I'm deciding whether to keep upgrading my current PC or sell it and start over. My system has an Intel Core i5-8400, an RX 580 8GB, 16GB of DDR4-2400 memory, a 128GB SSD, a 1TB hard drive, a Seasonic Focus 650W 80+ Gold power supply, and a Yeyian liquid cooler. I have about 8,500 MXN (roughly $450 USD) to spend, plus whatever I could make by selling the existing parts. I mainly play games at 1080p and want a noticeable performance improvement that should remain useful for the next few years. Would it make more sense to upgrade this platform, perhaps with a used graphics card and more storage, or sell the system and move to a newer platform such as AM4 or AM5?
3 Answers
A newer CPU and motherboard are not necessarily the best first move here because the slow DDR4-2400 memory limits the benefit, and the RX 580 is still the main gaming bottleneck in many titles. I’d prioritize a graphics card and more storage, then consider moving to a newer platform later when you have a larger budget. If the memory is only one 16GB module, adding a matching second stick for dual-channel operation could also help, provided the motherboard and kit support it.
With that budget, selling the entire PC and building a new one may not provide much value, especially depending on local prices. The biggest improvement for 1080p gaming would probably come from replacing the RX 580 with a used card such as an RX 6600 XT, RX 6700 XT, RTX 3060 Ti, or RTX 4060. Your 650W power supply should be suitable for many of these options, assuming it is in good condition. A larger SSD should also be a priority because 128GB fills up very quickly. If you mainly play competitive esports games, then a CPU and motherboard upgrade could make more sense instead.
I’d keep the current system for now and upgrade in stages. First, update the motherboard BIOS if it has not been updated recently. Then sell the RX 580 and put the money toward a used RX 6700 XT 12GB or a similar midrange card. Add a 500GB or 1TB SSD for games, preferably replacing the hard drive as your main game storage. After the graphics card upgrade, you could look for a reasonably priced used i7-8700 as a final CPU upgrade for this platform.
The motherboard is an Aorus Z370 Gaming 5.
Thanks for the advice. My motherboard is currently running BIOS version F15, although English isn’t my first language.