I'm upgrading from a GTX 660 with a budget of $350–$380. My main uses are Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve, along with 1080p and 1440p gaming and general desktop use. I'm considering a used RTX 3080 10GB, an RTX 5060 8GB, or an Intel Arc B580 12GB. The 3080 offers much higher raw performance and strong CUDA support, while the 5060 is newer, more efficient, and supports newer features. The B580 has more VRAM but Intel's drivers and software support still seem less mature. My current system has an i5-8600K, 24GB of DDR4, a Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming K3 motherboard, and PCIe 3.0 x16. A recent BIOS update adds ReBAR support. My power supply is from 2012, so I would replace it with a quality 750W unit if I choose the 3080. Which card makes the most sense, and are there any alternatives I should consider?
4 Answers
I would be cautious with the B580 here. Its 12GB of VRAM and performance-per-dollar look good, but it depends heavily on ReBAR and can still have driver or compatibility problems in some older games and software. Your updated BIOS should satisfy the basic requirement, but NVIDIA remains the more predictable choice for CUDA-based editing. I would only take the B580 if it were meaningfully cheaper than the two NVIDIA cards.
Whichever card you choose, expect the i5-8600K to hold it back in CPU-heavy games and some editing workloads. The GPU upgrade will still be dramatic from a GTX 660, especially at 1440p, but plan on a platform upgrade later. Also inspect a used 3080 carefully: cards in this price range may have heavy mining or gaming use, so check the fans, temperatures, noise, seller photos, and return policy. A clean, healthy 3080 is a much better deal than a worn-out one.
The RTX 3080 is the fastest option by a wide margin and is probably the best fit for Premiere and Resolve because of CUDA. Your motherboard and PCIe 3.0 connection are fine, and ReBAR means the B580 is at least technically viable. The bigger concern is your old power supply and the i5-8600K, which will limit performance in some games. If you can verify the card's condition and buy a good 750W or 850W PSU, I'd choose the 3080.
The RTX 5060 is the safer, more efficient choice. It uses roughly half the power, is easier on the existing platform, and gives you newer DLSS and frame-generation features. The downside is that 8GB of VRAM may become restrictive at 1440p or over a longer upgrade cycle, and it is substantially slower than a 3080 in traditional rendering. I'd pick it if you value lower heat, lower power use, and a new card with a warranty.
For a planned upgrade to the rest of the system in a couple of years, the 5060 is reasonable. For keeping the GPU five years or more, its 8GB memory is a concern.
A 650W unit may work in some systems, but the 3080 can produce large power spikes. I would not pair it with a twelve-year-old PSU; replace that before installing the card.