I've been enjoying modded Skyrim a lot on my gaming PC that I built back in 2020 when I was 16. However, I've been experiencing some serious performance issues, especially with all the mods. I'm not as up-to-date with PC parts as I used to be, so I'm looking for some advice on the most cost-effective upgrades to enhance my gaming experience. I mainly stick to single-player games, including some older titles. If you could help me out with some recommendations, I'd really appreciate it! Here are my current specs:
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Six-Core Processor at 3.40 GHz
- Installed RAM: 16.0 GB
- Storage: 224 GB SSD ADATA SU635
- Graphics Card: Radeon RX 570 Series (8 GB)
- Power Supply: EVGA 450 BT 80+ Bronze (450 watt)
2 Answers
A solid option would be to upgrade your motherboard's BIOS, then swap in a Ryzen 5 5600X for a noticeable CPU performance boost. You can often find used parts that are still reliable. Your 16GB of RAM should work fine unless you're pushing it with heavy mods. Also, consider getting a new power supply — aim for at least 550W, but I’d recommend 650W to be safe. For the GPU, something like the Radeon 9060XT with 16GB would be a great fit, or a B580 with 12GB if that fits your budget better.
Honestly, you might need to consider a whole PC upgrade to see major improvements. If you're looking to save some parts, you could keep the RAM and motherboard, but that limits you to DDR4 and AM4. If you're going for a CPU upgrade, I'd suggest something like the Ryzen 5 5600 or 5500 to save costs. Also, you'll want to think about upgrading your storage too, because that 224 GB SSD will fill up quickly with mods!
For sure! More storage will go a long way, especially when dealing with mods.
Ah, I was kind of expecting the whole PC upgrade might be necessary. Thanks for your input! And yes, I definitely regret skimping on storage from the start.