I'm in the UK and have about £800–£900 to spend on used or aftermarket parts. My current system has an RTX 5060 and an Intel i5-13420H, but I'm only getting around 100–120 FPS with all settings on low. The CPU averages about 96°C while showing roughly 70% usage. Because the motherboard is soldered and appears to be from an OEM Acer Nitro desktop, I'm planning to replace everything except the GPU. What would be the best upgrade path for achieving close to 360 FPS?
2 Answers
I’d move to an AM5 platform with a new motherboard, CPU, memory, cooler, case, and power supply. It gives you a much better upgrade path and leaves room for a stronger graphics card later. A sensible starting point would be a Ryzen 7 7800X3D or another strong gaming-focused AM5 CPU, paired with 32GB of DDR5 if the budget allows. Prices for 32GB kits can be high, so buying 16GB initially and adding a matching second stick later is possible, though 32GB in dual-channel is preferable. Make sure the new power supply has enough headroom for a future GPU upgrade.
Before buying parts, check the exact model of the computer. The i5-13420H is normally a mobile processor, so this may be an OEM or mini-PC-style system rather than a standard upgradeable desktop. If the motherboard, power supply, and case use proprietary connectors or mounting, replacing the whole platform may be necessary. Also, 360 FPS depends heavily on the game and resolution; the RTX 5060 may become the limiting part even after installing a much faster CPU.
It’s an Acer Nitro desktop, and I bought it before I knew much about PC hardware. I’m prepared to replace the proprietary parts and rebuild it around standard components.
Would a used Ryzen 7 9800X3D be worth considering since I should have some of the budget left?