I'm currently running a Ryzen 5 3600, GTX 1080, and 32GB of DDR4-3200 CL16 memory. I recently bought WarDogs to play with friends, but it seems my system needs an upgrade. Ideally, I'd like to spend no more than AUD$1,000, though I could stretch to around AUD$1,500–$2,000 if absolutely necessary. Used hardware is fine, so I'd appreciate suggestions with realistic price ranges. Should I focus on replacing only the GPU, or would upgrading the CPU and other components provide better results? If a full platform upgrade isn't needed, what would offer the best performance for the money?
3 Answers
You can get a substantial improvement without replacing the whole system. A Ryzen 5 5600 is a sensible, relatively inexpensive CPU upgrade, while a Ryzen 5 5500X3D would be the stronger gaming-focused option if you find one at a reasonable price. Pair that with an RX 9060 XT 16GB and you should be close to the AUD$1,000 target. The 8GB model would still be a major step up from the GTX 1080, but the 16GB version should age better.
The 5500X3D can be difficult to justify if local pricing is much higher than the standard 5600, so it’s worth comparing prices before choosing it.
For a balanced upgrade, look at a Ryzen 5 5600 or 5500X3D and then shop around for a used RTX 3080 or RTX 4070. Depending on local pricing, newer options such as an RX 9070 GRE, RTX 5060, or RX 9060 XT 16GB could also work. You shouldn’t need new RAM or a motherboard unless your current board lacks BIOS support for the CPU you choose.
I’d start with the CPU rather than immediately replacing the graphics card. A Ryzen 5 5600 or 5600X costs roughly AUD$210 and is a straightforward upgrade. WarDogs appears to be fairly CPU-intensive, so that change alone may smooth out performance considerably. Your GTX 1080 is still usable, and GPU prices are high enough that waiting for a sale, cashback offer, or good used deal could be the better move.
Even the regular Ryzen 5 5600 should be enough for a noticeable improvement, especially since the existing motherboard and memory can probably be reused.