Consider upgrading your current system or purchasing a new one.
Consider upgrading your current system or purchasing a new one.
Many of the games I want to play require my PC to meet certain specifications. Should I upgrade or purchase a new system? I’m not entirely without hardware skills, but handling advanced updates like BIOS changes might be beyond my expertise.
The CPU feels a bit outdated. The GPU is a mid-range card from an older generation. It really depends on the games you plan to play.
The motherboard is compatible with the latest 5000 series chips. A 5700X would be a good final upgrade, or even the 5700X3D for top gaming performance.
Updating the BIOS is simple: just place a file on a USB drive, boot into BIOS, and request an update. Small USB drives cost between 5-10 euros if you don’t already have one. You can also update the BIOS directly from Windows using the manufacturer’s tools in certain situations.
The GPU upgrade depends on your budget, chassis size, and power supply. Without those details, it’s hard to give specific advice.
What is the model and make of the PSU, and how old is it? The best upgrade you can make is a Ryzen 5000 series CPU, but your motherboard won't work well because of the VRM space on it. Also, what budget have you planned for an upgrade?
I need to verify the PSU information when I arrive. It's not about a fixed budget, but rather about getting the best value. I was considering the HP Victus 15L, estimating around £749. Even if the upgrades cost between £300 and £400, which option makes more sense—upgrading or buying a new PC?
The HP model is available in various setups such as Intel, AMD, and Nvidia. Therefore, there isn't much to compare with your specific version.
What games are you interested in playing?
What requirements do they mention you’re lacking?
What genres do you enjoy?
Some titles will be restricted by CPU power, like Sims, MMOs, and strategy games.
Others may have graphics limitations, such as fast-paced action or higher resolution settings.
Is your computer solely used for gaming, or do you need to handle important work tasks?
I would improve what you have now; a Ryzen 7 5700X or 5800X could be purchased for roughly 140 pounds, and a 5700X3D would weigh around 180 pounds. You might allocate 20 pounds for a quality cooler if yours isn’t sufficient, and you’d need to update your BIOS, but it remains a straightforward task. An RX 7600 or RTX 4060 would be a solid upgrade over your GTX 1660 Super, though spending a bit more would yield better results—like an RX 6700 XT or 6750 XT. For comparison, your GTX 1660 Super works similarly to the RTX 3050 6GB mentioned in the article below.
https://www.techpowerup.com/review/asus-...uf/31.html
PCPartPicker Part List
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/gbmyvj
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My PSU is a Corsair CV450. The PC was bought in February 2021, and the only upgrade I made was the RAM to 16GB. Everything else remains unchanged.
The game I wanted to play was Cities Skylines 2, which I think had both GPU and CPU problems.
I mainly play strategy games, city builders, and a few others like 7 Days to Die and Football Manager. They all run fairly well.
I use the PC only for gaming or occasional personal use. I have a separate laptop for work.
The Victus 15L I was considering has a Ryzen 5 5600G, an Nvidia RTX 3050 with 8GB RAM and 16GB memory.
The decision is whether a new PC would last about twice as long as the upgrade would, or if spending around £800 now would be better.
Files and data are straightforward. You can simply connect the old drive and copy everything over.
But what you really need is all your installed programs, settings, etc. Some can be moved using Windows Backup, but installed apps need to be reinstalled on a new system.
5600G with a 3050 seems unnecessary, as it’s essentially paying for two GPUs. You already have 16GB of DDR4 RAM, storage, chassis, power supply, and a motherboard that supports 5600/5600G/5700X etc. It would be a lot of duplicate components. If you upgraded to a Zen 4-based system with DDR5, that would change things.
CV450 is a very lightweight model, though not highly regarded. Still, if it’s handling the 1660, you should be fine within that power range. RTX 3050 8GB and RTX 4060 8GB work. An RX6600 at 132W would also be acceptable.