Upgrade vs New System

M

Morlock

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 8, 2012
Messages
508
Current systems:
W10 Desktop
Mobo: Z370P D3-CF
CPU: Intel Core i5-8400 @2.8ghz
RAM: 16gb 2133
Graphics: Radeon RX 570
Storage:
Samsung SSD 860 EVO M.2 250gb
3 or 4 internal HDDs
Several more external USB HDDs

Laptop:
Some $250 HP Model running W11 Home that I can't be bothered to turn over and identify right now, even though it manages to outperform my desktop in day-to-day tasks.
AMD Ryzen 3 Mobile 5300u
8gb DDR4
250gb SSD

I think I have a bad RAM stick in my desktop. It's been showing all of the classic signs of bad RAM in the couple of web search results I looked at. It sporadically gives me BSoD under heavy load (converting H264 to H265 with handbrake, or running Topaz Video AI). It runs much better after a reboot; after a few hours into a session it has slowed down, taking longer to shut apps down, start them up, switch between them, etc. It takes me waaaaaaaay longer to get an Unreal Editor project loaded on my desktop than it does on my laptop.

I want to upgrade my PC to handle UE5 better:
https://docs.unrealengine.com/5.0/en-US/hardware-and-software-specifications-for-unreal-engine

But the money isn't in my budget right now, and won't be for several months at least.

I build and maintain my own PCs, but I don't keep up with hardware news at all. When I do upgrade, would I be better off keeping my mobo and getting a new CPU, RAM, and SSD? Or should I get a new mobo? I'm asking now because I'm thinking about buying more RAM immediately to see if it solves the aforementioned symptoms.

Thanks for reading,
M
 
The two apps you mention that crash out the system both rely on a GPU (I'm assuming the Radeon in your setup) to accelerate operations. Have you considered that it may be the cause? What happens if you pull the Radeon and use the CPU's iGPU instead?

The RAM could also be the issue. Do you maybe have a source of replacement sticks you can borrow for testing, or at least someplace with a no-hassle return policy in case a new set doesn't resolve the issue? FWIW, that CPU can accept up to DDR4-2666, so that might be a bit of a boost.

As for upgrading later, I'd say it's time for a complete new system. At 6+ years old, aside from the HDD storage I just don't see any value in trying to reuse any of the existing parts. The ~$40-50 to replace possibly faulty RAM is about all the cash I'd advise putting into it for parts that can't be moved to a new system.
 
Could be RAM, could be the GPU or PSU, could just be an old corrupt Windows install. Probably the RAM, though.

I don't know enough about that generation of chips to make a recommendation, but there may be cheap Xeons on eBay/AliExpress that would be a big step up for very little cash. DDR4 is also dirt cheap right now - bet you can get 32gb of 3400 or 3600 for like $30 in FS/FT. Could get out for less than $100 all in, assuming the GPU and PSU are fine.
 
Thanks for the replies. I'll reply in more depth later, but I wanted to address silentcircuit's point right away: I don't hesitate to install windows fresh if I think it could be the problem. My most recent reinstall of windows is probably less than a year old. It could still be the issue, of course, but... (that said, I have been mulling a fresh install, just to see if the problems persist)

Also, I've never had the problems I'm having now with this rig. It feels like more than a windows thing.
 
The slowdowns you mentioned while loading things makes me wonder if your boot or storage drives are having some issues(which could also cause the BSODs). I'd at least run Crystal Disk to check if any drives are showing errors or issues, I would also unplug any external drives and see if the problem persists.

I've found the most reliable way to test memory short of trying a new kit is to pull one stick at a time(assuming you can get by with half for testing) and see if the problem persists with one and goes away with the other. Rarely do you get two sticks going bad at the same time and memory testing programs don't always reliably find issues IME.

I agree that GPU or PSU could also be the issue. Unfortunately the best way to test a PSU is to swap it out for a known good unit.

You might be able to find a cheap used CPU that would work in that motherboard and be an upgrade over the 8400 but the only money I would personally put into a system that old is to make it functional. I'd be hesitant to even spend much on fixing it unless I had to or it was something like a PSU that I could use on a new build later.
 
I vote upgrade.

Drop in a i7 8700 or 9700 in there. DDR4 RAM is cheap so getting 2x16GB pieces shouldn’t cost too much. Same with SSD, a 1TB NVMe SSD should be cheap too.
 
Interesting conundrum...

It looks like there are some xeons that are close to i9-9900 performance for the $150 range. Not very reusable.

Then a newer gou, like a 3000 series for $250. Probably would pair ok with the the xeon. May have some life in a new system for awhile.

Ddr4, again not what the new stuff is using, but $50 will get what you need.

So that is $450 to breath life into an old system. Or take the $450 and make a down payment on a new gpu.

Then there is the nvme. It is reusable, so not really a sunk deal...
 
applegrcoug said:
It looks like there are some xeons that are close to i9-9900 performance for the $150 range. Not very reusable.
Click to expand...

You got me looking at LGA1151 Xeon's now. Not 100% certain if my Dell Optiplex board would work with one, and also not certain if I could run one considering they have higher power consumption that what is typically supported in my system (65W).
 
Stugots said:
You got me looking at LGA1151 Xeon's now. Not 100% certain if my Dell Optiplex board would work with one, and also not certain if I could run one considering they have higher power consumption that what is typically supported in my system (65W).
Click to expand...
For 150 bucks, I'd find me an am4 board for 90 and then hope to find a ryzen...maybe a used 5600x for maybe 100. Probably kick the crap out of a xeon on a Dell board.
 
I think I’m happy enough with the 8700 for now. Got other projects I need to fund first. If I had ti upgrade anything it would probably be the 5600XT.
 
Belated response, I reinstalled w10 and my system is running properly. Thanks to the people who responded; I might've put off taking the plunge longer than I did without their suggestions. I was leaning hardware failure, but so far it looks like I was wrong (new install is a few weeks old and the problems haven't recurred). I did pull each RAM stick and the problems persisted, so that helped convince me. I can run handbrake again! :)

Edit: holy @*%$ I was unprepared for how complicated an install from a USB stick would be. I've always burned discs and done it that way, and it was always pretty straightforward. But once I started, hooooly issh would I have been screwed if I hadn't had a second computer with access to the internet, which in the past I never did. The installer didn't like my system drive's formatting, and I couldn't get it to work with UEFI, but by then I had already deleted my existing partition, etc. I mean, I guess I could have done it with my phone, but that would have been far more annoying.
 
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I haven’t installed Windows or Linux from a optical disc in probably 10 years…
 
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