Need Help with Upgrading PC (Budget Not an Issue)

haji on 27/12/2020 - 19:26
Last edited 27/12/2020 - 22:09 by 1 other user

I've had my computer for around 10 years now, specs as follows:

• i5-3570K @ 3.4GHz
• 256gb SSD C drive (only around 5GB left)
• 500gb SSD external drive
• 16+8gb Ram
• 2 x 27" Dell U2711 Ultrasharp monitors
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Graphics card
• Running Windows 7 Pro (64 bit)
• No gaming, using for graphic design (CorelDraw + Photoshop mainly) but looking at getting into 4K video production (currently own a Panasonic G9 mirrorless camera)

Main reason for upgrade is that I need to install a good video editing software like Davinci which requires Windows 10. Since my graphic card & monitor (I am assuming) doesn't support 4k, even playing back 4k content from my camera is laggy. It's also about time to upgrade.

Is there a way to upgrade without having to install all these programs again? Like when you buy a new phone and transfer? Other than the 2 programs mentioned, I also have separate programs for my printer and wide-format printer which would be a pain to install. I am assuming that I will also need to upgrade my monitors to 4K monitors?

Budget isn't really an issue, but don't need the bees knees as video production will be a side thing.

Appreciate the responses from now.

Computing Computer Desktop Computer

Comments

  • Lukian on 27/12/2020 - 19:49
    +2

    Your current PC will probably run windows 10 better than windows 7.

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/575701

    4k will need a graphics card upgrade, GTX 560 "maximum digital resolution of 2560 x 1600".

    You also have a K chip, which has a lot of overclocking headroom, my 2500k runs at 4.6GHz.

    • haji on 27/12/2020 - 20:02

      Silly question, but if I upgrade to Win 10, will I lose all my installed programs?

      Can you also point me in the right direction for DIY overclocking?

      • Lukian on 27/12/2020 - 20:15

        No.

        What's your motherboard and CPU cooler?

      • lordezekiel on 27/12/2020 - 23:34
        +1

        You will not lose your installed programs, but you may lose the ability to use them. Many programs/games are not compatible with windows 10, and some hardware devices that require drivers to function may not be supported either.
        If there is anything in particular you use that you absolutely need to have working, make sure you research it before upgrading to windows 10.

  • Mac40 on 27/12/2020 - 19:52
    +4

    Those ultrasharp monitors are still great. Id be tempted to hang onto them and save the money until you find the deal of the century for one of the newer ultrasharps e.g. the 32" 100% adobe 4K one. Even if you edit in a 4K Da Vinci timeline, the colour reproduction is more important than resolution and those monitors can be great.

    The first thing to do is test that your printers and other essentials are actually compatible with the new OS. They may not be. Could you test this? Even using someone else's machine?

    Even if you think itd be annoying, I'd recommend a full computer upgrade and reinstall of everything. But I don't know the specifics of how you work - anytime you need to have a fast machine, keeping it fresh and lean is a good way to go

    • haji on 27/12/2020 - 20:04

      Generally speaking I am happy with my monitors, just assumed that native 4k video won't render properly since its a WQHD. If I can just get away with a Win10 + graphics card upgrade, that would be terrific. The speed of the PC otherwise is manageable.

      Printers are Xerox and Roland, both would be compatible with Win 10.

      • Mac40 on 27/12/2020 - 21:14

        Your Da Vinci timeline resolution can exceed your monitors resolution. So no export problem

  • AustriaBargain on 27/12/2020 - 20:03

    Keep the monitors. Build a new PC. If you have access to the whole adobe suite then play around with some of the other apps too, illustrator, after effects, they all kinda work with each other.

    Anyway I would absolutely build a new PC, or buy a Mac, even if I were just photoshopping compared to your current specs.

    • haji on 27/12/2020 - 20:48

      I don't mind building a new system, as long as I don't have to re-install everything.

      • AustriaBargain on 27/12/2020 - 21:01

        I hear ya. Don't know how to get around that though. I know Macs make it easy, but the Mac approach to app "installation" is very different to Windows.

        One benefit of building a whole new PC at least is you'll have your old PC sitting right there next to it until you finally get everything moved over. If you've taken color profiles of your monitors then you can just piecemeal transfer that over, little things like that. And when you're done just clone your whole C drive minus any bloat, so you'll always have a backup of your old system to pick files out of.

  • forged on 27/12/2020 - 20:07

    Seeing as you’re not gaming, the new M1 Mac Mini would be a really good pick for graphic design and video editing. AFAIK nothing comes close to beating it performance-wise at the entry model’s $1100 price point. You’d have to see if your printers are supported by MacOS, though.

    • haji on 27/12/2020 - 20:49

      Wouldn't running Windows on a Mac be counter-productive?

      • forged on 28/12/2020 - 01:30

        Davinci Resolve runs great on Mac. If you’re not keen to learn a new OS though, that’s understandable - you could stick with Windows in that case.

    • lordezekiel on 27/12/2020 - 23:38

      Bootcamp is NOT supported on the new M1 Macs.

      • forged on 28/12/2020 - 01:31

        Correct

  • thebadmachine on 27/12/2020 - 20:11
    +1

    256gb SSD C drive (only around 5GB left)

    Read from previous comments this is bad (using most of SSD space).
    Apparently you need to leave ~10% of space free on SSD for it to function at correct speed and prevent error.

    This could be slowing your computer (reason for laggy 4K video etc) and shorten the life of your SSD.

    Maybe a good idea is to upgrade your C drive SSD to 500GB or 1TB (4K video takes up a lot of space). And do fresh install W10 on new SSD to get rid of errors.

    • Lukian on 27/12/2020 - 20:16

      (Good) SSDs automatically reserve the space requirement, you never notice it. Although you may be wear levelling more than necessary with such a full drive.

      • thebadmachine on 27/12/2020 - 20:21

        Yes but 5GB free on 256GB is very extreme.
        5GB free on 500GB would be 1% free space.

    • haji on 27/12/2020 - 20:50

      Again, if I can increase storage without re-installing all apps that would suffice. My leftover space is generally around 15GB after I delete temp files and empty recycle bin.

      • FireRunner on 27/12/2020 - 21:03

        You can clone the SSD. I use EaseUS Todo Backup free version and it works every time.
        Just clone sector by sector and swap out the drives when cloning is complete

  • Diverse on 27/12/2020 - 20:18

    I've seen videos where the base M1 Mac Mini is very good for editing. Could way for the more expensive Mac machines to be released. If their first ARM based machines are this good just imagine the next gen.

    As for the monitors, 1080 is enough, you don't need 4k.

    A "budget" still would be somewhat handy to work around if you wish to go the windows route. Whether its 5k will help others here a lot.

  • garetz on 27/12/2020 - 22:34

    If budget is no issue, then there is no point in upgrading a pc that is 10 years old, you should build a new one. Specifically catering to your usage case of graphic design. You are basically wasting money upgrading such an old pc, sooner or later you will have failures, the older the parts get the more chance of failure. If the psu blows up for instance, it could take the rest of your pc with it.

  • haji on 28/12/2020 - 05:48

    So I upgraded to W10 last night but first impressions is that it's slow, don't know if that's due to everything still settling. Will most likely get my son to build me a new pc as he built his own gaming pc recently.

    Can I get some recommendations for parts for my requirements?

  • haji on 28/12/2020 - 09:31

    Also, would changing just the motherboard mean I have to re-install Windows?

  • AS2035 on 29/12/2020 - 17:55

    Go to tom's hardware and search for the hardware that you wish your box to have.

    Buy them and put your own box together. That way it's easier to upgrade.

    Or get a Mac.

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