Should I upgrade my CPU or GPU?

[ar56058]

I have saved up some money and I have decided I would like to upgrade my computer. I have an FX-6300 overclocked to 3.7GHz and a GTX 1050 Ti. I usually play games like Fortnite, Minecraft, and Rocket League at 1080p60. I was wondering if I should upgrade my CPU or GPU to get the most performance out of these games, and what CPU or GPU I should buy. My maximum budget is around $400.

 

[profoundnoah]

The FX is the obvious weak link here. You'll want to upgrade it, even if there's only a marginal improvement in performance. You have a few options here...

1. https://pcpartpicker.com/list/3Ffv3b Upgrades you to a Quad-Core i3, far better gaming performance, but you can't OC, so you get to save money by going with a non-Z series chipset. You could use the savings to start saving up for a 1060 6 GB or even 1070 for better frames in the future.

2. https://pcpartpicker.com/list/2BbVcY Moves you up to a Six-Core i5, still very competent gaming performance, but more future-proof/general purpose. You ARE approaching your budget though.

If I were you, I'd go with the i3 build, it's still a VERY capable processor which won't let you down in games. Plus, the savings give you a little bit of wiggle room if you wanted to sell your 1050 Ti in the future for a higher-grade GPU.

 

[ar56058]

The FX is the obvious weak link here. You'll want to upgrade it, even if there's only a marginal improvement in performance. You have a few options here...

1. https://pcpartpicker.com/list/3Ffv3b Upgrades you to a Quad-Core i3, far better gaming performance, but you can't OC, so you get to save money by going with a non-Z series chipset. You could use the savings to start saving up for a 1060 6 GB or even 1070 for better frames in the future.

2. https://pcpartpicker.com/list/2BbVcY Moves you up to a Six-Core i5, still very competent gaming performance, but more future-proof/general purpose. You ARE approaching your budget though.

If I were you, I'd go with the i3 build, it's still a VERY capable processor which won't let you down in games. Plus, the savings give you a little bit of wiggle room if you wanted to sell your 1050 Ti in the future for a higher-grade GPU.

Is spending the extra money on DDR4 ram really worth it? I already have 16GB DDR3 ram, so is it really necessary?

 

[profoundnoah]

It's not a matter of choice- Skylake+ Platforms REQUIRE DDR4 in order to operate, as unfortunate as it is. You could always repurpose your old rig as an HTPC, or even just sell it. But the new RAM is a MUST. You could also put that money into a 1060 6 GB card. If I were you, I would upgrade the CPU platform first, then buy a 1060 later on if you still aren't satisfied.