I built this PC in 2020 after hunting for parts during the inflated market: Ryzen 5 1600, Radeon RX 5500 XT 8GB, Gigabyte B450 AORUS M motherboard, 16GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200, 500GB WD Blue SSD, a 500W ARESGAME power supply, and an older Cooler Master case. My main priority is improving gaming performance, while storage and the case can wait. I have about $500–$600 USD to spend and would appreciate advice on which parts to upgrade first. I'm also near a Micro Center and would consider used hardware, although I'm not very familiar with buying secondhand.
5 Answers
Start by updating the motherboard BIOS to the latest official version, then replace the Ryzen 5 1600 with a Ryzen 5 5600. For the graphics card, a used RTX 4060 could be a reasonable match and may let you keep the current power supply, although I’d still verify the PSU’s quality and condition before relying on it.
If you can find good prices, a Ryzen 5 5500 or 5600 paired with a Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB could fit around $500–$550. Used parts may give you more performance for the money, such as a Ryzen 5 5600 or 5700 and a stronger previous-generation graphics card. Check reputable local listings, established used-hardware stores, and marketplaces with buyer protection.
You’re in an awkward spot because the CPU and GPU both need an upgrade, and the 500W ARESGAME unit may not be something I’d keep for a newer graphics card. Look for a Ryzen 5 5600 or better, then put the remaining money toward a graphics card and a reputable power supply. Since you’re near Micro Center, check their CPU bundles and motherboard BIOS support.
I’m close to a Micro Center, so I’ll check their bundles. I’m also willing to spend a little extra on a better power supply if necessary.
A balanced new-parts option would be a Ryzen 5 5600-class processor paired with an RTX 5060 or a similar midrange card. That should make a strong 1080p combination and fit near the upper end of your budget, depending on current prices.
A Ryzen 5 5600 with an Intel Arc B580 12GB and a new 750W Gold-rated power supply can land around $550. The B580 gives you more VRAM than many competing cards, but make sure your BIOS, drivers, and motherboard settings are up to date, since it may be a less straightforward choice than an established Nvidia or AMD option.
The B580 is a somewhat unusual recommendation for this older system, so I’d compare current performance, driver support, and pricing against similarly priced AMD or Nvidia cards before choosing it.
I haven’t bought used PC parts before, so I’ll need to learn how to verify the condition and avoid bad listings.