I'm gearing up to upgrade my gaming setup and could use some advice before making any decisions. Currently, I have a Ryzen 7 3700X, MSI B450 Tomahawk MAX motherboard, an RTX 2070 Super, and 16 GB of DDR4-3600 RAM with a 600W PSU.
I'm planning to get an RX 9070 XT and a 750W PSU. My goal is to achieve around 60 FPS at 4K and approximately 144 FPS at 1440p.
I'm wondering if my 3700X will bottleneck the 9070 XT enough to warrant an immediate upgrade, and I'm also considering if it's essential to upgrade my RAM beyond the current 16 GB, especially given the supply shortages. I'm focused solely on gaming, and while I'm currently using Windows, I might switch to Linux in the future.
Any insights would be greatly appreciated!
7 Answers
I use a 5070 Ti with a 5700X3D and I can tell you that at 1440p, I often hit CPU limits. So yeah, in your case, the 3700X will likely be a bottleneck at higher frame targets.
Your CPU and RAM could definitely hold back your performance. I'd suggest considering an AM5 upgrade if it's within your budget for a more future-proof setup. For example, a Ryzen 5 7600x with a compatible motherboard could be a good investment.
The 3700X might slow you down a bit, but you could still hit your FPS goals. You’ve got good upgrade options with Zen 3, so you might wait and see how the 9070 XT performs before making any decisions on the CPU.
Look into a good deal for a 5500X3D and 32 GB of DDR4 RAM. That should set you for the next several years.
For an easy upgrade, consider the Ryzen 5600x. I’ve got one with a 9070 XT, and while it doesn't max out all potential, it runs beautifully at 1440p. Plus, it’s relatively affordable right now.
Before making any hasty decisions, see how the 9070 XT performs first. If it turns out to be limited by the CPU, you could then look at upgrading to an AM5 setup down the line.
Upgrading to a Ryzen 5 5600 would be a solid move. Your 16 GB RAM should be okay as long as the timings are decent, but keep in mind the current RAM situation before deciding on an upgrade. Focusing on the CPU can give a nice performance boost, especially since you've got the option to enhance later.
Absolutely! I upgraded from a 3600 to a 5600, and it made a noticeable difference.
You can find great deals for bundles at places like Microcenter. It’s worth checking out!