Uncertain about which adjustments to make to my PC?
Uncertain about which adjustments to make to my PC?
I've been considering updating some parts of my PC because it's already eight years old. It still works well for most games and streaming, though not always at full 60 FPS. I'm hoping to get better performance in newer titles. Also, I'm worried about overheating since the room is hot (38º) and dusty. I thought about swapping the CPU, motherboard, and RAM, but that would cost a lot—especially with prices rising in Brazil. Another idea was to upgrade to better DDR3 RAM, but I'm not sure if it's worth it. My budget is around 400 dollars. Let me know your thoughts.
Some games are restricted by graphics capabilities, while others depend on CPU speed for tasks like strategy, simulation, and multiplayer online. Try this easy check:
Play your games at lower resolutions and reduce visual effects.
This should slightly strain the graphics card.
If your FPS improves, it suggests your CPU can handle better graphics settings.
If FPS remains unchanged, you’re likely CPU-bound.
Open Hwmonitor to see current temperatures.
A maximum of 100°C means your processor is throttling and losing speed.
At idle, expect temperatures between 10-15°C, assuming the cooler is properly installed and working.
What’s your budget? That’s not important to me since I don’t have that information...
Some titles are restricted by graphics capabilities, such as fast action shooters.
Others depend on cpu speed, like strategy, sims, and mmo games.
Try this basic check:
Play your games with reduced resolution and less visual detail.
This should slightly strain the graphics card.
If your FPS improves, it suggests your cpu can handle better graphics settings.
If your FPS remains unchanged, you’re likely CPU-bound.
Open Hwmonitor to see current temperatures.
A maximum of 100°C means your processor is throttling and losing speed.
At idle, expect temperatures between 10-15°C, depending on cooler installation.
What’s your budget? That’s not important to me since I don’t know where you shop.
If you can afford it, opt for better graphics—consider a GTX16xx card or higher.
Even with a subpar PSU, it should support most upgrades you want.
If CPU is the bottleneck, things get harder.
A Z motherboard could let you overclock the K by about 20%.
An i7-3770K would be the strongest chip your board supports.
Maybe around $110 used on eBay in the US.
Here’s a list of compatible processors for your board:
P8H61 - Support
www.asus.com
Memory speed isn’t crucial for Intel; 667 is acceptable.
What matters most is having enough.
Check the memory tab in Task Manager. If the hard fault rate is zero, you have enough RAM.
Otherwise, consider a 2 x 8GB RAM package.