Hey everyone, I'm currently using a system that I built back in 2019, which includes a Ryzen 7 3700X, RTX 2070 Super, and 32GB of RAM. I've recently started playing Star Citizen and have been experiencing some serious CPU bottlenecks, hitting 100% CPU load while my GPU stays around 30-40%. I'm considering upgrading to a Ryzen 7 5700X, which I can get for €150. Unfortunately, the 5700X3D models are out of my budget right now. My gaming usually happens at 1440p, and I often use upscaling to boost my frame rates. I've watched a lot of videos, but they all seem a bit outdated, so I'm curious—do you think this upgrade is worth it in 2026? I can't afford a whole new system right now, especially with current hardware prices, so I'm looking at the 5700X as a possible short-term fix for the next couple of years until I can upgrade my entire setup.
6 Answers
I recently switched from a 3700X to a 5600 for just €50 and sold my 3700X for €60. Overclocking the 5600 to 4.85GHz gave me a substantial FPS boost in games, like from an average of 120 to 160 FPS. So, in terms of improvement, you're likely to see some nice gains!
Absolutely yes to the 5700X upgrade, but be sure to update your motherboard BIOS first. Your system needs that to recognize the new CPU!
I'd say definitely consider the upgrade. Modern games do benefit from having more cores; even if both CPUs are 8-core, the newer architecture can provide better performance. It might not make a huge difference in Star Citizen, but for general gaming, you'll appreciate the extra speed!
I get that, but I'm noticing a lot of CPU bottlenecking. It's only in Star Citizen right now, so I'm kind of on the fence... Thanks for your thoughts!
Yeah, you might want to just get the 5700X for Star Citizen since it's a bit of a stretch on CPU resources.
I’m not sure if it’s worth it, but for €150 as a temporary upgrade, it seems like a fair deal, especially for the heavy CPU load you’re experiencing in Star Citizen. The 5700X should alleviate those bottlenecks nicely.
For that price, I would definitely go for the 5700X! The performance uplift is significant, especially for gaming, even considering it's still on the AM4 platform. You'll see a better overall experience in newer titles.
I'd recommend getting a 5600 or 5600X; it might serve you well until AM5 and DDR5 become more affordable. Just be cautious about going down to 6 cores...
But won’t I miss out on performance with fewer cores? I found a 5600X for €135, so the 15 euro more for the 5700X seems worth it.
Good to know! Thanks for the heads up!