Hey everyone! I'm looking to upgrade my old PC and could use some advice. Here are my specs: I'm rocking an Intel i7-7700 CPU running at 3.60GHz, an NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1050 with 2GB, 16GB of RAM, and a Gigabyte H110M-DS2-CF motherboard. My budget is pretty tight, and I was considering maybe starting with the motherboard, but I'm concerned that might mean I'd need to upgrade my CPU right away too. What do you guys think would be the best way to tackle this upgrade?
2 Answers
Honestly, your CPU can probably hold on for a while. I’d recommend focusing your budget on getting a new GPU first. Even though your CPU might bottleneck newer graphics cards to some extent, it’s still a worthwhile upgrade. Once you've got a better GPU and saved a bit more, you can look at upgrading the CPU, motherboard, and RAM altogether later on.
Your GPU is definitely the weak link here. When I had a similar setup, upgrading from the GTX 1050 made a huge difference. I’d prioritize getting a better graphics card. After that, a new motherboard and CPU could open up a lot of options, plus you'll want to make sure you can still use your current RAM. Just make sure to keep an eye on BIOS updates for compatibility with newer chips!
Good call on the GPU! Also, definitely check for BIOS updates before upgrading to any new CPU.