What should I upgrade first for smoother 165Hz gaming?

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Asked By MellowPine47 On

I built my PC in 2022 and want to upgrade it gradually for better gaming performance. I mainly want Valorant to run smoothly again and to play Red Dead Redemption 2 and Horizon Zero Dawn with decent graphics. My monitor supports up to 165Hz, but my current system cannot consistently keep up.

I do not have a strict budget, although I would be comfortable spending around €1,500 in total if necessary. I would prefer not to replace every component at once, since graphics cards are expensive. A white-themed build would also be nice if it does not add too much to the price.

My current parts are:
- Lexar NM790 2TB SSD
- AMD Radeon RX 6600
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
- Corsair RM550x 550W power supply
- Gigabyte B550M Aorus Elite motherboard
- 16GB Crucial Ballistix DDR4-3200 memory
- Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240

I am based in Italy and would also appreciate recommendations for a new case. I currently have a MetallicGear Neo Air ATX, but I do not like it much and would like a case with good airflow and room for additional fans.

1 Answer

Answered By CopperAtlas8 On

I would upgrade the power supply before installing a much faster graphics card. Your 550W unit is fine for the RX 6600, but a modern midrange GPU would be better paired with a quality 750W supply. An 850W model gives you more headroom for future upgrades, though it is not necessary for every build.

After that, upgrade the GPU. The RX 6600 is the biggest limitation for higher settings and high refresh-rate gaming. The Ryzen 5 5600X is still usable, especially at higher resolutions, although it may become the next limitation in games where you are targeting very high frame rates. Look for GPU deals in Italy, including reputable used options, and choose the exact model based on your total budget and desired resolution.

MellowPine47 -

I could spend around €1,500 overall right now, but I would rather replace only what is necessary. I know a power supply is relatively affordable, while the graphics card will take up most of the budget.

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