Hey everyone! I've been using my PC for about five years now, and it's really starting to show its age. I'm wondering if I should replace it entirely or if I can gradually upgrade some parts. My current specs are:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600
- Motherboard: B450M Gaming Plus (MS-7B87)
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
The main issue is that my PC is underperforming quite a bit. I'm looking for some advice on what would be the best first step to take within a budget of around $1000. I'd appreciate any suggestions on upgrades that will help me improve performance without having to buy an entirely new machine just yet. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to help me out!
2 Answers
You didn't mention your storage, so adding an SSD could really improve your system's speed. If you don't have a good power supply, you may need that too for any new components. Here’s a quick build list I put together:
- **CPU**: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 for about $127
- **RAM**: Consider upgrading to 32GB with something like the Silicon Power XPOWER Turbine for around $46
- **Storage**: Add a Crucial P3 Plus 1TB SSD for roughly $62
- **GPU**: A Gigabyte GeForce RTX 5070 for around $610
Total comes to about $845, which leaves you with some room to spare! Check PCPartPicker for more detailed compatibility options.
If you're thinking about gradual upgrades, the AMD platform is great for that! I’d suggest looking into the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. It's a solid gaming CPU but a bit pricier, so you might need to balance that with a GPU upgrade too.
A full upgrade would mean changing the motherboard, CPU, RAM, and GPU while possibly needing a new power supply. I'd recommend starting with the CPU and then getting the best GPU you can afford. I had a 5700XT before upgrading to a 6900XT, which can deliver fantastic performance at 1440p! They were pretty affordable at one point too.
So yeah, aim for the 5800X3D for CPU, and you can't go wrong with modern GPUs like the 6800 or higher.
Thanks for the detailed advice! I really appreciate it, and I'll definitely keep AMD in mind since I've had a good experience with them so far.
Thanks a lot for the suggestions! I’ll definitely consider upgrading my SSD and taking a look at the prices.