Prebuilt Upgrading
A practical guide for knowing what to upgrade, when to upgrade it, and what compatibility checks matter first. This guide applies to prebuilts in general, not just ZTT Builds.
Upgrading a ZTT Prebuilt? Check our warranty policy first, since some upgrades may affect your coverage.
A Simple Upgrade Lifecycle
There is no universal upgrade schedule. Use these stages as a decision guide, not an expiration date.
Stage 1 - Use It
0-2 Years
Your system still meets your goals.
Keep drivers current, watch temperatures, clean dust, and leave the hardware alone if performance is already where you want it.
Stage 2 - Expand It
As Needed
You are running out of storage or memory.
Storage and RAM are the most common quality-of-life upgrades: more installed games, smoother multitasking, and more headroom for newer software.
Stage 3 - Speed It Up
When Performance Falls Short
You want more FPS, resolution, or visual quality.
Start with the GPU in most gaming systems. Look at the CPU when chasing very high frame rates or playing CPU-heavy games.
Stage 4 - Refresh It
Long Term
Your current platform limits the parts you want.
Maximize the existing platform or move to a newer CPU + motherboard + RAM generation while reusing other compatible parts.
The best upgrade is the one that solves the problem you can actually feel - not the one with the highest benchmark number.
Match the Symptom to the Upgrade
If you are saying...
"I keep uninstalling games or deleting files."
Look at a Storage Upgrade
Why?
This usually means your drive is running out of space, not that your PC is underperforming. More storage means more room for games and files without constantly managing what stays and what goes.
Before You Buy:
Check for an open M.2 slot or SATA header on your motherboard. This tells you whether you can add a second drive alongside your current one, or if you'll need to replace it instead.
"Games stutter when I have Discord, browser tabs, mods, or other apps open."
Look at a RAM Upgrade
Why?
RAM is where your PC temporarily stores everything currently running, like your game, Discord, and browser tabs. When it fills up, your PC has to start swapping information in and out, or closing background processes, which causes the stuttering you're noticing.
Before You Buy:
Confirm whether your system uses DDR4 or DDR5, and use a compatible kit. RAM only works if it matches what your motherboard supports, so checking this first keeps you from buying a kit that won't fit. If you already have 2 RAM sticks installed with 2 open slots, it's usually easiest to buy the exact same kit for a double-up on capacity.
"I want higher settings, 1440p/4K, or more FPS."
Look at a GPU Upgrade
Why?
Your graphics card is what renders everything you see on screen. A stronger GPU can handle higher resolutions, higher settings, and more frames per second all at once.
Before You Buy:
Check your power supply's wattage and connectors, and confirm your case has enough clearance. A stronger graphics card usually needs more power and more physical space, so this step keeps your upgrade process from stalling out.
"My GPU is not fully utilized at the FPS I want."
Look at a CPU Upgrade
Why?
This is called a CPU bottleneck. Your CPU is responsible for feeding your GPU the information it needs to render each frame. When it can't keep up, your GPU can't reach its full potential, no matter how powerful it is. When this happens, your CPU is holding back the performance of the rest of your system.
Before You Buy:
Verify your motherboard's BIOS and chipset support the new CPU, and check your cooling. Your CPU can sometimes hold your GPU back, but not every motherboard supports every CPU, so this check comes before anything else.
"The part I want is not supported by my current platform."
Look at a Platform Upgrade
Why?
Your CPU, motherboard, and RAM all have to work together. If the part you want isn't compatible with what you already have, it usually means those three parts need to move forward as a group instead of one at a time.
Before You Buy:
Plan your CPU, motherboard, and RAM as a bundle, since they'll likely need to be replaced together. When one of these three doesn't support the part you want, it usually means the other two need an upgrade as well.
What Each Upgrade Actually Changes
Focus on the result you want. More expensive does not automatically mean more useful.
CPU
Best for CPU-demanding workloads
- Can improve high-refresh gaming, minimum FPS, simulation-heavy titles, and productivity.
- Check socket, chipset, BIOS support, and cooler compatibility.
- A platform change may also require a motherboard and new RAM.
Storage
Common path: 1TB → 2TB / 4TB+
- Adds room for games and files; it normally does not increase FPS.
- Adding a second SSD is often easier than replacing the original drive.
- Check available M.2 or SATA connections.
RAM
Common path: 16GB → 32GB
- Helps when modern games and background apps compete for memory.
- 32GB is a practical target for most gaming systems.
- DDR4 and DDR5 are not interchangeable.
Graphics Card
Usually the biggest gaming upgrade
- Recommend path for higher resolution, settings, ray tracing, or FPS.
- Check PSU capacity, connectors, and physical case clearance.
- A much faster GPU can expose a CPU bottleneck at very high frame rates.
Rule of thumb: Storage and RAM are usually capacity upgrades. CPU and GPU upgrades are usually performance upgrades. A PSU, cooler, or motherboard is often a supporting upgrade that makes another change possible.
Upgrade Difficulty
| Upgrade | Difficulty | Main Checks |
|---|---|---|
| Add SSD | Easy | Open slot, drive type, mounting hardware |
| RAM | Easy | DDR generation, capacity, kit configuration |
| GPU | Moderate | PSU, connectors, dimensions, CPU pairing |
| CPU | Advanced | Socket, chipset, BIOS, cooler |
| Platform | Advanced | CPU, motherboard, RAM, cooler, Windows activation |
Need upgrade recommendations?
Check out Zach's Quick Picks for recommendations on various PC components.
Three Things First-Time Upgraders Often Get Wrong
- More RAM does not automatically mean more FPS. It helps when your workload actually exceeds the memory you already have.
- A faster SSD does not transform gaming performance. Capacity and load-time differences often matter more than peak sequential speed.
- A new GPU is not always a drop-in purchase. Power supply, dimensions, connectors, and CPU balance all need to be considered.