I'm completely new to PCs and finally got my hands on a full setup, including a PC, monitor, keyboard, and more, thanks to my dad's friend. While I'm excited, I'm also really lost when it comes to understanding the components and how to improve my system. I've noticed that many of the parts are quite outdated, and I'm looking for some friendly advice on upgrades and general knowledge about PCs. I play fast-paced shooter games like RSS and Dead by Daylight, but my PC struggles with stuttering during these games. As a university student on a tight budget in the UK, I want to keep my upgrades affordable, ideally around £600 maximum. Here are the specs I know of: CPU - AMD Ryzen 7 2700, 3.20 GHz; GPU - Palit NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080; along with some storage and cooling components. I recently bought 16GB of HyperX DDR4 RAM but I'm considering getting another stick to upgrade to 32GB. I'd really appreciate any tips, especially regarding the CPU and graphics card for gaming!
3 Answers
You're off to a fine start! Your current setup isn’t bad at all, but upgrading is a great way to enhance performance. If you're into gaming, the graphics card is crucial. The GTX 1080 still holds up, but there are newer models that could give you a better experience, assuming you can find them at a decent price. As for your CPU, if it’s a Ryzen 7 2700, that's pretty good, but if you get an upgrade, consider a Ryzen 5 5600 - it’s a solid choice for gaming!
Honestly, that system, while a bit dated, can still handle some solid gaming experiences! The GTX 1080 was top-of-the-line a while back, and your Ryzen 7 2700 is still decent for most tasks. Before jumping into upgrades, I suggest testing out your current games with adjusted settings. Sometimes tweaking the graphics can make a significant difference in performance without spending a dime. But if stuttering persists, you might look into upgrading your GPU, though prices can be tricky right now. Honestly, just seeing how your games perform could shape your next steps better than any guesswork!
Thanks for the tip! I’ll try adjusting the settings first before making any upgrades.
You might want to think about returning that new RAM you just bought. Even though 16GB should do fine for gaming, mixing RAM speeds can slow you down due to compatibility issues. As for upgrades, definitely consider your graphics card when you can. While a used one can be a great financial option, just make sure your CPU can keep up with whatever you buy. If it's not a more recent Ryzen, it might bottleneck your gaming performance. And don't forget to check your CPU model – that's key info!
I really appreciate that! I was unsure about the RAM situation. I'll check on returning it.
Thanks for the suggestion! I'll investigate the Ryzen 5 5600; it sounds promising.