Hey everyone! I built my PC a few years ago and I'm thinking about upgrading some components. I feel like something's holding back its performance. For example, when playing Arc Raiders, my GPU utilization was only around 45%. Here's my current setup:
- GPU: PNY NVIDIA Geforce RTX 3060TI 8GB
- RAM: PNY 16GB (2x8) 3200hz
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
I also have 2 NVME SSDs and my motherboard is an MSI Mortar with an AMD AM4 socket. What's the most critical part I should upgrade first? Thanks in advance!
3 Answers
What settings are you using to play the game? Are you utilizing DLSS? That could impact your performance considerably!
It sounds like you might be facing some CPU bottlenecking, or your RAM might not be configured properly. First, double-check that your RAM's XMP/EXPO settings are enabled in the BIOS. Also, ensure your monitor is connected to the GPU and not the onboard graphics. A performance tracking tool like MSI Afterburner can help diagnose what's underperforming. As for upgrades, the AM4 platform isn't ideal for significant upgrades anymore, so consider hunting for a 5700X or 5800X on eBay if you can find a good deal. RAM prices have also soared lately, so keep that in mind.
Thanks for the tips! I’ll check the BIOS. As for RAM, if price wasn’t a constraint, would that be the weak link? Or would I need to think about an AM5 upgrade to get better performance out of 3600hz RAM?
Another option might be to consider an AM4 upgrade like the X38 chip along with 32GB of RAM and a higher tier GPU, like the 5070 or 5060, if you're really looking to push performance.

I’m mostly on medium settings with static global illumination and balanced DLSS. I capped the frame rate at 75 fps, and while it feels somewhat stable, I started higher at around 90 fps, experiencing similar stuttering problems even then. I doubt the GPU is the issue this time.