I received my first gaming PC as a gift back in 2015, and it has served me well throughout high school and university, both for gaming and tasks like video editing and data engineering. Nowadays, I'm getting back into gaming, but I'm running into memory issues with only 8GB of RAM. Given my current specs (Windows 10 Pro, i5-6600 CPU, H170-PLUS D3 motherboard, GTX 960 GPU, and 8GB RAM), I'm wondering if it's more cost-effective to upgrade the parts or to start fresh with a new build. I have a limited budget of around $800-$900 USD (about $1000 AUD). Any advice on whether I should upgrade or buy a new system would be appreciated!
4 Answers
Starting fresh sounds like the way to go. Your budget looks okay for a decent build! Check out sites like PCPartPicker for getting components that match your price range. Just be sure to confirm that you can reuse your case and storage to save some cash. It'll make a big difference in performance!
Honestly, with those specs, it might be better to start from scratch. Your i5-6600 and GTX 960 are pretty outdated at this point. If you're hoping to play modern games smoothly, a new build would give you much better performance. Plus, with your budget, you can still find decent components. What games are you planning to play?
I'm mostly into Stardew Valley and Minecraft, but I've been trying out a new early access game called Half Sword, which is a bit of a resource hog.
I agree with going new. The AM5 platform is a solid investment for future-proofing your build. Even if you go for an AM4 platform, just know you might miss out on the latest upgrades soon after. If you're sticking to your budget, keep an eye out for pre-built options that fit your criteria.
Have you considered just upgrading the RAM to 16GB and maybe swapping out the GPU for something modest? Like, the GTX 1060 or something similar could still be a good fit for your games without breaking the bank. It might help extend the life of your current rig without a full overhaul.
I think adding RAM could help a bit, but I'm worried it won't be enough for the demanding new titles.
Yeah, I heard pre-builts could also be a smart route if you're unsure about building yourself. Just keep researching the options!