I bought my desktop around 2022 with an Intel i5-11400F, RTX 3060 Ti, and 16 GB of DDR4 memory. Even after moving the components into a larger case, installing a Thermalright Peerless Assassin cooler, replacing the motherboard, and adding a 650 W Corsair power supply, performance has been much worse than expected. League of Legends runs around 70 FPS during fights on very low settings, while Valorant usually reaches about 160 FPS but recently started freezing. I am considering upgrading to a Ryzen 7 7800X3D with a Gigabyte B650 motherboard and 32 GB of DDR5-6000 memory. Would that be enough for a major improvement, and roughly what frame rates should I expect? I may upgrade to an RTX 5070 later. Could there be another problem with my current setup, such as overheating, Windows, or the monitor being connected to the wrong video output?
3 Answers
A 7800X3D would easily handle well over 240 FPS in League and very high FPS in Valorant, so yes, it is a major CPU upgrade. However, 70 FPS in League with an i5-11400F and RTX 3060 Ti is not normal. I would investigate the current system before upgrading: check CPU and GPU temperatures and usage, reinstall the graphics drivers, verify that the monitor cable is connected to the RTX 3060 Ti rather than the motherboard, and consider a clean Windows installation. Also make sure the game is not capped at 70 FPS or affected by power-saving settings.
First check the basics. If the monitor is plugged into the motherboard video output, the system may be using integrated graphics or the wrong adapter; connect it directly to the RTX 3060 Ti. Use a monitoring tool while playing to see whether the CPU or GPU is reaching full utilization, and check clock speeds, temperatures, RAM configuration, and background processes. A faulty installation, driver issue, or unusual FPS limiter could explain the low performance better than the CPU model alone.
I was not sure how to tell which output I was using, so I will trace the cable and make sure it is connected to the graphics card rather than the motherboard.
The new parts should provide excellent results, but the 7800X3D is probably more than you need for an RTX 3060 Ti, especially for esports games. At 1080p, you could expect well above 200 FPS in both games in a properly configured system, though actual results depend on settings, resolution, and frame caps. Your existing computer should already run League far faster than 70 FPS, so an upgrade may hide the symptom without explaining the cause.
I have tried a lot of optimizations over the years and the temperatures look fine now, but I still suspect something is wrong with the processor. I will try a clean Windows installation and check the display connection.