I'm currently running a Ryzen 2700X with an RTX 2060 and 16GB of RAM. I feel like my setup is struggling with some newer games, especially when I'm playing on a 4K TV. I'm pretty bummed that I missed the boat on the Ryzen X3D since they're priced so high now. What's my best option for a CPU upgrade on the AM4 platform without breaking the bank? I'm looking to keep my budget around $200 for now and I plan to upgrade my GPU in the future as well. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
The R5 5600 or 5600X are solid choices for gaming. They provide good performance and are often available at reasonable prices. Also, keep in mind that your RTX 2060 might be the bottleneck for performance, especially at 4K, so upgrading that in the future will really help, too.
I've seen the 5800XT and 5600X both going for lower prices lately. If you’re in the US, checking sites like PCPartPicker can help you get a good deal. Both CPUs will give you a nice upgrade path on AM4 until you're ready to go to the AM5 platform for your future GPU upgrade.
If your budget is around $200, the 5800X is a great pick. Prices have dropped recently, and you'll notice a real difference in performance. But just a heads up, for 4K gaming, the GPU is usually the limiting factor, so keep that in mind when planning your upgrades.
Honestly, if you can find a 5600X for a good price, that’s probably your safest bet. It’ll boost your gaming performance, especially if you’re still using that 2060. You might want to consider doubling your RAM to 32GB too, as that can help with gaming performance at higher settings.
The 5800XT is an excellent upgrade option. It offers a significant performance boost over your current CPU. If you can snag one for around $160, that’s a deal! Plus, it comes with a great stock cooler. Just make sure you check your BIOS version before swapping CPUs.

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