I want a more consistent frame rate in games such as Overwatch and Deadlock. My monitor runs at 165 Hz, but Overwatch drops to around 110 FPS during fights, while Deadlock usually tops out near 110 FPS and can fall below 100 during busy moments. Moving to AM5 is too expensive, so I'm considering a Ryzen 5 5700X or another upgrade on my existing AM4 platform. I'm not sure whether the CPU or GPU is holding me back, or whether I would need to replace both for a noticeable improvement. My budget is roughly $300, although prices vary where I live. The system has a Ryzen 5 4500, GeForce RTX 2060, 32 GB of 3600 MHz RAM, an MSI B450M PRO-VDH MAX motherboard, and a 1080p 165 Hz monitor.
3 Answers
I’d upgrade the CPU first. The Ryzen 5 4500 is relatively weak for high-refresh gaming, and Deadlock is likely to be CPU-limited at 1080p. A Ryzen 5 5600, 5600X, or similar drop-in AM4 chip would be a sensible budget upgrade. A 5700X works, but its extra cores generally won’t add much gaming performance compared with a good six-core chip.
Check utilization while you’re actually in a match, ideally during a fight. If the CPU is much more heavily loaded than the GPU, that points to a CPU limitation. Based on the reported usage, the GPU seems to be below the CPU, which is common in competitive 1080p games when chasing high frame rates.
The RTX 2060 is still adequate for 1080p, especially with competitive settings, so replacing it first probably won’t fix the dips if the GPU is only sitting around 50–70% usage. A graphics card upgrade makes more sense if you raise the resolution or settings and see the GPU consistently near full utilization. With about $300, put the money toward the CPU first, then consider the GPU later.
If you can find a reasonably priced Ryzen 7 5700X3D or another X3D option, that would offer a larger improvement in CPU-limited games. Just make sure the motherboard BIOS supports it before buying.