I'm looking to enhance my gaming setup and could use some advice on which components to upgrade. Currently, I have a Ryzen 7 7700 processor, 32GB of DDR5 RAM at 6000MT, and an RX 9060 XT graphics card, all housed in a Gigabyte B850 AORUS ELITE motherboard. My storage includes a 3TB SSD (gen 4 + 5) in a Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh C case, which has GPU support for up to 350mm. I also own a RM 750e power supply, but I've got an older RM850 as a backup.
I'm considering upgrading to either an RX 9070 XT or an RX 7900 XTX, as I can find both for around £650, but I'm also contemplating whether a CPU upgrade to something like an X3D would be a wiser investment. I play a range of games from older titles like Just Cause 3 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider to new AAA games such as Cyberpunk and Warhammer (especially with FH6 coming out soon). I've recently moved to a 1440p 280Hz monitor, so an OLED isn't a priority just yet.
My maximum budget for this upgrade is about £700. I'd appreciate any insights on what I should focus on first! Thanks in advance!
3 Answers
Before you decide, think about what you want from your upgrades. If you’re happy with your gaming performance, it might not be necessary to rush into an upgrade. But if you feel there's room for improvement, a GPU upgrade could definitely offer more immediate benefits than a CPU one. Just ensure you're not hitting CPU bottlenecks—if your CPU isn't struggling, then a GPU upgrade is the way to go.
I think upgrading the GPU would be your best bet. Going for the 9070 XT or the 7900 XTX will definitely give you a performance boost, especially for the games you're playing. Just make sure you really need it—if you're generally satisfied with how things run now, it might be worth holding off until a game truly demands more from your system. Also, you could invest that money in peripherals like a nice keyboard or gaming headset, which could enhance your overall experience a lot more than just a few extra FPS in games!
Yeah, I've been thinking that a new keyboard might be a good choice for me too. What do you recommend?
If you're not feeling constrained by your CPU, I’d lean towards a GPU upgrade first. A decent graphics card will fit your budget better than a high-end CPU upgrade. The X3D chips are powerful, but unless you're really hitting limits, focusing on the graphics might yield quicker improvements for gaming right now.
That's a great point! I sometimes feel like my games could run smoother, but they've been fine overall. Maybe holding off makes sense.