New PC: Balanced?

[iamauser]

I build a new PC some weeks ago because the old PC is too slow. I feel like it is not as fast as I want.

 

I think the HDD is bottle necking the system but I'm not sure, maybe other part, here is the PC specs:

 

CPU: Core i5 4460 3.2 GHz Haswell

RAM: ADATA 8GB DDR3 1600MHz

Mobo: Gigabyte GA-H81M-DS2

GPU: Intel HD Graphics 4600

Storage: 500GB HDD 7200 RPM

 

If the HDD is bottle necking the world system, should I buy a SSD? (The SSD I plan to buy is Samsung 850 EVO 120GB)

[1PW]

Hello iamauser:

 

Congratulations on the new system. 

 

From what you have revealed, your new system would likely be classified as an okay mid-scale system with respectable future proofing.

 

However, you have not specified all of the uses you will be considering for it till the system is retired.

 

If all you would be doing is using your favorite browser and a separate email application, with excellent overall security and privacy protections, then the hardware setup seems quite adequate. An upgrade to a SSD will certainly improve the I/O access times, but we are left to wonder what you want from your system.

 

Are you absolutely certain a 120GB SSD will cover your future needs? A 250GB SSD is only $20.00USD more...

 

HTH

[iamauser]

I usually surf the Internet, using MS Excel or Word and other simple tasks on my old PC.

 

In this new PC I start using CPU intensive apps like Photoshop, and light gaming. (I don't need a dedicated GPU right now)

 

I don't need 250GB SSD because I have a 500GB HDD for storing data. Does the HDD bottleneck the whole system, causing it to run slower than it should be?

[Digerati]

A SSD will certainly improve over all performance but I think you should definitely get a 250-256Gb SSD if you plan to install all your apps on the SSD too (and you should to improve their performance too). Then use the 500Gb HD for storing your data files (including a backup of your SSD).

 

But note that surfing the net requires a good Internet connection too and does not really depend too much on drive performance. I think your bottle neck is your graphics. You might consider a decent graphics card (as long as you have a decent power supply to support it).

[1PW]

Hello iamauser:
 
In keeping with Bill's excellent analysis above, and assuming a recent Windows OS has been installed, you may wish to consider examining the results shown by your system's widely interpreted Windows Experience Index (WEI) both with your present HDD, and later after the SSD upgrade.
 
It would be likely difficult, if not impossible, to find real-world WEI comparatives though to the hardware choices of others.

 

HTH

[Digerati]

He said it is a new computer he just built so unless he installed Windows 7 on his brand new computer, WEI does not exist.

 

That said, the performance gains between an HD and SSD are so significant, you don't need any benchmarking program to "see" the difference. It is readily apparent.

[1PW]

Hello Bill:
 
I believe the underlying mechanism for W7's WEI was/is the Windows System Assessment Tool (WinSAT) which has been carried on and still present in W10.

winsat disk 

The above, when entered from an elevated command prompt, would yield 7 interesting before and after indexes for @iamauser's HDD to SSD upgrade.

 

I totally agree with your SSD upgrade assessment. I have only SSDs in all my systems.

[blackdovemobile]

I build a new PC some weeks ago because the old PC is too slow. I feel like it is not as fast as I want.

I think the HDD is bottle necking the system but I'm not sure, maybe other part, here is the PC specs:

CPU: Core i5 4460 3.2 GHz Haswell

RAM: ADATA 8GB DDR3 1600MHz

Mobo: Gigabyte GA-H81M-DS2

GPU: Intel HD Graphics 4600

Storage: 500GB HDD 7200 RPM

If the HDD is bottle necking the world system, should I buy a SSD? (The SSD I plan to buy is Samsung 850 EVO 120GB)

The most important part of the PC is the power supply, which isnt listed.

If youre doing anything that requires GPU performance, the integrated youre using is very weak.

You might want to look at getting a Crucial SSD after the recent problems Samsung has had with some of theirs.

[Digerati]

Yes, WinSAT is still there but is not the same as the suggested WEI. WEI, which no longer exists, used some of the data from WinSAT to create a relatively arbitrary score in a pretty little GUI. Because the score was rather arbitrary, it really was useless and created more confusion than worth - which is why WEI was not included in W8. In fact, nearly all benchmarking programs are fairly arbitrary because they don't really reflect real-world scenarios. Most just abuse your hardware with no practical value for little more than bragging rights. Like taking your car to the race track.

 

Careful use of WinSAT can be informative, if you know what you are looking for. For most users, the data would be gobbledegook. But my point is, the performance gains going from HD to SSD is so obvious, you don't need any benchmarking programs to appreciate it. Even the slowest SSD will run circles around the fastest HD.

 

I agree with blackdovemobile about the PSU, as I mentioned above. But I disagree completely with his suggestion to avoid Samsung SSDs. The "recent"  problems were for one line of their SSDs (the 840 EVOs only - not all model lines) from a year ago in September that affected only a small number of users. And I note Samsung released a firmware update for the problem last October, just a few weeks after learning of the problem.

 

It is not fair to condemn Samsung's entire SSD offerings when only the 840 EVO was affected, and long after it was fixed - especially when Samsung took responsibility for the problem by readily acknowledging it, then and rolled out a fix that worked in a relatively short period of time after learning of the problem.

 

I have used several Samsung SSDs in my build and I will not hesitate to buy a Samsung SSD for my next build. And recommend anyone considering a SSD to seriously consider Samsung.

 

Note this Newegg listing of Crucial and Samsung 240 - 256GB SATA III SSDs and try to find a Crucial SSD that comes close to this Samsung 850 Pro currently selling for $131 (normally $149). Note first the specs:

• Max Sequential Read: Up to 550 MBps
• Max Sequential Write: Up to 520 MBps
• 4KB Random Read: Up to 100,000 IOPS

Then note the 10 year  warranty! I found no Crucial SSD with more than a 3 year warranty.

 

 

[Firefox]

All good points Digerati, I too wont hesitate buying the Samsung SSD drives.  I have purchased at least 20 of these for customers and they have not returned with problems.  Most of them praise how well their computers work now.

 

The difference is like night and day, no tools need to be run to tell you its faster.

[garioch7]

I purchased a Samsung 850 Pro 1 TB SSD about nine months ago.  Amazing performance.  I am completely satisfied with the purchase.  I wouldn't consider purchasing any other brand of SSD, and I love the Samsung 10-year warranty.  Can't get that kind of warranty on the mechanical drives.

 

Just my two cents.  Have a great day.

 

Regards,

-Phil

[Digerati]

Can't get that kind of warranty on the mechanical drives.

 

Or most other brand SSDs either.

[CWB]

i agree ... drop the coinage and buy a SSD (samsung ssds are proven with a good track record) .

 

clone the original drive , and then wipe/format the original after you have proven that all the "stuff " made it over from the original drive .

use the hdd as/for data/file storage ... move the non-essential data files (say : videos and photos) by copying them over and then , after verifying that the files are correct , delete the originals .

this will free up space on the ssd .

 

don't think twice ... get a decent graphics card (does not have to cost 200 bucks) .

this will free up cpu cycles and ram ... it take a fair amount of crunch to support dynamic ram .

 

something to consider ...

the settings and the make of AV/AM will impact the performance of a machine .

for example , if the AV/AM is set to scan every file before it is opened (including program files) or the data being called for/manipulated , this will slow a machine down .

as for the make ... weeelll ... there are some programs that are cpu hogs due to lack of good coding practices (aka : lame-arsed bloatware) .

also ... speaking of "bloatware" ... unfortunately most all of the off-the-shelf pcs contain a considerable amount of "fluff and cutesy programs" that really do nothing other than slow a machine down .

an example of these are those "let us manage yer power/brightness settings" ... windows has one built in ... why would one need to run another one ?

get rid of them .

there is a section in these forums that deals with these issues .

[iamauser]

Thank all for the help.

 

I already ordered this SSD and plan to reinstall Windows 10 and W10 Insider(Dual boot)on the SSD to start fresh and use HDD to store data.

 

I don't need a GPU right now, maybe later I will buy a GTX 750 or better one.

[Digerati]

I already ordered this SSD

 

Excellent choice!

[exile360]

You won't be disappointed. I've been using Samsung drives since I switched over to SSD from traditional HDDs and my most recent/current one is the 512GB 850 Pro which is the fastest drive I've ever had the pleasure of using on my or anyone else's system to date (especially when you install/configure Samsung's own performance enhancing management and tuning software included with the drive). It really is like night and day and from the sound of things based on the usage you describe for your PC and its other specs, I doubt you'll end up needing any additional upgrades (though a bit more RAM might be useful should you begin to edit very massive images in Photoshop or multitask to insane levels with several RAM intensive programs running at the same time).

The shorter boot time alone will knock your socks off guaranteed and once you get used to how snappy everything becomes and how quickly applications and documents/files load, you'll never want to go back to a traditional HDD (and unlike some others here, I actually don't recommend that you use a traditional HDD for anything except a backup (which should be maintained regardless of drive type(s) being employed); i.e. not for the primary storage of your documents/files or anything else as it will just slow you down, and modern SSDs are incredibly reliable, hence the 10 year warranty etc.).

Much like I felt when I booted Vista (and later, 7) and got used to it, deciding never to turn back to XP; I never want to touch a traditional HDD again .