I built this PC about six years ago and haven't really followed hardware upgrades since. Lately, I've been having trouble maintaining 144 FPS when playing a game while also keeping a browser video or Spotify open. I mostly play competitive games, so I care more about consistent frame rates than maximum graphics settings. I currently play Overwatch, Deadlock, and Clair Obscur, and I'd also like the system to handle GTA 6 if a PC version becomes available. My budget is around $1,200 in the United States. The system has a Ryzen 5 3600X, 16 GB of 3600 MHz RAM, an RTX 2060 Super, a 1 TB SSD, and a 1 TB hard drive. What should I upgrade first?
4 Answers
For competitive games, I’d upgrade the processor before jumping straight to a new GPU. A Ryzen 7 5700X3D is usually the best drop-in gaming upgrade for an older AM4 system, though you should check motherboard support and update the BIOS first. Going from 16 GB to 32 GB of RAM would also be sensible if you regularly keep other apps open, but RAM alone probably isn’t the main cause of the frame drops.
The first upgrade I’d look at is the CPU. Since you’re already on the AM4 platform, a Ryzen 7 5700X3D would be a major improvement for high and consistent FPS without requiring a new motherboard or RAM kit. It also gives you two extra cores, which should help when gaming alongside a browser or media player. After that, put the remaining budget toward a graphics card if your performance tests show the RTX 2060 Super is holding you back.
With a $1,200 budget, you can reasonably do both a platform-friendly CPU upgrade and a graphics upgrade. Start by checking whether your games are CPU- or GPU-limited while the problem is happening. If the CPU is near full usage or frame-time spikes when other apps are open, choose the 5700X3D first. If the GPU is at 95–100% usage, look at a modern midrange card such as an RX 9060 XT, RX 9070-class card, or a comparable current NVIDIA model. Don’t buy based only on the model number—compare current benchmarks and prices.
A Ryzen 5 5600X would be a cheaper improvement, but it’s not as compelling as the 5700X3D if you can afford it. The 5700X3D offers better gaming performance and more headroom for multitasking. I’d avoid buying an RTX 3060 or 3070 Ti unless you find an unusually good deal, since newer cards generally offer better efficiency, features, and warranty support.
That sounds appealing since I’d rather avoid replacing the motherboard if I can. My RAM is already running at 3600 MHz.