My partner's PC has started slowing down and struggling with some newer games and applications. Its current specifications are an Intel Core i5-8400, 16 GB of RAM, a 250 GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD, a 2 TB hard drive, and an NVIDIA GTX 1070 with 8 GB of VRAM. It also lists the integrated Intel UHD 630 graphics, although the GTX 1070 is the card being used for gaming. We were considering replacing the graphics card, but I'm not sure whether it would be a straightforward swap or whether other components would need upgrading at the same time. We're based in the UK and would prefer to keep the budget fairly small unless the system needs a more substantial rebuild. What information should we check, and which upgrades would make the most sense?
2 Answers
Before choosing a graphics card, check the motherboard model, power-supply wattage and connectors, case clearance, and the monitor resolution you’re targeting. A new GPU can usually be installed directly, but the i5-8400 may limit the benefit of a much faster card in some games. The GTX 1070 is still usable, so a small-budget upgrade might be better spent on adding a larger SSD or increasing the RAM to 32 GB if memory usage is frequently near the limit. If the goal is a major performance jump, you may be looking at a platform upgrade rather than just replacing the graphics card.
The motherboard model is important because it tells you what processor upgrades are supported and whether the system has suitable expansion slots. Depending on the board and the power supply, replacing only the graphics card could work, but the older processor could become the bottleneck. If the motherboard, CPU and power supply are also dated, buying a complete new platform and reusing the existing storage, case and possibly RAM may offer better value than upgrading one part at a time.
We’re in the UK and would prefer to keep the cost low. I’ll check the motherboard and power supply before looking at graphics cards.