Purchasing a brand-new video gaming PC can be expensive compared to merely updating a couple of parts. Then how do you understand if you require to go entire hog and begin from scratch, or simply alter up a couple of pieces of hardware?
Worry not, these 6 concerns will guide you in the ideal instructions.
Just how much efficiency am I presently losing on?
If the response to this concern is, “Not much, simply a couple of FPS here or there,” then it’s most likely you can get away with merely updating your GPU, CPU, or RAM.
On the other hand, if your PC isn’t even in the ballpark for the sort of efficiency you desire, or you’re getting concerns such as video game freezes or stuttering, or you discover you need to dip into a lower resolution than you want to (and you’ve identified those issues to being the outcome of traffic jams), then rather just, you need to actually purchase or construct a brand-new rig.
How far listed below advised specifications is my PC?
Another excellent way to inform if you require to develop a brand-new video gaming PC or merely upgrade is if your PC is a fair bit listed below the suggested specifications for the video games you wish to play.
Starfield designer Bethesda advises having either an AMD Ryzen 5 3600X or Intel Core i5-10600K CPU and either an AMD Radeon RX 6800XT or Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 video card and 16GB RAM (or above), for good efficiency.
If you’re lagging in these 3 essential parts, preferably you need to develop a brand-new rig for smoother efficiency– and likewise to future-proof your efficiency for video games with comparable requirements. Once again, if simply one of these elements is listed below specification, you can get away with updating that element and conserve some money in the procedure.
Bethesda’s Starfield has greater suggested specifications than some video games.
Bethesda
Just how much cash do I have?
Your spending plan can be the choosing consider what action you take with your video gaming PC. It goes without stating that purchasing or constructing a brand-new rig can be a lot more pricey than updating if you’re changing all the parts.
To develop a brand-new mid-range or exceptional video gaming PC in 2025, you will require in between $1.5 to $3K, whereas if you simply require to repair your slow graphics efficiency, you can get away with costs as little as $300 on a brand-new video card. Of course, you ought to constantly cost up each choice before making a choice.
The huge benefit of getting a brand-new rig, is that your old parts like your motherboard, PC case or PCIe slots, will not be any sort of restriction to what you consist of or the type of efficiency you can attain; you have the chance to get rid of every discomfort point you may have with your existing PC. Because of that, and if cash is not a challenge you must certainly choose to get a brand-new rig.
Having stated that, if you can just pay for to update a couple of parts, that’s much better than absolutely nothing at all. You can still improve your efficiency substantially if you are critical about which parts you update.
Is my motherboard obsoleted?
Due to the fact that your motherboard is such a crucial element in your PC, if it’s old and janky with out-of-date PCIe slots or I/O, opportunities are the hardware linking to it is old and janky too. If that circumstance proves out for you– then check out no even more– you require to purchase or develop a brand-new video gaming PC.
Obviously, another argument for constructing a brand-new rig if you have an old motherboard is if the Windows 10 end-of-life issue impacts you. Although there are workarounds for PCs with incompatible motherboards to update to Windows 11, Microsoft has actually explained that users that take that path might not have a hassle-free experience with Windows 11, which you truly wish to prevent.
Is it time to update to a brand-new motherboard?
Colorfire
Is my PC case inadequate or incompatible with brand-new hardware?
Similar to many other hardware elements, PC cases are continuously progressing and contemporary cases are usually much better than old cases when it pertains to things like air flow, cooling, and cable television management. They likewise come developed to fit more recent video gaming elements.
For example, if you’re desiring to update to a bigger GPU or the most current USB ports, you might have no choice however to purchase a brand-new case.
Much like if you have an out-of-date motherboard, if you discover you need to purchase a brand-new case, you most likely need to utilize it as a reason to update your entire rig– unless naturally your present parts are top-of- the-line. Apart from updating your efficiency, you’ll likewise discover you have a much easier experience putting whatever together.
Do I now wish to video game on a small PC?
Mini video gaming PCs have actually come a long method in the last few years. It’s now possible to get efficiency on par with some video gaming desktop PCs, specifically if you utilize an eGPU to improve up the graphics.
That’s fantastic news for players wishing to conserve a lots of area in your home. Due to the fact that small video gaming PCs have actually specialized elements to fit their smaller sized cases, purchasing a tiny video gaming PC or developing a brand-new mini video gaming PC from a set is your finest alternative if you are coming from utilizing a big desktop video gaming PC.
Additional reading: How to purchase a good CPU that’ll last you a minimum of 5 years
Author: Dominic Bayley
Australian Editor, PCWorld
Based in Australia, Dominic Bayley is a hardcore tech lover. His PCWorld focus is on PC video gaming hardware: laptop computers, mice, headsets and keyboards.
