I'm looking for advice on upgrading my gaming PC. It currently has a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700KF, 32 GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 with 8 GB of VRAM, and a 650W 80+ power supply. I use a 3440×1440 ultrawide monitor and have a budget of about £500 (roughly $682). My goal is to run demanding games at ultra settings with at least 60 FPS, especially No Man's Sky in VR, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Cyberpunk 2077, Paradox titles, and farming or truck simulators. I'm not very experienced with PC upgrades, so I'd appreciate advice on which parts are worth replacing and whether my power supply can handle a stronger graphics card.
4 Answers
The processor and 32 GB of RAM are still perfectly capable, so the graphics card is the obvious upgrade. At 3440×1440, the RTX 4060 is going to be the limiting part in newer AAA games, especially with only 8 GB of VRAM. Look for the fastest GPU you can get within the £500 budget, but check its recommended power supply before buying. A higher-end card may require replacing the 650W unit as well.
A Radeon RX 9070 or 9070 XT would provide a large performance increase over the RTX 4060 and would be a much better match for ultrawide 1440p. However, selling the current card can help fund the upgrade, and the XT model may push both your budget and 650W power supply too far. Make sure the replacement PSU is a reputable model with enough wattage and the correct power connectors if you choose one of those cards.
I wouldn’t spend the budget on a new CPU or more memory. Your i7-12700KF is still strong for these games, including simulation-heavy titles, and 32 GB is enough for now. Put the money toward the GPU first. For VR, also check the card’s encoder, VR performance, and support for upscaling features rather than judging it only by standard 1440p benchmark numbers.
Before ordering anything, confirm the exact power-supply model, not just the 650W rating. An older or low-quality unit is a poor match for a modern, power-hungry GPU. If the PSU is good quality, a moderately more efficient upgrade may be possible; otherwise, plan for a PSU replacement alongside the graphics card. Ultra settings at 3440×1440 and 60 FPS in every AAA game may still require upscaling or a few settings reductions, even with a substantial GPU upgrade.
The display is 3440×1440 and I can spend around £500, so I’ll compare the GPU price with the cost of upgrading the power supply too.