Hey everyone! I built my PC back in 2020 to handle 2K gaming, and it has been doing great. I recently upgraded to a 4K monitor, and I've started to notice a drop in performance with more demanding games. Here's a quick rundown of my current build for reference: [PCPartPicker List](https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/Wk4YqH). I'm looking to upgrade but want to do it wisely. I'm willing to invest where it counts but don't want to overspend on things that won't make a real difference. I've got my eye on the RTX 4080 Super, but they're tough to find, and second-hand prices are close to new, which seems risky. I'd love your advice on which parts to upgrade—should I swap the GPU, upgrade the CPU, or even consider a complete overhaul? Is now a good time to make these changes, or should I hold off?
5 Answers
I run a 7900XTX at 4K with an R9 5950X, and honestly, it's all about GPU power. Between a 5800X3D and 9800X3D, the difference tends to show in the 1% lows in 4K, but it's mostly a GPU limitation. If you can hold off, waiting for the AM6 upgrade makes sense. If you want high FPS and detail at 4K, you may need to open your wallet wide for a 5090 or consider upscalers to help with performance.
If I were in your shoes, I might consider building a new PC altogether. You could resell your current parts or the whole system. For a solid 4K build, think about getting a 4080 Super, 4090, or wait for the 5080. You could likely reuse your case and maybe the NVMe drive, but you'll want strong parts for future-proofing. Plus, there's buzz about AMD's upcoming GPUs that could outperform NVIDIA's in the same price range, which is worth looking into.
Definitely upgrade the GPU first! You can tackle the CPU or motherboard later. AMD often offers competitive pricing on their high-end GPUs compared to NVIDIA, depending on your interests.
Honestly, I'd suggest sticking with 2K if your PC is still running well there. Upgrading to 4K can just lead to headaches if your system can't keep up operationally.
Totally agree! 4K feels overrated sometimes, mostly a marketing gimmick in my opinion.
You'd get the best results with a full system upgrade to AM5. But if budget's tight, you could look at a 5700X3D and pair it with a high-end GPU. Remember, for 4K, the GPU is key; you want at least a 4070 Ti or higher to get decent performance.
I already have the 4K monitor—it's a gift! If you have a solid rig, 4K OLED is just amazing for gaming.