I'm planning my first major PC upgrade in several years and would like advice on where my money would make the biggest difference. I mainly play Destiny 2, Overwatch, Zenless Zone Zero, Call of Duty, and similar games. Everything currently runs well at roughly 136–147 FPS, but I'd like better overall performance and possibly a better display without spending unnecessarily.
My current setup:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
- Motherboard: MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk MAX Wi-Fi
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8GB
- RAM: 32GB Corsair Vengeance LPX
- Storage: Samsung 980 PRO 2TB NVMe SSD and Samsung 870 EVO 2TB SATA SSD
- PSU: EVGA 850 GQ 850W
- Case: Montech X3 Mesh
- OS: Windows 11
- Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L V2 ARGB
- Monitor: AOC C27G2Z, 27-inch curved display
My budget is flexible, but I'd prefer good value rather than replacing parts just for the sake of upgrading. I'm especially considering a CPU upgrade or a 1440p monitor. What should I upgrade first, and are there any compatibility or setup issues I should know about?
2 Answers
For your current AM4 platform, a Ryzen 7 5800X3D would be the strongest gaming upgrade, although a 5700X3D is often the better-value option if you can find one at a good price. It can make a noticeable difference in CPU-limited games and improve frame-time consistency. You should update the motherboard BIOS before swapping CPUs, then install the new processor and enable the appropriate memory settings. Your 850W power supply and liquid cooler should be sufficient, assuming the cooler is working properly.
Your current monitor is already a fast 1080p display, so the next noticeable visual upgrade would be a 1440p high-refresh-rate monitor. A used 1440p IPS monitor can be a good value around the lower price ranges, and IPS generally has less dark-level smearing than a VA panel. Since moving to 1440p puts more work on the GPU, consider pairing the monitor upgrade with a newer graphics card later rather than replacing both immediately.
I do notice a little smearing, although it hasn’t bothered me much. I’d be interested in a reasonably priced 1440p IPS monitor recommendation.
Would I need any additional hardware for the processor, or is it basically a drop-in upgrade after updating the BIOS?