My gaming PC is starting to feel dated. I built it during the pandemic and mainly play World of Warcraft, Escape from Tarkov, extraction shooters, and other multiplayer games with friends. I use a Samsung G75F 40-inch ultrawide display, so I'm also concerned about the demands of higher-resolution gaming.
My current system has a Ryzen 7 3700X, 32GB of DDR4-3600 memory, an RTX 3060 Ti, a Noctua NH-U12S cooler, and a 750W power supply. I'm considering a new system with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D, Gigabyte B850 motherboard, 32GB of DDR5-6000 CL30 memory, a Radeon RX 9070 XT, an 850W power supply, and a 360mm liquid cooler. I would transfer my existing SSDs to the new build. The complete system would cost about 3,200 CAD after tax.
The alternative is upgrading the current PC with a Ryzen 7 5800X3D and an RX 9070 XT for roughly 1,600 CAD. Should I save the money and upgrade my AM4 system, or is moving to AM5 worth the additional cost?
5 Answers
At a resolution this high, the graphics card will usually be the limiting factor, so the difference between AM4 and AM5 may not be very noticeable in many games. WoW and Tarkov can be CPU-heavy, but the 5800X3D is still a substantial upgrade over the 3700X. Just make sure your motherboard supports it with the appropriate BIOS update.
One thing to factor in is resale value. Similar systems in my area seem to sell for roughly 600–800 CAD depending on the processor and memory, so compare the net cost after selling your old parts. If the upgrade and a replacement system end up costing nearly the same after resale, then the AM5 build becomes more appealing; otherwise, keep the AM4 system and save the remaining money.
I’d save the money and upgrade the current system. A 5800X3D and 9070 XT would be a huge jump from your 3700X and 3060 Ti, and should handle 1440p or ultrawide gaming very well for years. You could always move to AM5 later, while keeping the 9070 XT as part of that future build.
The sensible middle ground is to upgrade the GPU first and keep saving for AM5. The 3060 Ti’s 8GB of VRAM may hold you back at that display resolution, while the 9070 XT should last through a future platform upgrade. If Tarkov is using close to all your memory, moving to 64GB could also help, though matching your existing DDR4 kit is best.
The AM5 build gives you a newer platform and a better upgrade path, but 3,200 CAD is a lot more than you need to spend for a major gaming improvement. DDR4 versus DDR5 generally won’t make a dramatic gaming difference by itself, and the AM5 bundle also means replacing your current memory. Unless you specifically want a completely new system, the 5800X3D and 9070 XT option offers much better value.
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