New computer advice

[ajs1981]

I am planning to replace a PC and would appreciate advice, guidance, suggestions e.t.c. on a specification for the new machine. The current PC, bought around 12 years ago, has the following specification:

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 630 2.80GHZ processor
Memory: 6GB
Graphics card: NVidia Geforce 310

I'm trying to choose a specification which is the equivalent in terms of performance taking into account that newer versions software need higher specifications.

An Intel I5 is probably a reasonable choice for a processor?
Memory - probably 8GB or 16GB?
Graphics card: This is the part I'm most unsure of. Adding a graphics card, instead of only having the onboard graphics, seems to add around £200 which seems disproportinate? I'm wondering if that's because the onboard graphics have improved so much that they are now either the same or better than the NVidia Geoforce 310 and an additional card is only needed for really high performance games or video editing?

One issue I have with the current PC is that as soon as more than one CPU core is used all the fans start running at full speed. Does anyone know if more modern Dell machines have more refined fan control so they only start up if they are actually needed rather than just because an additional core is being used?

 

[yorkie]

Regarding a graphics card, are you wanting a gaming PC? Without knowing what you are going to be using it for, it's difficult to say if a dedicated graphics card would be worthwhile.

 

[najaB]

Graphics card: This is the part I'm most unsure of. Adding a graphics card, instead of only having the onboard graphics, seems to add around £200 which seems disproportinate? I'm wondering if that's because the onboard graphics have improved so much that they are now either the same or better than the NVidia Geoforce 310 and an additional card is only needed for really high performance games or video editing?

Consider going with an AMD Ryzen based system. Several of the range are APUs rather than plain CPUs and have graphics comparable to a mid-range dedicated GPU.

See the range here: https://www.amd.com/en/processors/ryzen-with-graphics

 

[Bletchleyite]

I would recommend 16GB RAM. It doesn't add that much to the cost, futureproofs a bit and will mean excellent performance as virtual memory won't be needed.

 

[birchesgreen]

Yes get as much RAM as you can afford, you won't regret it.

 

[_toommm_]

With regards to the fans, you can use fan control software (either in the BIOS in your motherboard or third-party apps) to control the fan curve. I have mine delayed a bit on the PC I built so it doesn’t ramp up as quickly.

 

[najaB]

With regards to the fans, you can use fan control software (either in the BIOS in your motherboard or third-party apps) to control the fan curve. I have mine delayed a bit on the PC I built so it doesn’t ramp up as quickly.

That is the other reason I suggest Ryzen - their low power consumption (35/65W) means that they don't need much in the way of cooling.

 

[Bevan Price]

Do you have a local computer dealer who builds computers to your own spec? They will be able to advise you about what will best meet your needs, and often cost less than the "big name" dealers or manufacturers.

 

[londiscape]

Difficult to advise if we don't know what you use your PC for - do you do:

- General purpose, i.e. Word, Excel, web browsing, Facebook/Twitter etc
- High demand gaming with hi-res graphics e.g. Call of Duty etc
- Video, graphics or audio editing, Adobe Creative Cloud etc
- High demand work stuff like AutoCAD, Solidworks etc

If it's only the first one, you'll be OK with an Intel i3 or equivalent with 8GB RAM and no specialist graphics card, otherwise will need to up-spec depending on your use case.

 

[Ediswan]

Do you have a local computer dealer who builds computers to your own spec? They will be able to advise you about what will best meet your needs, and often cost less than the "big name" dealers or manufacturers.

+1 for that suggestion. They get asked much the same question all the time. They stay in business by having repeat/referred customers.

Don't get obsessed about a dedicated GPU. Current model onboard graphics can handle more than you might think.

 

[prod_pep]

Yes, for general computing (not gaming), a Core i3 or Ryzen 3 processor and 8GB RAM should certainly suffice. I wouldn't bother with 16GB; pointless unless you plan to have a lot of programmes or web browser tabs open at the same time. Don't entertain an Intel Pentium or lower processor in this day and age as that's a mug's game and the appalling performance will drive you mad.

Both my general home PC and work computer have a Core i3 with 8GB RAM and they run video editing software and programmes like Adobe InDesign acceptably - a little slow to load, perhaps, but perfectly useable once open.

 

[najaB]

I wouldn't bother with 16GB; pointless unless you plan to have a lot of programmes or web browser tabs open at the same time.

I disagree. 16GB is fast becoming the reasonable minimum, with 32GB needed for anyone close to a power user. Definitely worth the £25-30 extra going from 8GB to 16GB.

 

[_toommm_]

I disagree. 16GB is fast becoming the reasonable minimum, with 32GB needed for anyone close to a power user. Definitely worth the £25-30 extra going from 8GB to 16GB.

Definitely agree, especially if the OP uses Chrome. And if they’re building, it’s better to get 2x 8GB sticks of memory, vs 1x 16GB stick of memory as then they can take advantage of the performance benefits of dual-channel memory.

And personally I would avoid the i3, as its equivalent Ryzen would be much better, and would more than likely have an APU in it too.

 

[prod_pep]

8GB serves me fine at both work and home, including plenty of multi-tasking. There is no way 16GB is a minimum requirement for a casual PC user. Whether the £30 is worth it or not is entirely up the OP, but 8GB will suffice for the everyday user.

 

[najaB]

8GB serves me fine at both work and home, including plenty of multi-tasking. There is no way 16GB is a minimum requirement for a casual PC user. Whether the £30 is worth it or not is entirely up the OP, but 8GB will suffice for the everyday user.

It may well serve you well, but unless the OP is seriously trying to build a minimum-cost PC they definitely shouldn't go lower than 16GB for a new system. Especially if they plan to use integrated graphics.

Windows 10 can easily consume 4GB just to get to the desktop.

 

[Snow1964]

We recently changed a struggling 10+ year old desktop too.

If you intend to keep it 10 years then go for 16GB memory.

But one thing you will find is might need some new cables unless you check it has few usb-a sockets. We needed a new hdmi to vga for (existing) screen as wouldn’t display full width when using hdmi to hdmi cable. It was some oddity of our large HP screen which we bought few years ago and which previously used vga cable as that was what old computer had.

 

[zero]

My home PC is about 12 years old and I think the main reason it is still very usable today is due to having 16GB RAM.

The only reason I may get a new PC is because I want to set up Linux while still being able to use the old one.

 

[Typhoon]

Yes get as much RAM as you can afford, you won't regret it.

... unless the OP is seriously trying to build a minimum-cost PC they definitely shouldn't go lower than 16GB for a new system. Especially if they plan to use integrated graphics.

Windows 10 can easily consume 4GB just to get to the desktop.

We recently changed a struggling 10+ year old desktop too.

If you intend to keep it 10 years then go for 16GB memory.

Can't be said frequently enough - plan for tomorrow, not for today!

 

[Cloud Strife]

Memory - probably 8GB or 16GB?

Go with 32GB. The difference in price isn't that much, and it can make a considerable difference for normal use once you start multitasking.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It may well serve you well, but unless the OP is seriously trying to build a minimum-cost PC they definitely shouldn't go lower than 16GB for a new system. Especially if they plan to use integrated graphics.

Windows 10 can easily consume 4GB just to get to the desktop.

And Windows 12 will no doubt eat more. And for security reasons you will need to upgrade.

It is not sensible to lose futureproofing on a £600ish device for the sake of £30. That is the very definition of a false economy.

Go with 32GB. The difference in price isn't that much, and it can make a considerable difference for normal use once you start multitasking.

Does 32 make that much difference? On the other hand, "as much RAM and storage as you can afford" is generally a sensible line.

24GB also an option sometimes, it doesn't have to go up in powers of 2.

 

[Snow1964]

If you have a choice, would suggest you get at least 512 SSD (solid state drive), over more memory. Cheap computers use less SSD and much slower HDD, so boot up etc is much slower.

It is quite easy to add extra memory card in few months / years, but very difficult to change the core drive without having to reload everything

 

[Cloud Strife]

Does 32 make that much difference? On the other hand, "as much RAM and storage as you can afford" is generally a sensible line.

I've never tried 24GB, but in normal usage (with various applications open) is that Windows starts to use the virtual memory much earlier than you'd expect with 16GB. With an SSD, there's the issue of the SSD being written to constantly, although I generally take those SSD lifespan figures with a pinch of salt.

If you have a choice, would suggest you get at least 512 SSD (solid state drive), over more memory.

Absolutely, 512GB should be the minimum.

An Intel I5 is probably a reasonable choice for a processor?

Yes, but no older than the 12th generation if you go with Intel. I don't know very much about AMD processors, so I'll defer to others on that point.

 

[JamesT]

The price of graphics cards has been inflated by the cryptomining boom, as the miners are willing to pay high prices in the expectation of making a return. I built myself a new system with an AMD RX570 graphics card which I paid £110 for in 2020, that now looks a bargain. I don't play many games, but I went for a Ryzen at a time when there weren't any of the APU versions available.
But I've managed to play games like Civ VI on a laptop with integrated graphics, so they are generally good enough for most purposes. If you're buying prebuilt from someone like Dell then you probably need to decide whether to go integrated or not up front. Dell often put PSUs in that are just big enough for what's in the case, but if you come along later to try and fit a graphics card you find it's not powerful enough.
Similarly, if you can get a system with 4 ram slots. Then you can go for 16GB now and be able to upgrade later without having to get rid of the existing ram or buy the larger sizes. I would try and stick to powers of 2 though, memory controllers work best when they can split across channels so having an odd number or some sticks larger than others makes it harder for them to run at full speed.
Getting as new a generation as you can afford, whether Intel or AMD is good advice. MS push the requirements on with major releases so to have the best chance of running a future version then being current will help. e.g Windows 10 required a 3rd Gen Intel Core CPU, Windows 11 requires an 8th Gen.

 

[najaB]

24GB also an option sometimes, it doesn't have to go up in powers of 2.

Indeed, you don't need to go up in powers of two, but you do need to ensure that you have matched pairs of modules for best performance. Again, this is doubly so if you're using integrated graphics. I got about a 12fps boost in performance by adding a second memory stick to my machine for a game that wasn't RAM-limited.

 

[ajs1981]

All,

Thank you for the advice, much appreciated. There are too many people to reply to individually but I appreciate all the advice.

I think the existing responses have probably covered the intended uses of the machine but I didn't want to ignore people asking so to answer the question:

I occasionally play games but I'm happy for them to run on lower than maximum graphics settings. I tend to aim for playable rather than the absolute best graphics.
Other uses are photo and occasional video editting. Video editting is rare enough that it won't matter if it's a bit slow. If photo editting is slow that would be a nuisance.
I do use it for Office/web browsing as well but as has been said that's a lower performance requirement so a machine that's capable of managing the other things I've listed will be fine for this requirement.

The option of using a local computer dealer is something I'll take a look at. One thing I've been wary of but forgot to mention in my post is that some of the manufactuers, as @JamesT mentioned, only including power supply units for the original specification so adding components later could be an issue.

 

[Cloud Strife]

The option of using a local computer dealer is something I'll take a look at.

I can't comment for where you are, but for instance, I use a local computer dealer for every new build and it's well worth paying a very slight premium to them. To give an idea, my last machine cost around 1800 quid, and the cost of getting them to build it was around 30 quid over the cost of buying the components individually and putting it all together. Well worth it, especially as I always visit them for a chat about the machine and what's needed. They don't hide that they can source components at a small discount over retail price, and that they then sell them onwards at a small profit.

The nice thing is that doing it this way, they simply sort out any problems themselves there and then. I had some small issues with the power supply, and they simply replaced it on the spot while saying that they'd chase up their supplier for a refund. The other nice thing is that they are brutally honest: if I propose something that is a bad idea, they'll tell me straight away.

 

[david1212]

Now we know the requirements I would go with an Intel i5. Absolute minimum 8GB RAM but only if free slots to add either 8GB or 16GB. Even with 16GB aim to have free slots. If 6GB is fine now debatable if over the lifespan you would need more than 16GB but unnecessary cost if it had to be discarded.

Generally CPU's now are far more energy efficient so the CPU fan will run slower unless CPU is working very hard. Likewise the power supply fan. For the case fan(s) ensure they are controlled not permanently running full speed. It is some time since I built a custom unit, like your local shop would do, but check the main board can control the case fans rather than them just connected to the power supply hence always running full speed.

A solid state drive at least 500GB, don't consider a spinning drive for the Operating System - Window 11 I presume. For storage a then a spinning drive but could be, even better to be, USB only connected as required then not corrupted if anything happens. If just one internal drive have it partitioned to separate the OS and applications from storage then the storage can be left alone if the operating system has to be reloaded. Keeping an image of the OS partition that can be restores saves a lot of hassle.

For graphics the i5 may well suffice and be as good as a low end card presuming just one monitor. So long as a physical slot and space in the case easy to add a card later subject to available power ....

Yes indeed be aware of the PSU rating of a branded unit, also if it can readily be upgraded or is a custom physical size and/or connection.

 

[Bletchleyite]

A solid state drive at least 500GB, don't consider a spinning drive for the Operating System - Window 11 I presume. For storage a then a spinning drive but could be, even better to be, USB only connected as required then not corrupted if anything happens. If just one internal drive have it partitioned to separate the OS and applications from storage then the storage can be left alone if the operating system has to be reloaded.

The early 2000s knocked and wants its external drive and data partition back.

An external drive is prudent for taking backups, but using one for your main data is really not necessary. Windows 10 and 11 are pretty robust, and a novice user is not going to need to do a reinstall. I have not done one for ages.

 

[birchesgreen]

Absolutely, 512GB should be the minimum.

I dunno depends what you use it for, i went with 256GB SSDs on my last 2 new computers (Macs not PCs though), even my production one still has 140GB left despite all my photography (a lot) and plenty of short videos.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I dunno depends what you use it for, i went with 256GB SSDs on my last 2 new computers (Macs not PCs though), even my production one still has 140GB left despite all my photography (a lot) and plenty of short videos.

One thing I've found is that while I went a fair way over 512 with my music collection as MP3s there, if you are willing to switch to Spotify or similar you need a lot less. Though with it all getting cheaper there'll soon be little reason not to go for 1TB, and the standard principle of "as much RAM and storage as you can afford" still applies.

Of course, with improved camera quality, your photos will catch up. They are too important to me to trust solely to a cloud storage solution, I want them on my hard drive too.

Personally I find 1TB a sweet spot at the moment, though it can be a bit expensive on laptops, if you're doing a "to spec" desktop then it should be easily affordable. No need for those archaic spinny disks either.