Most of the components in my gaming PC are around five years old. It has been reliable until recently, but general performance has become sluggish, and I'm now lowering settings in games such as Siege, CS, Battlefield 6, and the WARDOGS Alpha without getting the performance I want.
The SSD has become especially slow during Steam downloads and game updates. It is fairly full, and drive-health software suggests it may be starting to deteriorate, so I'm planning to replace it soon. Beyond that, I'm unsure which component is the biggest limitation.
I mainly want better FPS gaming performance, ideally without spending an unreasonable amount. I'm open to saving for a larger upgrade if it offers good value. Which parts should I prioritize, and are there any compatibility or power-supply concerns I should account for?
3 Answers
The graphics card is probably the most worthwhile upgrade for gaming, especially if you’re playing at 1440p. Depending on local prices, a used RTX 3080 or RX 6800 XT could offer a strong improvement, while newer options such as an RX 7800 XT or RTX 4070 Ti Super are also worth considering if they fit your budget.
I’d start with a newer GPU, but check your power supply before buying. A faster card may require more power or different connectors, so make sure the PSU has enough capacity and is in good condition. Your current CPU should still be capable of supporting a substantially faster GPU, at least up to a reasonable point.
Before replacing the SSD, check how much free space is left and confirm its health. Keeping roughly 10–20% of the drive empty helps maintain performance, and a drive that is genuinely wearing out should definitely be replaced. That said, the SSD is unlikely to be the main cause of low in-game FPS; the GPU is the more obvious gaming upgrade.
The SSD is quite full, and the health check does suggest it may be starting to fail, so I’ll replace it and leave more free space this time. I’ll also investigate the GPU and PSU together rather than assuming the power supply is automatically suitable for any upgrade.