Hey everyone! I'm looking to upgrade my GPU and CPU because I've been having some performance issues in games. Currently, I have a 3050 GPU and an Intel Core i5-12400F CPU. My motherboard is a Prime H610M-K D4. I really want to focus on changing the CPU, ideally something like an Intel i7, but I'm not super knowledgeable about all this tech stuff. I'm on a budget of 200 euros for the CPU and just want a modest upgrade for the GPU—nothing too fancy or expensive. Any advice on compatibility or specific models would be greatly appreciated! Thanks a lot!
3 Answers
When it comes to upgrading your motherboard and CPU, LGA1700 doesn't have many good paths anymore since the 13th and 14th gen were kind of a mess. I'd recommend saving for an AM5 motherboard with 16 GB DDR5 RAM. If that's not an option, maybe look at a 12700K, but even that's a bit shaky. You could also consider last-gen AMD 7000 series for savings. For GPUs, look at something like the Intel B580 or an AMD RX 9060 XT—but make sure to go for the 16 GB version to future-proof it a bit.
Before jumping into an upgrade, have you been monitoring your CPU and GPU usage while gaming? Sometimes it's not obvious what the bottleneck is. Just a thought!
Yeah, I'm keeping an eye on things. I noticed my CPU usage is maxed out at 100% when I'm playing games like Helldivers 2, and I can't hit 60 fps even on medium settings. I'm worried about newer games too!
If you're set on an i7 within that budget, it might be tough to find one that fits. For demanding games like Helldivers 2, you'd actually want a better CPU and GPU combo. Something like the Intel Core i5-12600K and an RTX 4070 Ti would really make a difference.
How much would an i7 actually cost then? I'm not sure I can go beyond my budget.
Could you suggest a specific model for the AM5 motherboard and RAM? That would help me a lot to know what to save for!