After a year of dormancy, my old PC, equipped with a Ryzen 5 1600 and a GTX 1660 Ti, found itself back in the spotlight. Initially, I intended to perform some basic maintenance—cleaning the tower and replacing the thermal paste on both the CPU and GPU. However, as I delved deeper, I discovered a world of potential enhancements. With a few simple tweaks, I was able to unlock performance levels I hadn’t anticipated.

Tuning the fan curves for lower noise levels

It was way overdue

Years of neglect had left my old PC’s noise levels quite high, a stark contrast to my current build where I had meticulously set custom fan curves. Back in 2017, I hadn’t thought much about fan noise; the stock settings seemed adequate. However, as I prepped the machine for use, I decided to take the opportunity to optimize the fan curves. My goal was simple: reduce noise without compromising performance.

Utilizing Fan Control, I adjusted the fan curves for each of the three fans in the system. While the PC didn’t transform into a whisper-quiet machine, the difference was palpable. Gaming sessions no longer required headphones to drown out the noise, making the experience far more enjoyable.

Converting MBR to GPT to enable Resizable BAR

I was missing out on a free FPS boost

Upon exploring the BIOS, I realized that my Windows 10 installation was on an MBR-formatted drive, preventing me from utilizing the Resizable BAR feature. Thankfully, converting the drive to GPT was straightforward, and I managed to do so without losing any data. Once I transitioned from BIOS to UEFI, enabling Resizable BAR was a breeze.

The results were gratifying. I observed an average FPS increase of 5–10% across several games, including Far Cry Primal and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. Although I didn’t plan to spend much time on this machine, it was rewarding to see tangible improvements after years of stagnation.

Repasting the CPU and GPU for better temps

Better late than never

In the five years I had used my old PC, I had never replaced the thermal paste on either the CPU or GPU. While temperatures had remained manageable, I felt it was time for a refresh. After removing the CPU cooler and cleaning off the old paste, I applied a new layer from a tube I had on hand. I followed the same process for the GPU, carefully disassembling it to ensure a thorough job.

The results were modest yet satisfying: idle temperatures for the Ryzen 5 1600 dropped from around 45℃ to approximately 40℃, while the GTX 1660 Ti saw a similar reduction. Although gaming temperatures remained stable, the effort was worthwhile, especially considering the minimal cost involved.

Undervolting the GPU for more performance

The FPS boost came as a surprise

Confident from my previous successes, I decided to undervolt the GTX 1660 Ti. My primary aim was to reduce power consumption and heat output, as this machine was no longer my primary gaming rig. To my surprise, not only did I achieve lower idle and gaming temperatures, but I also experienced a slight uptick in average FPS. Undervolting allowed the GPU to maintain higher clock speeds longer due to improved thermal headroom, enhancing both performance and efficiency.

Sometimes, the best PC upgrades don’t cost a cent

Improving an aging PC doesn’t always require significant financial investment. Simple adjustments such as repasting components, undervolting, and optimizing fan settings can lead to notable enhancements in performance, temperature management, and noise reduction. My old PC now feels revitalized, proving that sometimes, the most effective upgrades are those that come at no cost.