Any tips on best way to upgrade this system?

Idleman · 24 Jan 2013 at 16:30

Download Seatools for windows or HDTune and check the health of your hdd. If it is healthy, try a new install of your OS, as already mentioned. Btw, what OS do you have?

Marine-RX179 · 24 Jan 2013 at 16:39

Bluntwrapped said:
I don't think I'm getting confused. The OP stated that he believes his current graphics card is ok for his current needs. If he's generally happy with his FPS why recommend a new graphics card?

Because despite he "thinks" his frame rate is ok to have a 5770 for 1920 res, since he's asking for upgrade advise here, it is up to us to give him advice on how to "improve" his gaming experience...and between 1920 res monitor, 5770 and HDD, upgrade to 7850 2GB would certainly contribute much more to improving his gaming experience (with 7850's 50-100% increase in frame rate over his 5770, depended on CPU bottleneck situations) than upgrading from a HDD to a SSD.

As for OP's complain about startup being sluggish, I say he just got too much crap on his windows...a fresh install plus no more than just the neccessary programs should solve it. His 1TB Samsung Spinpoint is one of the fastest HDD around and shouldn't have problem.

Nobody is telling OP NOT TO upgrade to SSD, but since he can't upgrade everything in one go, he would have to prioritise...and right now, 5770 on 1920 res IS the weakest link.

I mean if OP thinks Crysis 1 and 2 ran well on his 5770, then clearly the poor guy has not really experienced what decent gaming smoothness is (I played Crysis 1 on my 5850, and I still found myself not completely happy with the experience and with room for improvement if I had say...a 7950).

Anyway, before doing anything else, OP should defrag his HDD and fresh install his window just to check if it really is problem with the HDD, or just problem with the existing Windows being abused too much first.

Bluntwrapped · 24 Jan 2013 at 17:28

From a gaming perspective yes his graphics card is probably letting him down. For everyday computing experience his HDD is letting him down with sluggish performance. Yes he could reformat and resinstall and this would help, but for how long.

I'd focus on upgrading the system first and foremost for every day use and then build on the rest for gaming.

Leprechaun312 · 24 Jan 2013 at 17:32

Seems to be a back and forth between an ssd and g-card and cpu. what if he were to get a cpu then an ssd, as his op says he thinks his g-card is up to scratch which tbh it is for wow it doesn't require a lot of graphical power a 1gb card would suffice, however the cpu would not just boost his game play but it would help remove some of the sluggishness along with a reinstall on windows this would help then get a g-card when budget allows

Idleman · 24 Jan 2013 at 17:49

Bluntwrapped said:
From a gaming perspective yes his graphics card is probably letting him down. For everyday computing experience his HDD is letting him down with sluggish performance. Yes he could reformat and resinstall and this would help, but for how long.

I'd focus on upgrading the system first and foremost for every day use and then build on the rest for gaming.

sluggish on startup,

Just because it is "sluggish at start up" does not mean it`s overall performance is. It might be because the OP has to many processes or programmes, kicking in at start up.

Leprechaun312 · 24 Jan 2013 at 18:02

Idleman said:
Just because it is "sluggish at start up" does not mean it`s overall performance is. It might be because the OP has to many processes or programmes, kicking in at start up.

+1

Marine-RX179 · 24 Jan 2013 at 18:16

Leprechaun312 said:
Seems to be a back and forth between an ssd and g-card and cpu. what if he were to get a cpu then an ssd, as his op says he thinks his g-card is up to scratch which tbh it is for wow it doesn't require a lot of graphical power a 1gb card would suffice, however the cpu would not just boost his game play but it would help remove some of the sluggishness along with a reinstall on windows this would help then get a g-card when budget allows

OP isn't only playing WOW though...he played Crysis 1 and Crysis 2 as well, and he did say he's playing FPS also. Nobody should have to endure playing through Crysis with a 5770 on 1920 res...

Bluntwrapped · 24 Jan 2013 at 20:04

Idleman said:
Just because it is "sluggish at start up" does not mean it`s overall performance is. It might be because the OP has to many processes or programmes, kicking in at start up.

There is this but you know as well as I do the difference between the two is night and day. I personally have no patience for a sluggish drive regardless of what's causing it.

Marine-RX179 · 24 Jan 2013 at 20:12

Bluntwrapped said:
There is this but you know as well as I do the difference between the two is night and day. I personally have no patience for a sluggish drive regardless of what's causing it.

Granted HDD ain't compariable to SSD by a long way, but OP's 1TB Samsung Spinpoint isn't a sluggish drive (provide it's in good working order). What he has to make sure is there isn't gizillion things running at startup or in the background of Windows. As I said before...his best bet would be a fresh window installation and install only softwares that he actually NEED.

Leprechaun312 · 24 Jan 2013 at 20:24

Marine-RX179 said:
Granted HDD ain't compariable to SSD by a long way, but OP's 1TB Samsung Spinpoint isn't a sluggish drive (provide it's in good working order). What he has to make sure is there isn't gizillion things running at startup or in the background of Windows. As I said before...his best bet would be a fresh window installation and install only softwares that he actually NEED.

Thank you +1

Bluntwrapped · 24 Jan 2013 at 22:39

Leprechaun312 said:
Thank you +1

Marine-RX179 · 25 Jan 2013 at 06:40

Bluntwrapped said:

Just look at all the budget gaming PC build threads...when the budget is tight, ALL recommendations priortise graphic card and CPU over trying to fit a SSD in the small budget. There is a reason why nobody in this thread agree with prioritising SSD above everything else (not unless OP doesn't do any gaming).

olivier renault · 25 Jan 2013 at 11:51

Marine-RX179 said:
Just look at all the budget gaming PC build threads...when the budget is tight, ALL recommendations priortise graphic card and CPU over trying to fit a SSD in the small budget. There is a reason why nobody in this thread agree with prioritising SSD above everything else (not unless OP doesn't do any gaming).

It's the OP who sets his priorities. If he feels his gaming experience is adequate, but his general experience is not, then a SSD will provide more benefits for him. Ideally, upgrading both, but that's around a £250 upgrade.

Idleman · 25 Jan 2013 at 12:14

Considering the OP has not responded to any of the posts and thus not provided any further information, it is all speculation at this point.

Bluntwrapped · 25 Jan 2013 at 12:39

olivier renault said:
It's the OP who sets his priorities. If he feels his gaming experience is adequate, but his general experience is not, then a SSD will provide more benefits for him. Ideally, upgrading both, but that's around a £250 upgrade.

Bluntwrapped · 25 Jan 2013 at 13:09

Marine-RX179 said:
Just look at all the budget gaming PC build threads...when the budget is tight, ALL recommendations priortise graphic card and CPU over trying to fit a SSD in the small budget. There is a reason why nobody in this thread agree with prioritising SSD above everything else (not unless OP doesn't do any gaming).

If you read what the OP said in the first place you would appreciate what I'm trying to say. If you can't that's fair enough but don't attempt to patronise.

I've made my suggestion based on what he said and frankly, I don't care enough to argue over a difference in opinion.

Marine-RX179 · 25 Jan 2013 at 14:01

Bluntwrapped said:
If you read what the OP said in the first place you would appreciate what I'm trying to say. If you can't that's fair enough but don't attempt to patronise.

I've made my suggestion based on what he said and frankly, I don't care enough to argue over a difference in opinion.

The OP mention the Windows startup is slow, but other than that nothing impled that there's major problem with the HDD. And I have addressed his potential issue:

Marine-RX179 said:
Anyway, before doing anything else, OP should defrag his HDD and fresh install his window just to check if it really is problem with the HDD, or just problem with the existing Windows being abused too much first.

Marine-RX179 said:
Granted HDD ain't compariable to SSD by a long way, but OP's 1TB Samsung Spinpoint isn't a sluggish drive (provide it's in good working order). What he has to make sure is there isn't gizillion things running at startup or in the background of Windows. As I said before...his best bet would be a fresh window installation and install only softwares that he actually NEED.

If his system runs smoothly after the fresh windows install, that would mean he can better spend his money on graphic card upgrade (despite he said he thinks the 5770 "seems" adequate, reading his gaming experience the 5770 is clearly struggling) , and SSD can wait.

Also I don't see how I was "patronising" anyone. As far as I'm concerned I'm just in a discussion on a forum. Although my "opinion" is to upgrade graphic card first under normal circumstance, but if OP's found HDD is really problematic even after fresh installing his windows, I would agree with upgrade to SSD first before everything else as well. The first thing OP need to do first is to identify if his Samsung drive is really with a "uncurable sickness" first, before deciding his next step.