The $500 PC Upgrade (i5 3330)

This video documents the first major upgrade to my personal rig, transforming a struggling 9th-grade budget build into a capable gaming machine. Shot in 2018 (and published in April 2019), it captures the "Do It Yourself" spirit—complete with mounting anxiety, janky solutions, and the inevitable "first boot" blooper.

The Conflict: The 90°C Nightmare

My original PC, built during high school on a strict budget, was housed in a cheap cabinet with zero airflow.

• The Specs: Intel Core i5 3330, 4GB RAM, and no GPU.
• The Problem: While editing and gaming, CPU temperatures hit 90°C+.
• The "Fix": I had zip-tied extra fans inside the case to force airflow, but it only succeeded in turning the PC into a massive dust magnet. My old PC

The Upgrade

To fix the thermals and add gaming capability, I overhauled the system:

• GPU: Zotac GTX 1060 AMP! Edition (6GB) – Overkill for the i5 3330, but future-proof.
• Case: iBall Black Stallion – Chosen for its 5-fan support and RGB.
• PSU: Corsair CX650M – Modular cables for cleaner management.

Production Notes

• The Hook: I intentionally started with "glamour shots" of the finished, blue-lit build to hook the viewer before diving into the dusty reality of the old PC.
• The Blooper: The video includes a genuine moment of panic where the PC wouldn't turn on. The reason? Nerves got the better of me, and I was pressing the Reset button instead of Power.
• Visual Contrast: The story moves from flat, messy room lighting (the struggle) to cinematic, dark shots lit only by the new blue LEDs (the resolution).