I bought my first prebuilt gaming PC several years ago and use it every day for gaming and general tasks. I know very little about PC hardware, so I'd appreciate advice on whether it would benefit from any upgrades or whether it is still adequate.
It runs most games, but demanding titles make the system noticeably loud, load graphics slowly, and require lower settings. I mainly play games through PC Game Pass, including Beast of Reincarnation, Apex Legends, and Arena Breakout Infinite, so my workload ranges from moderate to fairly demanding.
I'm based in the UK and don't have a strict budget, but I care about value for money. I'd rather avoid spending around £700 for only a small improvement. My current hardware is:
OS: Windows 11 Home
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
RAM: 32GB
Motherboard: ASUS PRIME B450M-A II
Storage: ADATA SX8200PNP SSD and Toshiba HDWD110 hard drive
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super
Wi-Fi: Realtek RTL8192EE 802.11n PCI-E adapter
The power supply appears to be a 600W FX Pro, although I'm not completely certain. Which component should I upgrade first, and is there anything else I should check before buying a new part?
3 Answers
The GTX 1660 Super is the main limitation here, so a graphics card upgrade should give you the biggest improvement in modern games. Look at a sensible mid-range card with at least 12GB of VRAM, or a 16GB model if the price is reasonable. Before choosing one, confirm the exact power-supply model, available connectors, and the physical space inside the case. A 600W unit may be enough for some upgrades, but the quality and age of the PSU matter just as much as the wattage.
There’s no urgent need to upgrade if you’re happy with the current experience. The loudness could be caused by fans ramping up under GPU load, dust, aging thermal paste, or poor airflow, so cleaning the system and checking temperatures may help before buying anything. If you do upgrade, compare the cost of a graphics card with the performance you actually need rather than automatically choosing a high-end model. Also check your monitor resolution and refresh rate, since those determine how much extra GPU performance you can use.
Your processor is still reasonably capable, so I’d upgrade the GPU first rather than replacing the whole platform. If you later become CPU-limited, the B450 motherboard can potentially support a Ryzen 5000 chip after a BIOS update; a 5800X3D would be the gaming-focused option, while a cheaper 5800X or 5800XT could offer better value. The exact choice depends on your monitor resolution, refresh rate, and the games where performance is poor.
I play a mixture of games, mostly through PC Game Pass. Some are fairly demanding, while others are lighter competitive titles, so I’ll pay attention to whether the limitation is GPU usage or CPU usage.
The card seems to be listed as a 600W FX Pro, though I’m not sure whether that is the complete model name. I’ll check the label more carefully before deciding.