I built this PC about seven years ago and am starting to think about upgrading it gradually rather than replacing everything at once. It currently has an Intel i9-9900K, an RTX 3060 Ti with 8GB of VRAM, and 64GB of DDR4-3600 memory. The graphics card was originally an RTX 2080, but a friend gave me the 3060 Ti after upgrading.
I mainly play competitive shooters such as Overwatch, Valorant, and CS2. I usually prioritize high frame rates over maxed-out graphics settings, so I am not currently having major performance problems. Still, I am concerned that the 8GB of VRAM and the rest of the system will start to show their age eventually. I am leaning toward upgrading the graphics card first, but I am also considering switching to AMD later since a CPU upgrade would require a new motherboard anyway. I may also replace the case, although that is a lower priority. What upgrade path would make the most sense?
2 Answers
The least expensive approach is probably to keep the 9900K for now and upgrade the graphics card only when you actually need more performance or VRAM. Your processor is still capable, though it may limit a newer high-end GPU in competitive games. When you do replace the platform, moving to AMD could let you reuse your DDR4 memory with a compatible AM4 setup, ideally with an X3D processor for gaming. A newer Intel i5 platform is another option, but either route means replacing the motherboard.
For the games you listed, the CPU can matter more than the graphics card, especially if you play at an unlocked frame rate and are aiming for very high FPS. Check GPU utilization while gaming: if the GPU is not close to full usage and one or more CPU cores are heavily loaded, that points toward a platform upgrade. If the GPU is consistently near 100%, a graphics card upgrade will help more.
I am not running into problems right now; I mostly want to plan ahead before the system starts feeling noticeably outdated.
AMD is appealing to me for that reason. Since a CPU upgrade requires a new motherboard anyway, I would rather choose a platform that gives me a worthwhile long-term upgrade path.