My current system is getting pretty old, and DDR5 prices are making me hesitant to start a completely new build. I'm hoping to play Battlefield 6 with friends, ideally at 1080p around 60 FPS. My hardware is an Intel Core i5-6600K, 32GB of 2133MHz DDR4, a GTX 1070, two 250GB Samsung SSDs, and a 1TB hard drive. Which component is holding me back most: the CPU or GPU? Can I reuse the RAM, or would it be better to move to a used AM4 motherboard and Ryzen processor? I'd appreciate upgrade suggestions based on good value rather than top-of-the-line performance.
3 Answers
Your i5-6600K is likely the bigger problem for a modern multiplayer game, especially at 1080p. The GTX 1070 may still provide playable performance if settings are adjusted, but a newer GPU paired with that CPU could be bottlenecked. Upgrade the CPU, motherboard, and memory platform first if your budget is limited, then replace the graphics card later. Before buying a GPU, check that your power supply has enough wattage and the required PCIe power connectors.
A used AM4 setup is probably the best value. Look for a Ryzen 5 3600 or 5600 paired with a B450 or B550 motherboard. Your DDR4 memory can be reused, although 2133MHz is slow. A Ryzen X3D chip such as a 5600X3D or 5800X3D handles slower memory particularly well if you find one at a good price. After the platform upgrade, put the rest of the budget toward a faster GPU.
If you want the least expensive route, a used Ryzen 5 3600 or 5600 with a compatible B450 board should be a noticeable improvement and lets you keep your existing DDR4. A newer Intel DDR4 platform or a current DDR5 build would also work, but the added motherboard and memory cost may not be worthwhile unless you have a larger budget. Faster RAM would help, but it should come after the CPU and GPU upgrades.
That makes sense. I’d prefer to keep the GTX 1070 temporarily if it can deliver acceptable 1080p performance, then upgrade the GPU once I know the new CPU platform is working well.