My current PC has an i7-7700K, a GTX 1080, and 16 GB of DDR4-2667 memory. It was built in 2021, but the platform and several parts are much older. I mainly play at 1080p and rarely play demanding new releases, so I'm fine lowering settings when necessary. Deadlock is the main reason I'm considering an upgrade because it is especially CPU-intensive and my processor seems to be holding the system back. Storage and memory prices also seem unusually high right now. One option is replacing the CPU and motherboard with something like an i5-12400F and B760M for around $300 while reusing my DDR4 and GTX 1080. Should I make a partial upgrade, replace the whole system, or keep this PC and wait?
4 Answers
You may get better value from a used AM4 setup, such as a Ryzen 5 5500 or 5700 paired with a B550 board. The 5500 is the budget option, while spending a little more on the 5700 gives you two extra cores. Reusing your current DDR4 makes this a fairly inexpensive way to improve the CPU side without buying a completely new machine.
A 12400F with a DDR4 B760 board is a reasonable upgrade if you can get the combo near $300. You could reuse your existing memory and graphics card, and the newer CPU should help with CPU-limited games like Deadlock. Just don’t expect a huge graphics improvement until you replace the GTX 1080 later.
There isn’t much of an upgrade path left for the 7700K platform, since you already have one of the fastest processors available for that socket. A used CPU-and-board combination or a new DDR4-compatible platform makes more sense than trying to upgrade within your current motherboard. Keep the GTX 1080 for now and replace it only when your games actually require more GPU performance.
I wouldn’t replace the entire PC unless you need a major performance jump. Upgrade the parts that are limiting you, starting with the CPU and motherboard, and reuse the RAM, case, power supply, and GPU if they’re still reliable. Since you play at 1080p and accept lower settings, there’s little reason to pay for a full new build right away. Check your power supply and memory compatibility before buying, and consider monitoring CPU and GPU usage in Deadlock to confirm what is actually holding you back.
If the price difference is small where you live, I’d lean toward the 5700. The extra cores should make it a more comfortable longer-term upgrade.