I currently have a prebuilt gaming PC with a Ryzen 5 5500, Radeon RX 7800 XT, 32 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB drive. I paid about €1,176 for it. Although it works reasonably well, it has been loud since the first day, runs hot, and struggles with some games unless I lower the settings. Recently, I have also experienced random crashes and severe lag in lighter games such as Rec Room and Phasmophobia.
I am considering building a new PC from scratch with a budget of around €1,500, though I could stretch slightly if necessary. I live in Europe, so parts and prices may differ from other regions. I have very little experience with PC hardware, so I would also like to know whether building a PC is manageable for a first-time builder. Would it make more sense to build a completely new system, or should I upgrade the current one?
1 Answer
Your current PC is not necessarily bad, but the parts are poorly balanced. The RX 7800 XT is a powerful graphics card, while the Ryzen 5 5500 is relatively weak by comparison and can limit performance in some games. Before replacing the entire system, check temperatures, airflow, drivers, power connections, and system stability. If the motherboard supports it, a BIOS update followed by a stronger AM4 processor such as a Ryzen 7 5800X3D could provide a major improvement without rebuilding everything.
That said, building a PC from scratch is quite manageable for a beginner. Most connectors are standardized, and the motherboard manual plus a careful step-by-step video guide will cover nearly everything. Take your time, avoid forcing parts, and test the system before installing it in the case. If you still prefer a fresh build, a €1,500 budget should be enough for a strong European gaming PC, but diagnosing the current crashes first may save you a lot of money.
I later realized that the processor and graphics card were mismatched, probably as a way to reduce the prebuilt's cost. I would still rather build a completely new system and pass this one on to someone else.