I recently bought my first PC used, and it has an AM4 motherboard with a Ryzen 5 5600G and 16GB of Pacer Nox DDR4-3200 CL16 memory. I mainly use it for racing simulators such as Assetto Corsa, Le Mans, F1, and Forza Horizon, along with Battlefield. I also do some light editing and 3D modeling.
I'm considering upgrading to 32GB of RAM, but I've also been told that the 5600G is a relatively entry-level AM4 processor. A friend is offering me a Ryzen 7 5700X, so I'm unsure whether I should prioritize the CPU upgrade, the RAM upgrade, or try to do both. The only clear memory issue I've noticed is Forza Horizon using nearly all of my RAM with ultra settings and ray tracing enabled. What would make the most sense for this setup?
4 Answers
I would not automatically upgrade both parts at the same time. If the memory warning only appears with ultra settings and ray tracing, try lowering a few settings and monitor RAM usage first. If you are actually reaching the 16GB limit, upgrade to 32GB. If memory usage stays comfortably below the limit, put the money toward the CPU instead. Your graphics card and gaming resolution also matter a lot when deciding whether a faster processor will make a noticeable difference.
The best upgrade depends on whether gaming or productivity matters more. Racing games generally benefit from the extra cache on an X3D processor, while editing and modeling may benefit more from additional cores and memory. A 5700X is a sensible productivity upgrade, but a 5700X3D would be a stronger all-around gaming choice if you can find one at a reasonable used price. A 5800X3D is faster, but usually costs more than makes sense for an older AM4 system.
Start by checking actual memory usage while playing and working. If the system is regularly hitting the limit or stuttering because it runs out of RAM, moving to 32GB is worthwhile. Otherwise, 16GB may still be adequate for most of your games, and a CPU upgrade will probably have a larger effect on frame rates and minimum FPS. Used DDR4 is also fairly common, so you may be able to find a matching kit at a reasonable price.
The Ryzen 5 5600G is not unusable, but it has less cache than the regular Ryzen 5000 gaming CPUs, so an upgrade can help in CPU-limited games. Among the available AM4 options, the 5700X is a reasonable step up for multitasking, while an X3D chip is preferable for a gaming-focused system. Just make sure your motherboard BIOS supports whichever processor you choose, and avoid paying too much for a used chip.
I haven’t noticed CPU problems so far, but Forza Horizon has warned that the system is close to running out of memory. That is why I’m leaning toward 32GB even though I’m also considering the CPU upgrade.