I'm considering increasing my RAM from 16GB to 32GB. Should I take advantage of a MicroCenter deal to upgrade my motherboard and CPU to AM5 along with getting DDR5 RAM (around $500), or should I just add more DDR4 RAM to my current setup (around $150)? My PC is a bit older (6 years old) but I recently upgraded the GPU. Here are the specs:
- B450 Tomahawk Max AM4 Motherboard
- 16GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM
- Ryzen 5 3600 CPU
- RTX 5060Ti 16GB GPU
Though I'm satisfied with my current performance, I feel like my setup may struggle during streams, especially with demanding games like Hogwarts Legacy. Otherwise, it handles 1080p gaming at 60fps pretty well. The potential AM5 upgrade would give me either a Ryzen 7 7700X or 9700X with 32GB of DDR5-6000. I'm weighing whether the upgrade is worth it or if just adding more DDR4 RAM would be sufficient. I'd love to hear your thoughts!
4 Answers
If you've got MicroCenter nearby, definitely make use of their deals! Just buying 16GB of DDR4 is about 30% of the cost of an entire platform upgrade. Plus, moving to an 8-core CPU with the AM5 bundle is a pretty good deal!
If you do upgrade, keep in mind you can sell your old CPU, motherboard, and RAM to recover some costs. That way, the hit won't feel as hard!
Honestly, if you have the budget, upgrading would really benefit you. Your 3600 CPU is getting a bit dated, and a new platform can give you a nice performance bump. If it's doable, I’d recommend going for the upgrade.
Definitely lean toward the upgrade. If you can, aim for the 7800X3D. You could sell your older components for some extra cash, making the transition easier.
Totally agree! That's actually what I did, and it worked out great.