TBT 6 - The Cheapest New Dell Upgrades: SSD and RAM install! 

Awesome! I'm glad you found the video helpful!

No, it can have other stuff on it as long as there is enough available disc space. In fact, you don't even have to _use_ the Seagate drive. You just have to have one connected to the system.

With a Y splitter. I made an entire video on that. "TBT 8 - Custom SATA Power "Left" 90 Degree Adapter (for Dell Desktops)!"

Wow... Yeah, you really don't want to force things when working on electronics. Take it easy and take your time is always a good idea. In my case the pain has only begun with that computer, and funny you mention switching problems... that's next Friday's video. My pain in this video is that the kitchen is the only place with enough lighting to make videos in the house, so I had to drag everything out there... haha FWIW, they make HDMI switch boxes. I have a couple from IO gear that work really nicely. The ones I have I really like because they're fully automatic. They switch to whatever is turned on the most recently. So if I have my laptop docked to port 1 and turn my PS4 on, it switches the port to the PS4 automatically. When I turn the PS4 off, it switches back to port 1 automatically. Or I can do it with a remote manually. For whatever reason it looks like the current IO gear boxes aren't automatic, but they are 4K certified and are only like $35. If you want an automatic one like mine, try eBay for GHDMIS4 from time to time. You may also try to see if there's a firmware update for your TV. edit: Actually... It looks like IO gear does have an automatic HDMI switch box again, but it's 3x more expensive. GHSW8441

@@TheBrokenLife Thanks for the tip bought it off amazon just now should be here tomorrow. The thing I mentioned about the hard drive is what I did the first time I built a computer. The one I just bought www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GGNFTXV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

@@benhill3834 Sweet! I hope it works out for ya! If not, my IOgears have been great and I bought the one I'm using right now in 2010. The first time I built a computer it had an IDE hard drive in it and ribbon cables!

Thanks! If you need extra help, let me know. 👍

They still haven't picked it up and I haven't had a good chance to deliver it! Grrrr... Yep, XP was great for its day. It's just a huge security risk to use online these days.

If I'm dead honest, I didn't really know any better at the time, plus price was a factor (and I think the m.2 was a fair bit more money) I just bought a Dell 3880 to tinker with this year and will be putting an m.2 in it on the channel. There's absolutely a degree of my audience educating me in these videos. I'm not an IT professional and am just a dude tinkering at home.

Yes, almost certainly. It looks like you've found my Dell 3880 series as well where I go through and upgrade pretty much everything in the machine and benchmark along the way. Dual channel RAM, the best SSD you can afford, and a budget GPU are all worth your effort to install.

@@TheBrokenLife will any 16gb(8x2) ddr3 ram work on my 3847 or do I need dell specific ram

@@satisfactoryinc9280 Just match the type with what's in it now.

The RAM I put in it is PC4-21300. As far as running to its full potential, probably not. The goal of the upgrades was to take it from intolerably slow to acceptable for daily tasks. My Dad uses it for email and playing solitaire, so not really a high performance build. The 3880 I'm working on now we're going to push a little harder on.

Probably. Take the side off and see if you have an empty RAM slot.

I didn't touch the CPU, so what you see is how it came from Dell. I believe that thing you're talking about is a fan shroud to the mesh on the side of the case for ventilation reasons. With a higher spec processor, like an i7, it's hard to know what Dell might do for that.

@@TheBrokenLife Thanks for the information!

Happy to help!

that odd shaped cone is new. i've got the same pc from black friday deal 6yrs+ ago just with an i5 and 12gb ram. Mine also came with 2 3inch diameter fans. Seems like that cone was designed and put there to cause overheating faster so in a few years they can sell the same person another computer....

@@digitalsmoke4694 I'm not sure how you're drawing that conclusion. That cone goes up to a perforated window in the side of the case. I would expect the CPU fan being able to breath from the side of the case to actually reduce case temps. Or are you saying that cone is in-place of one of the fans that your machine has? I could see that as it's possible your i5 may run warmer than the i3 in that machine. In either event, I'm pretty sure most Dell BIOS monitor CPU temps and will shut them down on thermal events to prevent permanent damage (at least the laptops for sure do and a couple of mine came used with thermal events recorded in the log and they still work fine today). I'm sure it's possible to cook one though, but I don't think Dell is trying to do it on purpose.

No, but the faster RAM can be slowed down and is backward compatible. That machine has been in daily use for over a year now with no complaints. :)

Thanks man I appreciate it

@@P4rem Glad I could help!

When you say "fake", do you mean genuinely counterfeit or just a generic video card with an actual nVidia chipset on it?

@@TheBrokenLife It has a nVidia box but when I did system update it called the card a fake no update will load

@@johnjohnston7642 I'd probably consider contacting nVidia to see if they can verify the card is actually counterfeit as well as the retailer you bought it from to let them know about the issue. Beyond that, what does Windows say the card is in the device manager?

I don't believe so.

thnks admin for info

I'm happy to help!

It's a laptop style drive. So, eject it, clip the CD into it, and close it.

The manual says it has 1 PCIe x16 and 2 PCIe x1 slots. So, I can't promise your firewire card will work, but it appears to have the slots available to install it.

@@TheBrokenLife thanks for you reply, I'm still waiting for the firewire card to arrive as my previous pc had it built in the motherboard..hope it works..🤞

@@lesspainlesss I hope so too! FWIW, it looks like a USB to Firewire converter cable is only a few bucks if for some reason your PCIe card doesn't work out. I have to confess I'm curious what you're doing with firewire as I haven't heard of anybody using it in a long time now.

@@TheBrokenLife I use an external audio interface (which is connected to the pc via firwire) in order to record music - guitars and bass ...do you have a link for the firewire converter cable?..i once ordered an firewire to usb adapter from eBay which was totally useless and did not work at all...

@@lesspainlesss So, it's a sound board that was made in the precise moment in history where Firewire reigned supreme? Interesting to know things like that are out there. I've only heard of it used for digital cameras, detachable media, etc. If you can't get it working for some reason, let me know. I'd be interested in play with one just for grins. Digging back through Amazon for a link for you for a converter, I may have been too hasty by suggesting that. They do exist, but most seem to have terrible reviews and several say they ended up doing exactly what you're planning. So... It's probably for the best if I _don't_ provide a link. ;)

Cool. That's just what I've been doing forever so that's the one I have experience with,

I'll add that to the list of things to try in the future. Thanks!

Straight from Dell's website.

I'm very surprised the machine is that capable with just a video card added. That's awesome! The RAM upgrade is only $33, so you're pretty close to your final goal!

@@TheBrokenLife I know right!! I'm so happy, but ill start focusing on school more bcos that's more important. anyways thanks for everything!☺

@@TransformersToysDemo I'm happy I was able to help!

I appreciate your support! Sadly, this isn't my PC so I'm not free to do with it whatever I might like. I'm afraid a CPU upgrade isn't too likely to happen. FWIW, this is very much not a gaming PC and I feel that if that's your goal you'd likely be better off to build something from the ground up to suit that purpose. You'd end up throwing away almost everything inside this Dell before you were done. I don't even think the PSU would support a gaming graphics card, for instance.

@@TheBrokenLife Ok Thank you. Can you make a video showing how to build a gaming PC for under 200? Or is there some videos you could recommend to me?

I haven't built a PC from the ground up in forever, and although that's on my agenda in the future, I probably won't be getting to it soon. I also think your budget is considerably low. I think most decent graphics cards are likely twice what you'd like to spend in total. I believe Linus Tech Tips does a bunch of gaming related content that you might enjoy. Personally, given your budget, I'd consider building a vintage gaming PC to use for fun and as a learning tool. You can build/buy a decent Windows 98 era machine around that budget. LGR has heaps and heaps of videos on that topic.

@@TheBrokenLife Ok thanks for the advice. The only reason my budget is really low is because I'm 12 and planning on upgrading my PC for my 13th birthday, however, I don't want my parents to spend too much because especially with whats going around right now they arent earning a lot of money (because they are self employed). I was wondering if there are any good graphics cards for under 100 because I only really want good graphics and fps. I will look at Linus tech tip videos but it would also help me if you could recommend any good graphics cards that are small. Thank you in advance.

I completely understand and I wish you good luck with it. I built my first PC when I was 13 and it took me about 1-1.5 years to save up the money to do it by mowing grass, recycling cans, Christmas/birthdays, etc. I built it mostly with used parts I bought from friends. None of it was that great though... The good news for you is that things have gotten a lot less expensive since then overall, but you're going to have to manage your expectations with performance vs. your budget. It appears that a moderately capable graphics card is still going to be in the $200-$250 range, and again, that's a moderate card. I also deeply appreciate and respect what you're saying about your parent's finances. I know this idea sucks for you right now, but maybe you can offer to hold off on your birthday present until Christmas so you can get a better overall gift? I used to get "combo" presents like that all the time because the stuff was so expensive that it was the only reasonable way to get it. Maybe put that offer out to any grandparents or aunts/uncles/etc and let them know what you're trying to do? Perhaps even see if you can take on some odd jobs from them for extra cash? Frankly I'm so impressed with your attitude that I'd find something for you to do for some cash if you were around me. Hopefully some people in your circle will feel the same way. Anyhow... My gut feeling is that to get to something that will make you happy is likely to cost $1000-$1500. You might be able to cheat that down a little bit with used parts or some deals, but I think that's a close ballpark. I'll also say this isn't my area of expertise so I'm just winging it with that number. I became a console gamer at the PS2 generation exactly because PC gaming was too expensive for me so I don't have much experience since then. I'd like to get back to PC gaming at some point but the same thing is still true today. The PS5 will likely cost half what a gaming PC will. I absolutely don't want to discourage you, but you're just going to need some more cash if you want a modern gaming PC.

I've found that the best way to learn is to simply start doing it. Perhaps attempt a similar upgrade an older machine with less overall expense?

Yes. It was a mistake. I meant to say 500GB.

500TB?

@@TheBrokenLife you said the ssd is 500tb ?

@@TheBrokenLife look 2:17

@@vvaltvv1307 Oops. Right you are. I intended to say 500GB! Good catch!