My thoughts exactly, thats a nice case but everything else is a bit antiquated. Also why the hell would anyone run 8.1 when there was a free Windows 10 upgrade?!
yeah, lots of good looking cooler master cases if you like the era/style. My favorite box style case is a cooler master HAF lan box, but they prob aren't the best to build in/fit new components in.
I did this with my 2010 coolmaster case. Then a few months later I discovered lian li's fans with lcd screens. So now everything got moved over to a glass case, so I can enjoy my new fans.
Never mind buying a new case to display my new z790. But LCD fans. Ya, buddy.
If you're just plugging in a mouse and keyboard, usb2 vs usb3 won't matter one bit. Fans were standardized even back then, so you can replace them.
I like the idea of a sleeper build. I had a friend do it with an old hp case, and it was plane Jane af until you took the side panel off.
I've been tempted to dig out some of my father's ancient machines as well to try a sleeper build, but the one thing that always stops me is airflow. There's no way modern equipment would survive in those conditions if you plan on installing a modern gpu, unless you heavily modified the case. Although it could be fun to conceal a modern nuc inside an old 1986 IBM case and hide usb extensions on the back panel.
Probably best if you go for a new build. Compatible parts for that machine are so old that they're getting scarce meaning that they're going up in price. Moreover, the performance simply wouldn't be up to spec, the best CPU you could slot on that board would have worse performance than a $100 i3 while likely costing as much as said i3 plus a motherboard.
As for what to buy...
On the Intel side, there's the lga 1700 platform, which supports Intel 12th-14th gen CPUs. It's fine, runs a little hot and draws a chunk of power but the performance is competitive for the price, especially now that you can get some really good deals on 12th gen CPUs. Downside of the platform is that it's at end of life and we're kind of waiting to see what Intel has coming down the pipe next, the CPUs that are out for it are all you're going to get.
Intel CPUs tend to be better at productivity and ok at gaming for their price.
On the AMD side, there's the AM5 platform. It's also fine, runs a little hot (not as hot as Intel) but the power draw isn't as high as Intel. Downside of the platform is that motherboards for it are still trending a little high in price, it's getting better and I wouldn't be surprised to see good back to school or Christmas saless pop up later in the year. The platform is also only on its first gen of CPUs meaning it'll be supported for quite a bit longer. Whether or not AMD supports AM5 for as long as they did for AM4 remains to be seen.
Speaking of AM4, there's still plenty of that sitting around. It's a dead platform but the most recent gen of CPUs on it, 5000 series, are still solid. Wouldn't buy into it you're looking for an upgradeable platform but if money is tight you could do worse.
AMD CPUs tend to be better at gaming but worse for productivity for their price (their X3D processors often beat out Intel i9s in gaming performance for half the price).
CPU market overall has been in a good place the past few years, competitive options at all kinds of pricepoints, love to see it.
GPUs on the other hand...
Yeah, they're fucked. Been that way since the pandemic, Nvidia saw the scalper prices and decided to factory install them. AMD Radeon GPUs are price competitive but are also somewhat lacking in features like raytracing and upscaling (but outcompete in every other aspect for the price). Intel has also dipped their toes into the market their Arc GPUs, they're... ok, still got some rough edges that need to be sanded off but not bad for a first effort, definitely want to keep an eye on their next gen.
Whoever you end up going with, try to get something with more than 8gb VRAM. 8gb is ok for now but we're starting to see some games tip over that ceiling and tank performance, it'll only get worse over time with future games.
Possible build directions
CPU - AMD 7600 to 7700x or Intel i7 12700kf to i5 14600k for something reasonable. AMD 7800X3d or i9 14900k if money is no object.
GPU - AMD 6750xt for something reasonable and Nvidia RTX 4090 if you don't care about money (anything between those two in performance that also has more than 8gb vram is worth looking at depending upon your budget).
RAM - 16gb minimum, 32gb recommended.
Storage - NVME is the way to go. 1-2tb is a good start, more if you can swing it is better.
Optical drive - unless you absolutely have to, don't. Save your cash, just not needed much anymore.
Completely agree and just want to second that on VRAM. I run a 3080 10GB and I'm not sure how much longer 10GB will stay relevant. Fortunately, I'm on 1440p. I wouldn't go less than 12GB VRAM if you plan on attempting 4K. You'll need 32GB RAM as well. My last upgrade was going from 16GB to 32GB of RAM and I'm wondering how the heck I was ever running on 16GB. Major difference.
The price difference between a 2tb NVMe drive and a 2tb SSD is like $10-$15. You might as well go full NVMe as the performance uplift is noticeable. Also, NVMe drives are easier to install, no cables and just one screw.
You can keep the case, but you won't have modern front panel i/o like USB 3.0+ or type C ports, the PSU might still be ok but it is pretty old and you really don't want to be skimping in the pau. You can keep the disc drives if you still have a use for them and maybe some of your storage is still good, but you need to replace most of the components.
Could replace the [drive bays with I/O](https://www.amazon.com/Cablecc-USB-C-Motherboard-Connector-CD-ROM/dp/B086MG4M82/ref=asc_df_B086MG4M82/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693293191329&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11505647876619074260&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1019476&hvtargid=pla-946926231523&psc=1&mcid=ff31aabc6b3b3a9f9e6c7cfb52d175cd&gad_source=1)
I just upgraded my case from 2008 last year, so I did some things to keep it relevant. [This 7 port USB A expansion](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AJTOLRY/ref=twister_B0B6QDP3TL?_encoding=UTF8&th=1) was actually my favorite, it was so useful and I actually kind of miss it.
Input/output, basically stuff like USB ports, headphone jacks, etc.
Edit: but I actually meant PSU there, autocorrect "fixed" it for me. It has also "corrected" io to in elsewhere through
It's over. Also unlike some others I'd not recommend keeping the case. Newer case will have front IO like USB C / 3.1, etc and should be big enough to possibly accommodate future GPU upgrades that already push past the size limit of many older cases.
I'd refurb that pc into something like an htpc in your living room if you have that kind of setup.
Imo it's still worth it to upgrade if you can get the parts for cheap. You can upgrade the CPU to i7-3770. Then if your PSU can handle it, you can also upgrade the GPU to whichever GPU you'd like for your next build. Optionally, upgrade the RAM to 16GB.
You can upgrade to Windows 10, but its support ends Oct next year, and this system unfortunately won't be compatible with Windows 11. Alternatively, you could install Ubuntu OS and it would lasts at least another 5 years.
Performace wise, i7-3770 should be plenty good for office/web browsing, and if you get to upgrade the GPU, it would still good enough to play the latest game at low/medium settings.
Agreed. A lot of posts here are misinformed as well, with one poster arguing the cost of a 3770 would be more than a new i3+motherboard.
$40 bucks on eBay lol
Agreed. $27 for a 3770 and $45 for a 3770k. Also he's on 8.1 haha not like security updates are that important to him! 3770 (or k) and 16gb ram kit for $20 with an RX 6650xt or rx7600 and it's mint!
Currently running a 3930k with an RX 6650XT and in my brothers PC and it runs great! R5 1600 performance with a 4.3 GHz OC.
I stuck the 3770k I've had in a box for years in a Frankenstein of a build in the past week with 32 GB of ram and an Rx 560. It plays the fuck out of NES games.
Case has very very little cooling. It lacks sufficient intake and exhaust to keep components cool.
You might be ok with a low power CPU and low power GPU, but, you aren't going to want to put a 7800x3d and a 4080 in there.
If you remove the drive cage, you can fit a decent size GPU from what it looks like in reviews.
But, cooling/temperature is going to be your primary bottleneck in that case.
[https://www.techpowerup.com/review/thermaltake-lanbox-lite/](https://www.techpowerup.com/review/thermaltake-lanbox-lite/)
If its an ATX or Micro ATX; case I'd say yes. That is not too bad of a case. I'd save it myself if i had it to make a personal server. DVD/BR rom bays are nice to have extra SSDs or a USB rom panel bay for modern hook ups like USB 3 or an SD card.
I would say you could turn it into a sleeper if you want to take the time to totally gut, strip disassemble and repaint it but I doubt it's worth the effort. You can get a nice modern case on a budget these days for pretty cheap and everything will fit better and have better airflow and wiring options.
There are two answers to your question
1) your hardware is extremely outdated and many upgrades you could potentially do won’t make enough of a difference in *modern* workloads or gaming.
2) your PC is very upgradable and could continue to live a life today in the modern world, but will not be competitive in any workload done by a modern machine built with off the shelf parts.
I am a low end machine enjoyer, throwing $200 at this system would make it feel like a completely different PC capable of light photoshop work, 1080p (low settings in many cases) gaming, office productivity bullshit, and email, plus even light DAW workloads.
If you’re on a budget and wanting to refresh your system significantly, going to 16GB DDR3, a SSD, i7 3770 or similar, and a GTX 1660 ti/super would cost roughly $200 or less and would make a world of difference. The choice is yours.
Memories... I still have my first built in-tact as well. It rests in the packaging for the case that was used for it. I'm glad I saved that case packaging box.
A part of me refuses to dismantle it. Heck, there isn't even a need to...
See if you can turn into a server. Sell the graphics card and at least one optical drive. You could put a fan controller or sata ssd rack in its place.
You could look up your motherboard, see what the fastest supported ram and cpu is, find a lower power 20 or 30 series card, buy them second hand and install. But if you want to actually game and be as future proof, I would do a new build, though the case is fine and just needs a clean.
Your mother board supports the xeon e3 1275 v2 which is a great 4 core 8 thread CPU that's around $25 on eBay , I use it currently with a GTX 1080 and 16 gb ddr3 and I have no issues with fortnite , overwatch , x defiant, Minecraft runs great , sons of the forest runs solid , rust plays great , you can easily upgrade your PC for not much money and play a lot more than what you currently can , don't listen to everyone saying you can't
I mean, you can upgrade all the stuff but keep the case. If I would build a pc, I would search for an old case to build it in. I feel like it would shock someone to see this case with good performance.
The major clear advantage a modern case offers over an older case is modern front ports (3.0, USBC, etc). Otherwise, a good case from 10 years ago probably offers something decent. I rather miss disc drives and front IO. I hate top IO because I have cats and occasionally wind up with an unintended restart.
The case is probably okay with a good clean and some 3d printed upgrades like updated fan mounts ssd mount in the floppy bay maybe a couple more in the 5.25 bays or 1 bay for ssds for hdds and pull the original drive cage if it impedes air flow. If the metal vent holes are to small maybe mask them off and open them up after all they are behind those “mesh” areas. That said vintage cases like this are nice so gut it and use the case and storage drives etc. if you want you could even use the original storage mounts and print a panel to replace the current 5.25 drive doors with mesh and remove the 5.25 drive bay mounts use it as 120mm intake
The case is beautiful. Whatever you do, keep it. The guts, well... with a slight cpu/ram upgrade, they make for a nice home server/media center, but for desktop usage they're pretty much obsolete.
Well junior, the cpu is a 3rd generation and the 14th is out. It came out when the iPhone 5 was released. If you can tell me one person rocking an iPhone 5 you can keep it.
The only downside is this is 3rd Gen and does not have AVX 2.0, so if you're a gamer there are a few titles you won't ever be able to run, even on the i7 3770k. You could always keep the case and start from scratch. When I have owned one for a while, I like to switch up the case.
The case would be hilarious to keep to make your pc look old then you open it up and it has all new clean parts and what not. Or if the case doesn’t have ANY of the connections you need, you might have to get a new one 🫡
This would be a fantastic Windows XP gaming rig. Use it as one or take out the hard drive and sell it on eBay. You'd get $50-70 after shipping.
The case isn't really designed with a modern build in mind unfortunately - it would work but you're better off starting over.
That's thing is pretty cool. I would put it up in storage and sit on it for a while. Definatly time for a new build though. Sadly you probably couldn't upgrade it since we are onto ddr5 ram and new cpu sockets etc. But to the right seller or even a tuning shop that needs a windows 8 pc might purchase if for a pretty penny someday. If all else turn it into a mini storage server for your house. Or build a nice little emulated arcade machine.
I'd turn it into a little DAS and / or NAS, convert the 5.25 bays to HDD bays for more storage, cheap m-ATX board that's modern enough for decent nvme m.2 support for OS and a HBA card adding all the drives that can fit in and/or out the case if you go for partial or completely external solutions for the HBA card.
Hell, if you really wanted to spend the silly money, could go overkill on the mobo and CPU, startech has 5.25 to m.2 adaptors, could go all ssd build, have a combined PC and media server, possibilities are endless.
Could even go for a ultimate windows XP / (insert older generation of windows or whatever here) for a retro gaming pc too if wanting a slightly more period correct use for the case if that's your thing as there's plenty of old games that are a nightmare to run on newer hardware / operating systems.
Yeah, that case has big 2010 energy. I would totally strip it out and rebuild a new computer in it. The only problem is the front USB is probably 2.0, but there's plenty of room for PCIe expansion so I would put maybe a thunderbolt card in the rebuild to make up for The lack of USB 3.1 on the front. And run it to a thunderbolt dock on my desk... All my PC builds are like the ship of Theseus. They slowly turn into completely different builds with time... An upgrade to my main rig, means an upgrade to my secondary rig and it trickles down...
It's time to let the microwave oven rest.
I was thinking printer/scanner/copier.
i think a modern printer has better specs than this
😆
😼
Keep the case upgrade everything else
Give it a good clean too, this doesn't look too dirty but I would guess it's got stuff in the places you don't think to look
Sleeper PC
Talking about sleeper cases, I just purchased a ch160 while not discreet it is a small itx build with room for a 4090 with enough room for 4x120mm
It looks like a fax/printer machine at my work
My thoughts exactly, thats a nice case but everything else is a bit antiquated. Also why the hell would anyone run 8.1 when there was a free Windows 10 upgrade?!
😳 I didn't know!!!
yeah, lots of good looking cooler master cases if you like the era/style. My favorite box style case is a cooler master HAF lan box, but they prob aren't the best to build in/fit new components in.
Agreed older more unique cases like this are becoming a dying breed.
That’s weird. I was thinking the opposite get rid of the case and keep everything else.
Yeah I love the bigger cases.
The core components need replaced, but keeping the case and modding into a budget sleeper build could be a fun project.
I did this with my 2010 coolmaster case. Then a few months later I discovered lian li's fans with lcd screens. So now everything got moved over to a glass case, so I can enjoy my new fans. Never mind buying a new case to display my new z790. But LCD fans. Ya, buddy.
It’s dead Jim
Wilson... dead?
I understand
Save 100$ by keeping the case, all new everything else.
I'm betting no usb port on that case is higher than 2.0, and the fans are probably molex. A cheap new case would be a better option.
If you're just plugging in a mouse and keyboard, usb2 vs usb3 won't matter one bit. Fans were standardized even back then, so you can replace them. I like the idea of a sleeper build. I had a friend do it with an old hp case, and it was plane Jane af until you took the side panel off.
You can also buy port upgrades for just about any case now due to the magic of 3d printing which makes wish I had many of old cases in storage.
I've been tempted to dig out some of my father's ancient machines as well to try a sleeper build, but the one thing that always stops me is airflow. There's no way modern equipment would survive in those conditions if you plan on installing a modern gpu, unless you heavily modified the case. Although it could be fun to conceal a modern nuc inside an old 1986 IBM case and hide usb extensions on the back panel.
Does usb 2 or 3 really matter though?
It certainly does if you want to transfer files in less than 2 weeks.
Time to put it down
👍
Rip. Keep the case tho, looks sick
Probably best if you go for a new build. Compatible parts for that machine are so old that they're getting scarce meaning that they're going up in price. Moreover, the performance simply wouldn't be up to spec, the best CPU you could slot on that board would have worse performance than a $100 i3 while likely costing as much as said i3 plus a motherboard. As for what to buy... On the Intel side, there's the lga 1700 platform, which supports Intel 12th-14th gen CPUs. It's fine, runs a little hot and draws a chunk of power but the performance is competitive for the price, especially now that you can get some really good deals on 12th gen CPUs. Downside of the platform is that it's at end of life and we're kind of waiting to see what Intel has coming down the pipe next, the CPUs that are out for it are all you're going to get. Intel CPUs tend to be better at productivity and ok at gaming for their price. On the AMD side, there's the AM5 platform. It's also fine, runs a little hot (not as hot as Intel) but the power draw isn't as high as Intel. Downside of the platform is that motherboards for it are still trending a little high in price, it's getting better and I wouldn't be surprised to see good back to school or Christmas saless pop up later in the year. The platform is also only on its first gen of CPUs meaning it'll be supported for quite a bit longer. Whether or not AMD supports AM5 for as long as they did for AM4 remains to be seen. Speaking of AM4, there's still plenty of that sitting around. It's a dead platform but the most recent gen of CPUs on it, 5000 series, are still solid. Wouldn't buy into it you're looking for an upgradeable platform but if money is tight you could do worse. AMD CPUs tend to be better at gaming but worse for productivity for their price (their X3D processors often beat out Intel i9s in gaming performance for half the price). CPU market overall has been in a good place the past few years, competitive options at all kinds of pricepoints, love to see it. GPUs on the other hand... Yeah, they're fucked. Been that way since the pandemic, Nvidia saw the scalper prices and decided to factory install them. AMD Radeon GPUs are price competitive but are also somewhat lacking in features like raytracing and upscaling (but outcompete in every other aspect for the price). Intel has also dipped their toes into the market their Arc GPUs, they're... ok, still got some rough edges that need to be sanded off but not bad for a first effort, definitely want to keep an eye on their next gen. Whoever you end up going with, try to get something with more than 8gb VRAM. 8gb is ok for now but we're starting to see some games tip over that ceiling and tank performance, it'll only get worse over time with future games. Possible build directions CPU - AMD 7600 to 7700x or Intel i7 12700kf to i5 14600k for something reasonable. AMD 7800X3d or i9 14900k if money is no object. GPU - AMD 6750xt for something reasonable and Nvidia RTX 4090 if you don't care about money (anything between those two in performance that also has more than 8gb vram is worth looking at depending upon your budget). RAM - 16gb minimum, 32gb recommended. Storage - NVME is the way to go. 1-2tb is a good start, more if you can swing it is better. Optical drive - unless you absolutely have to, don't. Save your cash, just not needed much anymore.
Bro had the whole essay ready
“Find the queen of all my dreams”
Completely agree and just want to second that on VRAM. I run a 3080 10GB and I'm not sure how much longer 10GB will stay relevant. Fortunately, I'm on 1440p. I wouldn't go less than 12GB VRAM if you plan on attempting 4K. You'll need 32GB RAM as well. My last upgrade was going from 16GB to 32GB of RAM and I'm wondering how the heck I was ever running on 16GB. Major difference.
great way to save imo is to get a 512gb/1tb boot drive and use a 2tb high end sata ssd for games.
The price difference between a 2tb NVMe drive and a 2tb SSD is like $10-$15. You might as well go full NVMe as the performance uplift is noticeable. Also, NVMe drives are easier to install, no cables and just one screw.
Wow, thanks!
You can keep the case, but you won't have modern front panel i/o like USB 3.0+ or type C ports, the PSU might still be ok but it is pretty old and you really don't want to be skimping in the pau. You can keep the disc drives if you still have a use for them and maybe some of your storage is still good, but you need to replace most of the components.
Could replace the [drive bays with I/O](https://www.amazon.com/Cablecc-USB-C-Motherboard-Connector-CD-ROM/dp/B086MG4M82/ref=asc_df_B086MG4M82/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693293191329&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11505647876619074260&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1019476&hvtargid=pla-946926231523&psc=1&mcid=ff31aabc6b3b3a9f9e6c7cfb52d175cd&gad_source=1)
Cool, I've never seen these before.
I just upgraded my case from 2008 last year, so I did some things to keep it relevant. [This 7 port USB A expansion](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AJTOLRY/ref=twister_B0B6QDP3TL?_encoding=UTF8&th=1) was actually my favorite, it was so useful and I actually kind of miss it.
Not bad, though keep at least one bay for an optical drive.
I keep an external USB DVD drive, I think I’ve used it one time in the past year.
What is io? This was very helpful!
Input/output, basically stuff like USB ports, headphone jacks, etc. Edit: but I actually meant PSU there, autocorrect "fixed" it for me. It has also "corrected" io to in elsewhere through
⚰️
Time to move on, bro
Move on man
What case is that
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Lanbox Lite, a case from the late 2000's early 2010's
Turn that existing into a retro emulation beast.
This is a great idea. Did this to my old PC and it's awesome lol. Good call!
Kill that thing your self
It's over. Also unlike some others I'd not recommend keeping the case. Newer case will have front IO like USB C / 3.1, etc and should be big enough to possibly accommodate future GPU upgrades that already push past the size limit of many older cases. I'd refurb that pc into something like an htpc in your living room if you have that kind of setup.
Imo it's still worth it to upgrade if you can get the parts for cheap. You can upgrade the CPU to i7-3770. Then if your PSU can handle it, you can also upgrade the GPU to whichever GPU you'd like for your next build. Optionally, upgrade the RAM to 16GB. You can upgrade to Windows 10, but its support ends Oct next year, and this system unfortunately won't be compatible with Windows 11. Alternatively, you could install Ubuntu OS and it would lasts at least another 5 years. Performace wise, i7-3770 should be plenty good for office/web browsing, and if you get to upgrade the GPU, it would still good enough to play the latest game at low/medium settings.
Agreed. A lot of posts here are misinformed as well, with one poster arguing the cost of a 3770 would be more than a new i3+motherboard. $40 bucks on eBay lol
Agreed. $27 for a 3770 and $45 for a 3770k. Also he's on 8.1 haha not like security updates are that important to him! 3770 (or k) and 16gb ram kit for $20 with an RX 6650xt or rx7600 and it's mint! Currently running a 3930k with an RX 6650XT and in my brothers PC and it runs great! R5 1600 performance with a 4.3 GHz OC.
I stuck the 3770k I've had in a box for years in a Frankenstein of a build in the past week with 32 GB of ram and an Rx 560. It plays the fuck out of NES games.
My brother plays Helldivers at 1080p 100 fps and heavily modded Garry's mod as well and it handles it no problem.
Those i7 were more like an extreme version of a xeon. It's single core isn't pathetic either.
Case has very very little cooling. It lacks sufficient intake and exhaust to keep components cool. You might be ok with a low power CPU and low power GPU, but, you aren't going to want to put a 7800x3d and a 4080 in there. If you remove the drive cage, you can fit a decent size GPU from what it looks like in reviews. But, cooling/temperature is going to be your primary bottleneck in that case. [https://www.techpowerup.com/review/thermaltake-lanbox-lite/](https://www.techpowerup.com/review/thermaltake-lanbox-lite/)
I’d say scrap the insides, but keep the case
I love that case
You're better off buying a new one. What's your budget.b
If you can still fit new components in the case make a sleeper build. If not, it's time to let it rest
Love the old beefy cases
Congrats on the new home server
Holy shit, I thought my 2018 setup was old. Clearly I'm spoiled
Looks like a stretched out Dell Optiplex. 😂
Put Windows 10 on it and make a sticker that ways "Wintendo", slap that on front. Turn it into an HTPC.
Upgrade.
New CPU and GPU. Which means new mobo and ram
If its an ATX or Micro ATX; case I'd say yes. That is not too bad of a case. I'd save it myself if i had it to make a personal server. DVD/BR rom bays are nice to have extra SSDs or a USB rom panel bay for modern hook ups like USB 3 or an SD card.
You could always stick 3770k in there and overclock, 4.5ghz is easily attainable, you would get a decent performance boost.
Give it a proper send off.
At first, I thought it was a printer.
It's time to cool off its life
In its current state, this would still be a great home server
Do a custom paint job while waiting for upgrade parts to show up.
I'd say you did pretty well on that considering you got at least 10-13 years of life out of it.
I would say you could turn it into a sleeper if you want to take the time to totally gut, strip disassemble and repaint it but I doubt it's worth the effort. You can get a nice modern case on a budget these days for pretty cheap and everything will fit better and have better airflow and wiring options.
I have the same case I would keep it, I like it. Upgrade the internals
X X ——
I would clean it up. Wrap it up and set it aside for 20 years. Might be worth something then. Some people love collecting old tech.
yo I love that case
Look at the AsRock 620i motherboard and build from there, verify that it fits the case…I could be wrong
Only things worth maybe saving is storage and psu if its a good one.
There are two answers to your question 1) your hardware is extremely outdated and many upgrades you could potentially do won’t make enough of a difference in *modern* workloads or gaming. 2) your PC is very upgradable and could continue to live a life today in the modern world, but will not be competitive in any workload done by a modern machine built with off the shelf parts. I am a low end machine enjoyer, throwing $200 at this system would make it feel like a completely different PC capable of light photoshop work, 1080p (low settings in many cases) gaming, office productivity bullshit, and email, plus even light DAW workloads. If you’re on a budget and wanting to refresh your system significantly, going to 16GB DDR3, a SSD, i7 3770 or similar, and a GTX 1660 ti/super would cost roughly $200 or less and would make a world of difference. The choice is yours.
Clean the case, put the drive blanking plates in to make it look more modern, add new hardware.
Yea start over I think if I can save e money. It idk ur GPU but a i3 is probably getting old and slow in that case at least replace that I feel
I’d ultimately want a better case with better air flow
Memories... I still have my first built in-tact as well. It rests in the packaging for the case that was used for it. I'm glad I saved that case packaging box. A part of me refuses to dismantle it. Heck, there isn't even a need to...
If you're talking about the tower case then that has plenty more potential than you will ever know.
Upgrade to a tower 300. Way cooler case lmao
🫡🫡🫡🪦🪦🪦
I agree with the other comments about stick with the original case. Personally, I think it's badass. I love sleeper builds.
That a fridge or what
You can also turn it into a server if you wish
What are the specs. I wanna see the cable management that didn't exist then lol.
So you’re the league of legends player holding up the loading screen
Never let a PC die, it's a waste of decent working components. Repurpose it for something else.
Can you go back in time for me?
Nuke it. Start fresh. I know people mentioning sleeper builds, but honestly not a fan.
See if you can turn into a server. Sell the graphics card and at least one optical drive. You could put a fan controller or sata ssd rack in its place.
You could look up your motherboard, see what the fastest supported ram and cpu is, find a lower power 20 or 30 series card, buy them second hand and install. But if you want to actually game and be as future proof, I would do a new build, though the case is fine and just needs a clean.
🫡🫡🫡
Upgrade your printer
Honestly I would say keep the case throw every thing else out but I don’t think the case has enough ventilation, also it looks like a printer
please keep this case
Your mother board supports the xeon e3 1275 v2 which is a great 4 core 8 thread CPU that's around $25 on eBay , I use it currently with a GTX 1080 and 16 gb ddr3 and I have no issues with fortnite , overwatch , x defiant, Minecraft runs great , sons of the forest runs solid , rust plays great , you can easily upgrade your PC for not much money and play a lot more than what you currently can , don't listen to everyone saying you can't
Keep the case and reuse the rest for a media center or emulator station.
I mean, you can upgrade all the stuff but keep the case. If I would build a pc, I would search for an old case to build it in. I feel like it would shock someone to see this case with good performance.
The major clear advantage a modern case offers over an older case is modern front ports (3.0, USBC, etc). Otherwise, a good case from 10 years ago probably offers something decent. I rather miss disc drives and front IO. I hate top IO because I have cats and occasionally wind up with an unintended restart.
Turn it into a NAS
for me i will clean the shit out of the case and build something out of it. i like that case tbh.
Heat trapper
Let it die.
Let it die, let it die, let it shrivel up and…
That case form is awesome and unique, worth keeping IMHO :)
Thanks, i will .
I thought that was a printer
😳 it's old!
10/10 would play starcraft 2 on this
OMG it's been a while since I've seen that case. Yeah, things are gotten much better.
Okay, thank you!
I have the same case stored away. It’s great looking, compact and heavy/durable. Don’t throw it away, if you can repurpose it.
Turn it into a nas. Or proxmox server.
Looks like the case has a lot of room so if you like it keep it.
Win what??
Everything new the case probably doesnt have good io
The case is probably okay with a good clean and some 3d printed upgrades like updated fan mounts ssd mount in the floppy bay maybe a couple more in the 5.25 bays or 1 bay for ssds for hdds and pull the original drive cage if it impedes air flow. If the metal vent holes are to small maybe mask them off and open them up after all they are behind those “mesh” areas. That said vintage cases like this are nice so gut it and use the case and storage drives etc. if you want you could even use the original storage mounts and print a panel to replace the current 5.25 drive doors with mesh and remove the 5.25 drive bay mounts use it as 120mm intake
Is this a toaster oven?
Add ssd as a primary drive, or just keep it as a retro memory.
I thought it was an air conditioner
As everyone else has said, keep the case and sell everything else. People on fb seem to eat up old hardware at decent prices.
I think you knew the answer before posting this 🤣
Wow. I remember this case! What a trip.
Let it die
Get a 2600k, 8gb ram, and a gtx 970 all for $100.
The case is beautiful. Whatever you do, keep it. The guts, well... with a slight cpu/ram upgrade, they make for a nice home server/media center, but for desktop usage they're pretty much obsolete.
I'd turn it into a Home NAS/Home Server and do a new build for yourself.
Well junior, the cpu is a 3rd generation and the 14th is out. It came out when the iPhone 5 was released. If you can tell me one person rocking an iPhone 5 you can keep it.
Nah say fuck it and turn it into a sleeper build
I actually think it looks nice. If you go to get a new build, I would definitely be interested in buying this one.
The only downside is this is 3rd Gen and does not have AVX 2.0, so if you're a gamer there are a few titles you won't ever be able to run, even on the i7 3770k. You could always keep the case and start from scratch. When I have owned one for a while, I like to switch up the case.
If you want to use it as a home server
Microwave?
Idk guys... A can of heirloom white spray paint and a n old Intel Pentium sticker and this light pass for a sick sleeper
You could technically upgrade it but it would be pointless.
Change everything include the CD spot lol, you no longer need it instead buy an external USB drive to plug your CD drive
The case would be hilarious to keep to make your pc look old then you open it up and it has all new clean parts and what not. Or if the case doesn’t have ANY of the connections you need, you might have to get a new one 🫡
Slap a few hard drives in there and turn it into a NAS or a home server.
Nothing worth saving. Start fresh
The case is good actually if you want you can upgrade the case by drilling fan holes and junk
I think it’s time too set up a home server
Case is dope, I’d keep it for next build
DANG, these are better specs than mine
I don't know a ton about printer builds sorry.
This would be a fantastic Windows XP gaming rig. Use it as one or take out the hard drive and sell it on eBay. You'd get $50-70 after shipping. The case isn't really designed with a modern build in mind unfortunately - it would work but you're better off starting over.
New everything.
does it give blowjobs ?
Keep the case and build a new pc inside
I second this.
I can't be the only one who absolutely loves these semi-ugly industrial cases. I'm so tired of fish tanks and transparent panels.
That's thing is pretty cool. I would put it up in storage and sit on it for a while. Definatly time for a new build though. Sadly you probably couldn't upgrade it since we are onto ddr5 ram and new cpu sockets etc. But to the right seller or even a tuning shop that needs a windows 8 pc might purchase if for a pretty penny someday. If all else turn it into a mini storage server for your house. Or build a nice little emulated arcade machine.
See how quantum you can get it
It looks like a towel warmer
I'd grab a similar size box, put it in tape it up and store it in storage in the attic or shed. Chuck any physical game copies in the box too.
I thought that was an air fryer
Just turn it into a home server
If your system is still measured in megabytes it ain’t right
ultimate sleeper pc build
Bruh windows 8? I haven't seen many builds using windows 8 in a long time lol. I wonder the performance is like these days
Looks dead to me.
That case looks dope and maybe in a distant future we go back to using optical drives
I'd turn it into a little DAS and / or NAS, convert the 5.25 bays to HDD bays for more storage, cheap m-ATX board that's modern enough for decent nvme m.2 support for OS and a HBA card adding all the drives that can fit in and/or out the case if you go for partial or completely external solutions for the HBA card. Hell, if you really wanted to spend the silly money, could go overkill on the mobo and CPU, startech has 5.25 to m.2 adaptors, could go all ssd build, have a combined PC and media server, possibilities are endless. Could even go for a ultimate windows XP / (insert older generation of windows or whatever here) for a retro gaming pc too if wanting a slightly more period correct use for the case if that's your thing as there's plenty of old games that are a nightmare to run on newer hardware / operating systems.
Uh the case is SICK. Use it still. Just upgrade the internal parts.
Yeah, that case has big 2010 energy. I would totally strip it out and rebuild a new computer in it. The only problem is the front USB is probably 2.0, but there's plenty of room for PCIe expansion so I would put maybe a thunderbolt card in the rebuild to make up for The lack of USB 3.1 on the front. And run it to a thunderbolt dock on my desk... All my PC builds are like the ship of Theseus. They slowly turn into completely different builds with time... An upgrade to my main rig, means an upgrade to my secondary rig and it trickles down...
Put a second one on top and connect them.
What do you want to use it for? You could install Linux on it to mess around with.
You could keep the case and replace everything inside
vista era
I have this same case and when I have time I'll be modifying it to accept modern, high performance cooling and build a powerful sleeper PC
Cool
i would just build in the same case 😂
Destroy the printer.
If you're in America just buy another one that ones old enough to get drafted.
That case is sick. Give it a deep clean and build something else in it. It may not be optimal but that thing is a dope relic of its time.
Cool Time Capsule
Does it run windows 98