I used to build custom PCs years ago, but I'm out of practice and could use some advice. My current system has a Ryzen 5 5600X, B550 motherboard, 16GB of 3200MHz RAM, a GTX 970, and a 500GB NVMe SSD. I recently replaced a 60Hz Dell monitor with an Asus 27-inch 1440p 280Hz display. I can only reach 144Hz at 1440p, which I understand may be a limitation of the connection or hardware.
Since changing monitors, games have started freezing and stuttering, and my network connection seems to drop or lag every few seconds. I often have around 10 Chrome tabs open while playing lighter games such as CS:GO. The system used to handle more tabs and gaming without major problems, so I'm unsure whether the monitor exposed a GPU limitation, whether 16GB of RAM is no longer enough, or whether my nearly full SSD could be contributing.
What is most likely causing the poor performance, and what upgrade path would make the most sense for work and light 1440p gaming?
4 Answers
Before buying parts, monitor the system with HWiNFO or a similar tool while gaming. Check CPU and GPU temperatures, GPU utilization, RAM usage, disk activity, and whether the SSD is nearly full. Confirm that XMP is enabled so the memory runs at its rated speed, and run a memory test if you suspect instability. Since the network issue began at the same time, also test another cable or Wi‑Fi connection and update the network adapter driver—the display upgrade alone should not disconnect your network.
16GB can definitely become tight with Chrome, a game, recordings, and background programs. Check Task Manager while the stuttering happens: if memory usage is around 90–100% and the system is using the page file, move to 32GB. Also check the NVMe drive’s free space. A 500GB drive containing Windows, games, and roughly 100GB of recordings can get cramped, so keep at least 10–20% free or add a larger SSD.
A modern midrange 16GB graphics card would be a much better match for 1440p than the GTX 970. Something in the class of an RX 9060 XT 16GB would generally be a more comfortable long-term choice than an 8GB card, especially at 1440p. You may not run every game at 280Hz, but you should get a smoother experience at sensible settings. Don’t buy based only on the monitor’s maximum refresh rate.
The monitor itself shouldn’t cause your internet connection to drop, but moving to 1440p increases the workload on your GTX 970. That graphics card is very old for modern 1440p gaming and is the clearest upgrade target. Your Ryzen 5 5600X and B550 board are still suitable for work and lighter games, so I’d upgrade the GPU first rather than rebuilding the whole system.
That makes sense. I noticed my memory is often above 80%, and I also found around 100GB of old gameplay recordings taking up space. I’ll clean those up and look into a 32GB kit.