I'm looking to upgrade my PC from 2020 by swapping out my GPU for an RX 9070XT and my processor for a Ryzen 7 9700X. I currently have 16 GB of DDR4 RAM running at 3200MHz. Given the ridiculous prices of RAM right now, should I be worried about my current RAM bottlenecking the performance of the new GPU and CPU? Or would it be better to wait and do a full upgrade later?
3 Answers
Honestly, the biggest bottleneck is likely going to be your budget! If RAM prices are too high now, upgrading your GPU first might be the way to go. Just keep in mind that the Ryzen 5 3600 might hold back the new GPU somewhat, especially in more demanding games.
You can't upgrade to the 9700X without a new motherboard and RAM because that's DDR5. Instead, consider the Ryzen 5800X3D as it works with your current setup and should handle the GPU well, without breaking the bank on RAM.
Thanks! That sounds like a smarter plan.
You won't be able to use DDR4 with the Ryzen 7 9700X, which is AM5 and only supports DDR5. If you're on AM4, you'll need to stick with Ryzen 5000 series CPUs. You might want to upgrade your GPU now and consider the CPU and RAM later when prices drop.
Thanks for the clarification! I'm using a Ryzen 5 3600 right now. Do you think it's going to bottleneck the new GPU?
Totally agree! It's all about finding that balance between performance and what you can afford.