I'm in the process of upgrading my gaming rig and considering whether to build a new one for myself while giving my current setup to my spouse. Currently, I have an i5 10600k processor, a 3060 GPU, and 64GB of DDR4 RAM. I mostly play 1080p games like Tarkov, Arc Raiders, and Palworld. I've already bought 32GB of DDR5 RAM and an SSD, but I'm looking for advice on which CPU and GPU to go for. I'm eyeing the Ryzen 5 9600x since it fits my budget, but I'm unsure if spending an additional $100 would make a notable difference. For the GPU, I'm considering an 8GB AMD 9060, but I'm also wondering if the 16GB version at $440 would be worth the extra cash. What do you all think?
3 Answers
If you already have 64GB of DDR4 RAM, you might want to reconsider and go for the i5 14600k instead of the 9600x. It's better in most games and you wouldn't need to switch to DDR5, saving you some budget for a nice upgrade. Plus, you could then grab something like the 9060XT 16GB with the funds you'd save!
When you're looking at GPU options, if the 8GB model is around $360 and the 16GB one is just $440, definitely go for the 16GB. Having that extra VRAM will help you a lot in the long run, with how games are evolving. The 9600x is also a solid CPU that will give you good performance for years at 1080p. Pair them up, and you won’t regret it!
I feel you! It's wild to think about how much better pricing used to be for graphics cards a decade ago. $400 feels like a mountain right now!
You have 32GB of DDR5 now, but think $400 for just an 8GB GPU is too much? It makes me chuckle! Anyway, good luck with those upgrades, OP!
I completely agree! But then you risk losing out on building that computer for your wife, who has been waiting for 8 years. Gotta balance the tech upgrades and family requests, right?