Hey everyone! A while back, my boyfriend built me a PC when I was 17, and now at 23, I'm finally ready to upgrade it. I've managed to swap out my graphics card a couple of years ago—thanks to my cousin's old part—but I'm not super tech-savvy yet. Here's a quick rundown of my current setup, pulled from Speccy:
- **Operating System:** Windows 10 Home 64-bit
- **CPU:** Intel Core i5 9400F @ 2.90GHz
- **RAM:** 16.0GB Dual-Channel DDR4 @ 1330MHz
- **Motherboard:** MSI B365M PRO-VDH(MS-7C39)
- **Graphics:** NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, with a couple of monitors
- **Storage:** A large HDD and an SSD.
I mostly play games like BG3, Skyrim, Phasmophobia, and Terraria, which aren't too intensive. However, my PC tends to get really loud during gameplay. I'm curious about which parts I should prioritize upgrading and if I should consider building a new PC entirely, or if I can manage some upgrades given my budget of around $500 right now. Thanks for any tips!
5 Answers
Don’t forget to let us know what case you have! That can affect your upgrade options too. Given your needs, I think a few smart changes could make a big difference without breaking the bank.
First off, how much are you planning to spend overall? It would help narrow down options for what to upgrade. But since you mentioned a budget of about $500 for now, start by looking for a gen3 NVMe SSD to speed things up a bit. That will definitely help! If possible, consider a used 9000-series Intel CPU and maybe a new GPU down the line. But keep in mind that if you want to go high-end later, you might need a new motherboard and RAM, especially if you consider switching to DDR5.
With your budget, check this out: it might be a good starter for your upgrades. I have a similar setup, and it runs quite well for the games you’re into! Here's my build for inspiration: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/f3tPHW.
I suggest considering starting fresh with an AM5 build. Your current setup is pretty dated, and investing in newer tech now might save you money in the long run. Look at a solid 6-core CPU and at least 32GB of DDR5 RAM; it’ll be worth it for future-proofing!
You can definitely upgrade from your i5 to an i9 and swap out the GPU. I think those should be your priorities since they’ll give you a significant performance boost. You could always get better storage later on.
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