I'm looking to upgrade my gaming setup on a tight budget of around $600. I mainly play heavily modded games like Fallout 4 and Skyrim (with the upcoming Beyond Skyrim Cyrodil), and I might also dive into Cyberpunk and Kingdom Come: Deliverance. My current specs include an Nvidia 1060, 16GB DDR4 RAM, a MiniATX case, a 500W power supply, and an AMD Ryzen 5 3500 processor, along with 2 SSDs.
I'm debating between two options:
**Option 1 - Upgrade my existing build:**
- Stick with my current motherboard or buy a new AMD4 socket for $90.
- Upgrade the CPU to a Ryzen 7 5700 for $230.
- Get 32GB DDR4 RAM for about $155.
- New AMD or Nvidia graphics card for around $430.
- **Question:** Will I need a bigger power supply for this?
**Option 2 - Build a new system:**
- Purchase a new motherboard for $130.
- New CPU like the Ryzen 5 9600X for $350.
- 32GB DDR5 RAM for the cheapest option at $140.
- Upgrade graphics card for about $430 as well.
- Include a new power supply and case.
I'm just wondering if I would be missing out on a lot of performance and future-proofing by sticking with Option 1?
2 Answers
I've heard that DDR4 is actually pretty pricey in Japan right now. Are you sure you found the right prices? It could be worth double-checking before making a decision.
I would definitely lean towards the second option. Although it seems pricier upfront, a Ryzen 5 9600X is way more future-proof. Even if it feels like extra cash now, it could save you from needing another upgrade sooner.
I'm aiming to hold off on upgrades for at least three years. With that in mind, do you think the AMD5 board paired with a mid-range card would show significantly better performance than the top-tier AMD4 setup?
Check this out, it's a price list I found:
[https://imgur.com/a/KIH02dt](https://imgur.com/a/KIH02dt)