Why I Advocate Computer Upgrades

[RIBob 39]

iosted elsewhere, but offered for your consideration:

" Following my own advice, and also putting my money where my mouth is, so to speak, I am taking my Dell OptiPlex 790 SFF computer out of storage, and upgrading it.  As-is, it has an (upgraded) 2nd gen I7 CPU, and (also upgraded) 16 GB RAM  This might be a fair replication of the computers many users of EAW are now using.  Or maybe not.  Can't help that; it's what I have on-hand, and with which to experiment.

I would caution any and all computer users that using any computer configuration other than a "tower" style can seriously reduce one's possible choice of upgrade components.  My SSF (Small Form Factor)-related upgrades will (hopefully) not show size (SFF) related constraints that other computer uses might encounter.  I would suggest NEVER buying any sort of computer that is less than full-size "tower" type computer, in order to retain vital, future, upgrading options.  In short, NEVER buy another computer that is not a full-scale Tower computer.  Tower computers allow many upgrades.  SFF factor computers allow very few.

.l propose upgrading my stored Win 7 Pro OPSys computer with initial upgrades with a 2 Tb SSD, and also install a secondary 2 Tb SSD, as there are connections for such.   The benefits of SSD vice HDD have long been settled, with the SSDs being wholly superior in every way.   Granted, upgrading to SSDs is an expense, but also allows much faster access speeds. At my age, I have little time to waste.  How much is your wasted time worth?  

Where I will be sticking my neck out a little bit is installing an Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti graphics card, which is vastly better than the  Nvidia GT 730 Gfx card currently used in my Win 7 computer.  The 1050I is quite on the edge as to power requirements, but I have some info that it will do, especially given the reduced power requirements of the SSDs vice the former SSDs.

For those considering upgrading their computers:  It's all a balancing act between how much power your Power Supply Unit (PSU) provides, how much power your GFX card draws, and how much power your CPU draws--that is taken as a whole along with the MotherBoard requirements.  PSU Wattage power MUST exceed the Watteage power of the components which draw power from the PSU, with at least a 10% allowance

Power supplies are often upgradeable, depending on one's computer   Buy the best you can afford.  Cheap PSUs run the risk of failure, or worse, a fire.  I decided on a Seasonics 600W Platinum fanless unit, for another computer,  and it has worked flawlessly.  DO NOT cheap-out on this component.   In short, have enough power to run things, with at least 10% unallocated overhead.

For this budget re-vamping, I am using the OEM 240W (non-upgradeable) PSU, and  hoping my Gfx card info is reliable.  We'll see.  I know the Nvidis GT 1030 Gfx card will work in this application, but the Nvidia GT 1059 has a LOT more capability vice the 1030.

All the above said, note that I still retain the Nvidia GT 730 Gfx card, and the Nvidia GT 1030 cards as backups, in case the Nvidia 1050 card fails to work.  Always nice to have backups. 

I'll update, as time allows.  Stay tuned."

 

I might add that my primary, Win 10 computer completely blows away the "updated" Win 7 computer.  The Win 7 upgrade is just an investigation of what is possible on an older computer.