PC Upgrade Advisor

Sample dataGross checkout + verified net costSequential Upgrade Roadmap

Find the strongest upgrade path, not merely a newer part. The advisor compares direct component swaps with atomic CPU, motherboard and memory migrations, rejects compatibility failures, measures the impact and separates checkout price from evidence-backed recovery on the second-hand market. It then rebuilds the PC after each decision to produce a causal NOW, NEXT and WATCH roadmap.

Analyze your saved PC

Paste the ID or full URL of any public build. The bare page uses a computed demonstration PC.

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Legacy 1440p PC · upgrade lab

1440p (2560 × 1440) · 165 Hz · Balanced Value

Build your own PC

Current parts total: $1,135
Upgrade budget: $1,000
Average selected games: 158 fps
Estimated load: 469 W
Compatibility: Buildable
Counterfactuals tested: 138

A direct gpu upgrade is the stronger first move

This graphics card change adds 24.2 additional average fps for $799 at checkout and about $532 after verified expected recovery, with the complete build checked again after the swap. The strongest complete platform migration requires $854 at checkout and ranks lower for this use case after cost and multi-part complexity are included.

Upgrade Roadmap

A sequenced decision plan, not a static top-three list. NOW is the strongest current move; NEXT is recalculated on the PC produced by NOW; WATCH is recalculated again and given a timing or price trigger.

NOW · NEXT · WATCH

Phases found

3 independent moves

Planning checkout total

$1,089

Sum of separate future checkouts

Estimated net total

$798

Only when every phase has verified recovery

Counterfactuals rerun

395

3 complete-build passes

Final modeled state

Buildable

13 rules in the last phase

The upgrade budget is applied to each phase separately. The planning total is not a promise that all phases fit one checkout or should be bought together.

NOWPhase 1
Upgrade the graphics card
One-part change · Graphics card
Modeled replacement
- Graphics card
  Cinder CX-7900 XTQ
  $799
Checkout
$799
Per-phase cash gate
Estimated net
$532
Verified completed-sale recovery
Modeled impact
+24.2 average fps
This graphics card change adds 24.2 additional average fps for $799 at checkout and about $532 after verified expected recovery, with the complete build checked again after the swap. The strongest complete platform migration requires $854 at checkout and ranks lower for this use case after cost and multi-part complexity are included.
Decision trigger
Strongest compatible value at the current delivered price.
Open Upgrade Advisor from a saved PC to confirm an installation and create its next private baseline.
NEXTPhase 2
Upgrade the storage
One-part change · Storage
Modeled replacement
- Storage
  Silica Nova 5 2000 GB NVMe
  $202
Checkout
$202
Per-phase cash gate
Estimated net
$185
Verified completed-sale recovery
Modeled impact
+31.5 decision-quality points
The complete PC was rebuilt after phase 1, then every remaining category was ranked again. This storage change adds 31.5 decision-quality points for $202 at checkout and about $185 after verified expected recovery, with the complete build checked again after the swap. The strongest complete platform migration requires $854 at checkout and ranks lower for this use case after cost and multi-part complexity are included.
Decision trigger
Recheck after the NOW phase; this result assumes that first change is installed.
Future candidate — rerun price, stock and compatibility before buying.
WATCHPhase 3
Upgrade the cpu cooler
One-part change · CPU cooler
Modeled replacement
- CPU cooler
  Northwind Whisper W6
  $88
Checkout
$88
Per-phase cash gate
Estimated net
$82
Verified completed-sale recovery
Modeled impact
+28 decision-quality points
The complete PC was rebuilt after phases 1 and 2. This is the strongest remaining independent path, but it should be monitored rather than bought as part of one checkout. Reassess after the prior phases; sequence, not a current price premium, is the reason to wait.
Decision trigger
Reassess after the prior phases; sequence, not a current price premium, is the reason to wait.
Future candidate — rerun price, stock and compatibility before buying.

Every phase is recomputed against the complete hypothetical PC produced by the previous phase.

A category already changed in this roadmap cannot be recommended again.

The cash budget is applied independently to the full checkout price of every phase.

Future phases must be rechecked against live price, availability and compatibility evidence before purchase.

Roadmap model 2026.08.1. Affiliate commission is not an input to phase selection or sequence.

Verified net upgrade economics

Cash affordability is checked before resale. Completed-sale evidence then estimates seller proceeds for parts in good condition; fees and seller-paid shipping are already deducted.

Completed sales only

Budget rule

Full checkout price first

Expected resale never makes a path pass the cash-outlay gate.

Evidence threshold

4+ sales · 2+ marketplaces

Exact product, selected condition and a 45-day freshness window.

Ranking cost

Conservative verified net

The lower recovery quartile is used; incomplete coverage falls back to gross.

Current component signals

A normalized diagnostic view used to find where a compatible replacement can create real decision value.

Graphics card
69.9/100
CPU
62.4/100
Memory
76/100
Storage
27.8/100
Power supply
89.8/100

Direct swap or platform migration?

The two paths use the same budget, full-build compatibility engine and evidence policy. Multi-part work receives an explicit installation-complexity penalty.

Best direct change

1 component

Cinder CX-7900 XTQ

This graphics card change adds 24.2 additional average fps for $799 at checkout and about $532 after verified expected recovery, with the complete build checked again after the swap.

$799 checkout≈$532 netInspect direct changes ↓

Best complete platform path

3 components

ZX4 / DDR4 → ZX5 / DDR5

This ZX4 / DDR4 → ZX5 / DDR5 migration adds 30.8 platform-quality points for $854 at checkout and about $789 after verified expected recovery, with the complete build checked as one atomic change.

$854 checkout≈$789 netInspect platform bundles ↓

Best compatible next moves

12 meaningful changes remained after budget and compatibility filtering. The best option from each category is shown.

#1 · Upgrade the graphics card

This graphics card change adds 24.2 additional average fps for $799 at checkout and about $532 after verified expected recovery, with the complete build checked again after the swap.

Priority 92/100

Current

Cinder CX-7800 XT

$500

Recommended replacement

Cinder CX-7900 XTQ

$799 delivered sample

Checkout price: $799
Verified recovery: $267
Estimated net cost: $532

Build value delta: +$299
Decision gain: +13.1 pts
Average FPS: +24.2 fps
System load: +63 W

Why it ranks

✓ Graphics card decision quality rises 13.1 points, from 69.9 to 83.1.
✓ The selected-game average rises from 158 to 182 fps in the current model.
✓ 13 compatibility rules were recomputed and no blocking error remains.

Trade-offs

△ Requires $799 at checkout before resale.
△ 6 completed sales across 2 marketplaces support $267 expected seller proceeds for the removed part in good condition.
△ Estimated system load increases by 63 W.

#2 · Upgrade the storage

This storage change adds 31.5 decision-quality points for $202 at checkout and about $185 after verified expected recovery, with the complete build checked again after the swap.

Priority 70.9/100

Current

Silica Nova 4 1000 GB NVMe

$74

Recommended replacement

Silica Nova 5 2000 GB NVMe

$202 delivered sample

Checkout price: $202
Verified recovery: $17
Estimated net cost: $185

Build value delta: +$128
Decision gain: +31.5 pts
Average FPS: No material change
System load: +2 W

Why it ranks

✓ Storage decision quality rises 31.5 points, from 27.8 to 59.3.
✓ 13 compatibility rules were recomputed and no blocking error remains.

Trade-offs

△ Requires $202 at checkout before resale.
△ 6 completed sales across 2 marketplaces support $17 expected seller proceeds for the removed part in good condition.

#3 · Upgrade the cpu cooler

This cpu cooler change adds 28 decision-quality points for $88 at checkout and about $82 after verified expected recovery, with the complete build checked again after the swap.

Priority 55.8/100

Current

Northwind Tower T4

$49

Recommended replacement

Northwind Whisper W6

$88 delivered sample

Checkout price: $88
Verified recovery: $6
Estimated net cost: $82

Build value delta: +$39
Decision gain: +28 pts
Average FPS: No material change
System load: 0 W

Why it ranks

✓ CPU cooler decision quality rises 28 points, from 63 to 91.
✓ 13 compatibility rules were recomputed and no blocking error remains.

Trade-offs

△ Requires $88 at checkout before resale.
△ 6 completed sales across 2 marketplaces support $6 expected seller proceeds for the removed part in good condition.

Atomic platform migration bundles

86 meaningful bundles remained after complete-build compatibility, budget and decision-value filtering. CPU, motherboard and memory are priced and checked together.

#1 · ZX4 / DDR4 → ZX5 / DDR5

This ZX4 / DDR4 → ZX5 / DDR5 migration adds 30.8 platform-quality points for $854 at checkout and about $789 after verified expected recovery, with the complete build checked as one atomic change.

Bundle 92/100

CPU

Aetheron ZX-5600

$105

Aetheron ZX-7800X3V

$414 delivered sample

Motherboard

Halcyon AX560 Anvil

$105

Halcyon AX670E Forge

$286 delivered sample

Memory

Corvid Dyne 4 32 GB DDR4-3600 CL18

$79

Corvid Vertex 5 Pro 32 GB DDR5-7200 CL34

$154 delivered sample

Checkout price: $854
Verified recovery: $65
Estimated net cost: $789

Build value delta: +$565
Platform gain: +30.8 pts
Average FPS: No material change
Longevity: 32 → 88

Why it ranks

✓ Combined CPU, motherboard and memory quality rises 30.8 points, from 54.5 to 85.3.
✓ Platform longevity changes from 32 to 88 on the current evidence scale.
✓ 13 compatibility rules were recomputed for all three replacements together.

Migration costs

△ Checkout requires $854 before the removed parts are sold.
△ 18 completed sales across 2 marketplaces support $65 expected combined seller proceeds in good condition.
△ Installation requires a CPU, motherboard and memory swap; operating-system reactivation or firmware setup may be required.
△ Estimated system load increases by 93 W.

#2 · ZX4 / DDR4 → ZX5 / DDR5

This ZX4 / DDR4 → ZX5 / DDR5 migration adds 26.2 platform-quality points for $653 at checkout and about $588 after verified expected recovery, with the complete build checked as one atomic change.

Bundle 83.5/100

CPU

Aetheron ZX-5600

$105

Aetheron ZX-7600X

$213 delivered sample

Motherboard

Halcyon AX560 Anvil

$105

Halcyon AX670E Forge

$286 delivered sample

Memory

Corvid Dyne 4 32 GB DDR4-3600 CL18

$79

Corvid Vertex 5 Pro 32 GB DDR5-7200 CL34

$154 delivered sample

Checkout price: $653
Verified recovery: $65
Estimated net cost: $588

Build value delta: +$364
Platform gain: +26.2 pts
Average FPS: No material change
Longevity: 32 → 88

Why it ranks

✓ Combined CPU, motherboard and memory quality rises 26.2 points, from 54.5 to 80.6.
✓ Platform longevity changes from 32 to 88 on the current evidence scale.
✓ 13 compatibility rules were recomputed for all three replacements together.

Migration costs

△ Checkout requires $653 before the removed parts are sold.
△ 18 completed sales across 2 marketplaces support $65 expected combined seller proceeds in good condition.
△ Installation requires a CPU, motherboard and memory swap; operating-system reactivation or firmware setup may be required.
△ Estimated system load increases by 68 W.

What the model does

Rehydrates the saved parts against the current canonical catalog.
Tests one-part substitutions and genuine CPU, motherboard and memory migrations.
Recomputes checkout price, verified recovery, expected performance, load and all compatibility rules for every path.
Rejects blocked, over-budget, immaterial or wasteful same-platform bundles and explains the remaining counterfactuals.

Model version 2026.08.3. Affiliate metadata is not an input.

Net-cost boundary

Recovery is an evidence-backed estimate, not a guaranteed sale. Installation labor, operating-system licensing and local taxes beyond the retailer feed remain excluded. If any removed part lacks sufficient completed-sale evidence, the entire path falls back to gross checkout cost. All products, sales and prices shown here are fictional demonstration data.

Upgrade Advisor FAQ

How does the PC Upgrade Advisor choose what to replace?

It tests purchasable same-category replacements one at a time, rebuilds the complete PC, reruns compatibility, performance and power models, then ranks only meaningful changes inside the stated upgrade budget.

Does affiliate commission affect the recommendation?

No. Affiliate status and commission are excluded from the upgrade score and tie-breaking. The lowest suitable retailer offer is attached only after the product decision.

Will it recommend an incompatible component?

No blocking compatibility error is allowed. Every proposed single-part replacement is checked in the complete build against the same 13-rule engine used by the PC Builder.

How are platform migration bundles evaluated?

CPU, motherboard and memory are substituted together and checked as one atomic decision. A bundle must actually change the processor platform or memory generation; replacing three parts inside the same viable platform is rejected as wasteful.

How is the estimated resale recovery verified?

Only completed sales matched to the exact canonical product and selected condition are eligible. At least four fresh observations across two marketplaces must remain after fees and seller-paid shipping; active listings and asking prices are excluded.

Can resale value make an unaffordable upgrade look affordable?

No. The cash budget is always checked against the full delivered checkout price. Verified recovery can improve ranking only after that gross budget gate, and the conservative end of the recovery range is used rather than the optimistic estimate.

How does the Upgrade Roadmap decide what comes later?

It does not reuse the original top-three list. After each phase it rebuilds the hypothetical PC, reruns every remaining counterfactual and prevents an already changed category from appearing again. Future phases must still be rechecked before purchase.