Do I keep my existing AM4 build or upgrade to AM5?
I know this question probably gets asked a lot but I am in the process of migrating my existing build to a new case and I've already bought the case, PSU, and most of the case fans that I need. But before I proceed, I've seen the prices of the 9800X3D and they are surprisingly affordable, more so than the 7800X3D I bought for my other system this time last year.
And before anyone asks, I have an extra set of RAM (G Skill DDR5) and an extra SSD (2TB Samsung 990 Pro) that I bought before the RAMpocalypse happened, so that wouldn't add anything to the cost. All I would need to buy is a new motherboard and CPU. I'd also import my existing M2 drives from my current build. I am looking at getting a Project Zero board like the Gigabyte Stealth because I really like the wire-free looks of some builds that I am seeing.
The new case that I bought is an Antec Flux Wood and I also bought a new Corsair RM1200X Shift as my new power supply. For the cooler I'm looking at getting the Tryx Panorama but using the Lian Li Uni TL fans. And I will reuse my existing GPU until I can get a 9070XT at some point, looking at either the PowerColor Red Devil or the Sapphire Nitro+.
So my question is - is it worth repurposing my now 6 year old AM4 build or should I look at building an AM5 rig while CPUs are still inexpensive?
This is my configuration:
Case: NZXT S340 Elite
PSU: Corsair HX850i
Motherboard: Gigabyte Aorus X570 Ultra
Cooler: NZXT Kraken X63
RAM: Corsair Dominator Platinum DDR4-3600
Storage: 4TB
GPU: EVGA GeForce 3080 FTW 3
Posted Aug 11, 2026, 10:36 PM UTC