I have a secondary computer that I'd like to give my younger brother for gaming. It currently has an Intel Core i5-6500T, 8GB of RAM, an RX 580 8GB, an H110 motherboard, and a Corsair CX550 power supply. I'd prefer to keep the same motherboard. Should I upgrade the RAM or CPU first, and which upgrades would make the most sense for this system?
4 Answers
After getting 16GB of RAM, a used i7-6700 or i7-7700 would be the sensible CPU upgrade. The extra threads can help reduce CPU limitations, but make sure the motherboard BIOS supports the processor. An i7-7700K can work in an H110 board, but it cannot be overclocked there, so it usually isn’t worth paying extra for the K model.
The H110 platform is fairly old and has limited upgrade options, so I wouldn’t spend too much money on it. For a budget hand-me-down gaming PC, 16GB of RAM plus the existing i5 and RX 580 may already be enough, especially at 1080p. Only buy a used i7 if you can find one cheaply; otherwise, save toward a newer platform later.
Upgrade the memory first. Since the system currently has a single 8GB stick, add another matching 8GB stick if possible, or replace it with a 2x8GB kit. Dual-channel 16GB will help with game smoothness and background applications. The RX 580 is still reasonably matched to this system, so it doesn’t need to be replaced immediately.
The CX550 should be adequate for the current hardware and an efficient midrange GPU, but I wouldn’t install something power-hungry like a used GTX 1080 Ti without checking its condition and power requirements. Also keep in mind that 6th- and 7th-generation Intel systems are not officially supported by Windows 11, so a newer platform or a supported operating system may eventually be preferable.
An i5-7500 would be a smaller improvement and still only has four cores and four threads. It can work, but the i7-6700 or i7-7700 is a more worthwhile CPU upgrade if the price difference is reasonable.