I'm looking to upgrade my PC and I'm torn between upgrading my CPU or GPU first. Currently, I have an Intel i5-12400F and an Intel ARC A770 graphics card. When playing games on high settings, my GPU usage is around 80-90%, while my CPU sits at about 50-60% with occasional spikes towards the end of games. I'm considering getting a 9070XT for better performance along with a new CPU that pairs well with it later on. What do you all think?
4 Answers
Definitely focus on getting a new GPU first. Your current graphics card is pretty underwhelming for high settings, and the upgrade will give you a noticeable boost in your gaming experience.
What specific i5 do you have? There are so many versions of the i5 out there. Just a heads up, if you're eyeing the 9070XT, you might need to look at a whole new setup if your current motherboard can't handle it.
If you're planning to upgrade to the 9070XT, I recommend doing it now. Your CPU should hold up fine for gaming, especially at 1440p, where you won't hit any bottlenecks. Just remember, if you do multitasking or content creation, a higher-core CPU like an i7 or i9 might be beneficial later on.
Will I still be limited to 1440p with the 9070XT and my current CPU?
The i5-12400F is still decent for gaming, so getting the 9070XT now is a smart choice. You can always update your CPU, RAM, and motherboard later and bring over the new GPU for another year. It's a good plan!
Thanks for the reassurance! This is my first upgrade, so I wanted to make sure I was doing it right.
It's the i5-12400F, sorry for not mentioning!