I built this PC in 2018 and would like to play modern games without spending much on a completely new system. Are there sensible upgrades that would keep some of the existing parts, or would I effectively be rebuilding the whole computer and be better off with a prebuilt? Current parts are a Ryzen 3 2200G, Gigabyte GA-AB350M-Gaming motherboard, 8GB of DDR4 memory, and an N-WIN slim Mini-ITX case with an included 150W power supply. My budget is under about $600 in the United States.
4 Answers
For a budget build, look for a Ryzen 5 5500 bundle with a compatible motherboard and 16GB of RAM, then pair it with something like a Radeon RX 6600 and a quality 550–650W power supply. That should provide a solid 1080p gaming system for under $600 if you shop carefully or buy some parts used. Your existing B350 board might support a newer Ryzen after a BIOS update, but check Gigabyte’s CPU support list before relying on it.
Cloud gaming is another option if your internet connection is fast and stable. A service such as GeForce Now could let this computer run newer games for a relatively low annual cost, though streaming adds some latency and depends heavily on connection quality.
If your budget is firm, you could upgrade gradually: add another 8GB DDR4 stick if it matches your current memory, replace the power supply and case, and then add a used RX 6600 or similar card. However, the old 2200G will limit performance in newer CPU-heavy games. A complete CPU, motherboard, RAM, GPU, PSU, and case refresh may offer better value than putting much money into the original platform.
The motherboard and possibly your storage can be reused, but the 150W power supply is not suitable for a gaming graphics card. You would need a new PSU, a dedicated GPU, at least 16GB of RAM, and probably a larger case if the current slim case cannot fit a full-height graphics card. At that point, it is a substantial rebuild rather than a small upgrade.
The stock cooler that comes with the Ryzen 5 5500 should be adequate, so a separate CPU cooler is not necessary unless you want quieter operation.