I'm looking to upgrade my old i3 system for gaming, specifically to play Rust, DayZ, Tarkov, and Dark and Darker. My budget is $450, and I'm also interested in streaming or creating YouTube content. I have a 1000W Corsair PSU, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a new computer case. I need to find a motherboard, CPU, and graphics card within my budget. ChatGPT suggested an AMD Ryzen 5 5500 processor for around $80 and several compatible motherboards. For the graphics card, it recommended an RX 580 8GB because it fits my low-profile case. I'm curious if these suggestions are solid deals and if there's a better CPU-motherboard combo out there. Also, I'm looking for a new graphics card at about $250—I'm not comfortable buying used. Is a used CPU/motherboard combo a reasonable risk?
2 Answers
If you're sticking to that budget, I’d recommend looking at used parts. You might find a better deal on a CPU and graphics card, but maybe get a new motherboard unless you find a solid combo deal. If your RAM is on the slow side, consider Intel CPUs since they might perform better with it.
For a $250 graphics card, check out the ASRock Intel Arc B570 Challenger; it’s currently $249.99 on Amazon. Just remember, make sure the motherboard is compatible with your RAM and CPU, and get one that fits your needs—WiFi, ports, etc.
Totally agree! Sometimes new components can really stretch the budget, and used parts can bring more value.