Reviving gaming PC hardware guidance
Reviving gaming PC hardware guidance
Hi everyone!
I'm trying to bring back an old gaming PC that hasn't worked well before. I want to run Windows 11 and play games such as Hell Divers 2 and Hell let loose. Here are the current details:
Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 1200 Quad-Core
RAM: 16 GB DDR4
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
Operating System: Windows 10, version 10.0.19041
Hardware: ASRock ab350m-hdv motherboard, 1tb HDD
this system isn't performing as you anticipated, so understanding your expectations compared to its current state will help identify suitable upgrades or possibilities. It has limited power and processing capabilities, but it may still be repurposed. The specific PSU model present in the setup plays a crucial role in determining what actions are feasible.
AMD Ryzen 3 1200 processor offers a significant upgrade path to 5600x with the latest BIOS update. This would more than triple the performance.
Video Card selection depends on your intended resolutions and monitor specs. You may also need to upgrade your power supply to match the GPU requirements.
Storage options: MB includes an M.2 slot for NVMe SSD with PCIe x4 Gen3 support, providing a substantial speed improvement over traditional HDDs—provided it has RAM cache. These SSDs are comparable in price to SATA drives but much faster and cable-free. The Samsung 970 EVO+ is highly recommended; a 500GB capacity should suffice, allowing you to keep using an HDD for storage.
All components are fully compatible with W11. I recommend a fresh, clean installation without an existing HDD connected. W10 and W11 licenses and activation are identical, and since MB remains unchanged, you won’t need to purchase a new one.
Repeating what others mentioned here. The full specifications, particularly the power supply, are essential. Under these circumstances, if the board is of good quality, you should have BIOS updates that could allow you to upgrade to a Ryzen 7 5700X3D, or possibly even a Ryzen 5600. This would bring your system up to about the same level as Intel 12th/13th generation components.
Considering an SSD and a fresh copy of Windows, things become solid.
Further research suggests this might be your motherboard.
https://www.asrock.com/MB/AMD/AB350M-HDV/index.asp#CPU
If confirmed, others can comment, but honestly I don’t believe the VRMs on that board are impressive. I’d recommend sticking with a CPU like the Ryzen 5 5600 instead. You might also want to install an AMD Wrath of the Lion Prism cooler, as it’s a low-drop design that should help manage the VRM performance. Since the 5600 typically starts at around 65 watts, I wouldn’t advise jumping straight into a 5900X unless you’re certain about your needs.
An NVMe SSD would be ideal, but if you’re using a hard drive, a budget SATA SSD would make the system feel more modern. A 500GB NVMe drive would be a good choice. You could also add a secondary SSD, such as a 2TB or 4TB drive, for storing games and additional storage.
The GPU choice is entirely up to you. It’s important to understand details like refresh rate and PSU requirements.
Seconded, Ryzen 5600 is the highest I’d go with that motherboard, and you should stick with the original cooler.
NVMe SSD is essential nowadays for bigger game files, helping cut down load times. SATA SSD works as a decent backup, but the price gap isn’t huge these days.
500B isn’t a very strong device. I suggest swapping it just because it’s getting older. If you decide to keep it, aim for GPUs like the RTX4060 or RX7600 depending on your budget.
Honestly, I think about switching to a totally different setup. The PSU isn't very good, the motherboard isn't great either because of its weak power configuration, and the 16gb ram is starting to feel limited.
Please share your financial limits and the area you're based in.