I've been playing a lot of games lately, and while most haven't been too demanding on graphics, I've started to notice slow texture loading and longer loading screens. I recently tried playing 'Control' on Ultra settings and found my FPS plummeting to between 10-20. I had to lower the settings to Medium, turning off ray tracing and shadows, just to bring my FPS up to the 40s.
When checking my system usage, my GPU was maxed out at 100%, while my CPU stayed around 20-30%. This leaves me a bit puzzled about how to improve my gaming experience. I've come across discussions suggesting upgrades to either the CPU, possibly to a Ryzen 5700X3D, or the GPU, considering something like a RTX 4080 super.
I'm gaming at 4K and have 32GB of RAM. I'm looking for the best cost-effective upgrade to play more demanding games at higher settings, with a budget of around $800 to $900.
5 Answers
Consider running your games at 1080p or 720p then using DLSS to upscale to 4K. The RTX 3060 should handle 1080p gameplay well without issues. To do 4K natively at decent settings, you’ll need high-end GPUs. Just FYI!
Honestly, you might be bottlenecked by both your CPU and GPU. The RTX 3060 is really more of a budget card meant for 1080p gaming. If you want to play new titles with max settings and ray tracing, you should consider upgrading both the CPU and GPU together. The 5800X3D is solid, but also look for something like the 5060Ti or the newer 4070/4080 options for a better experience for 4K gaming. Just be careful when checking out the used market for good deals!
Are you familiar with DLSS? It's a great way to boost your FPS, especially while playing at 4K. You can find it in the game settings to toggle it on. I’d suggest trying the balanced or performance mode.
I had no idea! Thanks for the tip, I’ll give that a try.
Given your budget, I’d recommend going for a Ryzen 5600X and pairing it with an RTX 5070. You might still want to consider a good power supply upgrade too. Having 32GB of RAM already is great, so you should be set there!
Does it make a difference if I have 2x16 GB versus 4x8 GB for RAM?
What's the performance comparison between the 5600X, 5700, and 5800X? Is it worth spending a bit more?
At 4K, bearing in mind that your GPU is maxed out, it becomes clear that the RTX 3060 isn't really suited for native 4K gaming—it’s more of a 1440p card now. You should definitely look into at least an RTX 5070 if you want to enjoy 4K properly. 4K gaming demands a lot more from your hardware!
Thanks for clarifying! I didn't realize 4K was so demanding on graphics.
When you say 5060Ti, do you mean it's better than the 4070 or 4080? I’m a bit confused on that.