So, this open computer has been my homelab for a good while now, but I desperately want to upgrade it, so please recommend any hardware/upgrades.
Edit: I will use this server primarily as a media server! (shock) Edit2: I’m based in Norther Europe, so Amazon is not an option for me.
Current hardware: /What you see on the picture
- Motherboard: B250M Performance
- GPU: Nvidia GTX 1080 (defect, runs like an airport as soon as it needs to do ‘a heavier task’)
- CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-7500 CPU @ 3.40GHz
- CPU Cooler: Some cheap XILENCE fan
- RAM: 16 GB
- PSU: WPM600 Bronze
- Case: Custom company (defo want to replace)
- Storage: 1TB HDD + (2TB HDD but dead)
What I have to spare from previous build;
- GPU: Nvidia GTX 1060
- CPU Cooler: AMD Stock fan (doesn’t fit this motherboard)
Seems still fine? Why do you want to upgrade at all?
Maybe get an SATA SSD for the boot drive and some bigger HDDs for media storage?
If you are interested in video conversion I think the Intel Arc A380 dGPUs are currently the best value for hardware acceleration of modern video codecs like AV1.
Edit: the Geforce 1080 might just need some new cooling paste applied below the heat-sinks.
I’ll look into the heat sinks, hopefully that’s the issue!
Even just putting a fan to exhaust on that grill vent behind the cpu will do wonders
Just to clarify, an extra fan sitting at the back of the case to “get rid of” the warm heat from the cpu?
yup, highlighted in yellow. Looks around a 120mm aperture, but check 'cos hey, I’m looking at a photo :P
Hot air rises, so you have this sort of cloud of heat hovering there from the CPU and the back of the GPU card - a fan will suck it straight up and spit it out the back of the case.
Thanks for that. Just to clarify, the case right now is this open, I’ve never had the side panels for this case haha. But I will get a fan for that place in my next case 👌👌
Even if open it’s worth considering - unless you literally have exterior airflow source blowing in the side, pockets are pooling. To give you an idea, i have roughly the same setup - granted it just runs a slack lamp - but i don’t even need a cpu fan, just the stock heatsink and the case is closed. Intakes and exhaust, unless you got a watercool chiller airflow, airflow, airflow is paramount.
(My main beast has a 250mm window fan plus intakes/exhaust, ambient temp is about 8c over room temperature even when thrashing)
Gotcha, I’ll do that then - thanks 😊