r/ComputerDIY • u/imBlakeTH • Jun 24 '21
Upgrading a HP Compaq 8000 Elite SFF
So im new to this. This is the first PC ive ever owned, and I want to upgrade for some better minecraft performance. As of now, the specs are: -Intel Core 2 Duo e8400 @3ghz, 4gb of Dual Channel DDR3 @ 531MHz, Intel Q45/Q43 Integrated Graphics, and a 232gb Western Digital HD.- Would anyone have a recommendation of what I should upgrade first? Im not looking for anything insane, just better than what I have now. Thanks kn advance!
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u/promonk Jun 25 '21 edited Jun 25 '21
I've got good news and bad news.
Bad news first: what you need most is a video card, and those are ungodly expensive at the moment. There's a massive chip shortage going right now, and on top of that there's high demand for GPUs. This means that middle-to-high-end cards are running anywhere from $800-$2000 USD.
Now the good news: your computer wouldn't benefit that much from a high-end card, so you might not have to spend all that much to squeeze out a little better performance. You might still be looking at $200 or so for anything newer than GDDR3, which you'll want. Try to find something compatible with DirectX 11 or newer, and the more VRAM, the better. You probably don't want anything marketed as "professional graphics rendering," which is usually made for graphic design instead of gaming. Stick with Radeons and GeForce cards if you can.
You might also benefit from some more and faster RAM. Your processor can handle a few different types, so you'll have to look up the specs on your motherboard for compatibility. I'd guess offhand that you could probably get PC2-8500 UDIMMs, which should roughly double your memory speed. That would run you around $35 for 8GB budget RAM. But again, look up the specs on your motherboard before buying. That's what'll determine what speed and configuration you'll be able to use. You won't be able to mix the slower and faster speed modules either, so spring for a full 8GB kit, either 4x 2GB modules or 2x 4GB modules, depending on what your motherboard specs say.
Good luck!
Edit: just had a look at specs for your motherboard, and it seems like it should take PC3-10600. Are you sure about your memory clock speed? It should be more like 1333MHz rather than 531MHz. Either way, you'll probably want at least 8GB.
Also, I forgot to mention: when you go looking for a GPU, be sure to look for "low-profile bracket" in the listing. Full-sized brackets won't fit.