I'm looking to upgrade my PC since my current setup is feeling outdated. I've got a Ryzen 7 5800X with an MSI MPG X570 motherboard and a Radeon RX 6600 with 8GB. While I can play some demanding games (like Oblivion Remastered on medium to high settings), I feel like it's time for an upgrade. I have about $600 to invest and I'm open to considering Intel if it means better performance. What do you think would be the better investment: a new GPU or a new motherboard and CPU?
4 Answers
Check your GPU usage while gaming. If it’s hitting 100%, then your CPU isn’t holding you back, and a GPU upgrade would be your best bet. You might want to look at the RTX 5070, which fits your budget and offers solid performance. If your GPU usage is around 96% and your CPU is at 50%, that's significant!
Exactly! At 100% GPU usage, latency could become an issue too.
The 5800X is solid and should serve you well for a while longer. However, the 8GB of VRAM in your RX 6600 could start to struggle in more demanding titles, especially since I’ve had to deal with over 13GB of VRAM in games like Cyberpunk. If you're upgrading, aim for something with at least 16GB of VRAM.
Absolutely, the 5800X has plenty of life left in it! I’d say get a new GPU first, and if you're not gaming at 1440p already, maybe consider upgrading your monitor too.
Go for the GPU! The 5800X is still a good CPU, and even though there are newer options, you won’t be bottlenecked unless you’re gaming at very high frame rates. I’d suggest getting a more powerful GPU now and maybe consider upgrading your CPU and motherboard down the line. My personal pick would be the 5070 based on current pricing.
Yeah, I just checked and it’s pretty clear my GPU is doing the heavy lifting!