I've recently picked up gaming on my aging PC again, and I'm seeing some poor performance in modern titles. I'm curious if just upgrading my GPU would improve things, or if my CPU and other parts might hold me back too. Here's what I'm working with:
- CPU: Ryzen 5 2600
- GPU: GTX 1060
- RAM: 16GB DDR4 3200Mhz
- Motherboard: B350 Tomahawk
I'm considering getting the RTX 5060 for around 340€, but the 5060 Ti with 16GB is over 480€, which is more than my budget. I don't game excessively right now, so I can wait for better options if necessary.
3 Answers
Your CPU is likely going to hold you back a bit. Updating your BIOS and swapping in a Ryzen 5600 would be a good move before spending on a GPU upgrade. That way you avoid bottleneck issues later on.
Before you go all out on a GPU, monitor how hard your CPU and GPU are working during games. If your GPU maxes out while your CPU is around 90%, an upgrade to the GPU makes sense. If not, you should probably look at upgrading your CPU too, especially since you’re on the older Ryzen 2600.
Using PCIe 3.0 can be a limiting factor with the newer GPUs, especially the 8GB ones. You might want to check out some videos about it or like upgrading to at least a B550 motherboard to avoid performance issues. Also, considering the RX 7700XT or RX 9060XT could be a solid choice since they utilize PCIe lanes more effectively.
Is the 5060 still a good option for the price compared to the older 3060?