Need advice on improving your 2018 PC within a $500 to $600 budget?
Need advice on improving your 2018 PC within a $500 to $600 budget?
I’m aiming to enhance my existing PC from 2018 that’s still functioning but struggling with demanding titles such as Elden Ring and Baldur's Gate 3. It would benefit from additional RAM, and I’m weighing whether to install another SSD or simply reorganize what I already have. I’m also considering transferring my current operating system to a bigger SSD if one becomes available. I’m open to advice on the best approach!
Original Build
PCPartPicker Part List
Component
Details
Price (2018)
CPU
AMD Ryzen 5 2600 3.4 GHz 6-Core
$140.00 @ Amazon
Motherboard
Gigabyte B450 AORUS PRO WIFI ATX AM4
$139.99 @ Amazon
Memory
Corsair Vengeance LPX 8 GB (2x4 GB) DDR4-2666
$29.99 @ Amazon
Storage 1
ADATA SU800 256 GB SSD
$66.48 @ Amazon
Storage 2
WD Caviar Blue 1 TB HDD
$39.99 @ Amazon
GPU
Gigabyte GTX 1060 3GB
(2018 Purchase)
Case
Deepcool Dukase ATX Mid Tower Case
(2018 Purchase)
PSU
Corsair CX500 500W 80+ Bronze
(2018 Purchase)
Monitor
Dell SE2417HG 23.6" 1080p 60 Hz
$337.44 @ Amazon
Keyboard/Mouse/Speakers
Logitech K350, Corsair Harpoon, Logitech S120
Various
Proposed Upgrade
PCPartPicker Part List
Component
Details
Price (2024)
CPU
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7 GHz 6-Core
$105.00 @ Amazon
Motherboard
MSI B550 GAMING GEN3 ATX AM4
$89.99 @ MSI
Memory
Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2x8 GB) DDR4-3200
$39.99 @ Amazon
Storage 1
ADATA SU800 256 GB SSD (Already Own)
$0.00
Storage 2
Kingston NV2 1 TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD
$54.99 @ Amazon
Storage 3
WD Caviar Blue 1 TB HDD (Already Own)
$0.00
GPU
MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Ventus 12GB
$279.99 @ Amazon
Case
Deepcool Dukase ATX Mid Tower Case
(Reusing)
PSU
Corsair CX500 500W 80+ Bronze
(Reusing)
Monitor
Dell SE2417HG 23.6" 1080p 60 Hz
(Reusing)
Keyboard/Mouse/Speakers
Logitech K350, Corsair Harpoon, Logitech S120
Various
Total Cost:
$612.96
Prices cover shipping, taxes, and discounts (as of 11/30/2024).
Questions
Are there any weak points or aspects I should reassess during this upgrade?
My primary objectives are improved gaming performance and enhanced multitasking.
Is my 500W power supply sufficient for the RTX 3060, or should I look into a better option?
Should I opt to add an M.2 SSD or simply swap in a larger one instead?
Could you share advice on transferring my current OS to a new SSD?
Will the RTX 3060 complement my existing 1080p 60 Hz monitor, or is it excessive?
This build is planned for the next few months, so I’m not necessarily chasing special deals. Just seeking a reliable solution within my budget. Open to any recommendations!
Since you're moving forward, performing a worthwhile upgrade;
1| swap the ram out for a DDR4-3600MHz dual channel, tight latency kit.
2| That green labelled CX unit is trash and is known in the PSU industry as a dumpster fire...well not exactly but it's a bad unit. I would not be recycling it, let alone use it to power an RTX3060. To also add, a PSU will undergo wear and tear so an used PSU will not output the same as it did when brand new.
3| Your PCPP listing shows USA on the location in the drop down menu, is that so? We get traffic from other parts of the world and some don't notice their location showing up on said top right hand corner.
4| Yes, adding an M.2 NVMe drive as your game drive is a worthwhile decision. With that being said, you reinstall the OS since you're performing a platform change, so no other way around it.
5| RTX3060 for 1080p gaming is overkill, well you can max out eyecandy in your games.
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU:
*
AMD Ryzen 5 5600 3.5 GHz 6-Core Processor
($107.98 @ Amazon)
Memory:
*
G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory
($48.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card:
*
ASRock Challenger D Radeon RX 6600 8 GB Video Card
($189.97 @ Newegg)
Power Supply:
*
MSI MAG A650BN 650 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply
($49.99 @ Amazon)
Overall Cost: $396.93
Includes shipping, taxes, and applicable discounts
*Selected lowest-priced items based on criteria
Created by
PCPartPicker
2024-12-01 10:49 EST-0500
I’ll evaluate replacing the RAM with a DDR4-3600MHz dual-channel package for improved latency. This could really boost performance—do you have any particular models in mind?
For the power source, I suspected there might be a problem. Thanks for clarifying! Since my existing PSU is outdated and wasn’t originally high-end, I’ll upgrade it. Could you recommend a suitable wattage and brand/model? I need something dependable for my RTX 3060 while staying within budget.
I’m located in the USA and will verify prices to ensure accuracy.
Adding an M.2 NVMe drive would be ideal for my gaming setup—it’s the most straightforward and fastest way to speed up storage. I’ll reinstall the OS during this process, especially after swapping the motherboard or CPU.
For the RTX 3060 at 1080p, going all-in on the graphics should suffice. If I later upgrade my monitor to higher resolutions or refresh rates, I already have the necessary GPU support. Right now it should provide a seamless experience even with my older 1080p display.
Exactly. Maintain the existing setup. A bios update should work smoothly with the newer CPU without problems. I previously used a 5900x on a b350 board.
Consider skipping the new board and instead getting a 2tb SSD drive, using your 256gb as a boot drive. Install games and apps on the SSD, which should take up about 100 GB. Save the savings to upgrade to something like the 5700x, providing extra future-proofing.
If possible, grab the 5700x3d for a bit more performance. This should push your current hardware to its limits and keep you a few years longer. Perhaps until AM4 arrives with any luck.