Possible PC upgrade: most optimal items for all I can spend and suggestions for the upgrade? - Hardware & Software

Hey guys, so my PC has recently started borking up really bad now. Problems with the fans, CPU is old and slow and fucks with gaming experience, DVD-R is broken, PC case is from 2005 and has terrible cooling and air flow, power supply is not fit for work anymore. So me and my parents agreed that we have enough funds (I saved some money myself) to get my PC problems solved for at least a year now. Now, I am not a computer tech - I am still learning a little above basic stuff about PC hardware at the moment. I am not experienced in fixing hardware problems with PCs so I may be wrong with a thing or two. Before you continue judging what hardware I need, please note that I play games. Lots of them. Mostly, the reason why I want to upgrade or get a new PC is so I can play games like Battlefield 3 (I have bought it but it's close to unplayable), so the hardware has to fit for vidya. I currently have one choice, but if another possibility pops up, I will gladly consider it. Here's what I was hoping to do: Replacing the old, useless piece of dong hardware in my PC. This presumably includes my DVD-R, CPU, Power Supply, one or two, maybe even three fans and my DVD-R. Perhaps even buying a new case and keeping the hardware that is still good enough for use and buying the rest. Now, my hardware, in case anything else I missed: [img]http://puu.sh/1qtk0[/img] [img]http://puu.sh/1qto4[/img] [img]http://puu.sh/1qtoo[/img] (this graphics card was recently upgraded into my PC so I would assume it does not any changes) My new HDD is 500GB, I would assume that's enough since I'm happy with it. My power supply is a piece of crap, old and dusty (I have recently cleaned it with a MOTHERFUCKING COMPRESSOR through the help of a cousin that visits us every 3-4 months and has experience in cleaning PCs and knows a lot about PCs in general, AND YET it gained a considerable amount of dust in the last month). It's a [url=http://prohardver.hu/dl/cnt/2003-07/240/psu_800x600/codegen350w_01.jpg]Codegen 350W[/url]. 4 GB of RAM, it seems fairly functional, I've had no problems with it so I assume it's going to stay that way. Now, since I am done with hardware specifications, I NEED to find the most optimal hardware I should buy, which is a balance of price and effect. I must not surpass more than 2000LTL, which is 579.240 EUR. I have plenty of time, until of course my PC completely fucks itself over and kills itself, I'd say about a week or two. I will go to this thread as much as I can and talk to anyone who responds and helps me out. If you guys know what the best choice would be considering my situation, the balance of price and effect, please post. If you know a really good piece of hardware and can tell me now or have the time to search, I will not ignore your help. I will compile a list in a spreadsheet and do the calculations myself and decide which pieces I want the most. I will keep the OP up to date with my decisions. Once I have taken everything into account, I will talk about my choice to my tech (he has a lot of work so he doesn't have time for me, therefore anything I ask of him must be thought over and calculated if possible first). Anyway, a few notes (updated once in a while to what comes to mind): I do not need a fancy DVD-R - just something that will do the job. I rarely use DVDs so I don't need something luxurious. CPU: [url=http://www.varle.lt/procesoriai/procesorius-intel-cpuci5-33006m-s1155-bx2500k-bx80623i52500k.html]Intel CPUCI5 3300/6M S1155 BX/2500K BX80623I52500K S[/url] PSU: [url=http://www.varle.lt/maitinimo-blokai/psu-seasonic-s12ii-520-520w-80-plus-bronze-retail.html]Seasonic S12II-520 520W 80 Plus Bronze[/url] DVD-R: [url=http://www.varle.lt/optiniai-irenginiai/dvd-rw-sata-24x-int-bulkjuodas-sh-224bbbebe-samsung.html]VD RW SATA 24X INT BLACK SH-224BB/BEBE SAMSUNG [/url] Fan: [url=http://www.varle.lt/ausintuvai/scythe-gentle-typhoon-120mm-1450rpm.html]Scythe Gentle Typhoon 120mm 1450rpm [/url] RAM: [url=http://www.varle.lt/atmintys-ram/corsair-ddr3-1600-24g-cl9-vengeance-lp--142689.html]CORSAIR DDR3-1600 1*4G CL9 VENGEANCE LP[/url] Motherboard: [url=http://www.varle.lt/pagrindines-plokstes/pagrindine-plokste-gigabyte-mb-z68-s1155-atxga-z68p-ds3.html]Gigabyte MB Z68 S1155 ATX/GA-Z68P-DS3 GIGA-BYTE [/url] PC Case: [url=http://www.varle.lt/korpusai/pc-korpusas-be-psu-cooler-master-elite-370-juodas.html]Cooler Master Elite 370[/url] OS: Windows 7 OEM I sincerely thank anyone who helps me through this due to the fact that I alone cannot handle taking the best choices.

Your videocard is plenty powerful to run Battlefield 3 on at least minimum settings smoothly. The reason it's not running is your CPU. I don't know what prices are like where you are (please provide a link to a store you can purchase hardware from!) but you should at least be able to afford a new motherboard, CPU and RAM - your RAM is likely DDR2 and won't work. I suggest at least an ivy bridge i3, a cheap z75 motherboard, and 4-8GB RAM. You're also going to need a new PSU because that one's pretty bad. Get a reputable brand of about 500W. Corsair, antec, silverstone...

Pretty much everything Shadaez said, if you are going to get a new cpu, you have to get a new mobo, which also means you have to get new ram. The CPU will come with a stock cooler, so you probably won't need any more fans, as long as you have your basic intake and exhaust it should be enough for stock. A new CD drive will be like $20-$30, I would just try and get a second hand one.

Alright, thank you so much for your feedback. I'm going to compare price on an internet website that sells this stuff (their warehouses are not so far away from where I live so the prices would be accurate if not cheaper for what I can get) and then I'll talk to my tech. He gets quite a bit of hardware for a cheaper price so he can probably get a discount on the total. I'll count some numbers and find the hardware on a web and post what I see fit. It's probably going to surpass what I can afford, but then again, that discount should soften things up. EDIT: Okay, OP is updated. I have chosen all I needed with the help of someone I know. Is this decent?

Seems good, but I will admit I'm a bit outdated in the CPU/mobo/RAM market, so someone else better check over that. PSU wise, I would get an Antec or Corsair, thats me but I highly trust those brands and they both have good warranties. Its better to spend a little extra on a reliable PSU, rather then buy a whole new computer because the cheap PSU you bought blew up and took everything attached to it with it.

[QUOTE=The Inspector;38486101]Seems good, but I will admit I'm a bit outdated in the CPU/mobo/RAM market, so someone else better check over that. PSU wise, I would get an Antec or Corsair, thats me but I highly trust those brands and they both have good warranties. Its better to spend a little extra on a reliable PSU, rather then buy a whole new computer because the cheap PSU you bought blew up and took everything attached to it with it.[/QUOTE] Well, me and my friend were looking at PSUs and we were about to buy a good Corsair one. Then we found the Seasonic one and it was pretty cheap, he also has the same PSU as the Seasonic one and says it's really great and I should get it, so I got it to save some money. It's got a 36 month warranty as well so the exploding part is going to be dealt with. I had to take a CPU similar in terms of power to the GPU because if I have a stronger CPU than the GPU, it won't work at max efficiency. And the mobo, well, my friend brought over an argument that was 10 minutes long why I don't need a z75. I won't be doing any expensive upgrades for at least a year or two so there's no point in buying a more expensive mobo that won't be put to good use until it gets old.

[QUOTE=The Inspector;38486101]Seems good, but I will admit I'm a bit outdated in the CPU/mobo/RAM market, so someone else better check over that. PSU wise, I would get an Antec or Corsair, thats me but I highly trust those brands and they both have good warranties. Its better to spend a little extra on a reliable PSU, rather then buy a whole new computer because the cheap PSU you bought blew up and took everything attached to it with it.[/QUOTE] Seasonic is one of the best PSU OEMs, and the OEM for many of Antec, Corsair and many other brand's good PSU models