I'm putting together my first gaming build using a Lenovo ThinkCentre M920t with an i5-8400. I know the processor is getting old and may bottleneck either graphics card in some games, but it still seems capable enough for a budget system. In my area, an RX 6600 is around $30 cheaper than an RX 6650 XT. The RX 6600 seems like a good match for the CPU, but the 6650 XT offers noticeably better performance for a relatively small price increase. Would the faster card still be worthwhile, or would the processor limit it too much? I may also replace the system's power supply and use the necessary adapter. Finding an affordable i7-8700 is unlikely because used prices are unusually high.
3 Answers
For only $30 extra, I'd choose the RX 6650 XT. It's a meaningful performance increase over the regular RX 6600, and a CPU bottleneck won't make the graphics card useless. In CPU-limited games, you can cap your frame rate or increase graphics settings to make performance smoother. Just make sure the replacement power supply, adapter, and case clearance are all suitable for the ThinkCentre.
The i5-8400 will hold back the 6650 XT in some high-FPS and CPU-heavy games, especially at 1080p, but the card can still deliver better results when the GPU is the limiting factor. Unless the RX 6600 is substantially cheaper, the 6650 XT is the better long-term buy. A faster graphics card can also remain useful if you later move to a newer platform.
You could consider newer cards such as an RX 7600 or RTX 5050 if their prices are close, since they offer newer features and, in some cases, lower power use. However, if those options cost much more or aren't available locally, they aren't worth forcing. With your actual pricing, the RX 6650 XT is the sensible choice over the RX 6600.
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