Should I upgrade my CPU?
Should I upgrade my CPU?
I've been using a B450 MB with an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 since summer 2020. For gaming, I run on an RX 7800 XT at 4K and 120 FPS. Based on Gigabyte's compatibility list (current version), you could upgrade to a Ryzen 9 5950X. I’m thinking about increasing my RAM from 16 to 32GB, but I’m curious—would it be worthwhile to switch the CPU? If yes, what’s the most cost-effective option? Cheers
This platform isn't worth the effort. You're already getting smooth performance, so why upgrade when you can get 130fps instead of 120? It's just about the CPU and those tricks don't really matter much. The 3600 is solid, and the 5800x3D offers only a small edge that rarely matters in practice. I upgraded once and saw almost no difference in most games.
My maximum frame rate stays at 120 FPS because my TV runs at 120Hz. I'm concerned the older CPU might be limiting performance.
Upgrading would be highly beneficial. The top value comes from the 5700X, though the 5700X3D or 5800X3D might suit you more. Keep an eye on your GPU usage to spot any bottlenecks. Minimal activity means a problem exists. Avoid the Task Manager; instead try MSI Afterburner, GPU-Z, or Intel PresentMon. For more insights, check out the Intel presentation guide here: https://game.intel.com/us/stories/intel-presentmon/. Also, consider watching this video about the 5700X3D performance. It performs similarly to a Ryzen 5 7600 but is slightly less powerful than a 7700.
Why are you worried about a bottleneck here if you already know the performance of the system? The performance you are getting is the performance you are getting. Even if it is a bottleneck, so what? Every computer has a bottleneck, whether that's the CPU, the GPU, the RAM, the storage, etc. If you are happy with the performance of your current CPU, then there's no need to upgrade it.