I'm looking to upgrade my PC since I've just got a new RTX 5070. Right now, I'm running an Intel i5-9400F and a Gigabyte B365M motherboard, which isn't great and only supports Intel up to the 9th gen. I built this rig around 2020 when money was tight during college. It's served me well, but with the new GPU, I've noticed how outdated the rest of my setup is. I play at 1440p 144Hz, but some CPU-heavy games struggle, especially with loading times in titles like Street Fighter 6. I'm not in a rush to upgrade since I just spent a chunk on the new GPU, but I'd love some recommendations for a budget-friendly CPU and motherboard combo that can handle multitasking and gaming without breaking the bank. Any thoughts?
1 Answer
You might want to consider the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X or the 7500F. They’re priced around $179 and $140, respectively, and can be paired with a B650 motherboard and some decent DDR5 memory. This combo would really enhance your gaming and multitasking experience. Here’s a sample build I found: [PCPartPicker Link](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Kd6jXk). The total comes in at about $378 and includes all the essentials you need.
If you're leaning towards Intel, check out the newer i5s like the i5-14600K with a B760 and 2x16GB DDR5. It's a solid option if you're familiar with Intel!