PC upgrade question
PC upgrade question
Hello friends
My configuration is quite basic, about five years old.
Here are the details:
*How to Ask for New Build or Upgrade Advice* This guide is based on an adaptation of the Animal's *How To Ask For New Build Advice* Sticky. I developed it after noticing many recent inquiries about upgrades both here and on the CPU forums, and I believe... forums. the community can benefit from these suggestions. Make sure to mention your location, your chosen buying site, and your budget.
GPU isn't usually the main issue when aiming for very high FPS in competitive play.
It's better to improve your core CPU/Motherboard/RAM instead. Upgrading the GPU is an option if you prefer higher graphics settings or want to try other games.
Ryzen 7800X3D or Intel 13700k/14700k would be solid CPU picks. For AMD, you'd need DDR5 memory, while with Intel you could reuse your DDR4 on a compatible board, though adding 32GB of DDR5 would cost around $100.
Based on the benchmarks for cs2, the 7800x3d offers the highest performance as the game can utilize the additional cache.
Your games require limited cores or threads.
To determine if a GPU upgrade would help, perform this basic test:
Execute your games while reducing resolution and graphical effects.
This will slightly strain the graphics card.
An increase in FPS suggests your CPU can handle better graphics settings.
If FPS remains unchanged, your CPU might be the bottleneck.
I suspect your CPU performance, especially single-thread speed, is the main constraint.
Run the cpu-z benchmark and check the single-thread score.
It should be approximately 680:
https://valid.x86.fr/bench/zc5ym6
If you haven’t overclocked, expect a lower number.
Upgrading the CPU will likely require a new motherboard.
To keep your existing DDR4 RAM, choose an LGA1700 DDR4 motherboard with a B760 chipset.
A reasonable price for this would be around $150.
For instance, you can find it here:
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813144587...6813144587
There’s a clear trend of performance improvement with Intel and Ryzen chips.
Focus on processors with strong single-thread scores. All modern chips should meet this requirement.
I prefer the new 14th generation non-K models such as the I5-14500.
It achieves a score of 795 on cpu-Z, is 65W, and comes with an excellent air cooler.
After five years, your AIO will likely need replacement.