What should I choose between upgrading or building a new gaming rig?
What should I choose between upgrading or building a new gaming rig?
When purchasing an SSD, you might need to swap your HDD if there aren't enough SATA ports available.
DVD drive is rarely used anymore. Instead, consider the Crucial MX500 SSD M.2 version. Your motherboard supports an M.2 slot for it.
Upgrading an already built system will come with certain constraints. Performance may be restricted by the CPU or graphics card. A more powerful processor should be acceptable. Checking for CPU upgrades that Acer supports on your machine is recommended. Graphics improvements are feasible if your power supply is adequate. Generally, builders only provide enough power to run the components you initially ordered. Verify whether your PSU has a 6 or 6+2 PCIe auxiliary power lead, as stronger graphics cards will need more. Avoid purchasing a low-cost replacement PSU. Budget around $100 or more for a reliable unit that lasts.
You mentioned having a GTX1050 mini. Is the case limiting the size of a future graphics card upgrade?
A quick test could help: run your games at lower resolutions and reduce graphical effects. This can reveal if your graphics card is struggling. An increase in FPS suggests your CPU is capable of handling better graphics settings. If FPS remains unchanged, CPU might be the bottleneck. Upgraded components should also benefit from good airflow.
Your case appears to have limited air intake options. A simple and rewarding fix would be swapping the HDD for an SSD—such as a 1TB Samsung 860 EVO for around $100. Upgrading to 2TB would cost twice as much. While this speeds things up, it won’t significantly impact gaming performance. SSD upgrades can be planned for a future rebuild.
Adding 8GB of RAM is insufficient; RAM must match your system’s needs for optimal function. A possible configuration could include an i3-10100 processor, a 2x 8GB DDR4 RAM kit, and an LGA1200 motherboard that fits your case, costing around $250. A GTX1650 card would fall in the $150–$200 range. Such a card is expected to run smoothly without auxiliary power.
Just verified the new GPU compatibility and confirmed I have six plus two connectors. I also tested with a few games, seeing a slight FPS boost. The power supply model is Liteon PS-7501-5. Is there any need to upgrade at all, or should I just save upgrades and sell the old one?
Upgrades essentially mean constructing new components, especially if your PSU is outdated. You might be able to repurpose the SSD and RAM based on their performance. The GTX1050 now mainly supports 1080P low/medium quality in most recent titles, though it could still work for a while before the 'low minimum frame rate curse of the quad thread CPU' becomes an issue.