I'm looking for some tips on upgrading my PC hardware. Right now, I have a decent setup with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics card, but I want to play newer single-player RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Oblivion Remastered at above 60 FPS, ideally at 1440p with medium graphics settings. My current rig handles older games pretty well, but I feel it struggles with newer titles. From what I've gathered, my CPU is probably the main bottleneck, especially since I got the GPU upgrade for free from a friend. I'm considering upgrading to a newer AMD processor like the Ryzen 5 3600X, which Bethesda recommends for Oblivion Remastered. If I make that switch, do I also need to upgrade my RAM? And what's the installation process like for someone who's never built a PC before? Thanks for any help!
2 Answers
It's not too tricky to upgrade your CPU and RAM! For the Ryzen CPUs, just remember that the AM4 socket can sometimes pull the CPU out with the cooler when you remove it, so let it warm up a bit first. When installing the new CPU, make sure you line up the marked corners, and it should just drop in without any force. Don't forget to apply thermal paste when putting the cooler back on! RAM is straightforward too—just pull up the latches and replace them. I’d suggest checking out a few tutorials on YouTube, they’re really helpful! Happy building!
You probably won’t need to upgrade your RAM, but consider boosting it to 32GB if you're running games that max out your current usage. Instead of the 3600X, maybe look at the 5600XT or 5800XT instead, as they’re still in production. Just a heads up, aiming for 4K at 60 FPS with a 2070 is pretty ambitious; your GPU will hold you back even after a CPU upgrade. If you’re okay with 1440p, you might not even need to upgrade your GPU right away!
Also, if I was willing to settle for 1440p, could I still manage with my current GPU?
Thanks for the advice, much appreciated!