I currently have a PS5, but I'm considering buying a gaming PC for the next generation rather than eventually moving to a newer console. I'm new to choosing PC hardware and want something that can comfortably run upcoming games at 1080p and around 60 FPS, preferably without needing major upgrades for the next five to eight years.
The system I'm considering includes a Ryzen 7 5700X, an RTX 5060 Ti, 32GB of 3600MHz RAM, a 700W DeepCool power supply, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 Kingston SSD, an ASRock A520M motherboard, and a Vida Akira V2 case. How realistic is that lifespan, and what kind of performance could I expect from future games? Would changing the graphics card, motherboard, CPU, or storage make the build more suitable for long-term use?
4 Answers
For a longer-lasting build, I’d look for the 16GB 5060 Ti, a B550 motherboard, and a reputable Tier A or B power supply. A 1TB SSD may also fill up quickly once several large games are installed, so adding another drive later would be useful. At 1080p, the system could plausibly remain comfortable for several years, but expect to lower settings over time.
Nobody can accurately predict performance in games that haven’t been released yet. “Future-proofing” is mostly a matter of accepting some risk and buying more performance than you currently need. At 1080p and sensible settings, this should run today’s games well, but five to eight years without lowering settings or upgrading is not guaranteed.
The 5700X is still capable, but it’s an older AM4 platform. If the price difference is reasonable, a current-generation Ryzen system would give you a better upgrade path and potentially stronger CPU performance later. I’d also avoid choosing a motherboard purely to save money; check its power delivery, BIOS support, and reliability. The GPU and its VRAM will probably become the limiting factors first, though.
The biggest concern is the graphics card’s VRAM. An 8GB RTX 5060 Ti should be fine for 1080p right now, but newer games may increasingly require reduced textures or settings. If your budget allows, the 16GB model would be a safer long-term choice. More demanding games can already use most of 8GB at high settings, sometimes causing stutters.
Yes. The 16GB model gives you more headroom, especially for high-quality textures and newer games. It won’t make every game dramatically faster, but it can help avoid stuttering and texture compromises.
So the 90% VRAM usage you mentioned was on the 8GB version? I’m trying to decide whether the extra cost for 16GB is worthwhile.