[ANSWERED] Should I Upgrade the CPU or GPU First?

Upgrading is a must when your PC can’t handle stuff with the old components. Over time, the PC components become weak and fail to perform better as earlier. Therefore, you’re required to upgrade your PC components when they downgrade their performance. 

CPU and GPU are the two vital PC components and when it comes to PC upgradation, a PC enthusiast thinks of them first. But sometimes it becomes difficult to choose which one to upgrade first as they both ensure two different yet important performance aspects.

Frankly speaking, you should upgrade that component first which your PC demands more. Still confusing? Don’t worry! We’re here to explain the matter in a way that you won’t doubt anymore to whom you should give priority regarding upgradation, making things more convenient. 

Which One Should I Upgrade First Between CPU and GPU?

Before choosing any of them for the first upgradation, you need to realize the importance of both PC components first. This way you can understand which one is more necessary for you so that you upgrade that at first. Let’s start with the CPU.

1. Importance of CPU

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is considered the most vital PC component as it’s the most used hardware that executes all existing programs in the system. In short, you can’t perform any computer-relevant task without utilizing the CPU. For easier understanding, you can relate it to the human brain. Therefore, a CPU is a must to operate a PC and is important while coding, programming, etc. 

2. Importance of GPU

The GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is similar to the CPU in a way. Just the difference is unlike the CPU, GPU is responsible for taking care of all the graphical parts by rendering images, videos, etc of the system. In short, this hardware unit lets you have a smoother and better visual by processing the graphical elements in the system. Therefore, a GPU is a must to ensure a better viewing experience especially while doing graphics-intensive tasks such as gaming, video editing, etc.

Which One to Upgrade First: CPU or GPU?

As you can see, both PC components are designed for processing tasks. And to get a better PC performance, it’s necessary to upgrade both of them and make both of them utilize simultaneously. But if the scenario is you can’t afford to upgrade both parts at a time or you just want to upgrade parts one by one, you need to focus on what your PC requires most based on the tasks of the CPU and GPU. 

For example, if you notice that your CPU usage stays at 90-100% while doing regular tasks, it means your CPU is failing to handle the tasks properly, and as a result, it has to use all of its processing power. In this case, you should upgrade your CPU first. On the other hand, if you notice that your PC is facing difficulties while rendering graphics, especially while playing graphics-intensive games, it indicates that your current GPU is failing to render the visual as it should. In this case, it’s wise to upgrade your GPU.  

However, if your PC doesn’t have any particular requirement, and you just want to upgrade these components for your pleasure; you’ve to decide according to your use, your preference, and your budget. If you’re a professional gamer or editor or designer, or you just prefer gaming and have the budget to buy the latest GPU, you can go for the GPU first. Otherwise, if you are a programmer or multitasker or frequently do CPU-intensive tasks, or you just prefer your PC to operate faster and have the budget to buy a modern CPU, you can try upgradation for the CPU first. 

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (FAQs)

Should I upgrade my CPU or GPU for more FPS?

The fact is both CPU and GPU can provide more FPS when upgraded. But the CPU isn’t the suitable one to generate more FPS. When the GPU usage is high, the upgraded CPU can increase the FPS but not as expected. That’s why you should upgrade the GPU as it’s designed to offer a large number of FPS. 

Should I upgrade the CPU or GPU for multitasking?

It highly depends on what type of tasks you’re going to multitasking. Generally, upgrading your CPU is beneficial for multitasking. But if you’re multitasking with video editing or motion designing programs, it’ll also require upgrading your GPU too. Otherwise, for general multitasking, upgrading the CPU is more than enough.

Should I upgrade RAM or GPU for gaming?

For your information, when it comes to gaming, it’s true that the GPU plays a more vital role than the RAM. The simple reason behind this matter is RAM is more responsible for improving the CPU’s performance, whereas the GPU itself is dedicated to generating a proper visual of the system’s execution. This is why you should consider upgrading the GPU instead of the RAM for gaming.

What should I upgrade on my PC?

There are a number of components that are highly responsible for running your PC, but to run it at the peak level, you need to upgrade the major ones. That means you should upgrade your processor to a powerful one, your graphics card to the best one, RAM and storage with a larger capacity, and peripherals to the latest ones. 

Conclusion

As you’ve read this far, it’s quite assumable that you’ve understood which one you should upgrade between the GPU and CPU. It mostly depends on the PC’s requirements. Therefore, try to find out what performance is your PC lacking and which component is responsible for that significant task between them. Then choose any of the latest models of that component concerning your budget capability. If this post proves useful, let us know in the comment section.