I've been using a refurbished RTX 3070 Founders Edition for about 1.5 years, which I got from Micro Center after upgrading from a GTX 770 that lasted over a decade. Originally, I planned to upgrade again in about two years after completing my new build. I occasionally play older games, but I'm mostly into newer titles like Borderlands 4, Battlefield 6, Assetto Corsa Evo, and F1 25. The RTX 3070 handles everything well for the most part, managing around 60 FPS in Borderlands 4 with DLSS, while performing even better in other games.
Right now, I'm considering the RTX 5070 Ti for its ease of access (though I won't rule out the RX 9070 XT) or even the RTX 5080, especially since I have member pricing at Micro Center for $1200. I'm also looking into Best Buy's no-interest financing to ease the financial hit over time. My setup includes an i7-12700K, MSI Z790-P Pro ATX motherboard, 32GB Corsair DDR4 3200MHz CL16 RAM, and a Corsair RM850x PSU, and I game on a 34-inch ultra-wide 1440p monitor.
5 Answers
I recently switched from a 3070 to a 9070 XT on a Black Friday deal. It's a significant upgrade, especially if you're into games like Battlefield 6 where VRAM is a concern. Just make sure you're comfortable with the option you choose—otherwise, your 3070 is still a solid card for the time being.
If you're eyeing GPUs right now, I'd recommend checking out some under $600 9070 XT models at Micro Center. I managed to snag one for $485, which was a steal. Skip the RTX 5080 unless you seriously need the performance—it just doesn't justify the high price tag.
Totally get that! The 5080 feels more like a peek than a real option for me. I'm leaning towards the 5070 Ti because it seems more sensible.
I had a similar experience and moved from a 9070 XT to a 5080 because I went back to playing Cyberpunk 2077. The 9070 XT is great but just didn't handle Cyberpunk with light ray tracing at 4K well enough for me. If you're coming from NVIDIA, getting something superior makes sense.
In my experience, if your current card is doing what you need it to, there's no rush to upgrade. But if you know the newer titles might push your 3070, then weighing options now could save you future headaches.
That’s exactly where I’m stuck. The 3070 handles most of my games like a champ, but with tech changing so rapidly, it feels like I need to make a decision soon.
I say go for an upgrade if you can swing it, especially for something with more VRAM since that's a real limitation on the 3070. The recent news suggests that GPU prices could rise due to VRAM shortages, especially with AI demands increasing.
Exactly! The main driver for my upgrade was running out of VRAM on my 3070. It handled everything else beautifully, but the memory constraints were noticeable.
Yeah, I feel that. I'm currently happy with my performance, but I'm looking to crank up the settings a notch, and more VRAM would definitely help.
I'd suggest upgrading soon if you're feeling uncertain about future prices. If you're not unhappy with your 3070, it should still serve you well. But if you're expecting prices to go up due to AI stuff, now might be the right time to make your move.
That’s the fear, isn't it? Hardware pricing feels like it's on a knife's edge right now. I'm not in a rush, but I'm keeping an eye on things.
Same predicament! I'm watching prices and sales, and I'm considering the 5070 Ti or the 9070 XT for good value over the longer haul.