I bought my current PC in 2017 mainly to play Planet Zoo and other simulation games. Since Planet Zoo 2 has been announced, I'm worried my system may not meet the requirements. I'm in Canada and would prefer upgrading a few parts rather than spending around $3,000 CAD on a high-end prebuilt, especially since I'm interested in learning how to build PCs.
My current system has an Intel Core i5-9600KF, a GeForce GTX 1660 Super with 6GB of VRAM, 16GB of RAM, and liquid cooling. The listed minimum requirements for Planet Zoo 2 are an Intel i7-8700K or Ryzen 5 3600, an RTX 2060, RX 5600 XT, or Arc A750, and 16GB of RAM.
The CPU and RAM seem close to the requirements, but the graphics card is below the listed minimum. Is a GPU upgrade all I need, or would upgrading this system create compatibility or performance problems? Am I better off starting over with a completely new build?
2 Answers
You probably don’t need to spend anywhere near $3,000 CAD just to run the game. A lightly used RTX 2080 or 2080 Super could be a reasonable upgrade if you can find one at a good price. Check your power supply first, though; something under roughly 550W may need replacing. A newer CPU and motherboard could also be added later, but they aren’t necessarily required immediately.
Your processor is at least around the listed minimum, and 16GB of RAM should be sufficient to start. The GTX 1660 Super is the main part holding you back, so a graphics-card upgrade is the logical first step. You can always move that GPU into a future full build if you decide to replace the rest later.
I was setting aside about $3,000 CAD for a completely new system, but I’d definitely rather keep the money if a GPU upgrade is enough for now.