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Upgrade advice - HTPC/browsing/light gaming

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    #2
    K.O.Kiki
    Registered Users Posts: 18,706 ✭✭✭✭K.O.Kiki


    The motherboard & APU are a good fit.

    But it is highly recommended to have your RAM in dual channel (i.e. 2 or 4 sticks), and the faster the better. So either get another 8Gb stick of the same speed as you have, or get a 2x8Gb DDR4-3600 CL16 kit.

    A better CPU cooler wouldn’t go amiss, too - Cryorig C7, Scythe Shuriken or an entry-level be Quiet - depends on case of course.



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    #3
    tipperary
    Registered Users Posts: 445 ✭✭tipperary


    Thanks for that. I picked up an A520M motherboard on amazon warehouse this morning for £80, from what I can find this should work with that processor also. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08G1WLVR2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    The RAM I have is 2 x 4GB. Is it worth upgrading this to 2 x 8GB now or should I just wait and see how much of a bottleneck this becomes?



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    #4
    K.O.Kiki
    Registered Users Posts: 18,706 ✭✭✭✭K.O.Kiki


    Definitely worth upgrading.

    Apps/programs are getting more memory-hungry and more is always better.

    Plus, RAM prices are stable for now but could go up soon.



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    #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117974471#Comment_117974471

    16 gigs of RAM is a good idea alright, def worth it. What I will say is, get a decent kit because an APU will use system memory (RAM) as it's VRAM, and so a good speed kit with good timings will help you out quite a bit.

    Side note, that board has the A520 chipset on it, so no overclocking.



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    #6
    tipperary
    Registered Users Posts: 445 ✭✭tipperary


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117979118#Comment_117979118

    Would something like this suit? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crucial-Ballistix-BL2K8G36C16U4B-Desktop-Gaming/dp/B083V93HJG/ref=sr_1_13?dchild=1&keywords=Computer+Memory+16gb&m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&qid=1633451186&refinements=p_36%3A428446031%2Cp_6%3AA3P5ROKL5A1OLE&rnid=419151031&s=computers&sr=1-13

    No plans to overclock. I think these boards need a certain BIOS version to work with the 5600G though so hopefully it has that installed.



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    #7
    K.O.Kiki
    Registered Users Posts: 18,706 ✭✭✭✭K.O.Kiki


    Yeah that's perfect.

    Just make sure to enable XMP in BIOS so it runs at 3600MHz.



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    #8
    Homelander
    Registered Users Posts: 4,400 ✭✭✭Homelander


    I assume you bought the £80 b-grade board because it's ITX and so is your case? From experience Amazon Warehouse is quite dodgey with tech stuff, very little quality control goes on there.

    Might have been cheaper to just get a basic A520, cheap new case and half decent PSU in the longer term. You mentioned wanting to play games, the 5600G has a decent integrated GPU but it would be pretty bad for actual new-ish AAA games.

    Performance wise it'd be around GT1030 level.

    And obviously with a 160w PSU and ITX case you have no options for a dedicated card.

    Generally speaking it's a monumental upgrade. The i3-6100 is a 2 core, 4 thread processor. Not only is the 5600G a 6 core, 12 thread processor, it's also considerably faster per core.



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    #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117980403#Comment_117980403

    3600 @ 16-18-18-38. Yep, pretty good alright.

    I had a look at the page for the mobo, and it says it supports Cezanne, so you should be good. But there's always a possibility that you'll need a BIOS update. The board doesn't have a BIOS flashback feature, so you may be stuck if it isn't on the updated firmware when it arrives at the door.



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    #10
    K.O.Kiki
    Registered Users Posts: 18,706 ✭✭✭✭K.O.Kiki


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117980599#Comment_117980599

    It's actually quite a bit above GT1030-level performance: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/amd-ryzen-5-5600g/20.html

    These benchmarks also show just how valuable dual-channel RAM is to good performance.



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    #11
    Homelander
    Registered Users Posts: 4,400 ✭✭✭Homelander


    Ah, that's fair enough, didn't expect it to be quite that good - but still I suppose the point remains, for someone wanting to play the latest games it's not up to much. And it sounds like the OP has a tiny mitx build with no space for a graphics card either.

    Obviously it depends on what they want to play. New indie games, stuff like FIFA or Overwatch, or some older mainstream games will run perfectly good on the 5600G. New Assassins Creed, Battlefield, Cyberpunk, type games won't.

    Hence why it might be better to buy a matx A520M, case and PSU for around €150, to give you the only of installing a dedicated GPU down the line if needed.



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    #12
    tipperary
    Registered Users Posts: 445 ✭✭tipperary


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117983725#Comment_117983725

    Luckily enough I will only be dabbling in games, older games will be fine. The case I have is a Thermaltake Core V1 which can fit a normal PSU and a graphics card if I need (albeit only smaller ones). The case fits its home quite well though, and I like the fact that it is inaudible when browsing etc, so happy enough to stick with itx. I did notice though that the matx motherboards are significantly cheaper though which I hadn't quite expected.



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