I'm considering replacing my Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti with an AMD RX 9070. The 3060 Ti's 8GB of VRAM seems to become a problem during heavy workloads on Linux: applications may run out of memory or get terminated, even though the same games or workloads are stable on Windows. I'm also interested in AMD because its Linux support is often described as smoother, and a newer card would give me roughly 12–16GB of VRAM for a reasonable price.
My GPU-heavy usage is mainly gaming and Blender with the EEVEE engine, not CUDA-based rendering or local AI workloads. For this use case, are there important advantages or drawbacks to moving from Nvidia to AMD? How do current Linux drivers, gaming performance, VRAM handling, and Blender support compare?
4 Answers
The gap between Nvidia and AMD on Linux is much smaller than it used to be. Nvidia can work perfectly well for gaming, so there’s no urgent need to switch if you find a good deal. That said, the RX 9070 would be a substantial performance and VRAM upgrade over a 3060 Ti, making AMD a strong choice for your gaming-focused workload.
The main reason to stay with Nvidia would be software that specifically benefits from CUDA, such as AI tools or CUDA-based Blender rendering. Since you’re using EEVEE and mostly playing games, those advantages probably don’t matter much. AMD looks like the better fit here, assuming the RX 9070 is priced competitively and supported properly by your distribution.
For a Linux desktop, AMD is generally the simpler option because its graphics stack is built around the open-source kernel and Mesa drivers. Many people find that it requires less driver troubleshooting and integrates more naturally with the system. For gaming and EEVEE, the extra VRAM and newer architecture of the RX 9070 are likely more valuable than Nvidia-specific features.
At minimum, expect a major jump over the 3060 Ti rather than a small sidegrade. AMD’s current Linux support is generally solid for gaming, while Nvidia remains a reasonable choice when features like CUDA, certain ray-tracing workloads, or specific proprietary applications are important. Your workload points more toward AMD, especially if 8GB of VRAM is already limiting you.
Nvidia is usable, but it still isn’t flawless. Some games can run into driver-related problems under heavy loads, so AMD may offer a less frustrating experience if Linux compatibility is your priority.