Hey everyone! I've had my PC for about 9 years now and I'm eager to start upgrading it gradually to boost its gaming performance. I'm new to the whole upgrading process but have a technical background, so if you can break things down for me, that would be awesome. Most of the games I play are pretty light, like puzzle games and 2D platformers, but I also want to play some heavier titles like Talos Principle 2 and Jedi Survivor. I'm okay with playing on medium or low settings as long as the games run smoothly. I'm hoping to find some decent, older components without breaking the bank because I doubt I need top-end specs to achieve my goals.
Current setup:
- Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6400 CPU
- 16 GB RAM
- Intel(R) HD Graphics 530 (which I think is integrated)
Any advice on what I should upgrade first and what components would be suitable? Thanks a bunch!
2 Answers
You know, upgrading bit by bit isn't always the best route. I’d recommend saving a little longer to eventually build a more robust system. Meanwhile, can I ask what resolution you play at? 1080p or 1440p?
If you're set on upgrading incrementally, I would suggest this path:
1. If you're still using an HDD, switch to an SSD for faster load times. Your motherboard might support a Gen3 x4 NVMe connection, and a Gen4 x4 SSD would work too!
2. Look for a decent 750+ watt PSU and a GPU, like the 9060XT, which is around $150 and $300 respectively.
3. You'll need to upgrade your motherboard, RAM, and CPU all at once because the new boards use DDR5 RAM and have different CPU sockets. Make sure you don't have an OEM case like from HP or Dell, or you might need to buy a new one as well to fit the components.
4. Finally, think about a new case, fans, and coolers for better airflow.
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