Guide for Upgrading a Gaming PC (First-Time PC Builder)
Guide for Upgrading a Gaming PC (First-Time PC Builder)
CPU: Intel Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor
Motherboard: MSI H110M Gaming Micro ATX LGA1151
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133
Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" SSD
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB Gaming
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 520W 80+ Bronze
You also mentioned needing more space for your PC.
Your CPU and GPU are both very old and need to be replaced. The lowest end 4 core CPU right now is far superior to yours. So I would suggest getting new CPU and GPU both
By space i assume you mean storage. So you can either buy a HDD which is cheaper but much slower. Or you can buy an SSD which is three times the price but much faster.
I would suggest to upgrade your PSU as well, as it is meant for lower end systems like yours.
144fps depends on your settings too. Do you want ultra? High? Medium? Low?
If you want Ultra I would suggest you wait for Nvidia's 3060 and 3060 Ti
For high, I think a 2060 Super will suffice
For medium, probably a 2060
For low, I think 1660 Ti
For reference, a 1660 Ti = 1070
And 1650 Super = 1060. A 2060 = 1070 Ti +, 2060 Super = 1080 + 2070 Super = 1080 Ti, 3060 = 2070 Super +4-5% probably
And with 2070 Super I get 125ish ultra Warzone
And for CPU, you can keep the RAM, don't waste money on newer RAM. And you can go for the i5-10400F. Since your purpose is gaming, the i5 is $175, vs the R5 3600 $200 and is slightly better in some games. Plus, the i5 doesn't care as much about fast RAM as Ryzen does. And you can go for any H410 or B460 motherboard, just ensure it has an 8 pin power connector, and 4 RAM slots. Everything else is irrelevant really.
Another option is waiting for the Ryzen 5600. This will serve you better with faster RAM, but it'll also be $220 for the CPU, and a costlier motherboard than the i5.
Either way you'll need a cooler. $35 for the Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition is a good investment.
For SSDs, if you want to save some money, you can have great value NVMe drives like the Kingston A2000 and WD Blue NVMe (there's also a Blue SATA, look out) for cheaper than the Samsung drives.
As for which one first.... Well.... If you're gonna go for 144 fps, I'd obviously say GPU first. But keep in mind your GPU will never be at its full potential with that i5-6500. You need a new CPU to make the best use of newer GPUs
What you currently possess is a midrange gaming setup from five years ago, with both the i5 and the 1060 being mid-range parts from 2015. Back then, achieving 144Hz at 60Hz was challenging; these were reliable 1080p 60Hz models. Warzone and Cold War can handle up to 16 threads, whereas the i5 only supports 4. In reality, you’d need a near-complete overhaul just to maintain 100fps consistently. Have you checked in-game CPU/GPU usage? It’s likely the CPU is always at full capacity. You can’t overcome CPU limits for FPS except by upgrading. Graphics performance can be improved by reducing resolution and graphics settings. Lowering in-game resolution to 720p and graphics quality will help you see the CPU’s FPS ceiling, guiding your upgrade choices. Upgrading to an i7 6700 would be a waste of money and effort for minimal gains. This would essentially mean replacing the whole system or rebuilding it from scratch.
Hello there!
Building a PC doesn't require much effort beyond picking the right components and ensuring compatibility. Now I get it—you're aiming to create a part list. The first thing to consider is the price; without it, planning becomes difficult. Even small budget changes can affect your choice of parts. Start by thinking about an ideal budget for the CPU, RAM, motherboard, or GPU, depending on your needs.
I wasn't anticipating such a detailed answer, so thank you very much! Usually, I stick to low graphics settings since I value performance more than visual quality. Based on what you mentioned, it seems like you should consider upgrading beyond just the CPU or GPU. Also, how do the differences between SSD and HDD affect game performance? I think I’ll take my PC to Microcenter for them to replace those components, as I don’t think I can handle it myself.
Please let me know your PC's capabilities. I'd be happy to help you achieve a smoother gaming experience!
SSD and HDD mostly affect loading speeds, but can also affect stuttering. Especially in open world games like GTA V. Where you've got large lands and traveling is possible.
I'm saying I would recommend cpu gpu mobo (because cpu without mobo not possible) and PSU. The best combo would be i5+2060 if yiu want medium - low 144fps. And probably that PSU will suffice, but just to be on the safer side, a Corsair CX550. (non M version)
I'm pretty sure you can do it yourself, but that's at your discretion of course
I will definitely examine that combination you suggest.
I’ll also consider making the changes myself to save some money.
Thank you very much for your assistance!