Advice Request OldStuff Build Rig - [Help Upgrade]

[xpressive]

I build this machine with some junkware that I found on my dad office and combine it with additional junk from somewhere that I failed to recall,

My entire $80 budget wasn't really based on all system, only the GPU and the HDD.

Let's say that I had a 50 bucks to upgrade and I had some plan to do.
- Upgrade the RAM to 8GB for 4x2gb of DDR2?
- or Change the CPU to Core2Quad?
- or a case suggestion perhaps?

Or do you had a other suggestion in mind, I am happy to consider it.

Note though : I use this machine fairly as a development machine running Java and Web development on Ubuntu part, with Visual Studio on Windows.

I do gaming, but I still happy that this machine could run SimCity, Fallout:NV, Skyrim and Dota2 at reasonable frame rate at 60-75 with low to med setting.

 

[Alkajak]

Your top 2 choices are 1) upgrade CPU or 2) upgrade RAM. The CPU upgrade seems to be the most beneficial of the choices. RAM is not far behind that upgrade though. 8GB would set you up nicely.

 

[xpressive]

Hey, thanks. any choice for LGA 775 CPU may be that are sufficient enough by today standard? Also if it stay at Core2Quad what series do you prefer, since Intel makes a lot of CPU by that socket.

Also, do I really need a case ?

 

[Alkajak]

What is readily available to you in LGA 775 CPUs and what are the prices? Those things are not the easiest to find. It'll give me a better idea of your choices. If your build is surviving without a case now, make it usable before getting a case.

 

[Hadden]

The best will be cpu (at least 4-core for win10) and ram (however, 4 to 8 should be fine) if you can still find them. You can use xfce in Ubuntu if slow.
I don't think the case-less solution is a big problem if you keep out things that can damage it.
The heat shouldn't be a problem, intel usually are cooler than amds (I use them) or you can use a fan (usually cheap).

 

[Niente]

You can reduce System RAM usage, but you can't make a processor faster (not overclock). So, you can try to upgrade your CPU to gain more power computing. RAM is easily upgradable.

Anyway an old SSD (Crucial), cheap but fast, will raise your PC more than 8 GB RAM and probably more than changing CPU because your bottle neck is the own HDD.

Once you reemplace the HDD by an SSD, your developer time will be more productive due to SSD's access time. Just remember to disable indexing files:

Turn Off Indexing in Windows for Better Performance

Regards.