I'm currently using a Radeon RX 6600 XT along with an AMD Ryzen 5 3600, backed by 32GB of DDR4 RAM. I'm looking to boost my gaming and streaming performance, especially for CPU-intensive games like Rust. My budget is between $100 and $170. Should I focus on upgrading my CPU, or is there a better investment to make? Would it be wise to save up a bit more for a bigger upgrade?
5 Answers
If you can stretch your budget a bit, finding a used Ryzen 7 5700X3D would be a smart move. It’s a great upgrade option!
You might want to consider grabbing a used Ryzen 7 5700X for around $130. It's a solid CPU that's definitely a step up. And if you can save a little longer, I’d definitely hold out for a new GPU too!
Honestly, with your budget, making a substantial upgrade won't be easy. You’re not going to see a huge change without spending more. If you can wait and save up a bit, that'd be better in the long run.
Look for a second-hand Ryzen 5 5600 or 5700X if your motherboard supports them. They are decent upgrades, but keep your eyes set on saving for a GPU too!
Since you’re playing CPU-heavy games, upgrading from the Ryzen 5 3600 to a Ryzen 5 5500 could help, but I’d suggest saving for a better GPU down the line like the Arc B580. But you may want to avoid the 5500 if you're looking for a significant boost since it’s just a minor upgrade.

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