I'm currently playing games with a GTX 1650 Super 4GB, and I feel like it's holding me back. I have an Intel i7-8700 3.2GHz paired with an H310M Motherboard. I'm considering purchasing a Radeon RX 9070 16GB GPU right now, along with upgrading my power supply. My plan is to upgrade the rest of my components later, but I'm aware that my CPU might become the next bottleneck. Is this a sensible strategy?
5 Answers
Yeah, if you can only upgrade one part right now, that's fine. Just know you'll hit a CPU bottleneck next, but it's a good short-term plan until prices come down for DDR5.
I'd say go for the GPU! The i7-8700 is still a powerful 6-core processor, and you might not notice significant bottlenecking right away—it really depends on what games you're playing.
Thanks for the reassurance!
That sounds pretty much like my approach! I usually upgrade the CPU, motherboard, RAM, and power supply first, then get a GPU later when prices are better. It helps spread the costs over time.
I think I'll adopt that strategy too!
That’s totally reasonable. Just remember to uninstall any old drivers properly since you’re switching brands. Do you have a specific budget in mind for this upgrade? And I'm guessing you own a 1440p monitor?
I’m aiming for around $1000 total, which includes the PSU and a new monitor. DDU is a great tip—appreciate it!
You'll definitely experience some bottlenecking, but upgrading to the RX 9070 will be a massive improvement over your 1650—you’ll be amazed at the difference! Depending on your resolution and FPS targets, the impact might be less noticeable than you think.
Exactly, I had to lower my budget too because of rising DDR5 costs!