Should You Upgrade CPU or GPU First in 2024?

By: Editorial Team

So you’ve decided it’s time to upgrade your rig, and you’re wondering whether you should upgrade CPU or GPU first. The answer is: it depends.

If you’re looking to play the latest and the most demanding games on high settings, we’d recommend upgrading your GPU first.

Why? Because upgrading your GPU will have a much greater impact on your gaming performance than upgrading your CPU.

It’s the other way round if you’re looking to save money. Read on to find out more.

What’s The Difference Between CPU And GPU?

The CPU is the central processing unit of your computer and controls all data flow.

The GPU, or graphics processing unit, does all the graphical computing.

What Does An Upgraded CPU Or GPU Improve?

An upgraded CPU or GPU will increase your computer’s performance.

You’ll be able to play the most demanding games on high settings in less time, or you’ll be able to multitask better.

What Is Better To Upgrade First CPU Or GPU?

If you’re looking to play the latest and the most demanding games on high settings, we’d recommend upgrading your GPU first.

Why? Because upgrading your GPU will have a much greater impact on your gaming performance than upgrading your CPU. It’s the other way round if you’re looking to save money.

Should I Prioritize CPU Or GPU When Upgrading?

How do you prioritize which to upgrade? The answer is: it depends on what you need them for. If you want a gaming rig capable of playing modern games at high settings.

We strongly recommend upgrading GPU first as it will have a greater impact on performance than upgrading the CPU.

On the other hand, if you want to save money by not upgrading both at once, then we recommend prioritizing the CPU for more everyday tasks like opening multiple browser windows or working with spreadsheets and word documents.

These factors should be taken into consideration when deciding whether to prioritize CPU or GPU first when upgrading your PC. But remember: it’s possible to upgrade both simultaneously, so don’t worry about making the wrong choice!

Should You Upgrade CPU or GPU First?

Do Both The CPU And The GPU Need To Be Upgraded?

Upgrade your GPU first. The reason is that upgrading your CPU will have much less impact on your gaming performance than upgrading your GPU.

So, the question is, why upgrade the CPU, then? You should upgrade the CPU to get more value out of it.

For example, if you want to run a virtualization solution like VMware or Citrix XenServer, you should use a more powerful CPU in order to achieve better performance or to prevent bottlenecks.

When Should I Upgrade My CPU?

When you start to see a slow down in processing or loading times. As CPUs get older they aren’t able to run newer demanding programs or games. Major slowdowns in processing speeds are a good time to upgrade.

When Should I Upgrade My GPU?

If your GPU isn’t able to run games at decent FPS, render at a decent speed or process graphical data quickly. Then it’s a good time to upgrade your GPU.

What To Consider When Upgrading Your GPU Or CPU

When it comes to upgrading your CPU or GPU, the most important factor you should consider is what tasks you’ll be performing on your new system.

If you plan on streaming a lot, then upgrading your CPU will be the best option for you. If you plan on playing the latest and most demanding games at high settings, then upgrading your GPU will be much more effective than upgrading your CPU.

There are many other factors to consider too, so make sure that you do all of the research before making any decisions about which to upgrade first.

Final Thoughts: Should You Upgrade CPU or GPU First?

It depends on what you’re looking to do with your computer. If you want to play the latest and most demanding games at high settings, upgrade your GPU first. If you’re looking to save money, upgrade your CPU first.