My current PC has an RTX 3060 Ti, an i5-8400, 16GB of 2400MHz DDR4, an H310M 2.0 S2H motherboard, and an 850W Gigabyte power supply. The system was originally a budget build from 2019, with the GPU, PSU, and storage upgraded over time, but the CPU, RAM, and motherboard are now holding it back.
I'm considering an i5-13600K with 32GB of faster DDR4, ideally keeping the RTX 3060 Ti and PSU. My budget is preferably under £500, and I'm happy to buy used parts. The PC is used for games such as Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Rainbow Six Siege, Road to Vostok, Ready or Not, and possibly VR. I also use DaVinci Resolve, Lightroom Classic, and Photoshop.
My creative work includes photography and video editing. I may work with 4K All-Intra MOV files and 6K ProRes 422 footage at around 1.9Gbps, which can be demanding to edit and even preview. Lightroom work can also involve caching 1,000–2,000 images at a time.
Would an i5-13600K with 32GB of DDR4 be a sensible upgrade, or is there a better CPU, platform, or memory choice I should consider?
4 Answers
Before buying, confirm the exact PSU model rather than relying only on its wattage. An 850W unit is more than enough for this hardware if it’s a decent-quality model, but some older budget supplies are worth replacing. Also compare the total cost of the CPU, motherboard, and RAM together—used bundles can offer much better value than buying each part separately.
AMD is worth checking too, especially if you find a good used bundle with a Ryzen CPU and motherboard. The choice depends on the applications, codecs, and prices available, though Intel can still be attractive for mixed gaming and productivity use. Make sure the specific Resolve and media-playback features you rely on are supported before deciding.
If you’re buying a new platform, DDR5 is technically the better long-term option, but it may not be the best use of this budget. For your workload, 32GB of DDR4 is likely more useful than paying extra for 16GB of DDR5. Ideally, aim for 32GB minimum and consider 64GB later if Resolve, high-bitrate footage, or large Lightroom catalogs regularly push memory usage high.
The i5-13600K would be a substantial upgrade for both gaming and creative workloads, but remember that your current H310 motherboard cannot run it. You’ll need a new LGA1700 board as well, preferably one that supports DDR4 if you want to reuse or buy affordable DDR4. Once the CPU is upgraded, the RTX 3060 Ti will become the limiting part in many games, but that is fine—you’ll still get a much more balanced system overall. A used i5-13600K or i5-14600KF could be worth considering, depending on local prices.
That’s my thinking as well. I’d rather have 32GB of decent DDR4 than spend the same money on a newer platform with only 16GB, especially since I’m trying to keep the whole upgrade under £500.