Hi, I’ve got a fairly modest computer by today’s standard and I’m looking to upgrade the GPU and perhaps also the CPU. Mostly I use it for playing games and your other typical PC tasks, not much video editing and stuff of that sort. Mostly MMOs, sandbox games, RPGs, CRPGs and the occasional sim or 4X.
At the time I’m having a blast with Baldur’s Gate 3 (me and everyone else), and it runs fine (albeit with a fairly hot GPU topping out around 89 C, but ambient is around 35 tbf) on High settings. Only thing I noticed is some occasionally long turn times of enemies “thinking” during combat. Also been meaning to play Elden Ring but my PS5’s GPU died early in the game (just after console warranty expired), so I’m tempted to get it for PC.
Currently got:
- Asus Prime B450M-A
- Ryzen 5 2600X
- MSI RX 580 8GB
- Corsair DDR4 16 GB (2x8GB dual-channel) 3200 memory
- 650 W PSU
I think the biggest performance gain would come from upgrading the GPU. Where I had something like a 6700 XT (currently at 330 € here) in mind.
Is it nonsensical to also upgrade the CPU to a 5800X3D (currently 320 €) instead of just waiting a couple more years and going with whatever platform is current then? Not interested in buying all new memory nor a higher-rated PSU now. Thinking the mentioned CPU can squeeze at least five more years or so out of this motherboard before I need a bigger upgrade. Perhaps it would also help with turn times?
Probably around 150 € can be recouped by selling my old parts once I have flashed the BIOS and no longer need the old CPU.
Yeah, I feel like I haven’t rushed the upgrades too soon with the GPU. It has been almost impossible to get one at a normal price these past three years though.
Some spending is flowing over the top of the spending dam, but I don’t think it’s about to give structurally. We’re also spending a bit on vacation around this same time, it feels worse to spend a lot at once but honestly it doesn’t make a difference if we spend it now or spread out as long as it’s isn’t a pattern.
Yeah you know yourself better than anyone else, you know how much this + the vacation will set you back in your bank accounts and towards your goal. Relative to downpayments(which range in the tens of thousands to beyond here in the states) 330 is a drop in the bucket. Plus your gpu is like 6 years old and wasnt that much more powerful than the 480 it replaced.
If it were 9 years ago I’d say “wait and see the new gpus are just coming out soon”, but this gen has been a bit of a bust for gpus. The Nvidias are expensive or lack vram in the budget space, and the current gen AMDs are also more expensive while offering very minimal gains(and in some cases are power hungry). If anything I’d say aim a little higher and see if you can snag a 6800xt for a good price(and if not stick with that your getting).
But yeah if you have the savings to eat the cost without it being much of an issue, and if this isnt going to awaken the shopaholic deep inside I dont see too much reason to not treat yourself. I’m sorry for coming in as the devil on your shoulder, but your thought process reminds me of my own saving habits and it’s important to remind yourself sometimes that it’s good to treat yourself!
All excellent points. It’s tempting to get a 6800xt.
After reading up on benchmarking data it appears I can still get a real performance gain from the 6800xt over the 6700xt still without swapping the CPU. This makes me think the 5800x3d is way overkill for the kinds of GPUs I’m looking at. I have the impression that it will be bottlenecked by the GPU unless I’m getting a 7900XT or something super high-end to pair with it.
At least with the 6700xt the benchmark data I found looked almost identical between a 5800x and a 5800x3d, though not sure how accurate the data is. All that said the price difference between the 6700xt and 6800xt can fully pay for a 5800x which may offer a more balanced upgrade for the system overall. Then I can overclock the GPU once we can afford a house with AC in 30 years or so.