I built my first gaming PC in 2018, and while it served me well, I'm starting to face some serious stuttering and crashes in games, even on low settings. I'm contemplating whether I can simply upgrade to an NVIDIA 5080 graphics card and a bigger, faster M.2 NVME SSD to squeeze a few more years out of the system. I'd prefer not to build an entirely new rig just yet. I mainly use it for gaming and AI image generation. What do you think?
3 Answers
If you're fine playing at lower settings, a simple GPU upgrade might cut it, but for a better experience, consider upgrading both your CPU and GPU. You could also check if a 5600X is compatible, which could significantly improve performance without going full overhaul.
Honestly, pairing the 5080 with a Ryzen 7 1700 isn’t ideal. You might be better off looking at a 5070 or RX 9070 with a new CPU like the R7 5700X. This combo would give you a nice boost without breaking the bank. Also, don’t forget to check your motherboard’s BIOS to ensure compatibility.
Upgrading just the GPU to a 5080 could lead to bottlenecking since you're still using a Zen 1 CPU. It might be smarter to shoot for a 5070 Ti, which will save you some cash. Use that extra money to upgrade your CPU, motherboard, and RAM. With those improvements, you should see better performance and extend the life of your PC.
Thanks! I didn't realize the CPU could be such a limiting factor.
That makes sense! Thanks for the tip on the 5600X.