How Does A $500 Gaming PC From 2020 Perform in 2025?!?

Summary

In this video, Matt revisits his popular $500 Newark gaming PC build from February 2020 to see how it performs in 2025. After testing the system in various games, including modern AAA titles, he identifies the aging GPU and CPU as performance bottlenecks. Matt upgrades the CPU to an AMD Ryzen 5 5600 and the GPU to an AMD RX 6600 XT for a budget-friendly performance boost. He demonstrates the significant improvements in gameplay across several titles, showcasing how simple, cost-effective upgrades can extend the life of a budget gaming PC.

Takeaways

• 😀 Matt's popular $500 Newark gaming PC build from February 2020 has aged 5 years, prompting a rebuild to assess its performance in 2025.
• 😀 The system originally featured an AMD Ryzen 1600 AF CPU, 16GB of 3000 MHz RAM, a 240GB SATA SSD, and a GTX 1650 Super GPU, all housed in a Cooler Master Q300L case.
• 😀 Despite its age, the PC is still capable of running various games in 2025, including esports titles like Valorant and Fortnite with playable frame rates.
• 😀 In 2025, the PC struggles with modern AAA titles, such as Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077, requiring lower settings to achieve playable performance.
• 😀 Matt discusses his upgrade path for the system, focusing on CPU and GPU improvements to boost performance for modern gaming.
• 😀 A crucial upgrade is switching to a Ryzen 5 5600 CPU, which offers a significant performance boost for around $55 after selling the old CPU.
• 😀 Matt recommends upgrading to an AMD RX 6600 XT GPU (around $150 after selling the old GTX 1650 Super), which provides a notable improvement in performance for modern games.
• 😀 For storage, upgrading to a 1TB NVMe drive is essential for better performance and usability in 2025, as a 240GB SSD is considered too small by today's standards.
• 😀 The power supply, a 450W unit, remains sufficient after the upgrades, as the combined power consumption of the new CPU and GPU is around 350W.
• 😀 After the upgrades, Matt tests the rebuilt system in various games, showcasing improvements in both frame rates and 1% lows across a range of titles, including Cyberpunk and Blackmouth Wukong.
• 😀 Matt highlights the value of budget builds, showing that even a 5-year-old system can still be viable with the right upgrades, making it a cost-effective solution instead of building a new PC.

Q & A

What was the original purpose of Matt's $500 PC build in February 2020?

The original purpose of Matt's $500 PC build was to create a budget gaming PC that offered good performance at an affordable price. It became a popular build guide, especially as many people used it during the pandemic.

What key components made up the original $500 PC build?

The original $500 PC build included an AMD Ryzen 1600 AF CPU, ASRock B450M Pro 4 motherboard, 16GB of 3000MHz DDR4 RAM, a 240GB SATA SSD, an Nvidia GTX 1650 Super GPU, a 450W EVGA power supply, and a Cooler Master Q300L case.

How did Matt's 2025 testing of the $500 PC build compare to its original performance?

In 2025, the PC still performed reasonably well for many games, especially esports titles like Valorant and Fortnite. However, it struggled with newer, more demanding AAA titles, showing limitations with games like Elden Ring and Cyberpunk, especially at higher settings.

What was the performance of the $500 PC in modern esports titles like Valorant and Fortnite?

The PC performed well in esports titles, with Valorant averaging 219 FPS and Fortnite averaging 120 FPS. However, in Fortnite's performance mode, the 1% lows were relatively low at 38 FPS.

How did the $500 PC perform in demanding AAA games like Cyberpunk and Elden Ring?

The PC had mixed results in demanding AAA games. In Elden Ring, it averaged 57 FPS at 1080p low settings, with stuttering. In Cyberpunk, the performance was better, with an average of 63 FPS at 1080p medium settings and 1% lows of 43 FPS.

What key upgrades did Matt recommend to improve the PC's performance in 2025?

Matt recommended upgrading the storage to a 1TB NVMe SSD, replacing the CPU with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600 for a significant performance boost, and upgrading the GPU to an AMD RX 6600 XT for better gaming performance.

Why did Matt choose the AMD Ryzen 5600 for the CPU upgrade?

Matt chose the AMD Ryzen 5600 because it offers a substantial performance improvement over the original Ryzen 1600, and it is relatively affordable, costing about $80. It also provides more power for modern gaming and multitasking.

What challenges did Matt face during the upgrade process?

One challenge Matt faced was the CPU cooler's backplate falling into the case, which required him to remove the back panel to secure it properly. He also had to update the motherboard's BIOS to support the new Ryzen 5600 CPU.

How did upgrading the GPU impact the performance in games like Cyberpunk and Elden Ring?

Upgrading to the AMD RX 6600 XT significantly improved the performance. In games like Cyberpunk, the FPS jumped to 100 with 1% lows of 70, and in Elden Ring, the settings were upgraded to high, offering a more stable experience with a 60 FPS average and improved 1% lows.

Would Matt recommend upgrading this 2020 PC or building a new one from scratch in 2025?

Matt suggests that for a relatively low cost of around $250, the existing PC can be upgraded to meet modern gaming demands. However, whether to upgrade or build a new PC depends on individual preferences and budget, as some might prefer a fresh build for longer-term benefits.