I'm trying to extend the life of an older office desktop rather than build a new PC while hardware prices are high. It has an i7-4790, 16GB of DDR3 memory, and a 1TB SSD. I mainly play RuneScape, Project Zomboid, and Skyrim, so I don't need a high-end gaming card. My budget is around $100, and I was considering an RX 6400, although used models are difficult to find. The system has a proprietary power supply, but I also have a spare 400W PSU that might be usable if necessary. What graphics card would make the most sense?
3 Answers
Before choosing a card, check the case dimensions and power situation. Since the desktop has a proprietary PSU, don’t connect a separate power supply to the graphics card unless you fully understand how to start and ground both supplies safely. A GTX 1650 model without an auxiliary power connector is much simpler. If you replace the whole PSU and have enough room, cards like a GTX 980 Ti, GTX 1080, or 1080 Ti can work, but they’re older, use considerably more power, and may be excessive for a $100 budget.
A GTX 1650 is probably the safest choice, especially if you need a card that can run entirely from the motherboard slot. It has decent performance for those games, uses relatively little power, and avoids the PCIe limitations that can hurt the RX 6400 in an older PCIe 3.0 system. A used one around $90 is reasonable if it’s in good condition, though prices vary by region.
The i7-4790 will limit newer or much faster GPUs in some games, but that doesn’t make a modest upgrade pointless. For RuneScape, Project Zomboid, and Skyrim, a GTX 1650-class card should be a sensible match. A cheap GTX 1080 could also be worthwhile if you already have a proper PSU with the required connectors, but I wouldn’t spend much extra trying to build around this platform.
A newer prebuilt or budget AM4 system would offer a better long-term upgrade path, but it would cost more than I want to spend right now. I’m mainly looking for an inexpensive upgrade to keep this PC usable.
That sounds like the direction I’ll take. I found a GTX 1650 4GB for about $90 and will check its condition before buying.