discussion Need Advice on My Build Upgrade Worth Upgrading CPU or GPU First?

[Jonas]

Hey everyone,
I’m looking for some advice on upgrading my current setup. I mainly use my PC for gaming, browsing, streaming, and some light productivity, and I’m starting to notice performance drops in newer games and heavier multitasking.
Current specs:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3060 12GB
RAM: 16GB DDR4 3200MHz
PSU: Corsair RM750x 750W
Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
Monitor: 1440p 144Hz
Games run decent overall, but I’m noticing lower FPS in newer titles and occasional stutters when multitasking or streaming.
I’m trying to decide whether upgrading the CPU or GPU first would give the biggest real world improvement. I was considering something like a Ryzen 7 5800X3D or maybe moving up to an RTX 4070/5070 class card, but I’m open to suggestions if there’s a better upgrade path overall.
Budget is around $700–$1000 CAD.
Appreciate any recommendations or experiences from people who made a similar upgrade. Thanks!

 

[Izerous]

1080/1440p is usually more CPU bound and 4k is usually more GPU bound. Without looking over your CPU/GPU utilization when these stutters happen based on the resolution your using the assumption would be the CPU being the better option to upgrade first. Make sure the motherboard you have has a BIOS revision that can support a 5800x3d before proceeding.

 

[anabioz]

You will see a boost when you upgrade to 5600X. Bigger boost with 5800X3D but you will need to align that with a better GPU.

I tell you what, if you want - I can trade that 3060 12GB for a 3070 8GB with 5600X. DM me if interested.

Also, can you confirm your motherboard? What is the chipset?