it’s helping me stay focused on my weight loss goals. I’m trying to upgrade what I need and see if that adds enough drive. My setup includes two Intel Xeon E5 1650 v3 CPUs, 32GB DDR4 RAM at 1066MHz, an SSD that’s almost there, and a NVIDIA Quadro K2200 GPU. The main concern is whether it’s worth swapping these components or if I should replace everything and start fresh. I learned from some research that my CPU slots are LGA 2011 and the chips inside aren’t ideal. Should I consider upgrading the CPUs now, or wait until I’m ready to build a new system? I don’t need the latest specs, just enough performance for casual gaming without lag. I’m new to this and want to be flexible—maybe it’s worth trying before deciding.
It looks less bad than it appears. With quad channel, the 1066 MHz feels much better than expected, but unless you're not already using 4x4GB per CPU, this would be a significant upgrade. DDR3 ECC is affordable; getting some 1333MHz dimms for each CPU would noticeably improve performance. This setup would make a strong choice for the first major overhaul. A K2200 isn't very fast by today's standards—even entry-level models from newer generations would outperform it. With just about 600 CPU cores running at around 1GHz, you could upgrade to something like a GTX 1060 6GB and see a huge jump in gaming speed if you're budget-conscious. If you need more power, consider a used RTX 2070, though I don't know the power supply for that Z640. Edited February 27, 2023 by Fasauceome
Right now it seems like a tough decision, just a matter of whether you have clear objectives. I’m considering whether to stick with this setup or switch the board before getting used CPUs. My original idea was to replace the CPU and graphics card first, then upgrade later when better options appear. I’m hoping to find decent CPUs around $100 each, keeping things in a reasonable price range.
It's DDR4 using the LGA2011v3 platform, specifically model C612. The DIMM clock speed is set to 1066 MHz for 2133MT/s. This works well with quad-channel configurations; I've successfully run at 2400Mhz with my 7980XE without any problems.
It's about as good as it gets for gaming on this platform, so don't change anything. Games don't take advantage of a second CPU; they just don't understand it. Some do, but that's usually by accident. Just keep the system unchanged. Add a GPU to the game and then swap it out. You essentially have a 6-core i7 with 6700k, which is perfectly fine.
Backend at 4770K or 4790K offers a clearer picture, with the 1650v3 built on a Haswell platform. Intel's early moves to 14nm delivered some solid performance improvements, while my Broadwell-E 6950X maintains its single-core strength even at 300Mhz lower clock speeds compared to my Haswell-E 5960X. Skylake likely added a modest IPC boost, and the main advantage now is improved clock flexibility, which doesn't matter much in this context.