I'm planning to upgrade my PC but I'm stuck on which component to tackle first. Right now, I've got a Ryzen 5 7600 waiting to be installed with a B650-E motherboard and Patriot Viper 6000mhz RAM, plus an RX 7600XT GPU. But my current setup has an i7-7700K CPU and a 1070TI GPU. I can only afford to upgrade one at a time—what do you guys think I should prioritize? Any advice would be really helpful!
5 Answers
It really depends on what you do most. If you play demanding games or do anything 3D-related, the GPU might be the better choice. But if you play less GPU-intensive games and want better overall responsiveness, upgrading the CPU to the Ryzen 5 could be the way to go.
Honestly, if you're planning a whole overhaul, you might want to save up a bit longer and get everything upgraded. If you're thinking of the DDR5 setup, it's going to mean more swapping out parts anyway. But if you really want to upgrade one at a time, I'd lean towards the GPU first. It'll work fine with your i7 for now.
Keep in mind, the Nvidia 1000 series will lose driver support soon, so going for a GPU upgrade might be more sensible. Unless you're really into esports and need the FPS, then focusing on the CPU could be worth it.
Check your GPU utilization while you game. If it's hitting close to 100%, then definitely upgrade that first. If it's way below, then the CPU might be the better bet to keep the performance balanced.
I'd say go for the GPU first, especially since you're running an older 1070TI. The RX 7600XT will give you a nice boost in performance for gaming.
That's a good point! If you're gaming competitively, having the best CPU could definitely help with low frame latency.