My current PC has an RTX 2070 Super, Ryzen 5 3600, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 650W power supply. After about seven years, it's starting to struggle in games that used to run well. I'm getting around 40 FPS in War Dogs even on low settings, along with stuttering in Armored Core 6 and Overwatch. Counter-Strike 2 also feels inconsistent compared with how smoothly CS:GO ran.
I'm considering a new system priced at $2,260 CAD, or roughly $1,600 USD, with an RX 9070 XT, Ryzen 5 9600, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and an 850W power supply. The price is part of a local bundle and the graphics card is discounted, but the deal ends today. I currently play at 1080p and would eventually like to move to 1440p. Ideally, I'd like around 90–120 FPS in most games.
Would you take the deal now, or keep the current AM4 system and upgrade individual parts instead?
4 Answers
Your target of 90–120 FPS makes the upgrade easier to justify, especially if you eventually move to 1440p. The 2070 Super can still handle plenty of games, but the Ryzen 5 3600 and older platform are likely contributing to the stutters and inconsistent frame times. A 9600 paired with the 9070 XT should comfortably handle high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p in most titles.
You may not need to replace the whole platform. An AM4 CPU upgrade, ideally a 5800X3D or another compatible X3D chip, plus a newer graphics card and a stronger power supply could extend the life of your current system for several years. Just verify your motherboard BIOS supports the CPU. Adding another 16GB of DDR4 can help with memory-heavy games, but it won’t solve the main CPU and GPU limitations by itself.
I’d take the sale if the parts and warranty check out. Newer AM5 hardware is more efficient and leaves room for future CPU upgrades, and pricing may not improve much in the near term. Waiting only makes sense if the purchase would strain your budget or if you’re satisfied with lowering settings and frame rates on the current machine.
If the price includes the complete system—storage, case, motherboard, and everything else—$1,600 USD is pretty reasonable for those parts. The AM5 platform gives you a newer upgrade path, the 9070 XT should be excellent for 1440p, and 32GB of DDR5 is a good baseline. Since your current PC is already showing its age and gaming is an important hobby for you, buying now seems justified if it fits your budget.
I already reinstalled Windows after replacing a failed SSD, so I don’t think the operating system is the main issue. The RX 9070 XT is about $1,000 CAD on its own, which makes the complete-system deal look more appealing.