I built my gaming PC in 2021 and would like to upgrade it so I can play newer games through around 2028, ideally at 1440p with settings as close to maximum as possible. My current system has an MSI RTX 3060 Ti, Intel Core i5-12600K, 16GB of Crucial Ballistix DDR4-3600 memory, a Samsung 970 EVO Plus NVMe SSD, an ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 cooler, a Corsair RM850x 850W power supply, and an ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-PLUS D4 motherboard. My budget is limited for now, so I am considering upgrading to 32GB of RAM and replacing the graphics card first. Which upgrade would make the biggest difference, and which GPU options would you recommend?
3 Answers
For a new GPU, the Radeon RX 9070 XT is a strong choice if ray tracing is not your main priority. If you prefer Nvidia features or want stronger ray-tracing performance, the RTX 5070 Ti is another option, although it may cost more. Your 850W power supply should be sufficient for cards in this range, assuming it is in good condition.
AMD cards can still use ray tracing. It usually reduces performance more than it does on comparable Nvidia cards, but the RX 9070 XT remains capable of running ray-traced games, especially at 1440p with sensible settings.
If you want to upgrade the memory, try adding another matching 2x8GB kit only if you can find the exact same model and specifications. Mixing memory kits can sometimes cause stability problems. Otherwise, replacing the current kit with a 2x16GB DDR4 kit is the safer option. I would upgrade the RAM and GPU before considering a new CPU or motherboard.
The processor should still be capable for 1440p gaming for quite a while, so I would not prioritize replacing it. The RTX 3060 Ti is becoming the main limitation in newer, demanding games. Upgrading the graphics card should give you the biggest improvement, while moving to 32GB of RAM is also worthwhile because 16GB is increasingly restrictive.
Would switching from Nvidia to AMD mean I could no longer use ray tracing?