Hey everyone! I'm dealing with some serious lag on my old computer while gaming. My friends built this machine for me about 11 years ago, and it's still doing well with games like The Sims 4 and streaming, though it's starting to struggle with YouTube videos. Recently, I picked up Red Dead Redemption 2 during a Steam sale. I played it on PS4 before and was excited to try it on my PC, but I had to drop the settings to medium/high to get any sort of decent performance, and it still lags every 30 seconds during gameplay. I'm also looking forward to buying GTA 6 when it releases, so I'm wondering how I can upgrade my setup without having to buy a whole new computer since I'm a student on a tight budget. My current specs are: Intel Core i7 4790K @ 4 GHz, 8 GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 799 MHz, Gigabyte Z97X-Gaming 3, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960. I know I probably need to replace the GPU, but I hope to keep my expenses between $200-$300. Do I need to upgrade anything else to meet my goals for smoother gameplay with high/ultra graphics? Thanks for your help!
3 Answers
To get any decent performance, you'll need more than just a graphics card. At a minimum, consider upgrading to 16 GB of RAM. Your power supply will also be a factor if you're thinking about newer GPUs; something like an RTX 4060 could be a great upgrade, but make sure your system can support it. But be warned, your CPU could bottleneck that GPU a lot. If you're not ready for a full system replacement, just try to squeeze a bit more life out of it for now, but keep saving for a complete overhaul.
You're right to think about the GPU, but just upgrading it might not cut it for newer games. DDR3 RAM is outdated, and you might have a tough time finding replacements. Your best bet might be looking into a mini PC with a modern APU or even refurbished laptops. They could give you decent performance without breaking the bank.
Honestly, it sounds like your whole setup might be holding you back from getting decent gaming performance. The i7 4790K is quite old, and you’d struggle to run new games like GTA 6 even if you upgrade just the GPU. With your budget in mind, I recommend saving up for a completely new build. Investing in upgrades now could end up being a waste of money as you won’t get significant improvements. Check out online PC building resources for suggestions based on what you can afford!
Yeah, that’s what I was afraid of. I mean, it’s impressive that it lasted this long, but I guess it's time for an upgrade.
I’ll definitely check the PSU and see what I can do about the RAM! Thanks!