Hey everyone! I've got a really old PC that's been around for quite a few years and I'm looking to start upgrading it, but I can't afford to replace everything at once. Here's my current setup: I have an Intel Core i7 7700 CPU, 16GB of single-channel DDR4 RAM, and a Radeon RX 580 GPU.
I'm wanting to use the PC for gaming but I struggle with multitasking. I'm thinking about upgrading to a Radeon RX 9070 and adding another stick of RAM to go dual-channel, plus I'd like to change the thermal paste.
My main question is: what other upgrades do I need to ensure that the RX 9070 works well? Can I just buy that and another 8GB or 16GB RAM stick? Any guidance would be really appreciated since I'm not very tech-savvy!
3 Answers
Absolutely, you can upgrade your PC one step at a time! To really get the most out of the RX 9070, consider investing in a high-refresh-rate monitor and a decent CPU like the Intel i5-12600KF, which is around $170. Pair it with a B760 motherboard for about $90 and a good cooler for around $35. The extra 32GB of RAM you're considering will also be a great addition!
Just a heads-up, your current CPU may slow down the RX 9070's performance. Instead of the 9070, you might want to look into a more budget-friendly option like a used RTX 3060. Upgrading your CPU and motherboard to something like the i5-12600KF along with a B760 motherboard would let you keep using DDR4 RAM, which is a more affordable route. Check out the PCPartPicker for some good deals!
It's a tricky situation! While you can definitely follow your upgrade plan, your older hardware might limit the RX 9070's abilities. How long do you plan to spread out these upgrades?
I’m hoping to upgrade most parts in the next six months. If the 9070 gets limited, will it damage anything, or will it just not perform at its best?