Not sure about the upgrade process?
Not sure about the upgrade process?
Hi, I see your PC isn’t meeting your expectations. It’s time to consider an upgrade. Five years ago I moved from a 1060 to a 1080ti, realizing my i7-6700 was limiting performance. Although games still ran well, my frame rates dropped. Now I need better performance and I’m planning to boost my CPU. My budget is about 500€. Current setup: case Corsair Carbide SPEC-01, CPU Intel Core i7-6700 (4x 3.4GHz, 8MB L3), mainboard ASUS H170-Pro, GTX 1080ti 12GB OC RAM, 16GB DDR4-2133, 1TB HDD + 512GB SSD, power supply 750W, cooler Deepcool Gammaxx. I’d appreciate any suggestions. Thanks! Lennart
Budget plays a significant role here. For the most affordable option, consider a 5600 with a solid motherboard and a budget-friendly 3200mhz 16GB memory setup, totaling around $280. If you prefer a slightly upgraded build, a 5700X adds another $40 for a combined total of $320. For Intel users, a similar configuration costs about $280, but with a 12400F for $280 or $340 for a 10-core 12600K/13400F. These chips feature 6 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores. To get 8 performance cores plus 4 efficiency cores (12 cores total), a 12700KF is available for roughly $400. If you plan to upgrade later, AM5 remains the top choice due to LGA1700 support, while Ryzen 5000 is the last on AM4. Expect an extra $40–50 for DDR5 RAM and a new motherboard compared to other options.
Your budget is approximately 500 to 600 euros for the full upgrade.
I’d invest in a 5600 combo as mentioned, include a solid SSD and ditch the HDD. It’s 2023, right? Prioritize the rest for a GPU upgrade around Christmas or you could splurge on a 5800x3d combo and build a strong foundation. A 13600K would also fit your budget. The choice really hinges on how much extra cash you can allocate for the GPU later. If you plan to upgrade to a 700-900+ GPU soon, go with option 2. Otherwise, pick option 1 and add a 500 GPU later this year. A 5600 + 7800XT makes a solid 1080/1440 setup. 5800X3D/7600X/13600K paired with 7900XT/4070Ti delivers a 1440/1440 UW/4K configuration. *Some might prefer a 5800x3d with any GPU—it’s a practical alternative too. Ultimately, it’s about what you can afford.* Seeing what a 5600 and 1080Ti can achieve with Starfield if you upgrade the CPU and keep your GPU now will help you decide.