I'm considering replacing my RTX 4060 Ti with an AMD RX 9070 XT because it appears to offer noticeably better performance for a lower price. My 4060 Ti already feels like it's falling behind in newer games, and I'd like enough performance for demanding future titles such as GTA 6 when it eventually comes to PC. I can also sell my current card to offset some of the cost. I'm not very familiar with AMD GPUs, so what should I know before switching, and are there any compatibility, driver, power supply, or feature differences I should consider?
5 Answers
The switch itself is fairly straightforward. Download AMD Adrenalin beforehand, use Display Driver Uninstaller to remove the Nvidia drivers, then shut down and install the new card. It can also help to temporarily disconnect the internet during the driver swap so Windows doesn’t automatically install its own driver first. Adrenalin is broadly comparable to Nvidia’s current graphics software.
The RX 9070 XT is a substantial upgrade over the RTX 4060 Ti and is generally a strong choice if you want more raw gaming performance for your money. The main reasons to stay with Nvidia would be needing CUDA, a specific Nvidia-only application or feature, or placing a particularly high priority on Nvidia’s software and ray-tracing ecosystem.
Your processor should generally be capable of keeping up with a 9070 XT, especially at 1440p or higher, but make sure the system is stable and that the BIOS and chipset drivers are reasonably up to date. If you experience driver timeouts after the upgrade, don’t immediately assume the graphics card is defective—unstable RAM, CPU settings, BIOS firmware, or power delivery can also cause them.
Check your power supply before buying. The 9070 XT uses significantly more power than a 4060 Ti and commonly requires two 8-pin PCIe connectors, although some models use a newer connector. A good-quality 750W PSU is a sensible target, and you should use separate PCIe power cables when possible rather than relying on one daisy-chained cable.
Before deciding, compare the actual prices of the specific models available where you live and consider selling the 4060 Ti. If the final cost is reasonable and you don’t need CUDA or a particular Nvidia feature, the 9070 XT is a much more meaningful upgrade than moving to another card in the same performance range.
That’s helpful to know. I was mainly worried that moving to AMD would involve a completely different setup process.