I bought a "rebuild" gaming PC recently that features mostly parts from 2021. Right now, it runs most games smoothly, netting around 80fps at 1440p with Starfield using about 150 mods. My current specs include an MSI B550m Mortar Max motherboard, a Ryzen 7 3700x CPU, an RTX 3070 8GB GPU, a Thermalrite Assassin X 120R CPU cooler, and 32GB of Corsair Vengeance DDR4 3200MHz RAM. I plan to upgrade my 500W PSU to an RM850 soon.
I'm curious about my upgrade options: Is it worth getting a 5800XT? What GPUs should I consider? Should I save up for an AM5 motherboard and make more significant changes? If I go for an AM5 motherboard with a new CPU, can I still use my RTX 3070 in the meantime until I can afford a better GPU?
4 Answers
In my opinion, your build is pretty balanced. If you upgrade just one part, you’ll likely want to update something else too. My advice? Save up for a whole new build in a year or two and just enjoy what you’ve got for now.
Definitely. With how things are right now, holding off for good deals is a smart move.
You could definitely upgrade to a 5700X or 5800X while keeping your existing setup if you want the extra power. These CPUs can pair well with newer 5070 GPUs. But honestly, if you’re still happy with how your games run on the 3070, now might not be the time to rush into an upgrade if the costs aren’t right.
So you think sticking with the 3070 until I know more about future builds makes sense? I don't want to invest too much right away.
Absolutely! Just keep an eye on sales for the 5800XT or whatever might catch your interest down the line.
Before you think about switching out the 3070, I’d recommend looking into an X3D processor first. It could give you a nice performance boost without needing to change the GPU yet. Just be aware, they're a bit pricey right now.
Yeah, those X3D chips are getting really expensive these days. Is the upgrade from a 3700x to a 5800X3D actually worth it though? Or should I just wait for prices to drop and go straight for AM5?
Right? I think the 3070 is still solid for now—I’d like to see how the CPU upgrade goes before deciding on anything else.
Your build looks pretty good overall, aside from the PSU upgrade. You could consider jumping to a 5800X or a 5700X for a solid boost. For GPUs, the 6800XT or even 4070s might be worth checking out. Just keep in mind that if you do go for an AM5 setup, you'll need DDR5 RAM, which is currently super costly.
Yeah, I didn't realize AM5 needed DDR5 either! Definitely not looking to spend that much right now. Sounds like the 5800XT might be a good alternative in the meantime.
Right? My 5000 series cooler should be fine for the 5800 series, right? Just trying to make sure everything stays compatible.
Yeah, that’s what I'm thinking too. I’ll start saving now for a better build later. It’s a rough time to jump back into PC gaming with prices as they are.