I built my PC about two years ago and currently have a Ryzen 5 5600, an RX 580, and a Zeus 600W 80+ Bronze power supply. The PSU seems to be a low-quality model, so I'm wondering whether it can safely handle a GPU upgrade. What would be the best graphics card to pair with the Ryzen 5 5600, and should I replace the power supply before upgrading?
3 Answers
Once you have a decent PSU, the RX 9060 XT 16GB looks like a strong match for the Ryzen 5 5600, especially for 1080p or 1440p gaming. An RX 9070 is another option if your budget and monitor justify it, though the 5600 may become more of a limiting factor in some games at very high frame rates.
I’d replace the power supply before buying a stronger graphics card. That Zeus unit appears to be a low-quality model and may not actually deliver its advertised 600W; it reportedly has closer to 380W available. A reliable, properly rated PSU is a better foundation for the whole system.
For a cheaper and more power-efficient upgrade, look for an RX 6600, RX 6600 XT, RX 6650 XT, or RX 6700 XT, depending on pricing in your area. Even a standard RX 6600 would be a noticeable improvement over the RX 580 and should work well with the Ryzen 5 5600. A GeForce RTX 3060 could also fit the system, but I wouldn’t run it with the questionable PSU.
The RTX 3060 is within my budget, but I wasn’t sure whether my current power supply could handle it.
That makes sense, thanks. I’ll look into replacing the PSU first.