I'm looking to upgrade the GPU on my 10-year-old PC since I can only afford to change that right now. I currently have an i5 2550k, a Z77 motherboard, and 16GB of DDR3 RAM. My display is a 4K 165Hz TV, and I'm not aiming for super high-end gaming; just looking for decent performance, like medium to high settings at 4K 60fps for new games. I have a massive Steam backlog I'd like to enjoy. Given my old CPU, is it even worth it to upgrade to an RTX 5070, or should I hold off until I can afford to upgrade the whole system?
3 Answers
Upgrading just the GPU might not be enough for 4K gaming, especially with your current setup. The RTX 5070 has 12GB of VRAM, which might struggle with 4K gaming demands, and your CPU is likely to bottleneck the performance, particularly at higher settings. I'd suggest waiting until you can invest in a complete system upgrade for better performance overall.
For 4K gaming, you'd want something more powerful; the RTX 5070 is really more suited for 1440p gaming. It can play some games at 4K, but not optimally, and since 4K is pretty taxing, you're better off looking at other options if you want smooth gameplay. A GPU like the 9070 might be more suitable if you plan to stick with your old CPU.
Honestly, your CPU can only really handle older GPUs like the GTX 2060 or GTX 1080 decently. If you're looking to keep your current setup, that's your best bet. Upgrading just the GPU without matching it with a more powerful CPU will likely yield disappointing results.
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