CPU or GPU upgrade?

[CVLLXM]

Hey, just interested in people's opinions on my current setup as I'm looking to upgrade on a budget and want to know which will give me better gaming performance.

Processor: Intel Core i5 6400.
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 960.

 

[CVLLXM]

Monitor resolution and refresh rate would be good to know, as well as the kind of games you're playing.

Is that a 2 GB or 4 GB GTX 960?

Monitor res is 1920 x 1080 and refresh rate is 60 Hertz.

It's a 2 GB 960 and at the moment I'm just looking to get stable frames in Apex Legends on higher settings, a lot of the time I'm dropping below 60 frames especially when looking over long distances.

 

[CVLLXM]

you're better off upgrading the GPU first IMO

GPU, Also consider a 144hz monitor. If you are a fan of FPS it is a must! You will see a huge difference.

Good to know, I had a few people tell me to upgrade my CPU first to an i7 but I was unsure whether just getting a new graphics card would be a better option, what would people recommend? I'm on a fairly strict budget.

 

[CVLLXM]

which is how much???

250 to £350 I'd say.

 

[CVLLXM]

@CVLLXM
what's the rest of your computer specs?
mobo, RAM, storage and PSU in particular.
also, how happy are you at DIYing an upgrade?

This should have everything you're looking for (minus PSU I think)



And it depends on what you'd have in mind, though I have next to know experience when tinkering with my rig so I'd be hesitant but not against it.

 

[CVLLXM]

what does it say on your mainboard tab of cpu-z?
also important to know what PSU you have, as it will affect what graphics card you can upgrade to (more powerful GPUs naturally require more power to run)

Apologies for the delay, my PSU is the FSP group FSP500-60HHN.

 

[CVLLXM]

that's a bargain basement PSU.
i mean it'll run lower powered graphics cards...but i honestly suggest it'll need upgrading along as well as the GPU.
i wouldn't trust it running a mid range GPU (like a rx580) tbh.


another thing...need to see your case.
care to post a pic?

Yeah, at the time I was upgrading from a very outdated PC and didn't have much of a budget so I went with a prebuilt. Back then I knew prebuilds are typically bad but my understanding of computers at that time (and still now to a degree) wasn't the greatest. I saw it had a decent processor, GPU and RAM and just went for it.

 

[CVLLXM]

@CVLLXM I meant the interior of the case lol. Need to see if the case will fit the larger GPU.